Then in a night vision the mystery was revealed to Daniel. So Daniel praised the God of heaven,

Then this Sheshbazzar went and laid the foundations of the temple of God in Jerusalem. From that time to the present moment it has been in the process of being rebuilt, although it is not yet finished.’

Then Nebuchadnezzar in a fit of rage demanded that they bring Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego before him. So they brought them before the king.

They also asked them, “What are the names of the men who are building this edifice?”

Then Daniel went to his home and informed his friends Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah of the matter.

Then Nebuchadnezzar promoted Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego in the province of Babylon.

Then King Belshazzar was very terrified, and he was visibly shaken. His nobles were completely dumbfounded.

Therefore the palm of a hand was sent from him, and this writing was inscribed.

Then those officials who had gone to the king came by collusion and found Daniel praying and asking for help before his God.

In the morning, at the earliest sign of daylight, the king got up and rushed to the lions’ den.

Then Daniel spoke to the king, “O king, live forever!

Then Nebuchadnezzar approached the door of the furnace of blazing fire. He called out, “Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, servants of the most high God, come out! Come here!” Then Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego emerged from the fire.

From Rehum the commander, Shimshai the scribe, and the rest of their colleagues – the judges, the rulers, the officials, the secretaries, the Erechites, the Babylonians, the people of Susa (that is, the Elamites),

So the work on the temple of God in Jerusalem came to a halt. It remained halted until the second year of the reign of King Darius of Persia.

But God was watching over the elders of Judah, and they were not stopped until a report could be dispatched to Darius and a letter could be sent back concerning this.

We inquired of those elders, asking them, ‘Who gave you the authority to rebuild this temple and to complete this structure?’

So Darius the king issued orders, and they searched in the archives of the treasury which were deposited there in Babylon.

Then Tattenai governor of Trans-Euphrates, Shethar-Bozenai, and their colleagues acted accordingly – with precision, just as Darius the king had given instructions.

Then Daniel spoke with prudent counsel to Arioch, who was in charge of the king’s executioners and who had gone out to execute the wise men of Babylon.

He inquired of Arioch the king’s deputy, “Why is the decree from the king so urgent?” Then Arioch informed Daniel about the matter.