| Berean Study Bible | New Living Translation |
| 1In the third year of the reign of Jehoiakim king of Judah, Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon came to Jerusalem and besieged it. | 1During the third year of King Jehoiakim’s reign in Judah, King Nebuchadnezzar of Babylon came to Jerusalem and besieged it. |
| 2And the Lord delivered into his hand Jehoiakim king of Judah, along with some of the articles from the house of God. He carried these off to the land of Shinar, to the house of his god, where he put them in the treasury of his god. | 2The Lord gave him victory over King Jehoiakim of Judah and permitted him to take some of the sacred objects from the Temple of God. So Nebuchadnezzar took them back to the land of Babylonia and placed them in the treasure-house of his god. |
| 3Then the king ordered Ashpenaz, the chief of his court officials, to bring in some Israelites from the royal family and the nobility— | 3Then the king ordered Ashpenaz, his chief of staff, to bring to the palace some of the young men of Judah’s royal family and other noble families, who had been brought to Babylon as captives. |
| 4young men without blemish, handsome, gifted in all wisdom, knowledgeable, quick to understand, and qualified to serve in the king’s palace—and to teach them the language and literature of the Chaldeans. | 4“Select only strong, healthy, and good-looking young men,” he said. “Make sure they are well versed in every branch of learning, are gifted with knowledge and good judgment, and are suited to serve in the royal palace. Train these young men in the language and literature of Babylon. ” |
| 5The king assigned them daily provisions of the royal food and wine. They were to be trained for three years, after which they were to enter the king’s service. | 5The king assigned them a daily ration of food and wine from his own kitchens. They were to be trained for three years, and then they would enter the royal service. |
| 6Among these young men were some from Judah: Daniel, Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah. | 6Daniel, Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah were four of the young men chosen, all from the tribe of Judah. |
| 7The chief official gave them new names: To Daniel he gave the name Belteshazzar; to Hananiah, Shadrach; to Mishael, Meshach; and to Azariah, Abednego. | 7The chief of staff renamed them with these Babylonian names: Daniel was called Belteshazzar. Hananiah was called Shadrach. Mishael was called Meshach. Azariah was called Abednego. |
| 8But Daniel made up his mind that he would not defile himself with the king’s food or wine. So he asked the chief official for permission not to defile himself. | 8But Daniel was determined not to defile himself by eating the food and wine given to them by the king. He asked the chief of staff for permission not to eat these unacceptable foods. |
| 9Now God had granted Daniel favor and compassion from the chief official, | 9Now God had given the chief of staff both respect and affection for Daniel. |
| 10but he said to Daniel, “I fear my lord the king, who has assigned your food and drink. For why should he see your faces looking thinner than those of the other young men your age? You would endanger my head before the king!” | 10But he responded, “I am afraid of my lord the king, who has ordered that you eat this food and wine. If you become pale and thin compared to the other youths your age, I am afraid the king will have me beheaded.” |
| 11Then Daniel said to the steward whom the chief official had appointed over Daniel, Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah, | 11Daniel spoke with the attendant who had been appointed by the chief of staff to look after Daniel, Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah. |
| 12“Please test your servants for ten days. Let us be given only vegetables to eat and water to drink. | 12“Please test us for ten days on a diet of vegetables and water,” Daniel said. |
| 13Then compare our appearances with those of the young men who are eating the royal food, and deal with your servants according to what you see.” | 13“At the end of the ten days, see how we look compared to the other young men who are eating the king’s food. Then make your decision in light of what you see.” |
| 14So he consented to this and tested them for ten days. | 14The attendant agreed to Daniel’s suggestion and tested them for ten days. |
| 15And at the end of ten days, they looked healthier and better nourished than all the young men who were eating the king’s food. | 15At the end of the ten days, Daniel and his three friends looked healthier and better nourished than the young men who had been eating the food assigned by the king. |
| 16So the steward continued to withhold their choice food and the wine they were to drink, and he gave them vegetables instead. | 16So after that, the attendant fed them only vegetables instead of the food and wine provided for the others. |
| 17To these four young men God gave knowledge and understanding in every kind of literature and wisdom. And Daniel had insight into all kinds of visions and dreams. | 17God gave these four young men an unusual aptitude for understanding every aspect of literature and wisdom. And God gave Daniel the special ability to interpret the meanings of visions and dreams. |
| 18Now at the end of the time specified by the king, the chief official presented them to Nebuchadnezzar. | 18When the training period ordered by the king was completed, the chief of staff brought all the young men to King Nebuchadnezzar. |
| 19And the king spoke with them, and among all the young men he found no one equal to Daniel, Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah. So they entered the king’s service. | 19The king talked with them, and no one impressed him as much as Daniel, Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah. So they entered the royal service. |
| 20In every matter of wisdom and understanding about which the king consulted them, he found them ten times better than all the magicians and enchanters in his entire kingdom. | 20Whenever the king consulted them in any matter requiring wisdom and balanced judgment, he found them ten times more capable than any of the magicians and enchanters in his entire kingdom. |
| 21And Daniel remained there until the first year of King Cyrus. | 21Daniel remained in the royal service until the first year of the reign of King Cyrus. |
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