Daniel 6
1 It seemed good to Darius, and he appointed over the kingdom a hundred and twenty governors to be over his whole kingdom.
It pleased Darius to appoint over the kingdom 120 provincial governors who would rule over all the kingdom.
2 And three princes over them, of whom Daniel was one: that the governors might give an account to them, and the king might have no trouble.
Over them there were three chief administrators, and Daniel was one of them. These chief administrators were appointed so that they might supervise the provincial governors, so that the king should suffer no loss.
3 And Daniel excelled all the princes, and governors: because a greater spirit of God was in him.
Daniel was distinguished above the other chief administrators and the provincial governors because he had an extraordinary spirit. The king was planning to put him over the whole kingdom.
4 And the king thought to set him over all the kingdom: whereupon the princes, and the governors sought to find occasion against Daniel with regard to the king: and they could find no cause, nor suspicion, because he was faithful, and no fault, nor suspicion was found in him.
Then the other chief administrators and the provincial governors looked for mistakes in the work Daniel did for the kingdom, but they could find no corruption or failure in his duty because he was faithful. No mistakes or negligence was found in him.
5 Then these men said: We shall not find any occasion against this Daniel, unless perhaps concerning the law of his God.
Then these men said, “We cannot find any reason to complain against this Daniel unless we find something against him regarding the law of his God.”
6 Then the princes, and the governors craftily suggested to the king, and spoke thus unto him: King Darius, live for ever:
Then these administrators and governors brought a plan before the king. They said to him, “King Darius, may you live forever!
7 All the princes of the kingdom, the magistrates, and governors, the senators, and judges have consulted together, that an imperial decree, and an edict be published: That whosoever shall ask any petition of any god, or man, for thirty days, but of thee, O king, shall be cast into the den of lions.
All the chief administrators of the kingdom, the regional governors, and the provincial governors, the advisors, and the governors have consulted together and decided that you, the king, should issue a decree and should enforce it, so that whoever makes a petition to any god or man for thirty days, except to you, king, that person must be thrown into the den of lions.
8 Now, therefore, O king, confirm the sentence, and sign the decree: that what is decreed by the Medes and Persians may not be altered, nor any man be allowed to transgress it.
Now, King, issue a decree and sign the document so that it may not be changed, as directed by the laws of the Medes and Persians, so it cannot be repealed.”
9 So king Darius set forth the decree, and established it.
So king Darius signed the document making the decree into a law.
10 Now when Daniel knew this, that is to say, that the law was made, he went into his house: and opening the windows in his upper chamber towards Jerusalem, he knelt down three times a day, and adored, and gave thanks before his God, as he had been accustomed to do before.
When Daniel learned that the document had been signed into law, he went into his house (now his windows were open in his upper room toward Jerusalem), and he got down on his knees, as he did three times a day, and prayed and gave thanks before his God, as he had done before.
11 Wherefore those men carefully watching him, found Daniel praying and making supplication to his God.
Then these men who had formed the plot together saw Daniel make requests and seek help from God.
12 And they came and spoke to the king concerning the edict: O king, hast thou not decreed, that every man that should make a request to any of the gods, or men, for thirty days, but to thyself, O king, should be cast into the den of the lions? And the king answered them, saying: The word is true according to the decree of the Medes and Persians, which it is not lawful to violate.
Then they approached the king and spoke with him about his decree: “Did you not make a decree that everyone who makes a petition to any god or human being during the next thirty days, except to you, king, must be throw into the den of lions?” The king answered, “The matter is settled, as directed by the law of the Medes and Persians; it cannot be repealed.”
13 Then they answered, and said before the king: Daniel, who is of the children of the captivity of Juda, hath not regarded thy law, nor the decree that thou hast made: but three times a day he maketh his prayer.
Then they replied to the king, “That person Daniel, who is one of the people of the exile from Judah, pays no attention to you, king, or to the decree that you have signed. He prays to his God three times a day.”
14 Now when the king had heard these words, he was very much grieved, and in behalf of Daniel he set his heart to deliver him and even till sunset he laboured to save him.
When the king heard this, he was terribly distressed, and he applied his mind to rescue Daniel from this ruling. He labored until sunset to try to save Daniel.
15 But those men perceiving the king’s design, said to him: Know thou, O king, that the law of the Medes and Persians is, that no decree which the king hath made, may be altered.
Then these men who had formed the plot gathered together with the king and said to him, “Know, king, that it is a law of the Medes and Persians, that no decree or statute that the king issues can be changed.”
16 Then the king commanded, and they brought Daniel, and cast him into the den of the lions. And the king said to Daniel: Thy God, whom thou always servest, he will deliver thee.
Then the king gave an order, and they brought in Daniel, and they threw him into the lions' den. The king said to Daniel, “May your God, whom you serve continually, rescue you.”
17 And a stone was brought, and laid upon the mouth of the den: which the king sealed with his own ring, and with the ring of his nobles, that nothing should be done against Daniel.
A stone was brought over the entrance to the den, and the king sealed it with his own signet ring and with the signet rings of his nobles so that nothing might be changed concerning Daniel.
18 And the king went away to his house and laid himself down without taking supper, and meat was not set before him, and even sleep departed from him.
Then the king went to his palace and he went through the night fasting. No entertainment was brought before him, and sleep fled from him.
19 Then the king rising very early in the morning, went in haste to the lions’ den:
Then at daybreak the king got up and he quickly went to the lions' den.
20 And coming near to the den, cried with a lamentable voice to Daniel, and said to him: Daniel, servant of the living God, hath thy God, whom thou servest always, been able, thinkest thou, to deliver thee from the lions?
As he came near to the den, he called out to Daniel in a sad voice, saying to Daniel, “Daniel, servant of the living God, has your God, whom you serve continually, been able to save you from the lions?”
21 And Daniel answering the king, said: O king, live for ever:
Then said Daniel to the king, “King, live forever!
22 My God hath sent his angel, and hath shut up the mouths of the lions, and they have not hurt me: forasmuch as before him justice hath been found in me: yea and before thee, O king, I have done no offence.
My God has sent his messenger and has shut the lions' mouths, and they have not hurt me. For I was found blameless before him and also before you, king, and I have done you no harm.”
23 Then was the king exceeding 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 hurt was found in him, because he believed in his God.
Then the king was very happy. He gave an order that they should take Daniel up out of the den. So Daniel was lifted up out of the den. No harm was found on him, because he had trusted in his God.
24 And by the king’s commandment, those men were brought that bad accused Daniel: and they were cast into the lions’ den, they and their children, and their wives: and they did not reach the bottom of the den, before the lions caught them, and broke all their bones in pieces.
The king gave an order, and they brought those men who had accused Daniel and threw them into the den of lions—they, their children, and their wives. Before they reached the floor, the lions overpowered them and broke all their bones to pieces.
25 Then king Darius wrote to all people, tribes, and languages, dwelling in the whole earth: PEACE be multiplied unto you.
Then King Darius wrote to all the peoples, nations, and languages that live in all the earth: “May peace increase for you.
26 It is decreed by me, that in all my empire and my kingdom all men dread and fear the God of Daniel. For he is the living and eternal God for ever: and his kingdom shall not be destroyed, and his power shall be for ever.
I hereby make a decree that in all the dominion of my kingdom men tremble and fear before the God of Daniel, for he is the living God and lives forever, and his kingdom shall not be destroyed; his dominion shall be to the end.
27 He is the deliverer, and saviour, doing signs and wonders in heaven, and in earth: who hath delivered Daniel out of the lions’ den.
He makes us safe and rescues us, and he does signs and wonders in heaven and in earth; he has kept Daniel safe from the strength of the lions.”
28 Now Daniel continued unto the reign of Darius, and the reign of Cyrus the Persian.
So Daniel prospered during the reign of Darius and during the reign of Cyrus the Persian.
