< Daniel 6 >

1 And it pleased Darius, and he set over the kingdom a hundred and twenty satraps, to be in all his kingdom;
It pleased Darius to set over the kingdom one hundred and twenty local governors, who should be throughout the whole kingdom;
2 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.
and over them three presidents, of whom Daniel was one, that these local governors might give account to them, and that the king should suffer no loss.
3 And Daniel was over them, for [there was] an excellent spirit in him; and the king set him over all his kingdom.
Then this Daniel was distinguished above the presidents and the local governors, because an excellent spirit was in him; and the king thought to set him over the whole realm.
4 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.
Then the presidents and the local governors sought to find occasion against Daniel as touching the kingdom; but they could find no occasion or fault, because he was faithful. There wasn’t any error or fault found in him.
5 And the governors said, We shall not find occasion against Daniel, except in the ordinances of his God.
Then these men said, “We won’t find any occasion against this Daniel, unless we find it against him concerning the law of his God.”
6 Then the governors and satraps stood by the king, and said to him, King Darius, live for ever.
Then these presidents and local governors assembled together to the king, and said this to him, “King Darius, live forever!
7 All who preside over your kingdom, captains and satraps, chiefs and local governors, have taken counsel together, to establish by a royal statue and to confirm a decree, that whoever shall ask a petition of any god or man for thirty days, save of you, O king, shall be cast into the den of lions.
All the presidents of the kingdom, the deputies and the local governors, the counsellors and the governors, have consulted together to establish a royal statute and to make a strong decree, that whoever asks a petition of any god or man for thirty days, except of you, O king, he shall be cast into the den of lions.
8 Now then, O king, establish the decree, and publish a writ, that the decree of the Persians and Medes be not changed.
Now, O king, establish the decree and sign the writing, that it not be changed, according to the law of the Medes and Persians, which doesn’t alter.”
9 Then king Darius commanded the decree to be written.
Therefore King Darius signed the writing and the decree.
10 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.
When Daniel knew that the writing was signed, he went into his house (now his windows were open in his room towards Jerusalem) and he knelt on his knees three times a day, and prayed, and gave thanks before his God, as he did before.
11 Then these men watched, and found Daniel praying and supplicating to his God.
Then these men assembled together, and found Daniel making petition and supplication before his God.
12 And they came and said to the king, O king, has you not made a decree, that whatever man shall ask a petition of any god or man for thirty days, but of you, 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.
Then they came near, and spoke before the king concerning the king’s decree: “Haven’t you signed a decree that every man who makes a petition to any god or man within thirty days, except to you, O king, shall be cast into the den of lions?” The king answered, “This thing is true, according to the law of the Medes and Persians, which doesn’t alter.”
13 Then they answered and said before the king, Daniel of the children of the captivity of Judea, has not submitted to your decree; and three times in the day he makes his requests of his God.
Then they answered and said before the king, “That Daniel, who is of the children of the captivity of Judah, doesn’t respect you, O king, nor the decree that you have signed, but makes his petition three times a day.”
14 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.
Then the king, when he heard these words, was very displeased, and set his heart on Daniel to deliver him; and he laboured until the going down of the sun to rescue him.
15 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 of statue which the king shall make.
Then these men assembled together to the king, and said to the king, “Know, O king, that it is a law of the Medes and Persians, that no decree nor statute which the king establishes may be changed.”
16 Then the king commanded, and they brought Daniel, and cast him into the den of lions. But the king said to Daniel, Your God whom you serve continually, he will deliver you.
Then the king commanded, and they brought Daniel and cast him into the den of lions. The king spoke and said to Daniel, “Your God whom you serve continually, he will deliver you.”
17 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.
A stone was brought, and laid on the mouth of the den; and the king sealed it with his own signet, and with the signet of his lords; that nothing might be changed concerning Daniel.
18 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 not molest Daniel.
Then the king went to his palace, and passed the night fasting. No musical instruments were brought before him; and his sleep fled from him.
19 Then the king arose very early in the morning, and came in have to the den of lions.
Then the king arose very early in the morning, and went in haste to the den of lions.
20 And when he drew near to the den, he cried with a loud voice, Daniel, servant of the living God, has your God, whom you serve continually, been able to deliver you from the lion's mouth?
When he came near to the den to Daniel, he cried with a troubled voice. The king spoke and said to Daniel, “Daniel, servant of the living God, is your God, whom you serve continually, able to deliver you from the lions?”
21 And Daniel said to the king, O king, live for ever.
Then Daniel said to the king, “O king, live forever!
22 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 you, O king, I have committed no trespass.
My God has sent his angel, and has shut the lions’ mouths, and they have not hurt me, because innocence was found in me before him; and also before you, O king, I have done no harm.”
23 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.
Then the king was exceedingly glad, and commanded that they should take Daniel up out of the den. So Daniel was taken up out of the den, and no kind of harm was found on him, because he had trusted in his God.
24 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.
The king commanded, and they brought those men who had accused Daniel, and they cast them into the den of lions—them, their children, and their wives; and the lions mauled them, and broke all their bones in pieces before they came to the bottom of the den.
25 Then king Darius wrote to all nations, tribes, [and] languages, who dwell in all the earth, [saying], Peace be multiplied to you.
Then King Darius wrote to all the peoples, nations, and languages who dwell in all the earth: “Peace be multiplied to you.
26 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.
“I 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 steadfast forever. His kingdom is that which will not be destroyed. His dominion will be even to the end.
27 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.
He delivers and rescues. He works signs and wonders in heaven and in earth, who has delivered Daniel from the power of the lions.”
28 And Daniel prospered in the reign of Darius, and in the reign of Cyrus the Persian.
So this Daniel prospered in the reign of Darius and in the reign of Cyrus the Persian.

< Daniel 6 >