18. And as soon as he had opened the door, the king looked upon the table, and cried with a loud voice, Great are you, O Bel, and with you is no deceit at all.
19. Then laughed Daniel, and held the king that he should not go in, and said, Behold now the pavement, and mark well whose footsteps are these.
20. And the king said, I see the footsteps of men, women, and children. And then the king was angry,
21. and took the priests with their wives and children, who showed him the privy doors, where they came in, and consumed such things as were upon the table.
22. Therefore the king killed them, and delivered Bel into Daniel’s power, who overthrew him and his temple.
23. And in that same place there was a great dragon, which they of Babylon worshipped.
24. And the king said to Daniel, Wilt you also say that this is of brass? behold, he lives, and eats and drinks; you can not say that he is no living god: therefore worship him.
25. Then said Daniel, I will worship the Lord my God: for he is a living God.
26. But give me leave, O king, and I shall kill this dragon without sword or staff. The king said, I give you leave.
27. Then Daniel took pitch, and fat, and hair, and did seethe them together, and made lumps thereof: this he put in the dragon’s mouth, so the dragon did eat and burst in sunder: and Daniel said, Behold, these are the gods you⌃ worship.
28. When they of Babylon heard that, they took great indignation, and conspired against the king, saying, The king is become a Jew, and he has pulled down Bel, and slain the dragon, and put the priests to the sword.
29. So they came to the king, and said, Deliver us Daniel, or else we will destroy you and your house.