13. So the order was issued for all of them to be killed, including Daniel and his friends.
14. Then Daniel went to Arioch, commander of the king's bodyguard, who had been ordered to carry out the execution. Choosing his words carefully,
15. he asked Arioch why the king had issued such a harsh order. So Arioch told Daniel what had happened.
16. Daniel went at once and obtained royal permission for more time, so that he could tell the king what the dream meant.
17. Then Daniel went home and told his friends Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah what had happened.
18. He told them to pray to the God of heaven for mercy and to ask him to explain the mystery to them so that they would not be killed along with the other advisers in Babylon.
19. Then that same night the mystery was revealed to Daniel in a vision, and he praised the God of heaven:
20. “God is wise and powerful!Praise him for ever and ever.