1  And Daniel conversed with the king, and was honoured above all his friends.

1  And so Daniel was living with the king, and he was honored above all his friends.

2  Now the Babylonians had an idol, called Bel, and there were spent upon him every day twelve great measures of fine flour, and forty sheep, and six vessels of wine.

2  Now there was an idol with the Babylonians named Bel. And each day there was expended on him twelve great measures of fine flour, and forty sheep, and six vessels of wine.

3  And the king worshipped it and went daily to adore it: but Daniel worshipped his own God. And the king said unto him, Why dost not thou worship Bel?

3  The king likewise worshipped him and went each day to adore him, but Daniel adored his God. And the king said to him, “Why do you not adore Bel?”

4  Who answered and said, Because I may not worship idols made with hands, but the living God, who hath created the heaven and the earth, and hath sovereignty over all flesh.

4  And answering, he said to him, “Because I do not worship idols made with hands, but the living God, who created heaven and earth, and who holds power over all flesh.”

5  Then said the king unto him, Thinkest thou not that Bel is a living God? seest thou not how much he eateth and drinketh every day?

5  And the king said to him, “Does not Bel seem to you to be a living god? Do you not see how much he eats and drinks every day?”

6  Then Daniel smiled, and said, O king, be not deceived: for this is but clay within, and brass without, and did never eat or drink any thing.

6  Then Daniel said, smiling, “O king, do not make a mistake, for this one is clay on the inside and brass on the outside, and he has never eaten.”

7  So the king was wroth, and called for his priests, and said unto them, If ye tell me not who this is that devoureth these expenses, ye shall die.

7  And the king, being angry, called for his priests and said to them, “If you do not tell me who it is that has eaten these expenses, you will die.

8  But if ye can certify me that Bel devoureth them, then Daniel shall die: for he hath spoken blasphemy against Bel. And Daniel said unto the king, Let it be according to thy word.

8  But if you can show that Bel has eaten these, Daniel will die, because he has blasphemed against Bel.” And Daniel said to the king, “Let it be according to your word.”

9  Now the priests of Bel were threescore and ten, beside their wives and children. And the king went with Daniel into the temple of Bel.

10  So Bel’s priests said, Lo, we go out: but thou, O king, set on the meat, and make ready the wine, and shut the door fast and seal it with thine own signet;

10  And the priests of Bel said, “Behold, we are going out, and you, O king, set out the meats, and mix the wine, and close the door, and seal it with your ring.

11  And to morrow when thou comest in, if thou findest not that Bel hath eaten up all, we will suffer death: or else Daniel, that speaketh falsely against us.

11  And when you have entered in the morning, if you have not found that Bel has consumed all, we will suffer death, or else Daniel will, who has lied against us.”

12  And they little regarded it: for under the table they had made a privy entrance, whereby they entered in continually, and consumed those things.

12  But they had no concern because they had made a secret entrance under the table, and they always went in through it and devoured those things.

13  So when they were gone forth, the king set meats before Bel. Now Daniel had commanded his servants to bring ashes, and those they strewed throughout all the temple in the presence of the king alone: then went they out, and shut the door, and sealed it with the king’s signet, and so departed.

13  And so it happened, after they had departed, that the king set the foods before Bel, and Daniel commanded his servants, and they brought ashes, and he sifted them throughout the temple in the sight of the king, and, as they left, they shut the door, and after sealing it with the king’s ring, they departed.

14  Now in the night came the priests with their wives and children, as they were wont to do, and did eat and drink up all.

14  But the priests entered by night, according to their custom, with their wives, and their sons, and they ate and drank everything.

15  In the morning betime the king arose, and Daniel with him.

15  But the king arose at first light, and Daniel with him.

16  And the king said, Daniel, are the seals whole? And he said, Yea, O king, they be whole.

17  And as soon as he had opened the dour, the king looked upon the table, and cried with a loud voice, Great art thou, O Bel, and with thee is no deceit at all.

18  Then laughed Daniel, and held the king that he should not go in, and said, Behold now the pavement, and mark well whose footsteps are these.

18  And Daniel laughed, and he held back the king, so that he would not enter, and he said, “Look at the pavement, notice whose footsteps these are.”

19  And the king said, I see the footsteps of men, women, and children. And then the king was angry,

20  And took the priests with their wives and children, who shewed him the privy doors, where they came in, and consumed such things as were upon the table.

20  Then he apprehended the priests, and their wives, and their sons, and they showed him the secret doors through which they entered and consumed the things that were on the table.

21  Therefore the king slew them, and delivered Bel into Daniel’s power, who destroyed him and his temple.

22  And in that same place there was a great dragon, which they of Babylon worshipped.

22  And there was a great dragon in that place, and the Babylonians worshipped him.

23  And the king said unto Daniel, Wilt thou also say that this is of brass? lo, he liveth, he eateth and drinketh; thou canst not say that he is no living god: therefore worship him.

23  And the king said to Daniel, “Behold, now you cannot say that this is not a living god; therefore, adore him.”

24  Then said Daniel unto the king, I will worship the Lord my God: for he is the living God.

24  And Daniel said, “I adore the Lord, my God, for he is the living God. But that one is not a living god.

25  But give me leave, O king, and I shall slay this dragon without sword or staff. The king said, I give thee leave.

25  Therefore, you give me the power, O king, and I will execute this dragon without sword or club.” And the king said, “I give it to you.”

26  Then Daniel took pitch, and fat, and hair, and did seethe them together, and made lumps thereof: this he put in the dragon’s mouth, and so the dragon burst in sunder: and Daniel said, Lo, these are the gods ye worship.

26  And so Daniel took pitch, and fat, and hair, and cooked them together. And he made lumps and put them into the dragon’s mouth, and the dragon burst open. And he said, “Behold, this is what you worship.”

27  When they of Babylon heard that, they took great indignation, and conspired against the king, saying, The king is become a Jew, and he hath destroyed Bel, he hath slain the dragon, and put the priests to death.

27  When the Babylonians had heard this, they were greatly indignant. And gathering together against the king, they said, “The king has become a Jew. He has destroyed Bel, he has executed the dragon, and he has slaughtered the priests.”

28  So they came to the king, and said, Deliver us Daniel, or else we will destroy thee and thine house.

28  And when they came to the king, they said, “Deliver Daniel to us, otherwise we will execute you and your house.”

29  Now when the king saw that they pressed him sore, being constrained, he delivered Daniel unto them

29  Thus the king saw that they pressured him vehemently, and so, being compelled by necessity, he delivered Daniel to them.

30  Who cast him into the lions’ den: where he was six days.

30  And they cast him into the den of lions, and he was there for six days.

31  And in the den there were seven lions, and they had given them every day two carcases, and two sheep: which then were not given to them, to the intent they might devour Daniel.

31  Furthermore, in the den there were seven lions, and they had given to them two carcasses every day, and two sheep, but then they were not given to them, so that they would devour Daniel.

32  Now there was in Jewry a prophet, called Habbacuc, who had made pottage, and had broken bread in a bowl, and was going into the field, for to bring it to the reapers.

33  But the angel of the Lord said unto Habbacuc, Go, carry the dinner that thou hast into Babylon unto Daniel, who is in the lions’ den.

33  And the angel of the Lord said to Habakkuk, “Carry the meal that you have into Babylon, to Daniel, who is in the lions’ den.”

34  And Habbacuc said, Lord, I never saw Babylon; neither do I know where the den is.

34  And Habakkuk said, “Lord, I have not seen Babylon, and I do not know the den.”

35  Then the angel of the Lord took him by the crown, and bare him by the hair of his head, and through the vehemency of his spirit set him in Babylon over the den.

35  And the angel of the Lord seized him by the top of his head, and carried him by the hair of his head, and set him in Babylon, over the den, by the force of his spirit.

36  And Habbacuc cried, saying, O Daniel, Daniel, take the dinner which God hath sent thee.

36  And Habakkuk shouted, saying, “Daniel, servant of God, take the dinner that God has sent you.”

37  And Daniel said, Thou hast remembered me, O God: neither hast thou forsaken them that seek thee and love thee.

37  And Daniel said, “You have remembered me, O God, and you have not abandoned those who love you.”

38  So Daniel arose, and did eat: and the angel of the Lord set Habbacuc in his own place again immediately.

38  And Daniel arose and ate. And then the angel of the Lord immediately returned Habakkuk to his place.

39  Upon the seventh day the king went to bewail Daniel: and when he came to the den, he looked in, and behold, Daniel was sitting.

39  And so, on the seventh day, the king came to morn Daniel. And he came to the den, and gazed in, and behold, Daniel was sitting in the midst of the lions.

40  Then cried the king with a loud voice, saying, Great art Lord God of Daniel, and there is none other beside thee.

40  And the king cried out with a loud voice, saying, “Great are you, O Lord, the God of Daniel.” And he pulled him out of the lions’ den.

41  And he drew him out, and cast those that were the cause of his destruction into the den: and they were devoured in a moment before his face.

41  Furthermore, those who had been the cause of his downfall, he hurled into the den, and they were devoured in a moment before him.

42  Then the king said, “Let all the inhabitants of the whole earth fear the God of Daniel. For he is the Savior, working signs and miracles on earth, who has freed Daniel from the lions’ den.”