¹⁴When Arioch, the commander of the king’s guard, went out to execute the wise men of Babylon, Daniel responded with discretion and tact. ¹⁵“Why is the decree from the king so harsh?” he asked. ¹⁶Then Arioch explained the situation to Daniel. So Daniel went in and asked the king to give him some time, so that he could give him the interpretation. ¹⁷Then Daniel returned to his house and explained the matter to his friends Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah, ¹⁸urging them to plead for mercy from the God of heaven concerning this mystery, so that Daniel and his friends would not be killed with the rest of the wise men of Babylon. ¹⁹During the night, the mystery was revealed to Daniel in a vision, and he blessed the God of heaven ²⁰and declared: ²¹He changes the times and seasons; ²²He reveals the deep and hidden things; ²³To You, O God of my fathers,