| Berean Study Bible | Holman Christian Standard Bible |
| 1In the third year of the reign of Jehoiakim king of Judah, Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon came to Jerusalem and besieged it. | 1In the third year of the reign of Jehoiakim king of Judah, Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon came to Jerusalem and laid siege to 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 handed Jehoiakim king of Judah over to him, along with some of the vessels from the house of God. Nebuchadnezzar carried them to the land of Babylon, to the house of his god, and put the vessels in the treasury 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— | 3The king ordered Ashpenaz, the chief of his court officials, to bring some of the Israelites from the royal family and from the nobility-- |
| 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. | 4young men without any physical defect, good-looking, suitable for instruction in all wisdom, knowledgeable, perceptive, and capable of serving in the king's palace--and to teach them the Chaldean language and literature. |
| 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 daily provisions from the royal food and from the wine that he drank. They were to be trained for three years, and at the end of that time they were to serve in the king's court. |
| 6Among these young men were some from Judah: Daniel, Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah. | 6Among them, from the descendants of Judah, were Daniel, Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah. |
| 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 official gave them other names: he gave the name Belteshazzar to Daniel, Shadrach to Hananiah, Meshach to Mishael, and Abednego to Azariah. |
| 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. | 8Daniel determined that he would not defile himself with the king's food or with the wine he drank. So he asked permission from the chief official not to defile himself. |
| 9Now God had granted Daniel favor and compassion from the chief official, | 9God had granted Daniel favor and compassion from the chief official, |
| 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!” | 10yet he said to Daniel, "My lord the king assigned your food and drink. I'm afraid of what would happen if he saw your faces looking thinner than those of the other young men your age. You would endanger my life with the king." |
| 11Then Daniel said to the steward whom the chief official had appointed over Daniel, Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah, | 11So Daniel said to the guard whom the chief official had assigned to 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. | 12Please test your servants for 10 days. Let us be given vegetables to eat and water to drink. |
| 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.” | 13Then examine our appearance and the appearance of the young men who are eating the king's food, and deal with your servants based on what you see." |
| 14So he consented to this and tested them for ten days. | 14He agreed with them about this and tested them for 10 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 10 days they looked better and healthier than all the young men who were eating the king's food. |
| 16So the steward continued to withhold their choice food and the wine they were to drink, and he gave them vegetables instead. | 16So the guard continued to remove their food and the wine they were to drink and gave them vegetables. |
| 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 knowledge and understanding in every kind of literature and wisdom. Daniel also understood visions and dreams of every kind. |
| 18Now at the end of the time specified by the king, the chief official presented them to Nebuchadnezzar. | 18At the end of the time that the king had said to present them, the chief official presented them to 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 interviewed them, and among all of them, no one was found equal to Daniel, Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah. So they began to serve in the king's court. |
| 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. | 20In every matter of wisdom and understanding that the king consulted them about, he found them 10 times better than all the diviner-priests and mediums in his entire kingdom. |
| 21And Daniel remained there until the first year of King Cyrus. | 21Daniel remained there until the first year of King Cyrus. |
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