Daniel 6
1 Now it pleased Darius to appoint 120 satraps to rule throughout the kingdom,
Darius deemed it proper, and he set over the kingdom one hundred and twenty lieutenants, who should be over all the kingdom;
2 and over them three administrators, including Daniel, to whom these satraps were accountable so that the king would not suffer loss.
And over these, three presidents, of whom Daniel was one; that these lieutenants should give accounts unto them, so that the king might suffer no damage.
3 Soon, by his extraordinary spirit, Daniel distinguished himself among the administrators and satraps. So the king planned to set him over the whole kingdom.
Then did this Daniel excel [all] the presidents and lieutenants, because a superior spirit was in him: and the king thought to appoint him over the whole kingdom.
4 Thus the administrators and satraps sought a charge against Daniel concerning the kingdom, but they could find no charge or corruption, because he was trustworthy, and no negligence or corruption was found in him.
Then sought the presidents and lieutenants to find a pretext against Daniel on account of the management of the kingdom; but they were not able to find any pretext or fault, forasmuch as he was faithful, and no kind of error or fault was to be found on him.
5 Finally these men said, “We will never find any charge against this Daniel, unless we find something against him concerning the law of his God.”
Then said these men, We shall not find any pretext against this Daniel, except we find it against him in the law of his God.
6 So the administrators and satraps went together to the king and said, “O King Darius, may you live forever!
Then came these presidents and lieutenants tumultuously to the king, and thus said they unto him, King Darius, live for ever.
7 All the royal administrators, prefects, satraps, advisers, and governors have agreed that the king should establish an ordinance and enforce a decree that for thirty days anyone who petitions any god or man except you, O king, will be thrown into the den of lions.
All the presidents of the kingdom, the superintendents, and the lieutenants, the counsellors, and the governors, have consulted together to establish a royal statute, and to make a firm prohibition, that whosoever will ask any thing by prayer of any God or man within thirty days, save of thee, O king, shall be cast into the den of lions.
8 Therefore, O king, establish the decree and sign the document so that it cannot be changed—in accordance with the law of the Medes and Persians, which cannot be repealed.”
Now, O king, establish the prohibition, and sign the writing, that it cannot be changed, according to the law of the Medes and Persians, which is not to be repealed.
9 Therefore King Darius signed the written decree.
In view of this king Darius signed the writing and the prohibition.
10 Now when Daniel learned that the document had been signed, he went into his house, where the windows of his upper room opened toward Jerusalem, and three times a day he got down on his knees, prayed, and gave thanks to his God, just as he had done before.
Now when Daniel knew that the writing was signed, he went up unto his house, where he had open windows in his upper chamber in the direction of Jerusalem; and three times every day he kneeled upon his knees, and prayed, and offered thanks before his God, as he had been doing before that time.
11 Then these men went as a group and found Daniel petitioning and imploring his God.
Then came in these men tumultuously, and found Daniel praying and making supplication before his God.
12 So they approached the king and asked about his royal decree: “Did you not sign a decree that for thirty days any man who petitions any god or man except you, O king, will be thrown into the den of lions?” The king replied, “According to the law of the Medes and Persians the order stands, and it cannot be repealed.”
Then came they near, and spoke before the king concerning the king's prohibition, Hast thou not signed a prohibition, that every man that will pray [for aught] of any God or man, within thirty days, save of thee, O king, shall be cast into the den of lions? The king answered and said, The thing is certainly so, according to the law of the Medes and Persians, which cannot he repealed.
13 Then they told the king, “Daniel, one of the exiles from Judah, shows no regard for you, O king, or for the decree that you have signed. He still makes his petition three times a day.”
Then answered they and said before the king, That Daniel, who is of the children of the exiles of Judah, hath paid no regard to thee, O king, nor to the prohibition which thou hast signed; but three times every day he offereth up his prayer.
14 As soon as the king heard this, he was deeply distressed and set his mind on delivering Daniel, and he labored until sundown to rescue him.
Then the king, when he heard this matter, felt very much distressed within himself, and on account of Daniel he sought an excuse to deliver him; and till the going down of the sun he strove hard to rescue him.
15 Then the men approached the king together and said to him, “Remember, O king, that by the law of the Medes and Persians no decree or ordinance established by the king can be changed.”
Then came these men tumultuously unto the king, and said unto the king, Know, O king, that it is the law of the Medes and Persians. That every prohibition and statute which the king hath established is not to be changed.
16 So the king gave the order, and they brought Daniel and threw him into the den of lions. The king said to Daniel, “May your God, whom you serve continually, deliver you!”
Then gave the king the order, and they brought Daniel, and cast him into the den of lions. The king commenced and said unto Daniel, May thy God whom thou worshippest continually, truly deliver thee.
17 A stone was brought and placed over the mouth of the den, and the king sealed it with his own signet ring and with the rings of his nobles, so that nothing concerning Daniel could be changed.
And a stone was brought, and placed upon the mouth of the den; and the king sealed it with his own signet-ring, and with the signet-ring of his lords, that nothing should be changed in the purpose concerning Daniel.
18 Then the king went to his palace and spent the night fasting. No entertainment was brought before him, and sleep fled from him.
Then went the king to his palace, and passed the night fasting: and no food was brought before him; and his sleep fled from him.
19 At the first light of dawn, the king got up and hurried to the den of lions.
Then arose the king by the morning-dawn, as soon as it was light, and went in great haste unto the den of lions.
20 When he reached the den, he cried out in a voice of anguish, “O Daniel, servant of the living God, has your God, whom you serve continually, been able to deliver you from the lions?”
And when he came near to the den, he cried with a mournful voice unto Daniel: the king commenced and said to Daniel, O Daniel, servant of the living God, hath thy God, whom thou worshippest continually, been able to deliver thee from the lions!
21 Then Daniel replied, “O king, may you live forever!
Then spoke Daniel with the king, O king, live for ever.
22 My God sent His angel and shut the mouths of the lions. They have not hurt me, for I was found innocent in His sight, and I have done no wrong against you, O king.”
My God sent his angel, and locked up the mouths of the lions, and they have not hurt me; forasmuch as before him innocency was found in me; and also before thee, O king, had I done nothing injurious.
23 The king was overjoyed and gave orders to lift Daniel out of the den, and when Daniel was lifted out of the den, no wounds whatsoever were found on him, because he had trusted in his God.
Then was the king exceedingly glad within himself, and concerning Daniel he ordered to bring him up out of the den. So was Daniel brought up out of the den, and no manner of hurt was found upon him, because he had trusted in his God.
24 At the command of the king, the men who had falsely accused Daniel were brought and thrown into the den of lions—they and their children and wives. And before they had reached the bottom of the den, the lions overpowered them and crushed all their bones.
And the king gave the order, and they brought those men who had accused Daniel treacherously, and they cast into the den of lions them, their children, and their wives; and they had not yet touched the bottom of the den when the lions had the mastery over them, and ground up all their bones.
25 Then King Darius wrote to the people of every nation and language throughout the land: “May your prosperity abound.
Then wrote king Darius unto all people, nations, and languages, that dwell on all the earth, May your welfare increase.
26 I hereby decree that in every part of my kingdom, men are to tremble in fear before the God of Daniel: For He is the living God, and He endures forever; His kingdom will never be destroyed, and His dominion will never end.
From me is it decreed, That in all the dominion of my kingdom men shall tremble and have fear before the God of Daniel; for he is the living God, and endureth for ever, and it is his kingdom which will not be destroyed, and his dominion will be unto the end [of things].
27 He delivers and rescues; He performs signs and wonders in the heavens and on the earth, for He has rescued Daniel from the power of the lions.”
He delivereth and rescueth, and he displayeth sings and wonders in heaven and on earth, he who hath delivered Daniel from the power of the lions.
28 So Daniel prospered during the reign of Darius and the reign of Cyrus the Persian.
So this Daniel prospered in the reign of Darius, and in the reign of Cyrus the Persian.
