Daniel 6:2–3

⁴⁸Then the king made Daniel a great man, and gave him many great gifts, and made him ruler over the whole province of Babylon, and chief of the governors over all the wise men of Babylon.

⁴⁹Then Daniel requested of the king, and he set Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-nego, over the affairs of the province of Babylon: but Daniel sat in the gate of the king.

¹⁶And I have heard of thee, that thou canst make interpretations, and dissolve doubts: now if thou canst read the writing, and make known to me the interpretation thereof, thou shalt be clothed with scarlet, and have a chain of gold about thy neck, and shalt be the third ruler in the kingdom.

²⁹Then commanded Belshazzar, and they clothed Daniel with scarlet, and put a chain of gold about his neck, and made a proclamation concerning him, that he should be the third ruler in the kingdom.

⁴For we are sold, I and my people, to be destroyed, to be slain, and to perish. But if we had been sold for bondmen and bondwomen, I had held my tongue, although the enemy could not countervail the king’s damage.

²²Take heed now that ye fail not to do this: why should damage grow to the hurt of the kings?

²Moreover it is required in stewards, that a man be found faithful.

³⁰Wherefore the Lord God of Israel saith, I said indeed that thy house, and the house of thy father, should walk before me for ever: but now the Lord saith, Be it far from me; for them that honour me I will honour, and they that despise me shall be lightly esteemed.

²And he called him, and said unto him, How is it that I hear this of thee? give an account of thy stewardship; for thou mayest be no longer steward.

¹³And he called his ten servants, and delivered them ten pounds, and said unto them, Occupy till I come.

¹⁴But his citizens hated him, and sent a message after him, saying, We will not have this man to reign over us.

¹⁵And it came to pass, that when he was returned, having received the kingdom, then he commanded these servants to be called unto him, to whom he had given the money, that he might know how much every man had gained by trading.

¹⁶Then came the first, saying, Lord, thy pound hath gained ten pounds.

¹⁷And he said unto him, Well, thou good servant: because thou hast been faithful in a very little, have thou authority over ten cities.

¹⁸And the second came, saying, Lord, thy pound hath gained five pounds.

¹⁹And he said likewise to him, Be thou also over five cities.

²⁰And another came, saying, Lord, behold, here is thy pound, which I have kept laid up in a napkin:

²¹For I feared thee, because thou art an austere man: thou takest up that thou layedst not down, and reapest that thou didst not sow.

²²And he saith unto him, Out of thine own mouth will I judge thee, thou wicked servant. Thou knewest that I was an austere man, taking up that I laid not down, and reaping that I did not sow:

²³Wherefore then gavest not thou my money into the bank, that at my coming I might have required mine own with usury?

²⁴And he said unto them that stood by, Take from him the pound, and give it to him that hath ten pounds.

²⁵(And they said unto him, Lord, he hath ten pounds.)

²⁶For I say unto you, That unto every one which hath shall be given; and from him that hath not, even that he hath shall be taken away from him.

²⁷But those mine enemies, which would not that I should reign over them, bring hither, and slay them before me.

²³¶ Therefore is the kingdom of heaven likened unto a certain king, which would take account of his servants.

⁶He that sendeth a message by the hand of a fool cutteth off the feet, and drinketh damage.

¹⁶Length of days is in her right hand; and in her left hand riches and honour.

¹⁴I have even heard of thee, that the spirit of the gods is in thee, and that light and understanding and excellent wisdom is found in thee.

³⁸And Pharaoh said unto his servants, Can we find such a one as this is, a man in whom the Spirit of God is?

³⁹And Pharaoh said unto Joseph, Forasmuch as God hath shewed thee all this, there is none so discreet and wise as thou art:

⁴⁰Thou shalt be over my house, and according unto thy word shall all my people be ruled: only in the throne will I be greater than thou.

⁴¹And Pharaoh said unto Joseph, See, I have set thee over all the land of Egypt.

²⁹Seest thou a man diligent in his business? he shall stand before kings; he shall not stand before mean men.

¹²Forasmuch as an excellent spirit, and knowledge, and understanding, interpreting of dreams, and shewing of hard sentences, and dissolving of doubts, were found in the same Daniel, whom the king named Belteshazzar: now let Daniel be called, and he will shew the interpretation.

³For Mordecai the Jew was next unto king Ahasuerus, and great among the Jews, and accepted of the multitude of his brethren, seeking the wealth of his people, and speaking peace to all his seed.

²³At the beginning of thy supplications the commandment came forth, and I am come to shew thee; for thou art greatly beloved: therefore understand the matter, and consider the vision.

²⁷He that hath knowledge spareth his words: and a man of understanding is of an excellent spirit.

¹³Then I saw that wisdom excelleth folly, as far as light excelleth darkness.

³Let not mercy and truth forsake thee: bind them about thy neck; write them upon the table of thine heart:

⁴So shalt thou find favour and good understanding in the sight of God and man.

²That I gave my brother Hanani, and Hananiah the ruler of the palace, charge over Jerusalem: for he was a faithful man, and feared God above many.