34. In the midst of the people the two old men rose up and laid their hands on her head.
35. As she wept she looked up to heaven, for she trusted in the Lord wholeheartedly.
36. The old men said, “As we were walking in the garden alone, this woman entered with two servant girls, shut the garden gates and sent the servant girls away.
37. A young man, who was hidden there, came and lay with her.
38. When we, in a corner of the garden, saw this lawlessness, we ran toward them.
39. We saw them lying together, but the man we could not hold, because he was stronger than we; he opened the gates and ran off.
40. Then we seized this one and asked who the young man was,
41. but she refused to tell us. We testify to this.” The assembly believed them, since they were elders and judges of the people, and they condemned her to death.
42. But Susanna cried aloud: “Eternal God, you know what is hidden and are aware of all things before they come to be:
43. you know that they have testified falsely against me. Here I am about to die, though I have done none of the things for which these men have condemned me.”
44. The Lord heard her prayer.
45. As she was being led to execution, God stirred up the holy spirit of a young boy named Daniel,
46. and he cried aloud: “I am innocent of this woman’s blood.”
47. All the people turned and asked him, “What are you saying?”
48. He stood in their midst and said, “Are you such fools, you Israelites, to condemn a daughter of Israel without investigation and without clear evidence?
49. Return to court, for they have testified falsely against her.”
50. Then all the people returned in haste. To Daniel the elders said, “Come, sit with us and inform us, since God has given you the prestige of old age.”
51. But he replied, “Separate these two far from one another, and I will examine them.”
52. After they were separated from each other, he called one of them and said: “How you have grown evil with age! Now have your past sins come to term:
53. passing unjust sentences, condemning the innocent, and freeing the guilty, although the Lord says, ‘The innocent and the just you shall not put to death.’