sons in whom was no blemish, but who were handsome and skillful in all wisdom; and who had knowledge and understanding, even those who were able to stand in the king's palace, and to whom they might teach the writing and the language of the Chaldeans.

And the king gave them the portion of a day in its day from the king's food, and the wine which he drank, even to rear them three years, so that at their end they might stand before the king.

So Melzar took away their part of the food, and the wine that they were to drink, and gave them vegetables.

And the king talked with them. And among them all were found none like Daniel, Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah. So they stood before the king.

And the king commanded to call to the horoscopists, and to the conjurers, and to the sorcerers, and to the Chaldeans, to tell to the king his dreams. So they came and stood before the king.

They answered again and said, Let the king tell his servants the dream, and we will reveal its meaning.

And the law went out that the wise men should be killed. And they sought Daniel and his fellows to be killed.

that they might pray for the mercies of God in Heaven concerning this secret, that Daniel and his companions should not perish with the rest of the wise men of Babylon.

Then the iron, the clay, the bronze, the silver, and the gold were broken to pieces together. And they became like the chaff of the summer threshing floors. And the wind carried them away, so that no place was found for them. And the stone that struck the image became a great mountain and filled the whole earth.

And as you saw iron mixed with miry clay, they shall mix themselves with the seed of men. But they shall not cling to one another, even as iron is not mixed with clay.

Then were gathered the satraps, the prefects, the governors, the counselors, the treasurers, the judges, the justices, and all the officials of the provinces, to the dedication of the image that Nebuchadnezzar the king had set up. And they stood before the image that Nebuchadnezzar had set up.

And whoever does not fall down and worship, at that moment they will be thrown into the middle of a burning fiery furnace.

They spoke and said to King Nebuchadnezzar, O king, live forever.

There are men, Jews, whom you have set over the business of the province of Babylon, Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego. These men, O king, do not heed you. They do not serve your gods nor worship the golden image which you have set up.

Then Nebuchadnezzar in anger and wrath commanded them to bring Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego. Then they brought these men before the king.

Then Nebuchadnezzar was filled with wrath, and the form of his face was changed against Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego. He spoke and commanded that they should heat the furnace seven times more than it was usually heated.

Then Nebuchadnezzar the king was amazed. And he rose up in haste and spoke and said to his advisers, Did we not throw three men bound into the middle of the fire? They answered and said to the king, True, O king.

Nebuchadnezzar spoke and said, Blessed be the God of Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, who has sent His Angel and has delivered His servants who trusted in Him, and have changed the king's words and have given their bodies that they might not serve nor worship any god except their own God.

So I made a decree to bring in all the wise men of Babylon before me, that they might make known to me the meaning of the dream.

Then the horoscopists, the conjurers, the Chaldeans, and the fortune-tellers came in. And I told the dream before them, but they did not make its meaning known to me.

They shall drive you from men, and your dwelling shall be with the animals of the field, and they shall make you eat grass like oxen. And they shall wet you with the dew of heaven, and seven times shall pass over you, until you know that the Most High rules in the kingdom of men, and gives it to whomever He will.

And in that they commanded to leave the stump of the tree roots; your kingdom shall be sure to you after you have known that Heaven rules.

And they shall drive you from men, and your dwelling shall be with the animals of the field. They shall make you eat grass like oxen, and seven times shall pass over you, until you know that the Most High rules in the kingdom of men, and gives it to whomever He will.

Then they brought the golden vessels that were taken out of the temple of the house of God in Jerusalem. And the king, and his rulers, his wives, and his concubines, drank in them.

They drank wine, and praised the gods of gold, and of silver, and of bronze, of iron, of wood, and of stone.

Then all the king's wise men came in. But they could not read the writing, nor make the meaning known to the king.

And now the wise men and the conjurers have been brought in before me, that they might read this writing and make the meaning known to me. But they could not declare the meaning of the thing.

But when his heart was lifted up, and his mind hardened in pride, he was put down from the throne of his kingdom, and they took his glory from him.

And he was driven from the sons of men. And his heart was made like the animals, and his dwelling was with the wild asses. They fed him with grass like oxen, and his body was wet with the dew of the heavens, until he knew that the Most High God rules in the kingdom of men, and that He appoints over it whomever He will.

But you have lifted up yourself against the Lord of Heaven. And they have brought the vessels of His house before you; and you, and your lords, your wives, and your concubines, have drunk wine from them. And you have praised the gods of silver, and gold, of bronze, iron, wood, and stone, which do not see, nor hear, nor know. And you have not glorified the God in whose hand is your breath and all your ways.

Then Belshazzar commanded, and they clothed Daniel with scarlet and a golden chain around his neck, and made a proclamation concerning him that he should be the third ruler in the kingdom.

It pleased Darius to set over the kingdom a hundred and twenty satraps, that they might be over the whole kingdom.

Then the presidents and rulers sought to find occasion against Daniel concerning the kingdom. But they could find no occasion or fault, because he was faithful. Neither was there any error or fault found in him.

Then they came near and spoke before the king concerning the king's ban, Have you not signed a ban that every man who shall ask a petition of any god or man within thirty days, except of you, O king, shall be thrown into the lion's den? The king answered and said, The thing is true, according to the law of the Medes and Persians, which cannot be changed.

Then they answered and said before the king, Daniel, who is of the exiled sons of Judah, has not respected you, O king, nor the ban that you have signed, but makes his prayer three times a day.

Then the king commanded, and they brought Daniel and threw him into the lions' den. The king answered and said to Daniel, Your God, whom you always serve, will deliver you.

My God has sent His Angel, and has shut the lions' mouths, and they have not hurt me, because before Him purity was found in me. And also before you, O king, I have done no harm.

Then the king was exceedingly glad for him, and commanded that they should take Daniel up out of the den. So Daniel was taken up out of the den, and no kind of hurt was found on him, because he trusted in his God.

And the king commanded, and they brought those men who had accused Daniel, and they threw them into the lions' den; them, their sons, and their wives. And the lions overpowered them and broke all their bones in pieces before they came to the bottom of the den.

And behold another beast, a second, like a bear. And it raised itself up on one side, and it had three ribs in its mouth between its teeth. And they said this to it: Arise, eat up much flesh.

I saw in the night visions, and behold, One like the Son of man came with the clouds of heaven, and came to the Ancient of Days, and they brought Him near before Him.

These four great beasts are four kings; they shall arise out of the earth.

And he shall speak words against the Most High, and shall wear out the saints of the Most High, and plot to change times and laws. And they shall be given into his hand until a time and times and one-half time.

But the judgment shall sit, and they shall take away his rulership, to cut off and to destroy until the end.

O Lord, righteousness belongs to You, but to us the shame of our faces, as it is today to the men of Judah and to the people of Jerusalem, and to all Israel who are near and who are afar off, through all the countries where You have driven them because of their sin which they have sinned against You.

Yea, all Israel has transgressed Your Law, and turned aside, that they might not obey Your voice. Therefore the curse has been poured out on us, and the oath that is written in the Law of Moses the servant of God, because we have sinned against Him.

And I, Daniel, alone saw the vision. For the men who were with me did not see the vision; but a great quaking fell on them, so that they fled to hide themselves.

And in the end of years they shall join together; for the king's daughter of the south shall come to the king of the north to make a treaty. But she shall not keep the power of the arm. Nor shall he stand, nor his arm. But she shall be given up, and those who brought her in, and her begetter, and he who made her strong in these times.

And in those times there shall stand up many against the king of the south. Also the robbers of your people shall rise up to establish the vision, but they shall fall.

And a despised one shall stand up in his place, and they shall not give to him the honor of the king; but he will enter while at ease and seize the kingdom by intrigues.

And the forces of the overflow will be swept from before him, and they will be broken, and also the ruler of a covenant.

And after they join him, he will practice deceit. For he will come and be strong with a few people.

And he shall stir up his power and his heart against the king of the south with a great army. And the king of the south shall be stirred up to battle with a very great and mighty army, but he shall not stand. For they shall devise plots against him.

And both these kings' hearts shall be to do evil, and they shall speak lies at one table. But it shall not succeed. For still the end comes at the time appointed.

And forces will stand from him, and they will profane the sanctuary, the fortress, and shall remove the daily sacrifice, and they shall place the desolating abomination.

And those who understand among the people shall teach many; yet they shall fall by the sword, and by flame, by exile, and spoil, for days.

And when they stumble, they shall be helped with a little help, but many will join them, with hypocrisy.

And I heard the man clothed in linen, who was on the waters of the river, when he held up his right and his left hand to Heaven, and swore by Him who lives forever that it shall be for a time, times, and a half. And when they have made an end of scattering the power of the holy people, all these things shall be finished.