Daniel 1:3-16

3Then the king told Ashpenaz the chief of his officials to bring in some of the sons of Israel from royal descent and nobility—

4youths without any defect, handsome, proficient in all wisdom, knowledgeable, intelligent and capable of serving in the king’s palace. He was to teach them the literature and language of the Chaldeans.

5The king allotted them a daily portion from the king’s delicacies and from the wine that he drank. They were to be trained for three years, and at the end they were to stand before the king.

6Now among them were some from the sons of Judah: Daniel, Hananiah, Mishael and Azariah.

7The chief officer gave them new names: to Daniel, Belteshazzar; to Hananiah, Shadrach; to Mishael, Meshach; and to Azariah, Abed-nego.

8But Daniel resolved not to defile himself with the king’s delicacies or with the wine he was drinking, so he entreated the chief official for permission not to defile himself.

9Now God caused the chief official to show mercy and compassion to Daniel.

10But the chief official said to Daniel: “I fear my lord the king, who allotted your food and your drink. Why should he see your faces looking poorly, unlike the other youths your age? Then the king would have my head because of you.”

11Daniel then said to the guard whom the chief official had appointed over Daniel, Hananiah, Mishael and Azariah,

12“Please test your servants for ten days, giving us just vegetables to eat and water to drink.

13Then compare our appearance and the appearance of the youths who eat the king’s delicacies, and treat your servants according to what you see.”

14So he listened to them in this matter and tested them for ten days.

15At the end of ten days their appearance looked better and their bodies healthier than all the youths who ate the king’s food.

16So the guard took away their delicacies and the wine they were supposed to drink and gave them vegetables instead.