但以理為同胞禱告
1瑪代人亞哈隨魯的兒子大流士被立為迦勒底國的王元年， 2即他統治的第一年，我但以理從經書上耶和華給耶利米先知的話得知，耶路撒冷必荒涼七十年。
3我便禁食，身披麻衣，頭蒙灰塵，向主上帝禱告祈求。 4我向我的上帝耶和華禱告、認罪，說：「主啊，你是偉大而可畏的上帝，你向那些愛你、遵守你誡命的人信守你的慈愛之約。 5我們犯罪作惡，行為邪惡叛逆，偏離你的誡命和典章， 6沒有聽從你的僕人——眾先知奉你的名向我們的君王、首領、先祖及國中百姓所說的話。 7主啊，你是公義的，我們今日滿面羞愧，我們猶大人和耶路撒冷的居民，以及因對你不忠而被驅散到遠近各地的以色列人都滿面羞愧。 8主啊，我們和我們的君王、首領、先祖因得罪了你而滿臉羞愧。 9雖然我們背叛了主——我們的上帝，祂卻有憐憫和饒恕之心。 10我們沒有聽從我們的上帝耶和華的話，沒有遵行祂藉祂的僕人——眾先知給我們頒佈的律法。 11以色列人都違背你的律法，偏離正道，不聽從你的話。你僕人摩西的律法書上所記載的咒詛和審判都落在了我們身上，因為我們得罪了你。 12你把大災難降在我們身上，應驗了你警告我們和我們官長的話。耶路撒冷遭遇的災禍普天之下從未有過。 13這一切災禍降在了我們身上，正如摩西律法書的記載。然而，我們的上帝耶和華啊，我們卻沒有離開罪惡，認識你的真理，以便懇求你施恩。 14所以耶和華決意使災禍降在我們身上，因為我們的上帝耶和華的一切作為都是公義的，我們卻沒有聽從祂的話。
15「主——我們的上帝啊，你曾用大能的手把你的子民領出埃及，使自己威名遠揚直到今日。我們卻犯罪作惡。 16主啊，你一向公義，求你不要向你的耶路撒冷城——你的聖山發烈怒。由於我們的罪惡和我們祖先的過犯，耶路撒冷和你的子民成了四圍鄰人嘲諷的對象。 17我們的上帝啊，求你垂聽僕人的禱告祈求，為你自己的緣故，笑顏垂顧你荒涼的聖所。 18我的上帝啊，求你側耳垂聽，睜眼眷顧我們荒涼的土地和屬於你名下的城。我們向你祈求，並非因為我們有什麼義行，乃是因為你充滿憐憫。 19主啊，求你垂聽！主啊，求你赦免！主啊，求你應允，立刻行動！我的上帝啊，為你自己的緣故，求你不要耽延，因為這城和這民都屬於你的名下。」
加百列解釋預言
20我繼續禱告，承認我和同胞以色列人的罪，為我上帝耶和華的聖山在祂面前祈求。 21我正禱告的時候，先前在異象中看見的那位加百列奉命疾飛而來。那是獻晚祭的時候。 22他向我解釋說：「但以理啊，我來是要使你有智慧和悟性。 23你剛開始祈求，就已賜下答覆，我是來告訴你的，因為你倍受眷愛。所以你要留意以下的信息，明白異象的意思。
24「已經為你的同胞和聖城定了七十個七，以終結叛逆，除掉罪惡，贖盡過犯，帶來永遠的公義，封住異象和預言，膏抹至聖所9·24 「至聖所」或譯「至聖者」。。 25你要知道，也要明白，從重建耶路撒冷的命令發出，到受膏的君王來臨，其間有七個七加六十二個七。耶路撒冷城及其廣場和壕溝必得重建，且是在艱難時期。 26六十二個七之後，受膏者必被殺害，一無所有。另有一王要興起，他的臣民要毀滅這城和聖所。結局必如洪水沖來，戰爭將持續到末了，到處一片荒涼——這已經註定。 27那王必與許多人締結一七之久的盟約。一七之半，他必終止祭牲和供物，並且設立帶來毀滅的可憎之物，直到所定的結局臨到這惡者。」
Daniel Prays to the Lord
1It was the first year that Darius was king of Babylon. He was from Media and was the son of Xerxes. 2In that year I learned from the Scriptures that Jerusalem would remain destroyed for 70 years. That was what the Lord had told Jeremiah the prophet. 3So I prayed to the Lord God. I begged him. I made many appeals to him. I didn’t eat anything. I put on the rough clothing people wear when they’re sad. And I sat down in ashes.
4I prayed to the Lord my God. I admitted that we had sinned. I said,
“Lord, you are a great and wonderful God. You keep the covenant you made with all those who love you and obey your commandments. You show them your love. 5We have sinned and done what is wrong. We have been evil. We have refused to obey you. We have turned away from your commands and laws. 6We haven’t listened to your servants the prophets. They spoke in your name to our kings, our princes and our people of long ago. They also brought your message to all our people in the land.
7“Lord, you always do what is right. But we are covered with shame today. We are the people of Judah and Jerusalem. All of us are Israelites, no matter where we live. We are now living in many countries. You scattered us among the nations because we weren’t faithful to you. 8Lord, we are covered with shame. So are our kings and princes, and our people of long ago. We have sinned against you. 9You are the Lord our God. You show us your tender love. You forgive us. But we have turned against you. 10You are the Lord our God. But we haven’t obeyed you. We haven’t kept the laws you gave us through your servants the prophets. 11All the people of Israel have broken your law and turned away from it. They have refused to obey you.
“Curses and warnings are written down in the Law of Moses. He was your servant. Those curses have been poured out on us. That’s because we have sinned against you. 12The warnings you gave us and our rulers have come true. You have brought great trouble on us. Nothing like what has been done to Jerusalem has ever happened anywhere else on earth. 13The curses that are written in the Law of Moses have fallen on us. We have received nothing but trouble. You are the Lord our God. But we haven’t asked for your favor. We haven’t turned away from our sins. We’ve refused to pay attention to the laws you gave us. 14Lord, you didn’t hold back from bringing this trouble on us. You always do what is right. But we haven’t obeyed you.
15“Lord our God, you used your mighty hand to bring your people out of Egypt. You made a name for yourself. It is still great to this day. But we have sinned. We’ve done what is wrong. 16Lord, you saved your people before. So turn your great anger away from Jerusalem again. After all, it is your city. It’s your holy mountain. You have made those who live around us think little of Jerusalem and your people. That’s because we have sinned. Our people before us did evil things too.
17“Our God, hear my prayers. Pay attention to the appeals I make to you. Lord, have mercy on your temple that has been destroyed. Do it for your own honor. 18Our God, please listen to us. The city that belongs to you has been destroyed. Open your eyes and see it. We aren’t asking you to answer our prayers because we are godly. Instead, we’re asking you to do it because you love us so much. 19Lord, please listen! Lord, please forgive us! Lord, hear our prayers! Take action for your own honor. Our God, please don’t wait. Your city and your people belong to you.”
Gabriel Tells Daniel About Seventy “Weeks”
20I was speaking and praying. I was admitting that I and my people Israel had sinned. I was making my appeal to the Lord my God. My appeal was about his holy mountain of Zion. 21While I was still praying, Gabriel came to me. I had seen him in my earlier vision. He flew over to me very quickly. It was about the time when the evening sacrifice is offered. 22He helped me understand. He said, “Daniel, I have come now to help you know and understand these things. 23You are highly respected. So as soon as you began to pray, the Lord gave you a message. I have come to tell you what it is. Here is how you must understand the vision.
24“The Lord has appointed 70 ‘weeks’ for your people and your holy city. During that time, acts against God’s law will be stopped. Sin will come to an end. And the evil things people do will be paid for. Then everyone will always do what is right. Everything that has been made known in visions and prophecies will come true. And the Most Holy Room in the temple will be anointed.
25“Here is what I want you to know and understand. There will be seven ‘weeks.’ Then there will be 62 ‘weeks.’ The seven ‘weeks’ will begin when an order is given to rebuild Jerusalem and make it like new again. At the end of the 62 ‘weeks,’ the Anointed King will come. Jerusalem will have streets and a water system when it is rebuilt. But that will be done in times of trouble. 26After the 62 ‘weeks,’ the Anointed King will be put to death. His followers will desert him. And everything he has will be taken away from him. The army of the ruler who will come will destroy the city and the temple. The end will come like a flood. War will continue until the end. The Lord has ordered that many places be destroyed. 27A covenant will be put into effect with many people for one ‘week.’ In the middle of the ‘week’ sacrifices and offerings will come to an end. And at the temple a hated thing that destroys will be set up. It will remain until that ruler who will come is destroyed. Then he will experience what the Lord has ordered.”
