^12 (A)There are certain Jews whom you have set over the affairs of the province of Babylon: Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-Nego; these men, O king, have ^(B)not paid due regard to you. They do not serve your gods or worship the gold image which you have set up.”

¹³ So they answered and said before the king, “That Daniel, ^(A)who is ^[a]one of the captives from Judah, ^(B)does not show due regard for you, O king, or for the decree that you have signed, but makes his petition three times a day.”

⁴⁹ Also Daniel petitioned the king, ^(A)and he set Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-Nego over the affairs of the province of Babylon; but Daniel ^(B)sat in ^[a]the gate of the king.

⁷ Jason has ^[a]harbored them, and these are all acting contrary to the decrees of Caesar, ^(A)saying there is another king—Jesus.”

²⁸ saying, ^(A)“Did we not strictly command you not to teach in this name? And look, you have filled Jerusalem with your doctrine, ^(B)and intend to bring this Man’s ^(C)blood on us!”

The Vanity of Selfish Toil

⁴ Again, I saw that for all toil and every skillful work a man is envied by his neighbor. This also is vanity and grasping for the wind.

⁸ Then Haman said to King Ahasuerus, “There is a certain people scattered and dispersed among the people in all the provinces of your kingdom; ^(A)their laws are different from all other people’s, and they do not keep the king’s laws. Therefore it is not fitting for the king to let them remain.

⁷ So the women ^(A)sang as they danced, and said:

⁸ Then Saul was very angry, and the saying ^(C)displeased him; and he said, “They have ascribed to David ten thousands, and to me they have ascribed only thousands. Now what more can he have but ^(D)the kingdom?” ⁹ So Saul ^[a]eyed David from that day forward.

¹⁰ And it happened on the next day that ^(E)the distressing spirit from God came upon Saul, ^(F)and he prophesied inside the house. So David ^(G)played music with his hand, as at other times; ^(H)but there was a spear in Saul’s hand. ¹¹ And Saul ^(I)cast the spear, for he said, “I will pin David to the wall!” But David escaped his presence twice.