The first reading is a reading from the book of the prophet Daniel. The assembly condemned Susanna to death.

But Susanna cried aloud, O eternal God, you know what is hidden, and you are aware of all things before they came to be.

You know that they have testified falsely against me.

Here I am about to die,

though I have done none of the things which these wicked men have charged me.

The Lord heard my prayer.

As she was being led to execution,

God stirred up the Holy Spirit of a young man, a young boy named

Daniel, and he cried aloud, I will have no part in the death of this woman. All the people turn and ask him,

what is it that you are saying? He stood in their midst to continue. Are you such fools,

O children of Israel, to condemn a woman of Israel without examination

and without clear evidence? Returned to court, for they have testified falsely against her.

Then all the people returned in haste. To Daniel, the elders said, come, sit with us and inform us,

since God has given you the prestige of old age. But he replied, separate these two far from each

other, that I may have, I may examine them. After they were separated, one from the other,

he called one of them and said, how you have grown evil with age. Now have your

past sins come to terms, passing unjust sentences, condemning the innocent and freeing the guilty,

although the Lord says the innocent and the just shall not be put to death. Now then, if you were a

witness, tell me under what tree you saw them together.

Under the mastic tree, he answered. Daniel replied, your fine lie has cost you your head.

For the angel of God shall receive the sentence from him and split you in two, putting him to the side,

he ordered the other one to be brought.

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