17. So Daniel went to his house. He explained the whole story to his friends Hananiah, Mishael and Azariah.
18. Daniel asked his friends to pray to the God of heaven. Daniel asked them to pray that God would show them mercy and help them understand this secret. Then Daniel and his friends would not be put to death with the other wise men of Babylon.
19. During the night God explained the secret to Daniel in a vision. Then Daniel praised the God of heaven.
20. Daniel said:“Praise God forever and ever.He has wisdom and power.
21. He changes the times and seasons of the year.He takes away the power of kings.And he gives their power to new kings.He gives wisdom to people so they become wise.And he helps people learn and know things.
22. He makes known secrets that are deep and hidden.He knows what is hidden in darkness,and light lives with him.
23. I thank you and praise you, God of my ancestors.You have given me wisdom and power.You told me what we asked of you.You told us about the king’s dream.”
24. Then Daniel went to Arioch. King Nebuchadnezzar had chosen Arioch to put to death the wise men of Babylon. Daniel said to Arioch, “Don’t put the wise men of Babylon to death. Take me to the king. I will tell him what his dream means.”
25. So very quickly Arioch took Daniel to the king. Arioch said to the king, “I have found a man among the captives from Judah. He can tell the king what his dream means.”
26. The king asked Daniel (also called Belteshazzar) a question. He asked, “Are you able to tell me what I dreamed and what it means?”
27. Daniel answered, “No person can explain to the king the secret he has asked about. No wise man, magician or fortune-teller can do this.
28. But there is a God in heaven who explains secret things. God has shown King Nebuchadnezzar what will happen at a later time. This is your dream. This is the vision you saw while lying on your bed:
29. My king, as you were lying there, you thought about things to come. God, who can tell people about secret things, showed you what is going to happen.
30. God also told this secret to me. It is not because I have greater wisdom than other men. It is so that you, my king, may know what it means. In that way you will understand what went through your mind.
31. “My king, in your dream you saw a large statue in front of you. It was huge, shiny and frightening.
32. The head of the statue was made of pure gold. Its chest and arms were made of silver. Its middle and the upper part of its legs were made of bronze.
33. The lower part of the legs were made of iron. Its feet were made partly of iron and partly of baked clay.
34. While you were looking at the statue, you saw a rock cut free. But no human being touched the rock. It hit the statue on its feet of iron and clay and smashed them.
35. Then the iron, clay, bronze, silver and gold broke to pieces at the same time. They became like chaff on a threshing floor in the summertime. The wind blew them away, and there was nothing left. Then the rock that hit the statue became a very large mountain. It filled the whole earth.