² and over these, three governors, of whom Daniel was one, that the satraps might give account to them, so that the king would suffer no loss.

²⁹ Then Belshazzar gave the command, and they clothed Daniel with purple and put a chain of gold around his neck, and made a proclamation concerning him ^(A)that he should be the third ruler in the kingdom.

¹⁶ And I have heard of you, that you can give interpretations and ^[a]explain enigmas. ^(A)Now if you can read the writing and make known to me its interpretation, you shall be clothed with purple and have a chain of gold around your neck, and shall be the third ruler in the kingdom.”

^48 (A)Then the king promoted Daniel ^(B)and gave him many great gifts; and he made him ruler over the whole province of Babylon, and ^(C)chief administrator over all the wise men of Babylon. ⁴⁹ Also Daniel petitioned the king, ^(D)and he set Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-Nego over the affairs of the province of Babylon; but Daniel ^(E)sat in ^[a]the gate of the king.

⁴ For we have been ^(A)sold, my people and I, to be destroyed, to be killed, and to be annihilated. Had we been sold as ^(B)male and female slaves, I would have held my tongue, although the enemy could never compensate for the king’s loss.”

² Moreover it is required in stewards that one be found faithful.

¹³ So he called ten of his servants, delivered to them ten ^[a]minas, and said to them, ‘Do business till I come.’ ^14 (A)But his citizens hated him, and sent a delegation after him, saying, ‘We will not have this man to reign over us.’

¹⁵ “And so it was that when he returned, having received the kingdom, he then commanded these servants, to whom he had given the money, to be called to him, that he might know how much every man had gained by trading. ¹⁶ Then came the first, saying, ‘Master, your mina has earned ten minas.’ ¹⁷ And he said to him, ^(B)‘Well done, good servant; because you were ^(C)faithful in a very little, have authority over ten cities.’ ¹⁸ And the second came, saying, ‘Master, your mina has earned five minas.’ ¹⁹ Likewise he said to him, ‘You also be over five cities.’

²⁰ “Then another came, saying, ‘Master, here is your mina, which I have kept put away in a handkerchief. ^21 (D)For I feared you, because you are ^[b]an austere man. You collect what you did not deposit, and reap what you did not sow.’ ²² And he said to him, ^(E)‘Out of your own mouth I will judge you, you wicked servant. ^(F)You knew that I was an austere man, collecting what I did not deposit and reaping what I did not sow. ²³ Why then did you not put my money in the bank, that at my coming I might have collected it with interest?’

²⁴ “And he said to those who stood by, ‘Take the mina from him, and give it to him who has ten minas.’ ²⁵ (But they said to him, ‘Master, he has ten minas.’) ²⁶ ‘For I say to you, ^(G)that to everyone who has will be given; and from him who does not have, even what he has will be taken away from him. ²⁷ But bring here those enemies of mine, who did not want me to reign over them, and slay them before me.’ ”

² So he called him and said to him, ‘What is this I hear about you? Give an ^(A)account of your stewardship, for you can no longer be steward.’