² and over them ^(A)three high officials, of whom Daniel was one, to whom these ^(B)satraps should give account, so that the king might suffer no loss.

²⁹ Then ^(A)Belshazzar gave the command, and Daniel ^(B)was clothed with purple, a chain of gold was put around his neck, and a proclamation was made about him, that he should be the third ruler in the kingdom.

^16 (A)But I have heard that you can give interpretations and ^(B)solve problems. ^(C)Now if you can read the writing and make known to me its interpretation, ^(D)you shall be clothed with purple and have a chain of gold around your neck and ^(E)shall be the third ruler in the kingdom.”

⁴⁸ Then the king gave Daniel high honors and many great ^(A)gifts, and made him ruler over the whole ^(B)province of Babylon and ^(C)chief prefect over all the wise men of Babylon. ⁴⁹ Daniel made a request of the king, and he ^(D)appointed ^(E)Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego over the affairs of ^(F)the province of Babylon. But Daniel ^(G)remained at the king's court.

^4 (A)For we have been sold, I and my people, ^(B)to be destroyed, to be killed, and to be annihilated. If we had been sold merely as slaves, men and women, I would have been silent, for our affliction is not to be compared with the loss to the king.”

²² And take care not to be slack in this matter. Why should damage grow to the hurt of the king?”

² Moreover, it is required of stewards that they be found faithful.

¹³ Calling ^(A)ten of his servants,^[a] he gave them ten minas,^[b] and said to them, ‘Engage in business ^(B)until I come.’ ¹⁴ But ^(C)his citizens hated him and sent a delegation after him, saying, ‘We do not want this man to reign over us.’ ¹⁵ When he returned, having received the kingdom, he ordered these servants to whom he had given the money to be called to him, that he might know what they had gained by doing business. ¹⁶ The first came before him, saying, ‘Lord, your mina has made ten minas more.’ ¹⁷ And he said to him, ‘Well done, good servant!^[c] Because you have been ^(D)faithful in a very little, ^(E)you shall have authority over ten cities.’ ¹⁸ And the second came, saying, ‘Lord, your mina has made five minas.’ ¹⁹ And he said to him, ‘And you are to be over five cities.’ ²⁰ Then another came, saying, ‘Lord, here is your mina, which I kept laid away in ^(F)a handkerchief; ²¹ for I was afraid of you, because you are ^(G)a severe man. You take ^(H)what you did not deposit, and reap what you did not sow.’ ²² He said to him, ^(I)‘I will condemn you with your own words, ^(J)you wicked servant! You knew that I was ^(K)a severe man, taking what I did not deposit and reaping what I did not sow? ²³ Why then did you not put my money in the bank, and at my coming I might have collected it with interest?’ ²⁴ And he said to those who stood by, ‘Take the mina from him, and give it to the one who has the ten minas.’ ²⁵ And they said to him, ‘Lord, he has ten minas!’ ²⁶ ‘I tell you that ^(L)to everyone who has, more will be given, but from the one who has not, even what he has will be taken away. ²⁷ But ^(M)as for these enemies of mine, who did not want me to reign over them, bring them here and ^(N)slaughter them before me.’”

² And he called him and said to him, ‘What is this that I hear about you? Turn in the account of your ^(A)management, for you can no longer be manager.’