Daniel 6
1 Darius decided it would be good to place the kingdom under the control of one hundred and twenty provincial governors.
Darius deemed it proper, and he set over the kingdom one hundred and twenty lieutenants, who should be over all the kingdom;
2 Three chief ministers were placed over them to look after the king's interests. Daniel was one of the three.
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 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.
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 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 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 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.”
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 these chief ministers and provincial governors went together to see the king. “May Your Majesty King Darius live forever!” they said.
Then came these presidents and lieutenants tumultuously to the king, and thus said they unto 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 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, 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, 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 So Darius signed the decree into law.
In view of this king Darius signed the writing and the prohibition.
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.
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 the men who had plotted against Daniel went together and found him praying to his God and asking for help.
Then came in these men tumultuously, and found Daniel praying and making supplication before 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.”
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 those captives from Judah, pays no attention to Your Majesty or to the decree you signed and prays 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 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 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 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 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 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 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 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 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 back to his palace. He ate nothing at all that night and refused any kind of entertainment. He couldn't sleep a wink.
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 dawn, as soon as it was light, the king got up and rushed to the lions' den.
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 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 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 Daniel replied, “May Your Majesty the king live forever!
Then spoke Daniel with 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 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 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 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 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 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 Darius wrote to all the people of the world, the different nations and languages, saying, “I wish you well!
Then wrote king Darius unto all people, nations, and languages, that dwell on all the earth, May your welfare increase.
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.
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 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 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 Daniel experienced good success during the reigns of Darius and Cyrus the Persian.
So this Daniel prospered in the reign of Darius, and in the reign of Cyrus the Persian.
