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Day 272 of 365

about 21 minutes

Daniel 11-13

Daniel Chapter 11

¹“As for me, in the first year of Darius the Mede, I stood up to confirm and strengthen him. ²“Now I will show you the truth. Behold, three more kings will stand up in Persia. The fourth will be far richer than all of them. When he has grown strong through his riches, he will stir up all against the realm of Greece. ³A mighty king will stand up who will rule with great dominion, and do according to his will. ⁴When he stands up, his kingdom will be broken, and will be divided toward the four winds of the sky, but not to his posterity, nor according to his dominion with which he ruled; for his kingdom will be plucked up, even for others besides these. ⁵“The king of the south will be strong. One of his princes will become stronger than him and have dominion. His dominion will be a great dominion. ⁶At the end of years they will join themselves together. The daughter of the king of the south will come to the king of the north to make an agreement, but she will not retain the strength of her arm. He will also not stand, nor will his arm; but she will be given up, with those who brought her and he who became her father, and he who strengthened her in those times. ⁷“But out of a shoot from her roots one will stand up in his place who will come to the army and will enter into the fortress of the king of the north, and will deal against them and will prevail. ⁸He will also carry their gods, with their molten images and their precious vessels of silver and of gold, captive into Egypt. He will refrain some years from the king of the north. ⁹He will come into the realm of the king of the south, but he will return into his own land. ¹⁰His sons will wage war and will assemble a multitude of great forces which will keep coming and overflow and pass through. They will return and wage war, even to his fortress. ¹¹“The king of the south will be moved with anger and will come out and fight with him, even with the king of the north. He will send out a great multitude, and the multitude will be given into his hand. ¹²The multitude will be lifted up, and his heart will be exalted. He will cast down tens of thousands, but he won’t prevail. ¹³The king of the north will return, and will send out a multitude greater than the former. He will come on at the end of the times, even of years, with a great army and with abundant supplies. ¹⁴“In those times many will stand up against the king of the south. Also the children of the violent among your people will lift themselves up to establish the vision; but they will fall. ¹⁵So the king of the north will come and cast up a mound, and take a well-fortified city. The forces of the south won’t stand, neither will his chosen people, neither will there be any strength to stand. ¹⁶But he who comes against him will do according to his own will, and no one will stand before him. He will stand in the glorious land, and destruction will be in his hand. ¹⁷He will set his face to come with the strength of his whole kingdom, and with him equitable conditions. He will perform them. He will give him the daughter of women to corrupt her; but she will not stand, and won’t be for him. ¹⁸After this he will turn his face to the islands, and will take many; but a prince will cause the reproach offered by him to cease. Yes, moreover, he will cause his reproach to turn on him. ¹⁹Then he will turn his face toward the fortresses of his own land; but he will stumble and fall, and won’t be found. ²⁰“Then one who will cause a tax collector to pass through the kingdom to maintain its glory will stand up in his place; but within a few days he shall be destroyed, not in anger, and not in battle. ²¹“In his place, a contemptible person will stand up, to whom they had not given the honor of the kingdom; but he will come in a time of security, and will obtain the kingdom by flatteries. ²²The overwhelming forces will be overwhelmed from before him, and will be broken. Yes, also the prince of the covenant. ²³After the treaty is made with him, he will work deceitfully; for he will come up, and will become strong with a small people. ²⁴In a time of security, he will come even on the fattest places of the province. He will do that which his fathers have not done, nor his fathers’ fathers. He will scatter among them prey, plunder, and substance. Yes, he will devise his plans against the strongholds, even for a time. ²⁵“He will stir up his power and his courage against the king of the south with a great army; and the king of the south will wage war in battle with an exceedingly great and mighty army; but he won’t stand, for they will devise plans against him. ²⁶Yes, those who eat of his delicacies will destroy him, and his army will be swept away. Many will fall down slain. ²⁷As for both these kings, their hearts will be to do mischief, and they will speak lies at one table; but it won’t prosper, for the end will still be at the appointed time. ²⁸Then he will return into his land with great wealth. His heart will be against the holy covenant. He will take action and return to his own land. ²⁹“He will return at the appointed time and come into the south; but it won’t be in the latter time as it was in the former. ³⁰For ships of Kittim will come against him. Therefore he will be grieved, and will return, and have indignation against the holy covenant, and will take action. He will even return, and have regard to those who forsake the holy covenant. ³¹“Forces will stand on his part and they will profane the sanctuary, even the fortress, and will take away the continual burnt offering. Then they will set up the abomination that makes desolate. ³²He will corrupt those who do wickedly against the covenant by flatteries; but the people who know their God will be strong and take action. ³³“Those who are wise among the people will instruct many; yet they will fall by the sword and by flame, by captivity and by plunder, many days. ³⁴Now when they fall, they will be helped with a little help; but many will join themselves to them with flatteries. ³⁵Some of those who are wise will fall, to refine them, and to purify, and to make them white, even to the time of the end; because it is yet for the appointed time. ³⁶“The king will do according to his will. He will exalt himself, and magnify himself above every god, and will speak marvelous things against the God of gods. He will prosper until the indignation is accomplished; for what is determined will be done. ³⁷He won’t regard the gods of his fathers, or the desire of women, or regard any god; for he will magnify himself above all. ³⁸But in his place he will honor the god of fortresses. He will honor a god whom his fathers didn’t know with gold, silver, precious stones, and pleasant things. ³⁹He will deal with the strongest fortresses by the help of a foreign god. He will increase with glory whoever acknowledges him. He will cause them to rule over many, and will divide the land for a price. ⁴⁰“At the time of the end, the king of the south will contend with him; and the king of the north will come against him like a whirlwind, with chariots, with horsemen, and with many ships. He will enter into the countries, and will overflow and pass through. ⁴¹He will enter also into the glorious land, and many countries will be overthrown; but these will be delivered out of his hand: Edom, Moab, and the chief of the children of Ammon. ⁴²He will also stretch out his hand against the countries. The land of Egypt won’t escape. ⁴³But he will have power over the treasures of gold and of silver, and over all the precious things of Egypt. The Libyans and the Ethiopians will be at his steps. ⁴⁴But news out of the east and out of the north will trouble him; and he will go out with great fury to destroy and utterly to sweep away many. ⁴⁵He will plant the tents of his palace between the sea and the glorious holy mountain; yet he will come to his end, and no one will help him.

1: “As for me, in the first year of Darius the Mede, I stood up to confirm and strengthen him.

2: “Now I will show you the truth. Behold, three more kings will stand up in Persia. The fourth will be far richer than all of them. When he has grown strong through his riches, he will stir up all against the realm of Greece.

3: A mighty king will stand up who will rule with great dominion, and do according to his will.

4: When he stands up, his kingdom will be broken, and will be divided toward the four winds of the sky, but not to his posterity, nor according to his dominion with which he ruled; for his kingdom will be plucked up, even for others besides these.

5: “The king of the south will be strong. One of his princes will become stronger than him and have dominion. His dominion will be a great dominion.

6: At the end of years they will join themselves together. The daughter of the king of the south will come to the king of the north to make an agreement, but she will not retain the strength of her arm. He will also not stand, nor will his arm; but she will be given up, with those who brought her and he who became her father, and he who strengthened her in those times.

7: “But out of a shoot from her roots one will stand up in his place who will come to the army and will enter into the fortress of the king of the north, and will deal against them and will prevail.

8: He will also carry their gods, with their molten images and their precious vessels of silver and of gold, captive into Egypt. He will refrain some years from the king of the north.

9: He will come into the realm of the king of the south, but he will return into his own land.

10: His sons will wage war and will assemble a multitude of great forces which will keep coming and overflow and pass through. They will return and wage war, even to his fortress.

11: “The king of the south will be moved with anger and will come out and fight with him, even with the king of the north. He will send out a great multitude, and the multitude will be given into his hand.

12: The multitude will be lifted up, and his heart will be exalted. He will cast down tens of thousands, but he won’t prevail.

13: The king of the north will return, and will send out a multitude greater than the former. He will come on at the end of the times, even of years, with a great army and with abundant supplies.

14: “In those times many will stand up against the king of the south. Also the children of the violent among your people will lift themselves up to establish the vision; but they will fall.

15: So the king of the north will come and cast up a mound, and take a well-fortified city. The forces of the south won’t stand, neither will his chosen people, neither will there be any strength to stand.

16: But he who comes against him will do according to his own will, and no one will stand before him. He will stand in the glorious land, and destruction will be in his hand.

17: He will set his face to come with the strength of his whole kingdom, and with him equitable conditions. He will perform them. He will give him the daughter of women to corrupt her; but she will not stand, and won’t be for him.

18: After this he will turn his face to the islands, and will take many; but a prince will cause the reproach offered by him to cease. Yes, moreover, he will cause his reproach to turn on him.

19: Then he will turn his face toward the fortresses of his own land; but he will stumble and fall, and won’t be found.

20: “Then one who will cause a tax collector to pass through the kingdom to maintain its glory will stand up in his place; but within a few days he shall be destroyed, not in anger, and not in battle.

21: “In his place, a contemptible person will stand up, to whom they had not given the honor of the kingdom; but he will come in a time of security, and will obtain the kingdom by flatteries.

22: The overwhelming forces will be overwhelmed from before him, and will be broken. Yes, also the prince of the covenant.

23: After the treaty is made with him, he will work deceitfully; for he will come up, and will become strong with a small people.

24: In a time of security, he will come even on the fattest places of the province. He will do that which his fathers have not done, nor his fathers’ fathers. He will scatter among them prey, plunder, and substance. Yes, he will devise his plans against the strongholds, even for a time.

25: “He will stir up his power and his courage against the king of the south with a great army; and the king of the south will wage war in battle with an exceedingly great and mighty army; but he won’t stand, for they will devise plans against him.

26: Yes, those who eat of his delicacies will destroy him, and his army will be swept away. Many will fall down slain.

27: As for both these kings, their hearts will be to do mischief, and they will speak lies at one table; but it won’t prosper, for the end will still be at the appointed time.

28: Then he will return into his land with great wealth. His heart will be against the holy covenant. He will take action and return to his own land.

29: “He will return at the appointed time and come into the south; but it won’t be in the latter time as it was in the former.

30: For ships of Kittim will come against him. Therefore he will be grieved, and will return, and have indignation against the holy covenant, and will take action. He will even return, and have regard to those who forsake the holy covenant.

31: “Forces will stand on his part and they will profane the sanctuary, even the fortress, and will take away the continual burnt offering. Then they will set up the abomination that makes desolate.

32: He will corrupt those who do wickedly against the covenant by flatteries; but the people who know their God will be strong and take action.

33: “Those who are wise among the people will instruct many; yet they will fall by the sword and by flame, by captivity and by plunder, many days.

34: Now when they fall, they will be helped with a little help; but many will join themselves to them with flatteries.

35: Some of those who are wise will fall, to refine them, and to purify, and to make them white, even to the time of the end; because it is yet for the appointed time.

36: “The king will do according to his will. He will exalt himself, and magnify himself above every god, and will speak marvelous things against the God of gods. He will prosper until the indignation is accomplished; for what is determined will be done.

37: He won’t regard the gods of his fathers, or the desire of women, or regard any god; for he will magnify himself above all.

38: But in his place he will honor the god of fortresses. He will honor a god whom his fathers didn’t know with gold, silver, precious stones, and pleasant things.

39: He will deal with the strongest fortresses by the help of a foreign god. He will increase with glory whoever acknowledges him. He will cause them to rule over many, and will divide the land for a price.

40: “At the time of the end, the king of the south will contend with him; and the king of the north will come against him like a whirlwind, with chariots, with horsemen, and with many ships. He will enter into the countries, and will overflow and pass through.

41: He will enter also into the glorious land, and many countries will be overthrown; but these will be delivered out of his hand: Edom, Moab, and the chief of the children of Ammon.

42: He will also stretch out his hand against the countries. The land of Egypt won’t escape.

43: But he will have power over the treasures of gold and of silver, and over all the precious things of Egypt. The Libyans and the Ethiopians will be at his steps.

44: But news out of the east and out of the north will trouble him; and he will go out with great fury to destroy and utterly to sweep away many.

45: He will plant the tents of his palace between the sea and the glorious holy mountain; yet he will come to his end, and no one will help him.

Daniel Chapter 12

¹“At that time Michael will stand up, the great prince who stands for the children of your people. There will be a time of trouble, such as never was since there was a nation even to that same time. At that time, your people will be delivered—everyone who is found written in the book. ²Many of those who sleep in the dust of the earth will awake, some to everlasting life, and some to shame and everlasting contempt. ³Those who are wise will shine as the brightness of the expanse. Those who turn many to righteousness will shine like the stars forever and ever. ⁴But you, Daniel, shut up the words and seal the book, even to the time of the end. Many will run back and forth, and knowledge will be increased.” ⁵Then I, Daniel, looked, and behold, two others stood, one on the river bank on this side, and the other on the river bank on that side. ⁶One said to the man clothed in linen, who was above the waters of the river, “How long will it be to the end of these wonders?” ⁷I heard the man clothed in linen, who was above the waters of the river, when he held up his right hand and his left hand to heaven, and swore by him who lives forever that it will be for a time, times, and a half; and when they have finished breaking in pieces the power of the holy people, all these things will be finished. ⁸I heard, but I didn’t understand. Then I said, “My lord, what will be the outcome of these things?” ⁹He said, “Go your way, Daniel; for the words are shut up and sealed until the time of the end. ¹⁰Many will purify themselves, make themselves white, and be refined; but the wicked will do wickedly. None of the wicked will understand; but those who are wise will understand. ¹¹“From the time that the continual burnt offering is taken away and the abomination that makes desolate set up, there will be one thousand two hundred ninety days. ¹²Blessed is he who waits and comes to the one thousand three hundred thirty-five days. ¹³“But go your way until the end; for you will rest and will stand in your inheritance at the end of the days.”

1: “At that time Michael will stand up, the great prince who stands for the children of your people. There will be a time of trouble, such as never was since there was a nation even to that same time. At that time, your people will be delivered—everyone who is found written in the book.

2: Many of those who sleep in the dust of the earth will awake, some to everlasting life, and some to shame and everlasting contempt.

3: Those who are wise will shine as the brightness of the expanse. Those who turn many to righteousness will shine like the stars forever and ever.

4: But you, Daniel, shut up the words and seal the book, even to the time of the end. Many will run back and forth, and knowledge will be increased.”

5: Then I, Daniel, looked, and behold, two others stood, one on the river bank on this side, and the other on the river bank on that side.

6: One said to the man clothed in linen, who was above the waters of the river, “How long will it be to the end of these wonders?”

7: I heard the man clothed in linen, who was above the waters of the river, when he held up his right hand and his left hand to heaven, and swore by him who lives forever that it will be for a time, times, and a half; and when they have finished breaking in pieces the power of the holy people, all these things will be finished.

8: I heard, but I didn’t understand. Then I said, “My lord, what will be the outcome of these things?”

9: He said, “Go your way, Daniel; for the words are shut up and sealed until the time of the end.

10: Many will purify themselves, make themselves white, and be refined; but the wicked will do wickedly. None of the wicked will understand; but those who are wise will understand.

11: “From the time that the continual burnt offering is taken away and the abomination that makes desolate set up, there will be one thousand two hundred ninety days.

12: Blessed is he who waits and comes to the one thousand three hundred thirty-five days.

13: “But go your way until the end; for you will rest and will stand in your inheritance at the end of the days.”

Daniel Chapter 13

¹A man lived in Babylon, and his name was Joakim. ²He took a wife, whose name was Susanna, the daughter of Helkias, a very fair woman, and one who feared the Lord. ³Her parents were also righteous, and taught their daughter according to the law of Moses. ⁴Now Joakim was a great rich man, and had a beautiful garden next to his house. The Jews used to come to him, because he was more honorable than all others. ⁵The same year, two of the elders of the people were appointed to be judges, such as the Lord spoke of, that wickedness came from Babylon from elders who were judges, who were supposed to govern the people. ⁶These were often at Joakim’s house. All that had any lawsuits came to them. ⁷When the people departed away at noon, Susanna went into her husband’s garden to walk. ⁸The two elders saw her going in every day and walking; and they were inflamed with lust for her. ⁹They perverted their own mind and turned away their eyes, that they might not look to heaven, nor remember just judgments. ¹⁰And although they both were wounded with lust for her, yet dared not show the other his grief. ¹¹For they were ashamed to declare their lust, what they desired to do with her. ¹²Yet they watched eagerly from day to day to see her. ¹³The one said to the other, “Let’s go home, now; for it is dinner time.” ¹⁴So when they had gone out, they parted company, and turning back again, they came to the same place. After they had asked one another the cause, they acknowledged their lust. Then they appointed a time both together, when they might find her alone. ¹⁵It happened, as they watched on an opportune day, she went in as before with only two maids, and she desired to wash herself in the garden; for it was hot. ¹⁶There was nobody there except the two elders who had hid themselves and watched her. ¹⁷Then she said to her maids, “Bring me olive oil and ointment, and shut the garden doors, that I may wash myself.” ¹⁸They did as she asked them and shut the garden doors, and went out themselves at the side doors to fetch the things that she had commanded them. They didn’t see the elders, because they were hidden. ¹⁹Now when the maids had gone out, the two elders rose up and ran to her, saying, ²⁰“Behold, the garden doors are shut, that no man can see us, and we are in love with you. Therefore consent to us, and lie with us. ²¹If you will not, we will testify against you, that a young man was with you; therefore you sent your maids away from you.” ²²Then Susanna sighed, and said, “I am trapped; for if I do this thing, it is death to me. If I don’t do it, I can’t escape your hands. ²³It is better for me to fall into your hands, and not do it, than to sin in the sight of the Lord.” ²⁴With that Susanna cried with a loud voice; and the two elders cried out against her. ²⁵Then one of them ran and opened the garden doors. ²⁶So when the servants of the house heard the cry in the garden, they rushed in at the side door to see what had happened to her. ²⁷But when the elders had told their tale, the servants were greatly ashamed; for there was never such a report made of Susanna. ²⁸It came to pass on the next day, when the people assembled to her husband Joakim, the two elders came full of their wicked intent against Susanna to put her to death, ²⁹and said before the people, “Send for Susanna, the daughter of Helkias, Joakim’s wife.” So they sent; ³⁰and she came with her father and mother, her children, and all her kindred. ³¹Now Susanna was a very delicate woman, and beautiful to behold. ³²These wicked men commanded her to be unveiled, for she was veiled, that they might be filled with her beauty. ³³Therefore her friends and all who saw her wept. ³⁴Then the two elders stood up in the midst of the people and laid their hands upon her head. ³⁵She, weeping, looked up toward heaven; for her heart trusted in the Lord. ³⁶The elders said, “As we walked in the garden alone, this woman came in with two maids, shut the garden doors, and sent the maids away. ³⁷Then a young man who was hidden there came to her and lay with her. ³⁸And we, being in a corner of the garden, saw this wickedness and ran to them. ³⁹And when we saw them together, we couldn’t hold the man; for he was stronger than we, and opened the doors, and leaped out. ⁴⁰But having taken this woman, we asked who the young man was, but she would not tell us. We testify these things. ⁴¹Then the assembly believed them, as those who were elders of the people and judges; so they condemned her to death. ⁴²Then Susanna cried out with a loud voice, and said, “O everlasting God, you know the secrets, and know all things before they happen. ⁴³You know that they have testified falsely against me. Behold, I must die, even though I never did such things as these men have maliciously invented against me.” ⁴⁴The Lord heard her voice. ⁴⁵Therefore when she was led away to be put to death, God raised up the holy spirit of a young youth, whose name was Daniel. ⁴⁶He cried with a loud voice, “I am clear from the blood of this woman!” ⁴⁷Then all the people turned them toward him, and said, “What do these words that you have spoken mean?” ⁴⁸So he, standing in the midst of them, said, “Are you all such fools, you sons of Israel, that without examination or knowledge of the truth you have condemned a daughter of Israel? ⁴⁹Return again to the place of judgment; for these have testified falsely against her.” ⁵⁰Therefore all the people turned again in haste, and the elders said to him, “Come, sit down among us, and show it to us, seeing God has given you the honor of an elder.” ⁵¹Then Daniel said to them, “Put them far apart from each another, and I will examine them.” ⁵²So when they were put apart one from another, he called one of them, and said to him, “O you who have become old in wickedness, now your sins have returned which you have committed before, ⁵³in pronouncing unjust judgment, condemning the innocent, and letting the guilty go free; although the Lord says, ‘You shall not kill the innocent and righteous.’ ⁵⁴Now then, if you saw her, tell me, under which tree did you see them companying together?” He answered, “Under a mastick tree.” ⁵⁵And Daniel said, “You have certainly lied against your own head; for even now the angel of God has received the sentence of God and will cut you in two.” ⁵⁶So he put him aside, and commanded to bring the other, and said to him, “O you seed of Canaan, and not of Judah, beauty has deceived you, and lust has perverted your heart. ⁵⁷Thus you have dealt with the daughters of Israel, and they for fear were intimate with you; but the daughter of Judah would not tolerate your wickedness. ⁵⁸Now therefore tell me, under which tree did you take them being intimate together?” He answered, “Under an evergreen oak tree.” ⁵⁹Then Daniel said to him, “You have also certainly lied against your own head; for the angel of God waits with the sword to cut you in two, that he may destroy you.” ⁶⁰With that, all the assembly cried out with a loud voice, and blessed God, who saves those who hope in him. ⁶¹Then they arose against the two elders, for Daniel had convicted them of false testimony out of their own mouth. ⁶²According to the law of Moses they did to them what they maliciously intended to do to their neighbor. They put them to death, and the innocent blood was saved the same day. ⁶³Therefore Helkias and his wife praised God for their daughter Susanna, with Joakim her husband, and all the kindred, because there was no dishonesty found in her. ⁶⁴And from that day forth, Daniel had a great reputation in the sight of the people.

1: A man lived in Babylon, and his name was Joakim.

2: He took a wife, whose name was Susanna, the daughter of Helkias, a very fair woman, and one who feared the Lord.

3: Her parents were also righteous, and taught their daughter according to the law of Moses.

4: Now Joakim was a great rich man, and had a beautiful garden next to his house. The Jews used to come to him, because he was more honorable than all others.

5: The same year, two of the elders of the people were appointed to be judges, such as the Lord spoke of, that wickedness came from Babylon from elders who were judges, who were supposed to govern the people.

6: These were often at Joakim’s house. All that had any lawsuits came to them.

7: When the people departed away at noon, Susanna went into her husband’s garden to walk.

8: The two elders saw her going in every day and walking; and they were inflamed with lust for her.

9: They perverted their own mind and turned away their eyes, that they might not look to heaven, nor remember just judgments.

10: And although they both were wounded with lust for her, yet dared not show the other his grief.

11: For they were ashamed to declare their lust, what they desired to do with her.

12: Yet they watched eagerly from day to day to see her.

13: The one said to the other, “Let’s go home, now; for it is dinner time.”

14: So when they had gone out, they parted company, and turning back again, they came to the same place. After they had asked one another the cause, they acknowledged their lust. Then they appointed a time both together, when they might find her alone.

15: It happened, as they watched on an opportune day, she went in as before with only two maids, and she desired to wash herself in the garden; for it was hot.

16: There was nobody there except the two elders who had hid themselves and watched her.

17: Then she said to her maids, “Bring me olive oil and ointment, and shut the garden doors, that I may wash myself.”

18: They did as she asked them and shut the garden doors, and went out themselves at the side doors to fetch the things that she had commanded them. They didn’t see the elders, because they were hidden.

19: Now when the maids had gone out, the two elders rose up and ran to her, saying,

20: “Behold, the garden doors are shut, that no man can see us, and we are in love with you. Therefore consent to us, and lie with us.

21: If you will not, we will testify against you, that a young man was with you; therefore you sent your maids away from you.”

22: Then Susanna sighed, and said, “I am trapped; for if I do this thing, it is death to me. If I don’t do it, I can’t escape your hands.

23: It is better for me to fall into your hands, and not do it, than to sin in the sight of the Lord.”

24: With that Susanna cried with a loud voice; and the two elders cried out against her.

25: Then one of them ran and opened the garden doors.

26: So when the servants of the house heard the cry in the garden, they rushed in at the side door to see what had happened to her.

27: But when the elders had told their tale, the servants were greatly ashamed; for there was never such a report made of Susanna.

28: It came to pass on the next day, when the people assembled to her husband Joakim, the two elders came full of their wicked intent against Susanna to put her to death,

29: and said before the people, “Send for Susanna, the daughter of Helkias, Joakim’s wife.” So they sent;

30: and she came with her father and mother, her children, and all her kindred.

31: Now Susanna was a very delicate woman, and beautiful to behold.

32: These wicked men commanded her to be unveiled, for she was veiled, that they might be filled with her beauty.

33: Therefore her friends and all who saw her wept.

34: Then the two elders stood up in the midst of the people and laid their hands upon her head.

35: She, weeping, looked up toward heaven; for her heart trusted in the Lord.

36: The elders said, “As we walked in the garden alone, this woman came in with two maids, shut the garden doors, and sent the maids away.

37: Then a young man who was hidden there came to her and lay with her.

38: And we, being in a corner of the garden, saw this wickedness and ran to them.

39: And when we saw them together, we couldn’t hold the man; for he was stronger than we, and opened the doors, and leaped out.

40: But having taken this woman, we asked who the young man was, but she would not tell us. We testify these things.

41: Then the assembly believed them, as those who were elders of the people and judges; so they condemned her to death.

42: Then Susanna cried out with a loud voice, and said, “O everlasting God, you know the secrets, and know all things before they happen.

43: You know that they have testified falsely against me. Behold, I must die, even though I never did such things as these men have maliciously invented against me.”

44: The Lord heard her voice.

45: Therefore when she was led away to be put to death, God raised up the holy spirit of a young youth, whose name was Daniel.

46: He cried with a loud voice, “I am clear from the blood of this woman!”

47: Then all the people turned them toward him, and said, “What do these words that you have spoken mean?”

48: So he, standing in the midst of them, said, “Are you all such fools, you sons of Israel, that without examination or knowledge of the truth you have condemned a daughter of Israel?

49: Return again to the place of judgment; for these have testified falsely against her.”

50: Therefore all the people turned again in haste, and the elders said to him, “Come, sit down among us, and show it to us, seeing God has given you the honor of an elder.”

51: Then Daniel said to them, “Put them far apart from each another, and I will examine them.”

52: So when they were put apart one from another, he called one of them, and said to him, “O you who have become old in wickedness, now your sins have returned which you have committed before,

53: in pronouncing unjust judgment, condemning the innocent, and letting the guilty go free; although the Lord says, ‘You shall not kill the innocent and righteous.’

54: Now then, if you saw her, tell me, under which tree did you see them companying together?” He answered, “Under a mastick tree.”

55: And Daniel said, “You have certainly lied against your own head; for even now the angel of God has received the sentence of God and will cut you in two.”

56: So he put him aside, and commanded to bring the other, and said to him, “O you seed of Canaan, and not of Judah, beauty has deceived you, and lust has perverted your heart.

57: Thus you have dealt with the daughters of Israel, and they for fear were intimate with you; but the daughter of Judah would not tolerate your wickedness.

58: Now therefore tell me, under which tree did you take them being intimate together?” He answered, “Under an evergreen oak tree.”

59: Then Daniel said to him, “You have also certainly lied against your own head; for the angel of God waits with the sword to cut you in two, that he may destroy you.”

60: With that, all the assembly cried out with a loud voice, and blessed God, who saves those who hope in him.

61: Then they arose against the two elders, for Daniel had convicted them of false testimony out of their own mouth.

62: According to the law of Moses they did to them what they maliciously intended to do to their neighbor. They put them to death, and the innocent blood was saved the same day.

63: Therefore Helkias and his wife praised God for their daughter Susanna, with Joakim her husband, and all the kindred, because there was no dishonesty found in her.

64: And from that day forth, Daniel had a great reputation in the sight of the people.

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Scripture text: World English Bible, Catholic Edition (WEBC) — public domain

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