Daniel 6
1 It pleased Darius, and so he appointed over the kingdom one hundred twenty governors, to be placed throughout his whole 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 these, three leaders, of whom Daniel was one, so that the governors would be accountable to them and the king would have no trouble.
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 And so Daniel excelled above all the leaders and governors, because a greater spirit of God was in him.
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 Furthermore, the king considered setting him over the entire kingdom; whereupon the leaders and the governors sought to find a complaint against Daniel and in favor of the king. And they could find no case, or even suspicion, because he was faithful, and no fault or suspicion 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 Therefore, these men said, “We will not find any complaint against this Daniel, unless it is against 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 Then the leaders and governors took the king aside privately and spoke to him in this way: “King Darius, 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 leaders of your kingdom, the magistrates and governors, the senators and judges, have taken counsel that an imperial decree and edict should be published, so that all who ask any petition of any god or man for thirty days, except of you, O king, will be cast 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 Now, therefore, O king, confirm this judgment and write the decree, so that what is established by the Medes and Persians may not be altered, nor will any man be allowed to transgress it.”
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 And so king Darius set forth the decree and established it.
In view of this king Darius signed the writing and the prohibition.
10 Now when Daniel learned of this, namely, that the law had been established, he entered his house, and, opening the windows in his upper room towards Jerusalem, he knelt down three times a day, and he adored and gave thanks before his God, as he had been accustomed to do previously.
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 Therefore, these men, inquiring diligently, discovered that Daniel was praying and making supplication to his God.
Then came in these men tumultuously, and found Daniel praying and making supplication before his God.
12 And they approached and spoke to the king about the edict. “O king, did you not decree that every man who makes a request to any of the gods or men for thirty days, except to yourself, O king, would be cast into the den of lions?” To which the king replied, saying, “The sentence is true, and according to the decree of the Medes and Persians, it is not lawful to violate it.”
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 answered and said before the king, “Daniel, of the sons of the captivity of Judah, is not concerned about your law, nor about the decree that you have established, but three times a day he prays his supplication.”
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 Now when the king had heard these words, he was greatly grieved, and, on behalf of Daniel, he set his heart to free him, and he labored even until sunset 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 But these men, knowing the king, said to him, “You know, O king, that the law of the Medes and Persians is that every decree which the king has established may not be altered.”
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 Then the king commanded, and they brought Daniel and cast him into the den of lions. And the king said to Daniel, “Your God, whom you always serve, he himself will free 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 And a stone was brought, and it was placed over the mouth of the den, which the king sealed with his own ring, and with the ring of his nobles, so that no one would act against Daniel.
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 And the king departed into his house, and he went to bed without eating, and food was not set before him, moreover, even 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 Then the king, getting himself up at first light, went quickly 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 And coming near to the den, he cried out with a tearful voice to Daniel and spoke to him. “Daniel, servant of the living God, your God, whom you serve always, do you believe he has prevailed to free 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 And Daniel, answering the king, said, “O king, live forever.
Then spoke Daniel with the king, O king, live for ever.
22 My God has sent his angel, and he has closed the mouths of the lions, and they have not harmed me, because before him justice has been found in me, and, even before you, O king, I have committed no offense.”
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 Then was the king exceedingly glad for him, and he commanded that Daniel should be taken out of the den. And Daniel was taken out of the den, and no wound was found in him, because he believed 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 Moreover, by order of the king, those men were brought who had accused Daniel, and they were cast into the lions’ den, they, and their sons, and their wives, and they did not reach the bottom of the den before the lions seized 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 all peoples, tribes, and languages dwelling in all the land. “May peace be increased with you.
Then wrote king Darius unto all people, nations, and languages, that dwell on all the earth, May your welfare increase.
26 It is hereby established by my decree that, in all my empire and my kingdom, they shall begin to tremble and fear the God of Daniel. For he is the living and eternal God forever, and his kingdom will not be destroyed, and his power will last forever.
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 is the liberator and the savior, performing signs and wonders in heaven and on earth, who has freed Daniel from the lions’ den.”
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 Thereafter, Daniel continued through the reign of Darius until the reign of Cyrus, the Persian.
So this Daniel prospered in the reign of Darius, and in the reign of Cyrus the Persian.
