Daniel 1:8-16

New International Version - UK

⁸ But Daniel resolved not to defile himself with the royal food and wine, and he asked the chief official for permission not to defile himself in this way. ⁹ Now God had caused the official to show favour and compassion to Daniel, ¹⁰ but the official told Daniel, ‘I am afraid of my lord the king, who has assigned your^[a] food and drink. Why should he see you looking worse than the other young men of your age? The king would then have my head because of you.’

¹¹ Daniel then said to the guard whom the chief official had appointed over Daniel, Hananiah, Mishael and Azariah, ¹² ‘Please test your servants for ten days: give us nothing but vegetables to eat and water to drink. ¹³ Then compare our appearance with that of the young men who eat the royal food, and treat your servants in accordance with what you see.’ ¹⁴ So he agreed to this and tested them for ten days.

¹⁵ At the end of the ten days they looked healthier and better nourished than any of the young men who ate the royal food. ¹⁶ So the guard took away their choice food and the wine they were to drink and gave them vegetables instead.