"Thereare certainJewswhomyou have appointedoverthe administrationof the provinceof Babylon,[namely] Shadrach,Meshachand Abed-nego.Thesemen,O king,have disregardedyou; they do not serveyour godsor worshipthe goldenimagewhichyou have setup."
Then Hamansaidto KingAhasuerus,"Thereis a certainpeoplescatteredand dispersedamongthe peoplesin allthe provincesof your kingdom;their lawsare differentfrom [those] of all[other] peopleand they do not observethe king'slaws,so it is not in the king'sinterestto let them remain.
Wrathis fierceand angeris a flood,But whocan standbeforejealousy?
I have seenthat everylaborand everyskillwhich is doneis [the result of] rivalrybetween a manand his neighbor.Thistoois vanityand strivingafter wind.
Then the commanderof the officialsassigned[new] namesto them; and to Danielhe assigned[the name] Belteshazzar,to HananiahShadrach,to MishaelMeshachand to AzariahAbed-nego.
Thenthe kingpromotedDanieland gavehim manygreatgifts,and he madehim ruleroverthe wholeprovinceof Babylonand chiefprefectoverallthe wisemenof Babylon.
And Danielmaderequestof the king,and he appointedShadrach,Meshachand Abed-negooverthe administrationof the provinceof Babylon,while Daniel[was] at the king'scourt.
"But whoeverdoes not falldownand worshipshall be castinto the midstof a furnaceof blazingfire.
Shadrach,Meshachand Abed-negorepliedto the king,"O Nebuchadnezzar,we do not needto giveyou an answerconcerningthismatter.
"Therefore I makea decreethat anypeople,nationor tonguethat speaksanything offensiveagainstthe Godof Shadrach,Meshachand Abed-negoshall be tornlimbfrom limb and their housesreducedto a rubbishheap,inasmuchas thereis noothergodwhois ableto deliverin thisway."
Thenthe kingcaused Shadrach,Meshachand Abed-negoto prosperin the provinceof Babylon.
Thenthey answeredand spokebeforethe king,"Daniel,whois one of the exilesfrom Judah,paysnoattentionto you, O king,or to the injunctionwhichyou signed,but keeps makinghis petitionthreetimesa day."
Then,as soonas the kingheardthis statement,he was deeplydistressedand set[his] mindon deliveringDaniel;and even untilsunsethe kept exertinghimself to rescuehim.
and Jasonhas welcomedthem, and they allactcontraryto the decreesof Caesar,sayingthat there is anotherking,Jesus."
saying,"We gaveyou strict ordersnot to continue teachingin thisname,and yet,you have filledJerusalemwith your teachingand intendto bringthisman'sbloodupon us."
