sins that he hath committed, and keep all my statutes, and do that which is lawful and right, he shall surely live, he shall not die. 22 All his transgressions that he hath committed, they shall not be mentioned unto him: in his righteousness that he hath done he shall live. 23 Have I any pleasure at all that the wicked should die? saith the Lord God; and not that he should return from his ways, and live?

25

24 But when the righteous turneth away from his righteousness, and committeth iniquity, and doeth according to all the abominations that the wicked man doeth, shall he live? All his righteousness that he hath done shall not be mentioned: in his trespass that he hath trespassed, and in his sin that he hath sinned, in them shall he die. Yet ye say, The way of the Lord is not equal. Hear now, O house of Israel, Is not my way equal? are not your ways unequal? 26 When a righteous man turneth away from his righteousness, and committeth iniquity, and dieth in them: for his iniquity that he hath done shall he die. 27 Again, when the wicked man turneth away from his wickedness that he hath committed, and doeth that which is lawful and right, he shall save his soul alive. 29 Yet saith the house of Israel, The way of the Lord is not equal. O house of Israel, are not my ways equal? are not your ways unequal? 32 For I have no pleasure in the death of him that dieth, saith the Lord God: wherefore turn yourselves, and live ye.

CHAP. XXXIX. Restoration of the Jews.,

21 AND I will set my glory among the heathen, and all the heathen shall see my judgment that I have executed, and my hand that I have laid upon them. 22 So the house of Israel shall know that

Dan, am the Lord their God from that day and forward. 23 And the heathen shall know that the house of Israel went into captivity for their iniquity: because they trespassed against me, therefore hid I my face from them, and gave them into the hand of their enemies; so fell they all by the sword. 24 According to their uncleanness, and according to their transgressions, have I done unto them, and hid my face from them. 25 Therefore thus. saith the Lord God, Now will I bring again the captivity of Jacob, and have mercy upon the whole house of Israel, and will be jealous for my holy name; 26 After that they have borne their shame, and all their trespasses whereby they have trespassed against me, when they dwelt safely in their land, and none made them afraid. 27 When I have brought them again from the people, and gathered them out of their enemies' lands, and am sanctified in them in the sight of many nations; 28 Then shall they know that I am the Lord their God, which caused them to be led into captivity among the heathen: but I have gathered them unto their own land, and have left none of them any more there. 29 Neither will I hide my face any more from them: for I have poured out my Spirit upon the house of Israel, saith the Lord God.

DANIEL.

CHAP. I. Babylonish Captivity.

In the third year of the reign of Jehoiakim, king of Judah came Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon unto Jerusalem, and besieged it. 2 And the Lord

gave Jehoiakim king of Judah into his hand, with part of the vessels of the house of God. 3 And. the king spake unto Ashpenaz, that he should bring certain of the children of Israel; 4 Children in whom was no blemish, but well favoured, and skilful in all wisdom, and cunning in knowledge, and understanding science, and such as had ability in them to stand in the king's palace, and whom they might teach the learning and the tongue of the Chaldeans. 6 Now among these were, of the children of Judah, Daniel, Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah; 7 Unto whom the prince gave names; for he gave unto Daniel the name of Belteshazzar; and to Hananiah, of Shadrach; and to Mishael, of Meshach; and to Azariah, of Abed-nego. 17 As for these four children, God gave them knowledge and skill in all learning and wisdom. 20 And in all matters of wisdom and understanding, that the king inquired of them, he found them ten times better than all the magicians and astrologers that zwere in all his realm.

CHAP. III. Miraculous escape of the pious Jews.

NEBUCHADNEZZAR the king made an image of gold; he set it up in the province of Babylon. 8 Wherefore certain Chaldeans came near and accused the Jews, 9 And said, O king, live for ever. 12 There are certain Jews whom thou hast set over the affairs of the province of Babylon, these men, O king, have not regarded thee, they serve not thy gods, nor worship the golden image which thou hast set up. 13 Then Nebuchadnezzar in his rage and fury commanded to bring these men, 14 And said unto them, Is it true, do not ye serve my gods, nor worship the golden image which I have set up? 16 Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-nego, answered and said to the king, O Ne

buchadnezzar, we are not careful to answer thee in this matter. 17 If it be so, our God whom we serve is able to deliver us, and he will deliver us out of thine hand, O king. 18 But if not, be it known unto thee, O king, that we will not serye thy gods, nor worship the golden image which thou hast set up.

19 Then was Nebuchadnezzar full of fury, and the form of his visage was changed: therefore he spake and commanded that they should heat the furnace one seven times more than it was wont to be heated. 20 And he commanded to cast them into the burning fiery furnace. 21 Then these men were bound in their garments, and were cast into the midst of the burning fiery furnace. 22 Therefore because the king's commandment was urgent, and the furnace exceeding hot, the flame of the fire slew those men that took up Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-nego. 24 Then Nebuchadnezzar the king was astonished, and rose up in haste, and spake and said unto his counsellors, Did not we cast three men bound into the midst of the fire? They answered and said unto the king, True, O king. 25 He answered and said, Lo, I see four men loose, walking in the midst of the fire, and they have no hurt, and the form of the fourth is like the son of God. 26 Then Nebu. chadnezzar came near to the mouth of the burning fiery furnace, and spake and said, Ye servants of the most high God, come forth. 27 And the princes, governors and captains, and the king's counsellors being gathered together, saw these men, upon whose bodies the fire had no power, nor was an hair of their head singed, neither were their coats changed. 28 Then Nebuchadnezzar spake and said, Blessed be God, who hath sent his angel, and delivered his servants that trusted in

him, and have changed the king's word, and yielded their bodies, that they might not serve nor worship any god, except their own God. 29 Therefore I make a decree, that every people, nation and language, which speak any thing amiss against the God of Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed.nego, shall be cut in pieces, because there is no other God that can deliver after this sort.

CHAP. V, Impiety punished by a Miracle.

BELSHAZZAR the king made a great feast, 2 And commanded to bring the golden and silver vessels which his father Nebuchadnezzar had taken. 3 Then they brought the golden vessels that were taken out of the temple of the house of God, which was at Jerusalem; and the king and his princes, his wives and his concubines drank in them. 5 In the same hour came forth a man's hand, and wrote upon the wall of the palace. 6 Then the King's countenance was changed, and his thoughts troubled him, so that his knees smote one against another. 7 The king cried aloud and said to the wise men of Babylon, Whosoever shall read this writing, and shew me the interpretation thereof, shall be clothed with scarlet, and have a chain of gold about his neck, and shall be third ruler in the kingdom. 8 Then came in all the king's wise. men, but they could not read the writing, nor make known to the king the interpretation thereof. 13 Then was Daniel brought in before the king; and the king spake and said unto Daniel, Art thou that Daniel, which art of the children of the captivity of Judah, whom the king my father brought out of Jewry? 14 I have even heard of thee, that the spirit of the gods is in thee, and that light, and understanding, and excellent wisdom, is found in

thee.