Daniel 6
1 It pleased Darius to appoint over the kingdom 120 provincial governors who would rule over all the kingdom.
And it pleased Darius, and he set over the kingdom a hundred and twenty satraps, to be in all his kingdom;
2 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.
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 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.
And Daniel was over them, for [there was] an excellent spirit in him; and the king set him over all his kingdom.
4 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.
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 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.”
And the governors said, We shall not find occasion against Daniel, except in the ordinances of his God.
6 Then these administrators and governors brought a plan before the king. They said to him, “King Darius, may you live forever!
Then the governors and satraps stood by the king, and said to him, King Darius, live for ever.
7 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.
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.
8 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.”
Now then, O king, establish the decree, and publish a writ, that the decree of the Persians and Medes be not changed.
9 So king Darius signed the document making the decree into a law.
Then king Darius commanded the decree to be written.
10 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.
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 these men who had formed the plot together saw Daniel make requests and seek help from God.
Then these men watched, and found Daniel praying and supplicating to his God.
12 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.”
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.
13 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.”
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.
14 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.
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 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.”
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.
16 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.”
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.
17 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.
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 to his palace and he went through the night fasting. No entertainment was brought before him, and sleep fled from him.
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.
19 Then at daybreak the king got up and he quickly went to the lions' den.
Then the king arose very early in the morning, and came in have to the den of lions.
20 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?”
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?
21 Then said Daniel to the king, “King, live forever!
And Daniel said to the king, O king, live for ever.
22 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.”
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.
23 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.
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 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.
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 King Darius wrote to all the peoples, nations, and languages that live in all the earth: “May peace increase for you.
Then king Darius wrote to all nations, tribes, [and] languages, who dwell in all the earth, [saying], Peace be multiplied to you.
26 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.
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 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.”
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 So Daniel prospered during the reign of Darius and during the reign of Cyrus the Persian.
And Daniel prospered in the reign of Darius, and in the reign of Cyrus the Persian.
