---
title: "Daniel 14 – Catholic Bible (CPDV) & Latin Vulgate · Bless"
url: https://blessbible.app/bible/daniel/14/
description: "The history of Bel, and of the great serpent worshipped by the Babylonians. Daniel 14 in the Catholic Public Domain Version, with the Latin Vulgate."
---

# Daniel 14

Daniel 14 is chapter 14 of 14 in the Book of Daniel. Here are all 42 verses in the Catholic Public Domain Version, with the Latin of the Clementine Vulgate beside them.

> The history of Bel, and of the great serpent worshipped by the Babylonians.
>
> — Bp. Richard Challoner, chapter summary

## Daniel 14 (Catholic Public Domain Version)

1. And so Daniel was living with the king, and he was honored above all his friends.
2. Now there was an idol with the Babylonians named Bel. And each day there was expended on him twelve great measures of fine flour, and forty sheep, and six vessels of wine.
3. The king likewise worshipped him and went each day to adore him, but Daniel adored his God. And the king said to him, “Why do you not adore Bel?”
4. And answering, he said to him, “Because I do not worship idols made with hands, but the living God, who created heaven and earth, and who holds power over all flesh.”
5. And the king said to him, “Does not Bel seem to you to be a living god? Do you not see how much he eats and drinks every day?”
6. Then Daniel said, smiling, “O king, do not make a mistake, for this one is clay on the inside and brass on the outside, and he has never eaten.”
7. And the king, being angry, called for his priests and said to them, “If you do not tell me who it is that has eaten these expenses, you will die.
8. But if you can show that Bel has eaten these, Daniel will die, because he has blasphemed against Bel.” And Daniel said to the king, “Let it be according to your word.”
9. Now the priests of Bel were seventy, besides their wives, and little ones, and sons. And the king went with Daniel into the temple of Bel.
10. And the priests of Bel said, “Behold, we are going out, and you, O king, set out the meats, and mix the wine, and close the door, and seal it with your ring.
11. And when you have entered in the morning, if you have not found that Bel has consumed all, we will suffer death, or else Daniel will, who has lied against us.”
12. But they had no concern because they had made a secret entrance under the table, and they always went in through it and devoured those things.
13. And so it happened, after they had departed, that the king set the foods before Bel, and Daniel commanded his servants, and they brought ashes, and he sifted them throughout the temple in the sight of the king, and, as they left, they shut the door, and after sealing it with the king’s ring, they departed.
14. But the priests entered by night, according to their custom, with their wives, and their sons, and they ate and drank everything.
15. But the king arose at first light, and Daniel with him.
16. And the king said, “Are the seals unbroken, Daniel?” And he answered, “They are unbroken, O king.”
17. And as soon as he had opened the door, the king stared at the table, and cried out with a loud voice, “Great are you, O Bel, and there is not any deceit with you.”
18. And Daniel laughed, and he held back the king, so that he would not enter, and he said, “Look at the pavement, notice whose footsteps these are.”
19. And the king said, “I see the footsteps of men, and women, and children.” And the king was angry.
20. Then he apprehended the priests, and their wives, and their sons, and they showed him the secret doors through which they entered and consumed the things that were on the table.
21. Therefore, the king slaughtered them and delivered Bel into the power of Daniel, who overturned him and his temple.
22. And there was a great dragon in that place, and the Babylonians worshipped him.
23. And the king said to Daniel, “Behold, now you cannot say that this is not a living god; therefore, adore him.”
24. And Daniel said, “I adore the Lord, my God, for he is the living God. But that one is not a living god.
25. Therefore, you give me the power, O king, and I will execute this dragon without sword or club.” And the king said, “I give it to you.”
26. And so Daniel took pitch, and fat, and hair, and cooked them together. And he made lumps and put them into the dragon’s mouth, and the dragon burst open. And he said, “Behold, this is what you worship.”
27. When the Babylonians had heard this, they were greatly indignant. And gathering together against the king, they said, “The king has become a Jew. He has destroyed Bel, he has executed the dragon, and he has slaughtered the priests.”
28. And when they came to the king, they said, “Deliver Daniel to us, otherwise we will execute you and your house.”
29. Thus the king saw that they pressured him vehemently, and so, being compelled by necessity, he delivered Daniel to them.
30. And they cast him into the den of lions, and he was there for six days.
31. Furthermore, in the den there were seven lions, and they had given to them two carcasses every day, and two sheep, but then they were not given to them, so that they would devour Daniel.
32. Now there was in Judea a prophet called Habakkuk, and he had cooked a small meal and had broken bread in a bowl, and he was going into the field, to bring it to the harvesters.
33. And the angel of the Lord said to Habakkuk, “Carry the meal that you have into Babylon, to Daniel, who is in the lions’ den.”
34. And Habakkuk said, “Lord, I have not seen Babylon, and I do not know the den.”
35. And the angel of the Lord seized him by the top of his head, and carried him by the hair of his head, and set him in Babylon, over the den, by the force of his spirit.
36. And Habakkuk shouted, saying, “Daniel, servant of God, take the dinner that God has sent you.”
37. And Daniel said, “You have remembered me, O God, and you have not abandoned those who love you.”
38. And Daniel arose and ate. And then the angel of the Lord immediately returned Habakkuk to his place.
39. And so, on the seventh day, the king came to mourn Daniel. And he came to the den, and gazed in, and behold, Daniel was sitting in the midst of the lions.
40. And the king cried out with a loud voice, saying, “Great are you, O Lord, the God of Daniel.” And he pulled him out of the lions’ den.
41. Furthermore, those who had been the cause of his downfall, he hurled into the den, and they were devoured in a moment before him.
42. Then the king said, “Let all the inhabitants of the whole earth fear the God of Daniel. For he is the Savior, working signs and miracles on earth, who has freed Daniel from the lions’ den.”

## Daniel 14 in Latin (Clementine Vulgate, 1592)

1. Erat autem Daniel conviva regis, et honoratus super omnes amicos ejus.
2. Erat quoque idolum apud Babylonios nomine Bel: et impendebantur in eo per dies singulos similæ artabæ duodecim, et oves quadraginta, vinique amphoræ sex.
3. Rex quoque colebat eum, et ibat per singulos dies adorare eum: porro Daniel adorabat Deum suum. Dixitque ei rex: Quare non adoras Bel?
4. Qui respondens ait ei: Quia non colo idola manufacta, sed viventem Deum, qui creavit cælum, et terram, et habet potestatem omnis carnis.
5. Et dixit rex ad eum: Non videtur tibi esse Bel vivens deus? an non vides quanta comedat et bibat quotidie?
6. Et ait Daniel arridens: Ne erres, rex: iste enim intrinsecus luteus est, et forinsecus æreus, neque comedit aliquando.
7. Et iratus rex vocavit sacerdotes ejus, et ait eis: Nisi dixeritis mihi quis est qui comedat impensas has, moriemini.
8. Si autem ostenderitis quoniam Bel comedat hæc, morietur Daniel, quia blasphemavit in Bel. Et dixit Daniel regi: Fiat juxta verbum tuum.
9. Erant autem sacerdotes Bel septuaginta, exceptis uxoribus, et parvulis, et filiis. Et venit rex cum Daniele in templum Bel.
10. Et dixerunt sacerdotes Bel: Ecce nos egredimur foras: et tu, rex, pone escas, et vinum misce, et claude ostium, et signa annulo tuo:
11. et cum ingressus fueris mane, nisi inveneris omnia comesta a Bel, morte moriemur, vel Daniel qui mentitus est adversum nos.
12. Contemnebant autem, quia fecerant sub mensa absconditum introitum, et per illum ingrediebantur semper, et devorabant ea.
13. Factum est igitur postquam egressi sunt illi, rex posuit cibos ante Bel: præcepit Daniel pueris suis, et attulerunt cinerem, et cribravit per totum templum coram rege: et egressi clauserunt ostium, et signantes annulo regis abierunt.
14. Sacerdotes autem ingressi sunt nocte juxta consuetudinem suam, et uxores et filii eorum, et comederunt omnia, et biberunt.
15. Surrexit autem rex primo diluculo, et Daniel cum eo.
16. Et ait rex: Salvane sunt signacula, Daniel? Qui respondit: Salva, rex.
17. Statimque cum aperuisset ostium, intuitus rex mensam, exclamavit voce magna: Magnus es, Bel, et non est apud te dolus quisquam.
18. Et risit Daniel, et tenuit regem ne ingrederetur intro: et dixit: Ecce pavimentum: animadverte cujus vestigia sint hæc.
19. Et dixit rex: Video vestigia virorum, et mulierum, et infantium. Et iratus est rex.
20. Tunc apprehendit sacerdotes, et uxores, et filios eorum: et ostenderunt ei abscondita ostiola, per quæ ingrediebantur, et consumebant quæ erant super mensam.
21. Occidit ergo illos rex, et tradidit Bel in potestatem Danielis: qui subvertit eum, et templum ejus.
22. Et erat draco magnus in loco illo, et colebant eum Babylonii.
23. Et dixit rex Danieli: Ecce nunc non potes dicere quia iste non sit deus vivens: adora ergo eum.
24. Dixitque Daniel: Dominum Deum meum adoro, quia ipse est Deus vivens: iste autem non est deus vivens.
25. Tu autem, rex, da mihi potestatem, et interficiam draconem absque gladio et fuste. Et ait rex: Do tibi.
26. Tulit ergo Daniel picem, et adipem, et pilos, et coxit pariter: fecitque massas, et dedit in os draconis, et diruptus est draco. Et dixit: Ecce quem colebatis.
27. Quod cum audissent Babylonii, indignati sunt vehementer: et congregati adversum regem, dixerunt: Judæus factus est rex: Bel destruxit, draconem interfecit, et sacerdotes occidit.
28. Et dixerunt cum venissent ad regem: Trade nobis Danielem, alioquin interficiemus te, et domum tuam.
29. Vidit ergo rex quod irruerent in eum vehementer: et necessitate compulsus, tradidit eis Danielem.
30. Qui miserunt eum in lacum leonum, et erat ibi diebus sex.
31. Porro in lacu erant leones septem, et dabantur eis duo corpora quotidie, et duæ oves: et tunc non data sunt eis, ut devorarent Danielem.
32. Erat autem Habacuc propheta in Judæa, et ipse coxerat pulmentum, et intriverat panes in alveolo: et ibat in campum ut ferret messoribus.
33. Dixitque angelus Domini ad Habacuc: Fer prandium quod habes in Babylonem Danieli, qui est in lacu leonum.
34. Et dixit Habacuc: Domine, Babylonem non vidi, et lacum nescio.
35. Et apprehendit eum angelus Domini in vertice ejus, et portavit eum capillo capitis sui, posuitque eum in Babylone supra lacum in impetu spiritus sui.
36. Et clamavit Habacuc, dicens: Daniel serve Dei, tolle prandium quod misit tibi Deus.
37. Et ait Daniel: Recordatus es mei, Deus, et non dereliquisti diligentes te.
38. Surgensque Daniel comedit. Porro angelus Domini restituit Habacuc confestim in loco suo.
39. Venit ergo rex die septimo ut lugeret Danielem: et venit ad lacum, et introspexit, et ecce Daniel sedens in medio leonum.
40. Et exclamavit voce magna rex, dicens: Magnus es, Domine Deus Danielis. Et extraxit eum de lacu leonum.
41. Porro illos, qui perditionis ejus causa fuerant, intromisit in lacum, et devorati sunt in momento coram eo.
42. Tunc rex ait: Paveant omnes habitantes in universa terra Deum Danielis: quia ipse est salvator, faciens signa et mirabilia in terra: qui liberavit Danielem de lacu leonum.

## Catechism of the Catholic Church

Paragraph numbers and the Catechism's own section headings (never quoted); text at vatican.va.
- CCC ¶ 2112: "You Shall Have No Other Gods Before Me" ([vatican.va index](https://www.vatican.va/archive/ENG0015/_INDEX.HTM))

## Bishop Challoner's notes

Bp. Richard Challoner, notes on the Douay-Rheims (1750); they comment on its older wording.
- Verse 1: It seems most probable, that the king here spoken of was Evilmerodach, the son and successor of Nabuchodonosor, and a great favourer of the Jews.
- Verse 30: “The den of lions” … Daniel was twice cast into the den of lions; one under Darius the Mede, because he had transgressed the king's edict, by praying three times a day: and another time under Evilmerodach by a sedition of the people. This time he remained six days in the lions' den; the other time only one night.
- Verse 32: The same, as some think whose prophecy is found among the lesser prophets but others believe him to be different.

Source: Catholic Public Domain Version (Ronald L. Conte Jr., 2009), public domain; Latin: Clementine Vulgate (1592).