¹⁷ Then Daniel returned to his house and explained the matter to his friends Hananiah, Mishael and Azariah.^{(A) 18} He urged them to plead for mercy^(B) from the God of heaven^(C) concerning this mystery,^(D) so that he and his friends might not be executed with the rest of the wise men of Babylon. ¹⁹ During the night the mystery^(E) was revealed to Daniel in a vision.^(F) Then Daniel praised the God of heaven^(G)