Catholic Public Domain Version (CPDV)

1 In the third year of the reign of Belshazzar the king, a vision appeared to me. After that which I had seen in the beginning, I, Daniel,

2 saw in my vision, that I was in the capital city of Susa, which is in the region of Elam, yet I saw in the vision that I was over the gate of Ulai.

3 And I lifted up my eyes and saw, and behold, a single ram stood before the marsh, having two high horns, and one was higher than the other and growing higher still.

4 After this, I saw the ram brandishing his horns against the West, and against the North, and against the Meridian, and all the beasts could not withstand him, nor be freed from his hand, and he did according to his own will, and he became great.

5 And I understood, and behold, a he-goat among she-goats came from the West above the face of the entire earth, and he did not touch the ground. Furthermore, the he-goat had a preeminent horn between his eyes.

6 And he went all the way to the ram that had the horns, which I had seen standing before the gate, and he ran towards him in the force of his strength.

7 And when he approached near to the ram, he was enraged against him, and he struck the ram, and broke his two horns, and the ram could not withstand him, and when he had cast him down on the ground, he trampled him, and no one was able to free the ram from his hand.

8 But the he-goat among she-goats became exceedingly great, and when he had prospered, the great horn was shattered, and four horns were rising up beneath it by means of the four winds of heaven.

9 But from one of them came forth one little horn, and it became great against the Meridian, and against the East, and against the strength.

10 And it was magnified even towards the strength of heaven, and it threw down those of the strength and of the stars, and it trampled them.

11 And it was magnified, even to the leader of the strength, and it took away from him the continual sacrifice, and cast down the place of his sanctuary.

12 And the advantage was given to him against the continual sacrifice, because of the sins, and truth will be struck down to the ground, and he will act, and he will prosper.

13 And I heard one of the holy ones speaking, and one saint said to another, (I know not to whom he was speaking,) “What is the extent of the vision, and the continual sacrifice, and the sin of the desolation, which has happened, and of the sanctuary and the strength, which will be trampled?”

14 And he said to him, “From evening until morning, two thousand three hundred days, and so the sanctuary will be cleansed.”

15 But it came to pass, when I, Daniel, saw the vision and sought understanding that, behold, there stood in my sight something like the appearance of a man.

16 And I heard the voice of a man within Ulai, and he called out and said, “Gabriel, make this one understand the vision.”

17 And he came and stood next to where I was standing, and when he approached, I fell on my face, trembling, and he said to me, “Understand, son of man, for in the time of the end the vision will be fulfilled.”

18 And when he spoke to me, I fell forward onto the ground, and so he touched me and stood me upright.

19 And he said to me, “I will reveal to you what the future things are in the earlier tribulation, for the time has its end.

20 The ram, which you saw to have horns, is the king of the Medes and Persians.

21 Furthermore, the he-goat among she-goats is the king of the Greeks, and the great horn, which was between his eyes, is the same one, the first king.

22 And since, having been shattered, there grew four in its place, four kings will rise up from his people, but not in his strength.

23 And after their reign, when iniquities will be increased, there will arise a king of shameless face and understanding negotiations.

24 And his advantage will be strengthened, but not by his kind of force, and other than what he will be able to trust, everything will be eradicated, and he will prosper, and he will act. And he will execute the successful and the people of the saints,

25 according to his will, and treachery will be guided by his hand. And his heart will be inflated, and by the abundance of everything he will kill many, and he will rise up against the Lord of lords, and he will be knocked down without a hand.

26 And the vision of the evening and the morning, which was told, is true. Therefore, you must seal the vision, because, after many days, it will occur.”

27 And I, Daniel, languished and was sick for some days, and when I had lifted myself up, I performed the king’s works, and I was astonished at the vision, and there was none who could interpret it.

1 In the first year of Darius, the son of Ahasuerus, of the offspring of the Medes, who ruled over the kingdom of the Chaldeans,

2 in year one of his reign, I, Daniel, understood in the books the number of the years, concerning the word of the Lord which came to Jeremiah, the prophet, that the desolation of Jerusalem would be completed in seventy years.

3 And I set my face to the Lord, my God, to ask and make supplication with fasting, and sackcloth, and ashes.

4 And I prayed to the Lord, my God, and I confessed, and I said, “I beg you, O Lord God, great and terrible, preserving the covenant and mercy for those who love you and keep your commandments.

5 We have sinned, we have committed iniquity, we acted impiously and have withdrawn, and we have turned aside from your commandments as well as your judgments.

6 We have not obeyed your servants, the prophets, who have spoken in your name to our kings, our leaders, our fathers, and all the people of the land.

7 To you, O Lord, is justice, but to us is confusion of face, just as it is on this day for the men of Judah, and the inhabitants of Jerusalem, and all Israel, for those who are near and those who are far off, in all the lands to which you have driven them, because of their iniquities by which they have sinned against you.

8 O Lord, to us belongs confusion of face: to our kings, our leaders, and our fathers, who have sinned.

9 But to you, the Lord our God, is mercy and atonement, for we have withdrawn from you,

10 and we have not listened to the voice of the Lord, our God, so as to walk in his law, which he established for us by his servants, the prophets.

11 And all Israel has transgressed your law and has turned away, not listening to your voice, and so the condemnation and the curse, which is written in the book of Moses, servant of God, has rained down upon us, because we have sinned against him.

12 And he has fulfilled his words, which he has spoken over us and over our leaders who judged us, that he would lead over us a great evil, such as has never before existed under all of heaven, according to what has been done in Jerusalem.

13 Just as it has been written in the law of Moses, all this evil has come upon us, and we did not entreat your face, O Lord our God, so that we might turn back from our iniquities and consider your truth.

14 And the Lord kept watch over the evil and has led it over us; the Lord, our God, is just in all his works, which he has accomplished, for we have not listened to his voice.

15 And now, O Lord, our God, who has led your people out of the land of Egypt with a strong hand and has made yourself a name in accordance with this day: we have sinned, we have done wrong.

16 O Lord, for all your righteousness, turn away, I beg you, your anger and your fury from your city, Jerusalem, and from your holy mountain. For, because of our sins and the iniquities of our fathers, Jerusalem and your people are a reproach to all who surround us.

17 Now, therefore, heed, O God, the prayer of your servant and his requests, and reveal your face over your sanctuary, which is desolate, for your own sake.

18 Incline your ear, O my God, and hear, open your eyes and see our desolation and the city over which your name is invoked. For it is not through our justifications that we offer requests before your face, but through the fullness of your compassion.

19 Heed, O Lord. Be pleased, O Lord. Turn and act. Do not delay, for your own sake, O my God, because your name is invoked over your city and over your people.”

20 And while I was still speaking and praying and confessing my sins, and the sins of my people, Israel, and offering my prayers in the sight of my God, on behalf of the holy mountain of my God,

21 as I was still speaking in prayer, behold, the man Gabriel, whom I had seen in the vision at the beginning, flying swiftly, touched me at the time of the evening sacrifice.

22 And he instructed me, and he spoke to me and said, “Now, Daniel, I have come forth to teach you and to help you understand.

23 At the beginning of your prayers, the message came forth, yet I have come to explain it to you because you are a man who is seeking. Therefore, you must pay close attention to the message and understand the vision.

24 Seventy weeks of years are concentrated on your people and on your holy city, so that transgression shall be finished, and sin shall reach an end, and iniquity shall be wiped away, and so that everlasting justice shall be brought in, and vision and prophecy shall be fulfilled, and the Saint of saints shall be anointed.

25 Therefore, know and take heed: from the going forth of the word to build up Jerusalem again, until the Christ leader, there will be seven weeks of years, and sixty-two weeks of years; and the wide path will be built again, and the walls, in a time of anguish.

26 And after sixty-two weeks of years, the Christ leader will be slain. And the people who have denied him will not be his. And the people, when their leader arrives, will destroy the city and the sanctuary. And its end will be devastation, and, after the end of the war, the desolation will be set up.

27 But he will confirm a covenant with many for one week of years; and for half of the week of years, victim and sacrifice will nearly cease; but there will be in the temple the abomination of desolation. And the desolation will continue even to the consummation and the end.”

1 In the third year of Cyrus, king of the Persians, a message was revealed to Daniel, called Belteshazzar, and a true word, and great strength. And he understood the message, for understanding is needed in a vision.

2 In those days, I, Daniel, mourned for three weeks of days.

3 I ate no desirable bread, and neither meat, nor wine, entered my mouth, neither was I anointed with ointment, until the three weeks of days were completed.

4 But on the twenty-fourth day of the first month, I was next to the great river, which is the Tigris.

5 And I lifted up my eyes, and I saw, and behold, one man clothed in linen, and his waist was wrapped with the finest gold,

6 and his body was like the golden stone, and his face had the appearance of lightning, and his eyes that of a burning lamp, and his arms and all that is downward all the way to the feet had the appearance of glowing brass, and his speaking voice was like the voice of a multitude.

7 But I, Daniel, alone saw the vision, for the men who were with me did not see it, but an exceedingly great terror rushed over them, and they fled into hiding.

8 And I, having been left alone, saw this great vision, and there remained no strength in me, moreover, my appearance was altered, and I languished, not having any strength.

9 And I heard the voice of his words, and when I heard, I lay down in confusion on my face, and my face was close to the ground.

10 And behold, a hand touched me, and raised me onto my knees and the knuckles of my hands.

11 And he said to me, “Daniel, man of longing, understand the words that I speak to you, and stand yourself upright, for I am now sent to you.” And when he had said these words to me, I stood trembling.

12 And he said to me, “Do not be afraid, Daniel, because from the first day that you set your heart to understand, by afflicting yourself in the sight of your God, your words have been heeded, and I have arrived because of your words.

13 But the leader of the kingdom of the Persians resisted me for twenty-one days, and behold, Michael, one of the primary leaders, came to help me, and I remained there next to the king of the Persians.

14 But I have come to teach you what will happen to your people in the latter days, because the vision is for a long time from now.”

15 And while he was speaking words to me in this way, I cast my face down to the ground and was silent.

16 And behold, something in the likeness of a son of man touched my lips. Then, opening my mouth, I spoke and said to him who stood before me, “My lord, at the sight of you, my limbs became weak and no strength has remained in me.

17 And so, how can the servant of my lord speak with my lord? For no strength remains in me; and even my breathing is hindered.”

18 Therefore, he who looked like a man, touched me again and strengthened me.

19 And he said, “Fear not, O man of longing. May peace be with you. Take courage and be strong.” And when he spoke to me, I recovered, and I said, “Speak, my lord, for you have strengthened me.”

20 And he said, “Do you not know why I have come to you? And next I will return, to fight against the leader of the Persians. When I was leaving, there appeared the leader of the Greeks arriving.

21 But, in truth, I announce to you what is expressed in the scripture of truth. And no one is my helper in all these things, except Michael your leader.”

1 “And so, from the first year of Darius the Mede, I stood firm, so that he might be reinforced and strengthened.

2 And now I will announce to you the truth. Behold, up to a certain point, three kings will stand in Persia, and the fourth will be exceedingly enriched in power above them all. And when he has grown strong by his resources, he will stir up all against the kingdom of Greece.

3 But there will rise up a strong king, and he will rule with great power, and he will do what he pleases.

4 And when he has been firmly established, his kingdom will be shattered and will be divided towards the four winds of the heaven, but not to his posterity, nor according to his power with which he ruled. For his kingdom will be torn to pieces, even for the outsiders who have been expelled from these.

5 And the king of the South will be reinforced, yet one of his leaders will prevail over him, and he will rule with riches, for great is his domain.

6 And after the end of years, they will form a federation, and the daughter of the king of the South will come to the king of the North to make friendship, but she will not obtain the strength of arms, neither will her offspring stand firm, and she will be handed over, along with those who brought her, her young men, and those who comforted her in these times.

7 And a transplant from the germination of her roots will stand up, and he will come with an army, and will enter into the province of the king of the North, and he will abuse them, and will hold it fast.

8 And, in addition, he will carry away captive into Egypt their gods, and their graven images, and likewise their precious vessels of gold and silver. He will prevail against the king of the North.

9 And the king of the South will enter into the kingdom, and will return to his own land.

10 But his sons will be challenged, and they will assemble a multitude of very many forces. And he will arrive rushing and overflowing. And he will be turned back, and he will be enraged, and he will join the battle in his redness.

11 And the king of the South, having being challenged, will go forth and will fight against the king of the North, and he will prepare an exceedingly great multitude, and a multitude will be given into his hand.

12 And he will seize a multitude, and his heart will be exalted, and he will cast down many thousands, but he will not prevail.

13 For the king of the North will change strategy and will prepare a multitude much greater than before, and at the end of times and years, he will rush forward with a great army and exceedingly great resources.

14 And in those times, many will rise up against the king of the South. And likewise the sons of the deceivers among your people will extol themselves, so as to fulfill the vision, and they will collapse.

15 And the king of the North will arrive and will transport siege works, and he will seize the most fortified cities. And the arms of the South will not withstand him, and his elect will rise up to resist, but the strength will not.

16 And when he arrives, he will do just as he pleases, and there will be none who stand against his face. And he will stand in the illustrious land, and it will be consumed by his hand.

17 And he will set his face to strive to hold his entire kingdom, and he will make fair conditions with him. And he will give him a daughter among women, so as to overthrow it. But she will not stand, neither will she be for him.

18 And he will turn his face towards the islands, and he will seize many. And he will cause the leader of his reproach to cease, and his reproach will be turned around for him.

19 And he will turn his face to the empire of his own land, and he will strike, and will overthrow, but he will not succeed.

20 And there will stand up in his place one who is most worthless and unworthy of kingly honor. And in a short time, he will be worn out, but not in fury, nor in battle.

21 And there will stand up in his place the despicable one, and he will not be assigned the honor of a king. And he will arrive in secret, and he will obtain the kingdom by deceitfulness.

22 And the arms of the fighting will be assaulted before his face and will be shattered, and, in addition, the leader of the federation.

23 And, after making friends, he will trick him, and he will go up and will overcome with a small people.

24 And he will enter into rich and resourceful cities, and he will do what his fathers never did, nor his fathers’ fathers. He will scatter their spoils, and their prey, and their riches, and will form a plan against the most steadfast, and this until a time.

25 And his strength and his heart will be enraged against the king of the South with a great army. And the king of the South will be provoked into going to war by having many allies and exceedingly good circumstances, and yet these will not stand, for they will form plans against him.

26 And those who eat bread with him will crush him, and his army will be suppressed, and very many will die, having been executed.

27 And the heart of two kings will be similar, to do harm, and they will speak lies at one table, but they will not succeed, because as yet the end is for another time.

28 And he will return to his land with many resources. And his heart will be against the holy testament, and he will act, and he will return to his own land.

29 At the appointed time, he will return, and he will approach the South, but the latter time will not be like the former.

30 And the Greek warships and the Romans will come upon him, and he will be pierced, and will retreat, and will have scorn against the testament of the sanctuary, and he will act. And he will return and will consult their adversaries, who have forsaken the covenant of the sanctuary.

31 And arms will take his side, and they will pollute the sanctuary of the strength, and they will take away the continual sacrifice and will replace it with the abomination of desolation.

32 And the impious within the testament will imitate deceitfully, but the people, knowing their God, will persevere and will act.

33 And the teachers among the people will teach many, but they will be ruined by the sword, and by fire, and by captivity, and by assaults for many days.

34 And when they have fallen, they will be supported with a little help, but many will apply to them deceitfully.

35 And some of the learned will be ruined, that they may be kindled and chosen and purified, up to the predetermined time, because there will be still another time.

36 And the king will act according to his will, and he will be lifted up and will be extolled against every god. And he will speak great things against the God of gods, and he will control, until the passion is completed. Once accomplished, the limit is reached with certainty.

37 And he will give no thought to the God of his fathers, and he will be in the desire of women, and he will not attend to any gods, because he will rise up against all things.

38 But he will do homage to the god Maozim in his place, and, a god whom his fathers did not know, he will worship with gold, and silver, and precious stones, and costly things.

39 And he will act to reinforce Maozim with an alien god, of whom he has become aware, and he will increase their glory, and will give them power over many, and he will distribute land for free.

40 And, at the predetermined time, the king of the South will fight against him, and the king of the North will come against him like a tempest, with chariots, and with horsemen, and with a great fleet, and he will enter into the lands, and will crush and pass through.

41 And he will enter into the glorious land, and many will fall. But only these will be saved from his hand: Edom, and Moab, and the first part of the sons of Ammon.

42 And he will cast his hand upon the lands, and the land of Egypt will not escape.

43 And he will rule over the treasure chests of gold, and silver, and all the precious things of Egypt, and likewise he will pass through Libya and Ethiopia.

44 And rumors from the East and from the North will trouble him. And he will arrive with a great multitude to destroy and to execute many.

45 And he will fasten his tabernacle, Apadno, between the seas, upon an illustrious and holy mountain, and he will come even to its summit, and no one will help him.”

1 “But at that time Michael will rise up, the great leader, who stands up for the sons of your people. And a time will come, such as has not been from the time that nations began, even until that time. And, at that time, your people will be saved, all who will be found written in the book.

2 And many of those who sleep in the dust of the earth will awaken: some to everlasting life, and others to a reproach that they will always see.

3 But those who have taught will shine like the brightness of the firmament, and those who instruct many towards justice, like the stars for unending eternity.

4 But you, Daniel, close the message and seal the book, until the established time. Many will pass through, and knowledge will be increased.”

5 And I, Daniel, looked, and behold, similarly two others stood up, one over here, on the bank of the river, and the other over there, on the other bank of the river.

6 And I said to the man, who was clothed in linen, who stood over the waters of the river, “How long will it be until the end of these wonders?”

7 And I heard the man, who was clothed in linen, who stood over the waters of the river, when he had lifted his right hand and his left hand up to heaven, and had sworn by He who lives forever, that it would be for a time, and times, and half a time. And when the dispersion of the hand of the holy people is completed, all these things will be completed.

8 And I heard and did not understand. And I said, “My lord, what will be after these things?”

9 And he said, “Go, Daniel, for the words are closed and sealed until the predetermined time.

10 Many will be chosen and purified, and, as if by fire, they will be tested, and the impious will act impiously, and none of the impious will understand, yet the teachers will understand.

11 And from the time when the continual sacrifice will be taken away and the abomination of desolation will be set up, there will be one thousand two hundred ninety days.

12 Blessed is he who waits and reaches until one thousand three hundred thirty-five days.

13 But you, go, until the predetermined time, and you will rest and will stand in your allotted place at the end of days.

1 And there was a man living in Babylon, and his name was Joakim.

2 And he received a wife named Susanna, the daughter of Hilkiah, who was very beautiful and God-fearing.

3 For her parents, because they were righteous, had educated their daughter according to the law of Moses.

4 But Joakim was very wealthy, and he had an orchard near his house, and the Jews flocked to him, because he was the most honorable of them all.

5 And two elder judges had been appointed among the people that year, about whom the Lord has said, “Iniquity has come out of Babylon, from the elder judges, who seemed to govern the people.”

6 These frequented the house of Joakim, and all came to them, who had need of judgment.

7 But when the people departed at noontime, Susanna went in and walked around in her husband’s orchard.

8 And the elders saw her entering and walking around every day, and they were inflamed with desire towards her.

9 And they perverted their reason and turned away their eyes, so that they would not look to heaven, nor call to mind just judgments.

10 And so they were both wounded by the love of her, yet they did not reveal their grief to one another.

11 For they were ashamed to reveal to each other their desire, wanting to lie with her.

12 And so they watched carefully every day to see her. And one said to the other,

13 “Let us go home, for it is lunch time.” And going out, they departed one from another.

14 And returning again, they came to the same place, and, each asking the other the reason, they admitted their desire. And then they agreed to set a time when they would be able to find her alone.

15 But it happened, while they watched for an opportune day, that she entered at a particular time, just as yesterday and the day before, with only two maids, and she wanted to wash in the orchard, because it was so hot.

16 And there was no one there, except the two elders in hiding, and they were studying her.

17 And so she said to the maids, “Bring me oil and ointments, and shut the doors of the orchard, so that I may wash.”

18 And they did as she ordered them. And they shut the doors of the orchard and left through a back door to fetch what she required, and they did not know that the elders were hiding within.

19 But when the maids had departed, the two elders arose and hurried to her, and they said,

20 “Behold, the doors of the orchard are closed, and no one can see us, and we are in desire for you. Because of these things, consent to us and lie with us.

21 But if you will not, we will bear witness against you that a young man was with you and, for this reason, you sent your maids away from you.”

22 Susanna sighed and said, “I am closed in on every side. For if I do this thing, it is death to me; yet if I do not do it, I will not escape your hands.

23 But it is better for me to fall unavoidably into your hands, than to sin in the sight of the Lord.”

24 And Susanna cried out with a loud voice, but the elders also cried out against her.

25 And one of them hurried to the door of the orchard and opened it.

26 And so, when the servants of the house heard the outcry in the orchard, they rushed in by the back door to see what was happening.

27 But after the old men had spoken, the servants were greatly ashamed, for there had never been anything of this kind said about Susanna. And it happened on the next day,

28 when the people came to Joakim her husband, that the two appointed elders also came, full of wicked plans against Susanna, in order to put her to death.

29 And they said before the people, “Send for Susanna, daughter of Hilkiah, the wife of Joakim.” And immediately they sent for her.

30 And she arrived with her parents, and sons, and all her relatives.

31 Moreover, Susanna was exceedingly delicate and beautiful in appearance.

32 But those wicked ones commanded that her face should be uncovered, (for she was covered,) so that at least they might be satisfied with her beauty.

33 Therefore, her own and all who knew her wept.

34 Yet the two appointed elders, rising up in the midst of the people, set their hands upon her head.

35 And weeping, she gazed up to heaven, for her heart had faith in the Lord.

36 And the appointed elders said, “While we were talking a walk in the orchard alone, this one came in with two maids, and she shut the doors of the orchard, and she sent the maids away from her.

37 And a young man came to her, who was in hiding, and he lay down with her.

38 Furthermore, since we were in a corner of the orchard, seeing this wickedness, we ran up to them, and we saw them consorting together.

39 And, indeed, we were unable to catch him, because he was stronger than us, and opening the doors, he leaped out.

40 But, since we had apprehended this one, we demanded to know who the young man was, but she was unwilling to tell us. On this matter, we are witnesses.”

41 The multitude believed them, just as if they were elders and the judges of the people, and they condemned her to death.

42 But Susanna cried out with a loud voice and said, “Eternal God, who knows what is hidden, who knows all things before they happen,

43 you know that they have borne false witness against me, and behold, I must die, though I have done none of these things, which these men have maliciously invented against me.”

44 But the Lord heeded her voice.

45 And when she was led away to death, the Lord raised up the holy spirit of a young boy, whose name was Daniel.

46 And he cried out with a loud voice, “I am clean of the blood of this one.”

47 And all the people, turning back towards him, said, “What is this word that you are saying?”

48 But he, while standing in the midst of them, said, “Are you so foolish, sons of Israel, that without judging and without knowing what the truth is, you have condemned a daughter of Israel?

49 Return to judgment, because they have spoken false witness against her.”

50 Therefore, the people returned with haste, and the old men said to him, “Come and sit down in our midst and show us, since God has given you the honor of old age.”

51 And Daniel said to them, “Separate these at a distance from one another, and I will judge between them.”

52 And so, when they were divided, one from the other, he called one of them, and he said to him, “You deep-rooted ancient evil, now your sins have come out, which you have committed before,

53 judging unjust judgments, oppressing the innocent, and setting free the guilty, though the Lord declares, ‘The innocent and the just you must not put to death.’

54 Now then, if you saw her, declare under which tree you saw them conversing together.” He said, “Under an evergreen mastic tree.”

55 But Daniel said, “Truly, you have lied against your own head. For behold, the angel of God, having received the sentence from him, will split you down the middle.

56 And, having put him aside, he commanded the other to approach, and he said to him, “You offspring of Canaan, and not of Judah, beauty has deceived you, and desire has perverted your heart.

57 Thus did you do to the daughters of Israel, and they, out of fear, consorted with you, but a daughter of Judah would not tolerate your iniquity.

58 Now then, declare to me, under which tree you caught them conversing together.” He said, “Under an evergreen oak tree.”

59 And Daniel said to him, “Truly, you also have lied against your own head. For the angel of the Lord waits, holding a sword, to cut you down the middle and put you to death.”

60 And then the entire assembly cried out in a loud voice, and they blessed God, who saves those who hope in him.

61 And they rose up against the two appointed elders, (for Daniel had convicted them, by their own mouth, of bearing false witness,) and they did to them just as they had wickedly done against their neighbor,

62 so as to act according to the law of Moses. And they put them to death, and innocent blood was saved on that day.

63 But Hilkiah and his wife praised God for their daughter, Susanna, with Joakim, her husband, and all her relatives, because there had been found in her no disgrace.

64 And so Daniel became great in the sight of the people from that day, and thereafter.

65 And king Astyages was laid to rest with his fathers. And Cyrus the Persian received his kingdom.

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

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 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 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 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 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 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 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 seventy, besides their wives, and little ones, and sons. And the king went with Daniel into the temple of Bel.

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

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

16 And the king said, “Are the seals unbroken, Daniel?” And he answered, “They are unbroken, O king.”

17 And as soon as he had opened the door, the king stared at the table, and cried out with a loud voice, “Great are you, O Bel, and there is not any deceit with you.”

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, and women, and children.” And the king was angry.

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 slaughtered them and delivered Bel into the power of Daniel, who overturned him and his temple.

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

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

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

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

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

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 Judea a prophet called Habakkuk, and he had cooked a small meal and had broken bread in a bowl, and he was going into the field, to bring it to the harvesters.

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 Habakkuk said, “Lord, I have not seen Babylon, and I do not know 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 Habakkuk shouted, saying, “Daniel, servant of God, take the dinner that God has sent you.”

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

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

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 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 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.”