A reading from the book of Daniel.

In the third year of the reign of Jeholyakim King of Judah, Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon

came to Jerusalem and besieged it, and the Lord gave Jehoiacim 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 Ashpanaz, his chief eunuch, to bring some of the people of Israel,

both of the royal family and of the nobility, youths 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, Michael, and Azariah of the tribe of Judah.

And the chief of the eunuchs gave them names.

Daniel, he called Beltasazar.

Hananiah, he called Shadrach.

Michael, he called Meshach.

And Azariah, he called Abednego.

But Daniel resolved that he would not defile himself with the king's food or 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

...