A reading from the book of Daniel.

In the third year of the reign of Jehoiakim, King of Judah.

Nebuchadnezzar, king of Babylon, came to Jerusalem and besieged it,

and the Lord gave Jehoakim, King of Judah, into his hand, with some of the vessels of the

house of God, and he brought them to the land of Shinar, to the house of his God, and placed

the vessels in the treasury of his God. Then the king commanded Ashpenas, his chief eunuch,

to bring some of the people of Israel, both of the royal family and of the nobility, use without

blemish of good appearance and skillful in all wisdom, endowed with knowledge, understanding learning and competent to

stand in the king's palace, and to teach them the literature and language of the Chaldeans.

The king assigned them a daily portion of the food that the king ate, and of the wine that he

drank. They were to be educated for three years, and at the end of that time they were to

stand before the king. Among these were Daniel, Hananiah, Michelle, and at the end of that time they were to stand before the king.

Among these were Daniel, Hananiya, Michaeo, and Azariah of the tribe of Judah.

And the chief of the eunuchs gave them names. Daniel he called Beltaschazer, Hananiah he called Shadrach, Machaio he called Meshach, and Azariah he called Abedigo. But Daniel resolved that he would not defile himself with the king's food,

but with the wine that he drank.

Therefore he asked the chief of the eunuchs to allow him not to defile himself,

and God gave Daniel favor and compassion in the sight of the chief of the eunuchs,

and the chief of the eunuchs said to Daniel,

I fear my lord the king,

who assigned your food and your drink, for why should he see that you were in worse condition

than the youths who are of your own age, so you would endanger my head with the king?

Then Daniel said to the steward, whom the chief of the eunuchs had assigned over Daniel,

...