Bel and the Dragon 1

Apo

1 And king Astyages was gathered to his fathers, and Cyrus of Persia received his kingdom.

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

3 Now the Babylons 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.

4 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?

5 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.

6 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?

7 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.

8 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 expences, ye shall die.

9 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.

10 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.

11 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;

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

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

14 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.

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

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

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

18 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.

19 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.

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

21 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.

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

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

24 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.

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

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

27 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.

28 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.

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

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

31 Who cast him into the lions' den: where he was six days.

32 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.

33 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.

34 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.

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

36 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.

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

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

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

40 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.

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

42 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.

Sep

1 ἐκ προφητείας Αμβακουμ υἱοῦ Ἰησοῦ ἐκ τῆς φυλῆς Λευι

2 ἄνθρωπός τις ἦν ἱερεύς ᾧ ὄνομα Δανιηλ υἱὸς Αβαλ συμβιωτὴς τοῦ βασιλέως Βαβυλῶνος

3 καὶ ἦν εἴδωλον Βηλ ὃ ἐσέβοντο οἱ Βαβυλώνιοι ἀνηλίσκετο δὲ αὐτῷ καθ᾽ ἑκάστην ἡμέραν σεμιδάλεως ἀρτάβαι δέκα δύο καὶ πρόβατα τέσσαρα καὶ ἐλαίου μετρηταὶ ἕξ

4 καὶ ὁ βασιλεὺς ἐσέβετο αὐτόν καὶ ἐπορεύετο ὁ βασιλεὺς καθ᾽ ἑκάστην ἡμέραν καὶ προσεκύνει αὐτῷ Δανιηλ δὲ προσηύχετο πρὸς κύριον

5 καὶ εἶπεν ὁ βασιλεὺς τῷ Δανιηλ διὰ τί οὐ προσκυνεῖς τῷ Βηλ καὶ εἶπε Δανιηλ πρὸς τὸν βασιλέα οὐδένα σέβομαι ἐγὼ εἰ μὴ κύριον τὸν θεὸν τὸν κτίσαντα τὸν οὐρανὸν καὶ τὴν γῆν καὶ ἔχοντα πάσης σαρκὸς κυριείαν

6 εἶπεν δὲ ὁ βασιλεὺς αὐτῷ οὗτος οὖν οὐκ ἔστι θεός οὐχ ὁρᾷς ὅσα εἰς αὐτὸν δαπανᾶται καθ᾽ ἑκάστην ἡμέραν

7 καὶ εἶπεν αὐτῷ Δανιηλ μηδαμῶς μηδείς σε παραλογιζέσθω οὗτος γὰρ ἔσωθεν μὲν πήλινός ἐστιν ἔξωθεν δὲ χαλκοῦς ὀμνύω δέ σοι κύριον τὸν θεὸν τῶν θεῶν ὅτι οὐθὲν βέβρωκε πώποτε οὗτος

8 καὶ θυμωθεὶς ὁ βασιλεὺς ἐκάλεσε τοὺς προεστηκότας τοῦ ἱεροῦ καὶ εἶπεν αὐτοῖς παραδείξατε τὸν ἐσθίοντα τὰ παρασκευαζόμενα τῷ Βηλ εἰ δὲ μή γε ἀποθανεῖσθε ἢ Δανιηλ ὁ φάσκων μὴ ἐσθίεσθαι αὐτὰ ὑπ᾽ αὐτοῦ οἱ δὲ εἶπαν αὐτὸς ὁ Βηλ ἐστὶν ὁ κατεσθίων αὐτά

9 εἶπε δὲ Δανιηλ πρὸς τὸν βασιλέα γινέσθω οὕτως ἐὰν μὴ παραδείξω ὅτι οὐκ ἔστιν ὁ Βηλ ὁ κατεσθίων ταῦτα ἀποθανοῦμαι καὶ πάντες οἱ παρ᾽ ἐμοῦ ἦσαν δὲ τῷ Βηλ ἱερεῖς ἑβδομήκοντα χωρὶς γυναικῶν καὶ τέκνων

10 ἤγαγον δέ τὸν βασιλέα εἰς τὸ εἰδώλιον

11 καὶ παρετέθη τὰ βρώματα ἐνώπιον τοῦ βασιλέως καὶ τοῦ Δανιηλ καὶ οἶνος κερασθεὶς εἰσηνέχθη καὶ παρετέθη τῷ Βηλ καὶ εἶπεν Δανιηλ σὺ αὐτὸς ὁρᾷς ὅτι κεῖται ταῦτα βασιλεῦ σὺ οὖν ἐπισφράγισαι τὰς κλεῖδας τοῦ ναοῦ ἐπὰν κλεισθῇ

13 ἤρεσε δὲ ὁ λόγος τῷ βασιλεῖ

14 ὁ δὲ Δανιηλ ἐκέλευσε τοὺς παρ᾽ αὐτοῦ ἐκβαλόντας πάντας ἐκ τοῦ ναοῦ κατασῆσαι ὅλον τὸν ναὸν σποδῷ οὐθενὸς τῶν ἐκτὸς αὐτοῦ εἰδότος καὶ τότε τὸν ναὸν ἐκέλευσε σφραγίσαι τῷ τοῦ βασιλέως δακτυλίῳ καὶ τοῖς δακτυλίοις τινῶν ἐνδόξων ἱερέων καὶ ἐγένετο οὕτως

15 καὶ ἐγένετο τῇ ἐπαύριον παρεγένοντο ἐπὶ τὸν τόπον οἱ δὲ ἱερεῖς τοῦ Βηλ διὰ ψευδοθυρίδων εἰσελθόντες κατεφάγοσαν πάντα τὰ παρακείμενα τῷ Βηλ καὶ ἐξέπιον τὸν οἶνον καὶ εἶπεν Δανιηλ ἐπίδετε τὰς σφραγῖδας ὑμῶν εἰ μένουσιν ἄνδρες ἱερεῖς καὶ σὺ δέ βασιλεῦ σκέψαι μή τί σοι ἀσύμφωνον γεγένηται καὶ εὗρον ὡς ἦν ἡ σφραγίς καὶ ἀπέβαλον τὴν σφραγῖδα

18 καὶ ἀνοίξαντες τὰς θύρας εἴδοσαν δεδαπανημένα πάντα τὰ παρατεθέντα καὶ τὰς τραπέζας κενάς καὶ ἐχάρη ὁ βασιλεὺς καὶ εἶπεν πρὸς τὸν Δανιηλ μέγας ἐστὶν ὁ Βηλ καὶ οὐκ ἔστι παρ᾽ αὐτῷ δόλος

19 καὶ ἐγέλασε Δανιηλ σφόδρα καὶ εἶπεν τῷ βασιλεῖ δεῦρο ἰδὲ τὸν δόλον τῶν ἱερέων καὶ εἶπεν Δανιηλ βασιλεῦ ταῦτα τὰ ἴχνη τίνος ἐστί

20 καὶ εἶπεν ὁ βασιλεύς ἀνδρῶν καὶ γυναικῶν καὶ παιδίων

21 καὶ ἐπῆλθεν ἐπὶ τὸν οἶκον ἐν ᾧ ἦσαν οἱ ἱερεῖς καταγινόμενοι καὶ εὗρε τὰ βρώματα τοῦ Βηλ καὶ τὸν οἶνον καὶ ἐπέδειξε Δανιηλ τῷ βασιλεῖ τὰ ψευδοθύρια δι᾽ ὧν εἰσπορευόμενοι οἱ ἱερεῖς ἐδαπάνων τὰ παρατιθέμενα τῷ Βηλ

22 καὶ ἐξήγαγεν αὐτοὺς ὁ βασιλεὺς ἐκ τοῦ Βηλίου καὶ παρέδωκεν αὐτοὺς τῷ Δανιηλ καὶ τὴν δαπάνην τὴν εἰς αὐτὸν ἔδωκε τῷ Δανιηλ τὸν δὲ Βηλ κατέστρεψε

23 καὶ ἦν δράκων ἐν τῷ αὐτῷ τόπῳ καὶ ἐσέβοντο αὐτὸν οἱ Βαβυλώνιοι

24 καὶ εἶπεν ὁ βασιλεὺς τῷ Δανιηλ μὴ καὶ τοῦτον ἐρεῖς ὅτι χαλκοῦς ἐστιν ἰδοὺ ζῇ καὶ ἐσθίει καὶ πίνει προσκύνησον αὐτῷ

25 καὶ εἶπεν Δανιηλ βασιλεῦ δός μοι τὴν ἐξουσίαν καὶ ἀνελῶ τὸν δράκοντα ἄνευ σιδήρου καὶ ῥάβδου

26 καὶ συνεχώρησεν αὐτῷ ὁ βασιλεὺς καὶ εἶπεν αὐτῷ δέδοταί σοι

27 καὶ λαβὼν ὁ Δανιηλ πίσσης μνᾶς τριάκοντα καὶ στέαρ καὶ τρίχας ἥψησεν ἐπὶ τὸ αὐτὸ καὶ ἐποίησε μάζαν καὶ ἐνέβαλεν εἰς τὸ στόμα τοῦ δράκοντος καὶ φαγὼν διερράγη καὶ ἔδειξεν αὐτὸν τῷ βασιλεῖ λέγων οὐ ταῦτα σέβεσθε βασιλεῦ

28 καὶ συνήχθησαν οἱ ἀπὸ τῆς χώρας πάντες ἐπὶ τὸν Δανιηλ καὶ εἶπαν Ιουδαῖος γέγονεν ὁ βασιλεύς τὸν Βηλ κατέστρεψε καὶ τὸν δράκοντα ἀπέκτεινε

30 καὶ ἰδὼν ὁ βασιλεὺς ὅτι ἐπισυνήχθη ὁ ὄχλος τῆς χώρας ἐπ᾽ αὐτόν ἐκάλεσε τοὺς συμβιωτὰς αὐτοῦ καὶ εἶπεν δίδωμι τὸν Δανιηλ εἰς ἀπώλειαν

31 ἦν δὲ λάκκος ἐν ᾧ ἐτρέφοντο λέοντες ἑπτά οἷς παρεδίδοντο οἱ ἐπίβουλοι τοῦ βασιλέως καὶ ἐχορηγεῖτο αὐτοῖς καθ᾽ ἑκάστην ἡμέραν τῶν ἐπιθανατίων σώματα δύο καὶ ἐνεβάλοσαν τὸν Δανιηλ οἱ ὄχλοι εἰς ἐκεῖνον τὸν λάκκον ἵνα καταβρωθῇ καὶ μηδὲ ταφῆς τύχῃ καὶ ἦν ἐν τῷ λάκκῳ Δανιηλ ἡμέρας ἕξ

33 καὶ ἐγένετο τῇ ἡμέρᾳ τῇ ἕκτῃ καὶ ἦν Αμβακουμ ἔχων ἄρτους ἐντεθρυμμένους ἐν σκάφῃ ἐν ἑψήματι καὶ στάμνον οἴνου κεκερασμένου καὶ ἐπορεύετο εἰς τὸ πεδίον πρὸς τοὺς θεριστάς

34 καὶ ἐλάλησεν ἄγγελος κυρίου πρὸς Αμβακουμ λέγων τάδε λέγει σοι κύριος ὁ θεός τὸ ἄριστον ὃ ἔχεις ἀπένεγκε Δανιηλ εἰς τὸν λάκκον τῶν λεόντων ἐν Βαβυλῶνι

35 καὶ εἶπεν Αμβακουμ κύριε ὁ θεός οὐχ ἑώρακα τὴν Βαβυλῶνα καὶ τὸν λάκκον οὐ γινώσκω ποῦ ἐστι

36 καὶ ἐπιλαβόμενος αὐτοῦ ὁ ἄγγελος κυρίου τοῦ Αμβακουμ τῆς κόμης αὐτοῦ τῆς κεφαλῆς ἔθηκεν αὐτὸν ἐπάνω τοῦ λάκκου τοῦ ἐν Βαβυλῶνι

37 καὶ εἶπεν Αμβακουμ πρὸς Δανιηλ ἀναστὰς φάγε τὸ ἄριστον ὃ ἀπέστειλέ σοι κύριος ὁ θεός

38 καὶ εἶπε Δανιηλ ἐμνήσθη γάρ μου κύριος ὁ θεὸς ὁ μὴ ἐγκαταλείπων τοὺς ἀγαπῶντας αὐτόν

39 καὶ ἔφαγε Δανιηλ ὁ δὲ ἄγγελος κυρίου κατέστησε τὸν Αμβακουμ ὅθεν αὐτὸν ἔλαβε τῇ αὐτῇ ἡμέρᾳ ὁ δὲ κύριος ὁ θεὸς ἐμνήσθη τοῦ Δανιηλ

40 ἐξῆλθε δὲ ὁ βασιλεὺς μετὰ ταῦτα πενθῶν τὸν Δανιηλ καὶ ἐγκύψας εἰς τὸν λάκκον ὁρᾷ αὐτὸν καθήμενον

41 καὶ ἀναβοήσας εἶπεν ὁ βασιλεύς μέγας ἐστὶ κύριος ὁ θεός καὶ οὐκ ἔστι πλὴν αὐτοῦ ἄλλος

42 καὶ ἐξήγαγεν ὁ βασιλεὺς τὸν Δανιηλ ἐκ τοῦ λάκκου καὶ τοὺς αἰτίους τῆς ἀπωλείας αὐτοῦ ἐνέβαλεν εἰς τὸν λάκκον ἐνώπιον τοῦ Δανιηλ καὶ κατεβρώθησαν

Sep

1 καὶ ὁ βασιλεὺς Ἀστυάγης προσετέθη πρὸς τοὺς πατέρας αὐτοῦ καὶ παρέλαβεν Κῦρος ὁ Πέρσης τὴν βασιλείαν αὐτοῦ

2 καὶ ἦν Δανιηλ συμβιωτὴς τοῦ βασιλέως καὶ ἔνδοξος ὑπὲρ πάντας τοὺς φίλους αὐτοῦ

3 καὶ ἦν εἴδωλον τοῖς Βαβυλωνίοις ᾧ ὄνομα Βηλ καὶ ἐδαπανῶντο εἰς αὐτὸν ἑκάστης ἡμέρας σεμιδάλεως ἀρτάβαι δώδεκα καὶ πρόβατα τεσσαράκοντα καὶ οἴνου μετρηταὶ ἕξ

4 καὶ ὁ βασιλεὺς ἐσέβετο αὐτὸν καὶ ἐπορεύετο καθ᾽ ἑκάστην ἡμέραν προσκυνεῖν αὐτῷ Δανιηλ δὲ προσεκύνει τῷ θεῷ αὐτοῦ

5 καὶ εἶπεν αὐτῷ ὁ βασιλεύς διὰ τί οὐ προσκυνεῖς τῷ Βηλ ὁ δὲ εἶπεν ὅτι οὐ σέβομαι εἴδωλα χειροποίητα ἀλλὰ τὸν ζῶντα θεὸν τὸν κτίσαντα τὸν οὐρανὸν καὶ τὴν γῆν καὶ ἔχοντα πάσης σαρκὸς κυριείαν

6 καὶ εἶπεν αὐτῷ ὁ βασιλεύς οὐ δοκεῖ σοι Βηλ εἶναι ζῶν θεός ἦ οὐχ ὁρᾷς ὅσα ἐσθίει καὶ πίνει καθ᾽ ἑκάστην ἡμέραν

7 καὶ εἶπεν Δανιηλ γελάσας μὴ πλανῶ βασιλεῦ οὗτος γὰρ ἔσωθεν μέν ἐστι πηλὸς ἔξωθεν δὲ χαλκὸς καὶ οὐ βέβρωκεν οὐδὲ πέπωκεν πώποτε

8 καὶ θυμωθεὶς ὁ βασιλεὺς ἐκάλεσεν τοὺς ἱερεῖς αὐτοῦ καὶ εἶπεν αὐτοῖς ἐὰν μὴ εἴπητέ μοι τίς ὁ κατέσθων τὴν δαπάνην ταύτην ἀποθανεῖσθε ἐὰν δὲ δείξητε ὅτι Βηλ κατεσθίει αὐτά ἀποθανεῖται Δανιηλ ὅτι ἐβλασφήμησεν εἰς τὸν Βηλ

9 καὶ εἶπεν Δανιηλ τῷ βασιλεῖ γινέσθω κατὰ τὸ ῥῆμά σου καὶ ἦσαν ἱερεῖς τοῦ Βηλ ἑβδομήκοντα ἐκτὸς γυναικῶν καὶ τέκνων

10 καὶ ἦλθεν ὁ βασιλεὺς μετὰ Δανιηλ εἰς τὸν οἶκον τοῦ Βηλ

11 καὶ εἶπαν οἱ ἱερεῖς τοῦ Βηλ ἰδοὺ ἡμεῖς ἀποτρέχομεν ἔξω σὺ δέ βασιλεῦ παράθες τὰ βρώματα καὶ τὸν οἶνον κεράσας θὲς καὶ ἀπόκλεισον τὴν θύραν καὶ σφράγισον τῷ δακτυλίῳ σου καὶ ἐλθὼν πρωὶ ἐὰν μὴ εὕρῃς πάντα βεβρωμένα ὑπὸ τοῦ Βηλ ἀποθανούμεθα ἢ Δανιηλ ὁ ψευδόμενος καθ᾽ ἡμῶν

12 αὐτοὶ δὲ κατεφρόνουν ὅτι πεποιήκεισαν ὑπὸ τὴν τράπεζαν κεκρυμμένην εἴσοδον καὶ δι᾽ αὐτῆς εἰσεπορεύοντο διόλου καὶ ἀνήλουν αὐτά

13 καὶ ἐγένετο ὡς ἐξήλθοσαν ἐκεῖνοι καὶ ὁ βασιλεὺς παρέθηκεν τὰ βρώματα τῷ Βηλ

14 καὶ ἐπέταξεν Δανιηλ τοῖς παιδαρίοις αὐτοῦ καὶ ἤνεγκαν τέφραν καὶ κατέσησαν ὅλον τὸν ναὸν ἐνώπιον τοῦ βασιλέως μόνου καὶ ἐξελθόντες ἔκλεισαν τὴν θύραν καὶ ἐσφραγίσαντο ἐν τῷ δακτυλίῳ τοῦ βασιλέως καὶ ἀπῆλθον

15 οἱ δὲ ἱερεῖς ἦλθον τὴν νύκτα κατὰ τὸ ἔθος αὐτῶν καὶ αἱ γυναῖκες καὶ τὰ τέκνα αὐτῶν καὶ κατέφαγον πάντα καὶ ἐξέπιον

16 καὶ ὤρθρισεν ὁ βασιλεὺς τὸ πρωὶ καὶ Δανιηλ μετ᾽ αὐτοῦ

17 καὶ εἶπεν ὁ βασιλεύς σῷοι αἱ σφραγῖδες Δανιηλ ὁ δὲ εἶπεν σῷοι βασιλεῦ

18 καὶ ἐγένετο ἅμα τῷ ἀνοῖξαι τὰς θύρας ἐπιβλέψας ὁ βασιλεὺς ἐπὶ τὴν τράπεζαν ἐβόησεν φωνῇ μεγάλῃ μέγας εἶ Βηλ καὶ οὐκ ἔστιν παρὰ σοὶ δόλος οὐδὲ εἷς

19 καὶ ἐγέλασεν Δανιηλ καὶ ἐκράτησεν τὸν βασιλέα τοῦ μὴ εἰσελθεῖν αὐτὸν ἔσω καὶ εἶπεν ἰδὲ δὴ τὸ ἔδαφος καὶ γνῶθι τίνος τὰ ἴχνη ταῦτα

20 καὶ εἶπεν ὁ βασιλεύς ὁρῶ τὰ ἴχνη ἀνδρῶν καὶ γυναικῶν καὶ παιδίων

21 καὶ ὀργισθεὶς ὁ βασιλεὺς τότε συνέλαβεν τοὺς ἱερεῖς καὶ τὰς γυναῖκας καὶ τὰ τέκνα αὐτῶν καὶ ἔδειξαν αὐτῷ τὰς κρυπτὰς θύρας δι᾽ ὧν εἰσεπορεύοντο καὶ ἐδαπάνων τὰ ἐπὶ τῇ τραπέζῃ

22 καὶ ἀπέκτεινεν αὐτοὺς ὁ βασιλεὺς καὶ ἔδωκεν τὸν Βηλ ἔκδοτον τῷ Δανιηλ καὶ κατέστρεψεν αὐτὸν καὶ τὸ ἱερὸν αὐτοῦ

23 καὶ ἦν δράκων μέγας καὶ ἐσέβοντο αὐτὸν οἱ Βαβυλώνιοι

24 καὶ εἶπεν ὁ βασιλεὺς τῷ Δανιηλ οὐ δύνασαι εἰπεῖν ὅτι οὐκ ἔστιν οὗτος θεὸς ζῶν καὶ προσκύνησον αὐτῷ

25 καὶ εἶπεν Δανιηλ κυρίῳ τῷ θεῷ μου προσκυνήσω ὅτι οὗτός ἐστιν θεὸς ζῶν σὺ δέ βασιλεῦ δός μοι ἐξουσίαν καὶ ἀποκτενῶ τὸν δράκοντα ἄνευ μαχαίρας καὶ ῥάβδου

26 καὶ εἶπεν ὁ βασιλεύς δίδωμί σοι

27 καὶ ἔλαβεν Δανιηλ πίσσαν καὶ στῆρ καὶ τρίχας καὶ ἥψησεν ἐπὶ τὸ αὐτὸ καὶ ἐποίησεν μάζας καὶ ἔδωκεν εἰς τὸ στόμα τοῦ δράκοντος καὶ φαγὼν διερράγη ὁ δράκων καὶ εἶπεν ἴδετε τὰ σεβάσματα ὑμῶν

28 καὶ ἐγένετο ὡς ἤκουσαν οἱ Βαβυλώνιοι ἠγανάκτησαν λίαν καὶ συνεστράφησαν ἐπὶ τὸν βασιλέα καὶ εἶπαν Ιουδαῖος γέγονεν ὁ βασιλεύς τὸν Βηλ κατέσπασεν καὶ τὸν δράκοντα ἀπέκτεινεν καὶ τοὺς ἱερεῖς κατέσφαξεν

29 καὶ εἶπαν ἐλθόντες πρὸς τὸν βασιλέα παράδος ἡμῖν τὸν Δανιηλ εἰ δὲ μή ἀποκτενοῦμέν σε καὶ τὸν οἶκόν σου

30 καὶ εἶδεν ὁ βασιλεὺς ὅτι ἐπείγουσιν αὐτὸν σφόδρα καὶ ἀναγκασθεὶς παρέδωκεν αὐτοῖς τὸν Δανιηλ

31 οἱ δὲ ἐνέβαλον αὐτὸν εἰς τὸν λάκκον τῶν λεόντων καὶ ἦν ἐκεῖ ἡμέρας ἕξ

32 ἦσαν δὲ ἐν τῷ λάκκῳ ἑπτὰ λέοντες καὶ ἐδίδετο αὐτοῖς τὴν ἡμέραν δύο σώματα καὶ δύο πρόβατα τότε δὲ οὐκ ἐδόθη αὐτοῖς ἵνα καταφάγωσιν τὸν Δανιηλ

33 καὶ ἦν Αμβακουμ ὁ προφήτης ἐν τῇ Ιουδαίᾳ καὶ αὐτὸς ἥψησεν ἕψεμα καὶ ἐνέθρυψεν ἄρτους εἰς σκάφην καὶ ἐπορεύετο εἰς τὸ πεδίον ἀπενέγκαι τοῖς θερισταῖς

34 καὶ εἶπεν ἄγγελος κυρίου τῷ Αμβακουμ ἀπένεγκε τὸ ἄριστον ὃ ἔχεις εἰς Βαβυλῶνα τῷ Δανιηλ εἰς τὸν λάκκον τῶν λεόντων

35 καὶ εἶπεν Αμβακουμ κύριε Βαβυλῶνα οὐχ ἑώρακα καὶ τὸν λάκκον οὐ γινώσκω

36 καὶ ἐπελάβετο ὁ ἄγγελος κυρίου τῆς κορυφῆς αὐτοῦ καὶ βαστάσας τῆς κόμης τῆς κεφαλῆς αὐτοῦ ἔθηκεν αὐτὸν εἰς Βαβυλῶνα ἐπάνω τοῦ λάκκου ἐν τῷ ῥοίζῳ τοῦ πνεύματος αὐτοῦ

37 καὶ ἐβόησεν Αμβακουμ λέγων Δανιηλ Δανιηλ λαβὲ τὸ ἄριστον ὃ ἀπέστειλέν σοι ὁ θεός

38 καὶ εἶπεν Δανιηλ ἐμνήσθης γάρ μου ὁ θεός καὶ οὐκ ἐγκατέλιπες τοὺς ἀγαπῶντάς σε

39 καὶ ἀναστὰς Δανιηλ ἔφαγεν ὁ δὲ ἄγγελος τοῦ θεοῦ ἀπεκατέστησεν τὸν Αμβακουμ παραχρῆμα εἰς τὸν τόπον αὐτοῦ

40 ὁ δὲ βασιλεὺς ἦλθεν τῇ ἡμέρᾳ τῇ ἑβδόμῃ πενθῆσαι τὸν Δανιηλ καὶ ἦλθεν ἐπὶ τὸν λάκκον καὶ ἐνέβλεψεν καὶ ἰδοὺ Δανιηλ καθήμενος

41 καὶ ἀναβοήσας φωνῇ μεγάλῃ εἶπεν μέγας εἶ κύριε ὁ θεὸς τοῦ Δανιηλ καὶ οὐκ ἔστιν πλὴν σοῦ ἄλλος

42 καὶ ἀνέσπασεν αὐτόν τοὺς δὲ αἰτίους τῆς ἀπωλείας αὐτοῦ ἐνέβαλεν εἰς τὸν λάκκον καὶ κατεβρώθησαν παραχρῆμα ἐνώπιον αὐτοῦ