19
And the king said: I see the footsteps of men, and women, and children. And the king was angry.
20
Then he took the priests, and their wives, and their children: and they shewed him the private doors by which they came in, and consumed the things that were on the table.
21
The king therefore put them to death, and delivered Bel into the power of Daniel: who destroyed him, and his temple.
22
And there was a great dragon in that place, and the Babylonians worshipped him.
23
And the king said to Daniel: Behold thou canst not say now, that this is not a living god: adore him therefore.
24
And Daniel said: I adore the Lord my God: for he is the living God: but that is no living god.
25
But give me leave, O king, and I will kill this dragon without sword or club. And the king said: I give thee leave.
26
Then Daniel took pitch, and fat, and hair, and boiled them together: and he made lumps, and put them into the dragon's mouth, and the dragon burst asunder. And he said: Behold him whom you worshipped.
27
And when the Babylonians had heard this, they took great indignation: and being gathered together against the king, they said: The king is become a Jew. He hath destroyed Bel, he hath killed the dragon, and he hath put the priests to death.
28
And they came to the king, and said: Deliver us Daniel, or else we will destroy thee and thy house.
29
And the king saw that they pressed upon him violently: and being constrained by necessity he delivered Daniel to them.