²⁰ When he came near the den, he called to Daniel in an anguished voice, “Daniel, servant of the living God, has your God, whom you serve continually, been able to rescue you from the lions?”^(A)

²¹ Daniel answered, “May the king live forever!^{(B) 22} My God sent his angel,^(C) and he shut the mouths of the lions.^(D) They have not hurt me, because I was found innocent in his sight.^(E) Nor have I ever done any wrong before you, Your Majesty.”

¹⁶ So the king gave the order, and they brought Daniel and threw him into the lions’ den.^(A) The king said to Daniel, “May your God, whom you serve continually, rescue^(B) you!”

²⁹ Therefore I decree^(A) that the people of any nation or language who say anything against the God of Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego be cut into pieces and their houses be turned into piles of rubble,^(B) for no other god can save^(C) in this way.”

¹⁷ If we are thrown into the blazing furnace, the God we serve is able to deliver^(A) us from it, and he will deliver^(B) us^[a] from Your Majesty’s hand.

³⁸ One day, while he was worshiping in the temple^(A) of his god Nisrok, his sons Adrammelek and Sharezer killed him with the sword, and they escaped to the land of Ararat.^(B) And Esarhaddon^(C) his son succeeded him as king.^(D)

¹⁹ Where are the gods of Hamath and Arpad?^(A) Where are the gods of Sepharvaim?^(B) Have they rescued Samaria^(C) from my hand? ²⁰ Who of all the gods^(D) of these countries have been able to save their lands from me? How then can the Lord deliver Jerusalem from my hand?”^(E)