| Holman Christian Standard Bible | International Standard Version |
| 1In the third year of the reign of Jehoiakim king of Judah, Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon came to Jerusalem and laid siege to it. | 1In the third year of the reign of King Jehoiakim of Judah, King Nebuchadnezzar of Babylon came to Jerusalem and laid siege to it. |
| 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. | 2Within a week, the Lord handed King Jehoiakim of Judah over to him, along with valuable objects from the house of God. Nebuchadnezzar brought them to the temple of his god in the land of Shinar and stored them in its treasure house. |
| 3The king ordered Ashpenaz, the chief of his court officials, to bring some of the Israelites from the royal family and from the nobility-- | 3Later, the king ordered Ashpenaz, his chief officer, to bring in some Israelis of royal and noble descent. |
| 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. | 4They were to be young men without physical defect, handsome in appearance, skilled in all wisdom, quick to learn, prudent in how they used knowledge, and capable of serving in the king's palace. They were to learn the literature and language of the Chaldeans. |
| 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. | 5The king assigned them fine food and choice wine on a daily basis, ordering them to be trained for three years, at the end of which time they would enter the king's service. |
| 6Among them, from the descendants of Judah, were Daniel, Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah. | 6Included among the people of Judah were Daniel, Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah. |
| 7The chief official gave them other names: he gave the name Belteshazzar to Daniel, Shadrach to Hananiah, Meshach to Mishael, and Abednego to Azariah. | 7The chief officer assigned the name "Belteshazzar" to Daniel, the name "Shadrach" to Hananiah, the name "Meshach" to Mishael, and the name "Abednego" to Azariah. |
| 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. | 8Daniel determined within himself not to become defiled by the king's menu of rich foods or by the king's wine, so he requested permission from the chief officer not to defile himself. |
| 9God had granted Daniel favor and compassion from the chief official, | 9God granted to Daniel grace and compassion on the part of the chief officer. |
| 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." | 10The chief officer told Daniel, "I fear his majesty the king, who has determined what you eat and drink. If he notices that your faces are more pale than the other young men in your group, I will forfeit my head to the king." |
| 11So Daniel said to the guard whom the chief official had assigned to Daniel, Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah, " | 11But Daniel told the guard whom the chief officer had appointed over Daniel, Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah, |
| 12Please test your servants for 10 days. Let us be given vegetables to eat and water to drink. | 12"Please test your servants for ten days and let us be given vegetables to eat and water to drink. |
| 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." | 13Then compare how we look with the young men who ate the king's rich food, and treat your servants in accordance with what you observe." |
| 14He agreed with them about this and tested them for 10 days. | 14So he listened to what Daniel said and tested them for ten days. |
| 15At the end of 10 days they looked better and healthier than all the young men who were eating the king's food. | 15At the end of ten days their appearance was better and their faces were well-nourished compared to the young men who ate the king's rich food. |
| 16So the guard continued to remove their food and the wine they were to drink and gave them vegetables. | 16So the guard took away their rich food and wine, giving them vegetables. |
| 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. | 17As for these four young men, God gave them knowledge, aptitude for learning, and wisdom. Daniel also could understand all kinds of visions and dreams. |
| 18At the end of the time that the king had said to present them, the chief official presented them to Nebuchadnezzar. | 18Then at the end of the training period that the king had established, the chief officer brought them in before Nebuchadnezzar. |
| 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. | 19When the king spoke to them, none of them compared to Daniel, Hananiah, Mishael, or Azariah as they stood before the king. |
| 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. | 20In every matter of wisdom or understanding that the king discussed with them, he found them ten times superior to all the astrologers and enchanters in his entire palace. |
| 21Daniel remained there until the first year of King Cyrus. | 21So Daniel remained there in service until the first year of King Cyrus. |
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