Daniel 6
1 Darius decided it would be good to place the kingdom under the control of one hundred and twenty provincial governors.
And it pleased Darius, and he set over the kingdom a hundred and twenty satraps, to be in all his kingdom;
2 Three chief ministers were placed over them to look after the king's interests. Daniel was one of the three.
and over them three governors, of whom one was Daniel; for the satraps to give account to them, that the king should not be troubled.
3 Soon Daniel was shown to be a far better administrator than the other chief ministers and provincial governors. Because of his exceptional ability, the king planned to put him in charge of the whole kingdom.
And Daniel was over them, for [there was] an excellent spirit in him; and the king set him over all his kingdom.
4 As a result the other chief ministers and provincial governors tried to find a pretext against Daniel as to the way he ran the kingdom. But they couldn't find any cause for complaint or any corruption, for he was trustworthy. They could not discover any evidence that Daniel was negligent or corrupt.
Then the governors and satraps sought to find occasion against Daniel; but they found against him no occasion, nor trespass, nor error, because he was faithful.
5 So they said to themselves, “We won't find any pretext to attack Daniel unless we use his observance of his God's laws against him.”
And the governors said, We shall not find occasion against Daniel, except in the ordinances of his God.
6 So these chief ministers and provincial governors went together to see the king. “May Your Majesty King Darius live forever!” they said.
Then the governors and satraps stood by the king, and said to him, King Darius, live for ever.
7 “We have all agreed—chief ministers, prefects, provincial governors, counselors, and local governors—that Your Majesty should issue a decree, legally enforced, that for the next thirty days anyone who prays to any god or human being except you, Your Majesty, shall be thrown into the lions' den.
All who preside over thy kingdom, captains and satraps, chiefs and local governors, have taken counsel together, to establish by a royal statute and to confirm a decree, that whosoever shall ask a petition of any god or man for thirty days, save of thee, O king, shall be cast into the den of lions.
8 Now, Your Majesty, if you will sign the decree and have it issued so that it cannot be changed, according to the law of the Medes and the Persians that cannot be revoked.”
Now then, O king, establish the decree, and publish a writ, that the decree of the Persians and Medes be not changed.
9 So Darius signed the decree into law.
Then king Darius commanded the decree to be written.
10 When Daniel found out that the decree had been signed he went home to his upstairs room where he would pray three times a day, with the windows open facing Jerusalem. There he kneeled down, praying and thanking his God as he always did.
And when Daniel knew that the decree was ordered, he went into his house; and his windows were opened in his chambers toward Jerusalem, and three times in the day he knelt upon his knees, and prayed and gave thanks before his God, as he used to do before.
11 Then the men who had plotted against Daniel went together and found him praying to his God and asking for help.
Then these men watched, and found Daniel praying and supplicating to his God.
12 They went to the king right away and asked him about the decree. “Didn't Your Majesty sign a decree that for the next thirty days anyone who prays to any god or human being except you, Your Majesty, shall be thrown into the lions' den?” “I certainly did!” the king replied. “The decree stands. According to the law of the Medes and the Persians it cannot be revoked.”
And they came and said to the king, O king, hast thou not made a decree, that whatsoever man shall ask a petition of any god or man for thirty days, but of thee, O king, shall be cast into the den of lions? And the king said, The word is true, and the decree of the Medes and Persians shall not pass.
13 Then they told the king, “Daniel, one of those captives from Judah, pays no attention to Your Majesty or to the decree you signed and prays three times a day.”
Then they answered and said before the king, Daniel of the children of the captivity of Judea, has not submitted to thy decree; and three times in the day he makes his requests of his God.
14 When the king heard this, he was very upset and tried to think of how to save Daniel. He worked hard until sundown trying to rescue him.
Then the king, when he heard the saying, was much grieved for Daniel, and he greatly exerted himself for Daniel to deliver him: and he exerted himself till evening to deliver him.
15 Then the men returned together and said to the king, “You know, Your Majesty, that according to the law of the Medes and the Persians no decree or statute can be changed.”
Then those men said to the king, Know, O king, that the law of the Medes and Persians is, that we must not change any decree or statute which the king shall make.
16 Eventually the king gave the order and Daniel was taken and thrown into the lions' den. The king told him, “May the God you so loyally serve save you!”
Then the king commanded, and they brought Daniel, and cast him into the den of lions. But the king said to Daniel, Thy God whom thou servest continually, he will deliver thee.
17 A stone was brought and placed over the entrance to the den and the king sealed it with his own personal seal and those of his nobles so that no one could interfere with what was happening to Daniel.
And they brought a stone, and put it on the mouth of the den; and the king sealed [it] with his ring, and with the ring of his nobles; that the case might not be altered with regard to Daniel.
18 Then the king went back to his palace. He ate nothing at all that night and refused any kind of entertainment. He couldn't sleep a wink.
And the king departed to his house, and lay down fasting, and they brought him no food; and his sleep departed from him. But God shut the mouths of the lions, and they did not molest Daniel.
19 At dawn, as soon as it was light, the king got up and rushed to the lions' den.
Then the king arose very early in the morning, and came in haste to the den of lions.
20 As he approached the den, he called out anxiously to Daniel, “Daniel, servant of the living God whom you honor so faithfully, was your God able to save you from the lions?”
And when he drew near to the den, he cried with a loud voice, Daniel, servant of the living God, has thy God, whom thou servest continually, been able to deliver thee from the lion’s mouth?
21 Daniel replied, “May Your Majesty the king live forever!
And Daniel said to the king, O king, live for ever.
22 My God sent his angel to shut the lions' mouths. They have not hurt me because I was found innocent in his sight. In addition, I have never done you any wrong, Your Majesty.”
My God has sent his angel, and stopped the lions’ mouths, and they have not hurt me: for uprightness was found in me before him; and moreover before thee, O king, I have committed no trespass.
23 The king was extremely pleased and ordered Daniel brought up from the den. Daniel was lifted up from the den and he was found to have no injuries at all because he had trusted in his God.
Then the king was very glad for him, and he commanded to bring Daniel out of the den. So Daniel was brought out of the den, and there was found no hurt upon him, because he believed in his God.
24 Then the king ordered the men who had accused Daniel to be brought and they were thrown into the lions' den along with their wives and children. Before they even reached the floor of the den the lions attacked them, ripping them to pieces.
And the king commanded, and they brought the men that had accused Daniel, and they were cast into the den of lions, they, and their children, and their wives: and they reached not the bottom of the den before the lions had the mastery of them, and utterly broke to pieces all their bones.
25 Then Darius wrote to all the people of the world, the different nations and languages, saying, “I wish you well!
Then king Darius wrote to all nations, tribes, [and] languages, who dwell in all the earth, [saying], Peace be multiplied to you.
26 I decree that throughout my entire kingdom everyone should respect and honor the God of Daniel, for he is the living God. He is everlasting and his kingdom will never be destroyed. His reign will never end.
This decree has been set forth by me in every dominion of my kingdom, that [men] tremble and fear before the God of Daniel: for he is the living and eternal God, and his kingdom shall not be destroyed, and his dominion is for ever.
27 He is the one who rescues and saves; he does miracles and wonders in the heavens and on earth. He saved Daniel from death in the lions' den.”
He helps and delivers, and works signs and wonders in the heaven and on the earth, who has rescued Daniel from the power of the lions.
28 Daniel experienced good success during the reigns of Darius and Cyrus the Persian.
And Daniel prospered in the reign of Darius, and in the reign of Cyrus the Persian.
