¹² Then they approached the king and said concerning the interdict, “O king! Did you not sign an interdict, that anyone who prays to any god or human, within thirty days, except to you, O king, shall be thrown into the den of lions?” The king answered, “The thing stands fast, according to the law of the Medes and Persians, which cannot be revoked.”^(A)

⁸ Now, O king, establish the interdict and sign the document, so that it cannot be changed, according to the law of the Medes and the Persians, which cannot be revoked.”^(A)

⁸ Accordingly, at this time certain Chaldeans came forward and denounced the Jews.^{(A) 9} They said to King Nebuchadnezzar, “O king, live forever!^{(B) 10} You, O king, have made a decree, that everyone who hears the sound of the horn, pipe, lyre, trigon, harp, drum, and entire musical ensemble, shall fall down and worship the golden statue,^{(C) 11} and whoever does not fall down and worship shall be thrown into a furnace of blazing fire. ¹² There are certain Jews whom you have appointed over the affairs of the province of Babylon: Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego. These men pay no heed to you, O king. They do not serve your gods, and they do not worship the golden statue that you have set up.”^(D)

¹⁹ If it pleases the king, let a royal order go out from him, and let it be written among the laws of the Persians and the Medes so that it may not be altered, that Vashti is never again to come before King Ahasuerus, and let the king give her royal position to another who is better than she.^(A)

¹⁹ But when her owners saw that their hope of making money was gone, they seized Paul and Silas and dragged them into the marketplace before the authorities.^(A)

² When Paul^[a] had been summoned, Tertullus began to accuse him, saying:

“Because of you, most excellent Felix, we have long enjoyed peace, and reforms have been made for this people because of your foresight. ³ In every way and everywhere we welcome this with utmost gratitude.^{(A) 4} But, to detain you no further, I beg you to hear us briefly with your customary graciousness. ⁵ We have, in fact, found this man a pestilent fellow, an agitator among all the Jews throughout the world, and a ringleader of the sect of the Nazarenes.^{[b](B) 6} He even tried to profane the temple, so we seized him.^{[c](C) 8} By examining him yourself you will be able to learn from him concerning everything of which we accuse him.”

⁹ The Jews also joined in the charge by asserting that all this was true.^(D)

²⁴ Following these instructions, he put them in the innermost cell and fastened their feet in the stocks.^(A)