Daniel 6
1 It has been good before Darius, and he has established over the kingdom satraps—one hundred and twenty—that they may be throughout the whole kingdom,
Darius decided it would be good to place the kingdom under the control of one hundred and twenty provincial governors.
2 and three presidents higher than they, of whom Daniel [is] first, that these satraps may give to them an account, and the king have no loss.
Three chief ministers were placed over them to look after the king's interests. Daniel was one of the three.
3 Then this Daniel has been overseer over the presidents and satraps, because that an excellent spirit [is] in him, and the king has thought to establish him over the whole kingdom.
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.
4 Then the presidents and satraps have been seeking to find a cause of complaint against Daniel concerning the kingdom, and any cause of complaint and corruption they are not able to find, because that he [is] faithful, and any error and corruption have not been found in him.
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.
5 Then these men are saying, “We do not find against this Daniel any cause of complaint, except we have found [it] against him in the Law of his God.”
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.”
6 Then these presidents and satraps have assembled near the king, and thus they are saying to him: “O King Darius, live for all ages!
So these chief ministers and provincial governors went together to see the king. “May Your Majesty King Darius live forever!” they said.
7 Taken counsel have all the presidents of the kingdom, the prefects, and the satraps, the counselors, and the governors, to establish a royal statute, and to strengthen an interdict, that any who seeks a petition from any god and man until thirty days, except of you, O king, is cast into a den of lions.
“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.
8 Now, O king, you establish the interdict, and sign the writing, that it is not to be changed, as a law of Media and Persia, that does not pass away.”
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.”
9 Therefore King Darius has signed the writing and interdict.
So Darius signed the decree into law.
10 And Daniel, when he has known that the writing is signed, has gone up to his house, and the window being opened for him, in his upper chamber, toward Jerusalem, three times in a day he is kneeling on his knees, and praying, and confessing before his God, because that he was doing [it] before this.
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.
11 Then these men have assembled, and found Daniel praying and pleading grace before his God;
Then the men who had plotted against Daniel went together and found him praying to his God and asking for help.
12 then they have come near, indeed, they are saying before the king concerning the king’s interdict: “Have you not signed an interdict, that any man who seeks from any god and man until thirty days, except of you, O king, is cast into a den of lions?” The king has answered and said, “The thing [is] certain as a law of Media and Persia, that does not pass away.”
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.”
13 Then they have answered, indeed, they are saying before the king, that, “Daniel, who [is] of the sons of the expulsion of Judah, has not placed on you, O king, [any] regard, nor on the interdict that you have signed, and three times in a day he is seeking his petition.”
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.”
14 Then the king, when he has heard the matter, is greatly displeased at himself, and on Daniel he has set the heart to deliver him, and until the going up of the sun he was arranging to deliver him.
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.
15 Then these men have assembled near the king, and are saying to the king, “Know, O king, that the law of Media and Persia [is] that any interdict and statute that the king establishes is not to be changed.”
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.”
16 Then the king has spoken, and they have brought Daniel, and have cast [him] into a den of lions. The king has answered and said to Daniel, “Your God, whom you are serving continually, delivers you Himself.”
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!”
17 And a stone has been brought and placed at the mouth of the den, and the king has sealed it with his signet, and with the signet of his great men, that the purpose is not changed concerning Daniel.
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.
18 Then the king has gone to his palace, and he has passed the night fasting, and dahavan have not been brought up before him, and his sleep has fled [from] off him.
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.
19 Then the king rises in the early morning, at the light, and he has gone in haste to the den of lions;
At dawn, as soon as it was light, the king got up and rushed to the lions' den.
20 and at his coming near to the den, to Daniel, with a grieved voice, he cries. The king has answered and said to Daniel, “O Daniel, servant of the living God, your God, whom you are serving continually, is He able to deliver you from the lions?”
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?”
21 Then Daniel has spoken with the king: “O king, live for all ages:
Daniel replied, “May Your Majesty the king live forever!
22 my God has sent His messenger, and has shut the lions’ mouths, and they have not injured me: because that before Him purity has been found in me; and also before you, O king, injury I have not done.”
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.”
23 Then was the king very glad for him, and he has commanded Daniel to be taken up out of the den, and Daniel has been taken up out of the den, and no injury has been found in him, because he has believed in his God.
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.
24 And the king has spoken, and they have brought those men who had accused Daniel, and to the den of lions they have cast them, they, their sons, and their wives; and they have not come to the lower part of the den until the lions have power over them, and all their bones they have broken small.
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.
25 Then Darius the king has written to all the peoples, nations, and languages, who are dwelling in all the land: “Your peace be great!
Then Darius wrote to all the people of the world, the different nations and languages, saying, “I wish you well!
26 From before me a decree is made, that in every dominion of my kingdom they are trembling and fearing before the God of Daniel, for He [is] the living God, and abiding for all ages, and His kingdom that which [is] not destroyed, and His dominion [is] to the end.
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.
27 A deliverer, and rescuer, and doer of signs and wonders in the heavens and in earth [is] He who has delivered Daniel from the paw of the lions.”
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.”
28 And this Daniel has prospered in the reign of Darius, and in the reign of Cyrus the Persian.
Daniel experienced good success during the reigns of Darius and Cyrus the Persian.
