¹⁷ Then Daniel returned to his house and explained the matter to his friends Hananiah, Mishael and Azariah.^(A)

¹⁸ He urged them to plead for mercy^(A) from the God of heaven^(B) concerning this mystery,^(C) so that he and his friends might not be executed with the rest of the wise men of Babylon.

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!”