< Daniel 6 >

1 It pleased Darius to set over the kingdom one hundred and twenty local governors, who should be throughout the whole kingdom;
It pleased Darius to set over the kingdom a hundred and twenty princes, who should be over the whole kingdom;
2 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.
And over these three presidents; of whom Daniel [was] first: that the princes might give accounts to them, and the king should have no damage.
3 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.
Then this Daniel was preferred above the presidents and princes, because an excellent spirit [was] in him; and the king thought to set him over the whole realm.
4 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.
Then the presidents and princes sought to find occasion against Daniel concerning the kingdom; but they could find no occasion nor fault; forasmuch as he [was] faithful, neither was there any error or fault found in him.
5 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.”
Then said these men, We shall not find any occasion against this Daniel, except we find [it] against him concerning the law of his God.
6 Then these presidents and local governors assembled together to the king, and said this to him, “King Darius, live forever!
Then these presidents and princes assembled to the king, and said thus to him, King Darius, live for ever.
7 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.
All the presidents of the kingdom, the governors, and the princes, the counselors, and the captains, have consulted together to establish a royal statute, and to make a firm decree, that whoever shall ask a petition of any God or man for thirty days, save of thee, O king, he shall be cast into the den of lions.
8 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.”
Now, O king, establish the decree, and sign the writing, that it may not be changed, according to the law of the Medes and Persians, which altereth not.
9 Therefore King Darius signed the writing and the decree.
Wherefore king Darius signed the writing and the decree.
10 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.
Now when Daniel knew that the writing was signed, he went into his house; and his windows being open in his chamber towards Jerusalem, he kneeled upon his knees three times a day, and prayed, and gave thanks before his God, as he did before.
11 Then these men assembled together, and found Daniel making petition and supplication before his God.
Then these men assembled, and found Daniel praying and making supplication before his God.
12 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.”
Then they came near, and spoke before the king concerning the king's decree; Hast thou not signed a decree, that every man that shall ask [a petition] 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] true, according to the law of the Medes and Persians, which altereth not.
13 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.”
Then they answered and said before the king, That Daniel, who [is] of the children of the captivity of Judah, regardeth not thee, O king, nor the decree that thou hast signed, but maketh his petition three times a day.
14 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.
Then the king, when he heard [these] words, was much displeased with himself, and set [his] heart on Daniel to deliver him: and he labored till the setting of the sun to deliver him.
15 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.”
Then these men assembled to the king, and said to the king, Know, O king, that the law of the Medes and Persians [is], That no decree nor statute which the king establisheth may be changed.
16 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.”
Then the king commanded, and they brought Daniel, and cast [him] into the den of lions. [Now] the king spoke and said to Daniel, Thy God whom thou servest continually, he will deliver thee.
17 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.
And a stone was brought, and laid upon the mouth of the den; and the king sealed it with his own signet, and with the signet of his lords; that the purpose might not be changed concerning Daniel.
18 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.
Then the king went to his palace, and passed the night fasting: neither were instruments of music brought before him: and his sleep went from him.
19 Then the king arose very early in the morning, and went in haste to the den of lions.
Then the king arose very early in the morning, and went in haste to the den of lions.
20 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?”
And when he came to the den, he cried with a lamentable voice to Daniel: [and] the king spoke and said to Daniel, O Daniel, servant of the living God, is thy God, whom thou servest continually, able to deliver thee from the lions?
21 Then Daniel said to the king, “O king, live forever!
Then said Daniel to the king, O king, live for ever.
22 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.”
My God hath sent his angel, and hath shut the lions' mouths, that they have not hurt me: forasmuch as before him innocence was found in me; and also before thee, O king, have I done no hurt.
23 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.
Then was the king exceeding glad for him, and commanded that they should take Daniel out of the den. So Daniel was taken out of the den, and no manner of hurt was found upon him, because he believed in his God.
24 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.
And 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 had the mastery of them, and broke all their bones in pieces before they came to the bottom of the den.
25 Then King Darius wrote to all the peoples, nations, and languages who dwell in all the earth: “Peace be multiplied to you.
Then king Darius wrote to all people, nations, and languages, that dwell in all the earth; Peace be multiplied to you.
26 “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.
I make a decree, That in every dominion of my kingdom men tremble and fear before the God of Daniel: for he [is] the living God, and steadfast for ever, and his kingdom [that] which shall not be destroyed, and his dominion [shall be even] to the end.
27 He delivers and rescues. He works signs and wonders in heaven and in earth, who has delivered Daniel from the power of the lions.”
He delivereth and rescueth, and he worketh signs and wonders in heaven and on earth, who hath delivered Daniel from the power of the lions.
28 So this 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 >