5
He answered, "Because I do not revere idols made with hands, but the living God, who created heaven and earth and has dominion over all living creatures."
3
Now the Babylonians had an idol called Bel, and every day they provided for it twelve bushels of choice flour and forty sheep and six measures of wine.
4
The king revered it and went every day to worship it. But Daniel worshiped his own God. So the king said to him, "Why do you not worship Bel?"
5
He answered, "Because I do not revere idols made with hands, but the living God, who created heaven and earth and has dominion over all living creatures."
6
The king said to him, "Do you not think that Bel is a living god? Do you not see how much he eats and drinks every day?"
7
And Daniel laughed, and said, "Do not be deceived, O king, for this thing is only clay inside and bronze outside, and it never ate or drank anything."
New Revised Standard Version Bible, copyright 1989, Division of Christian Education of the National Council of the Churches of Christ in the United States of America. Used by permission. All rights reserved.