6:1 It pleased Darius to appoint 120 satraps to rule throughout the kingdom,
6:2 with three administrators over them, one of whom was Daniel. The satraps were made accountable to them so that the king might not suffer loss.
6:3 Now Daniel so distinguished himself among the administrators and the satraps by his exceptional qualities that the king planned to set him over the whole kingdom.
6:4 At this, the administrators and the satraps tried to find grounds for charges against Daniel in his conduct of government affairs, but they were unable to do so. They could find no corruption in him, because he was trustworthy and neither corrupt nor negligent.
6:5 Finally these men said, “We will never find any basis for charges against this man Daniel unless it has something to do with the law of his God.”
6:6 So the administrators and the satraps went as a group to the king and said: “O King Darius, live forever!
6:7 The royal administrators, prefects, satraps, advisers and governors have all agreed that the king should issue an edict and enforce the decree that anyone who prays to any god or man during the next thirty days, except to you, O king, shall be thrown into the lions’ den.
6:8 Now, O king, issue the decree and put it in writing so that it cannot be altered–in accordance with the laws of the Medes and Persians, which cannot be repealed.”
6:9 So King Darius put the decree in writing.
6:10 Now when Daniel learned that the decree had been published, he went home to his upstairs room where the windows opened toward Jerusalem. Three times a day he got down on his knees and prayed, giving thanks to his God, just as he had done before.
6:11 Then these men went as a group and found Daniel praying and asking God for help.
6:12 So they went to the king and spoke to him about his royal decree: “Did you not publish a decree that during the next thirty days anyone who prays to any god or man except to you, O king, would be thrown into the lions’ den?” The king answered, “The decree stands–in accordance with the laws of the Medes and Persians, which cannot be repealed.”
6:13 Then they said to the king, “Daniel, who is one of the exiles from Judah, pays no attention to you, O king, or to the decree you put in writing. He still prays three times a day.”
6:14 When the king heard this, he was greatly distressed; he was determined to rescue Daniel and made every effort until sundown to save him.
6:15 Then the men went as a group to the king and said to him, “Remember, O king, that according to the law of the Medes and Persians no decree or edict that the king issues can be changed.”
6:16 So the king gave the order, and they brought Daniel and threw him into the lions’ den. The king said to Daniel, “May your God, whom you serve continually, rescue you!”
6:17 A stone was brought and placed over the mouth of the den, and the king sealed it with his own signet ring and with the rings of his nobles, so that Daniel’s situation might not be changed.
6:18 Then the king returned to his palace and spent the night without eating and without any entertainment being brought to him. And he could not sleep.
6:19 At the first light of dawn, the king got up and hurried to the lions’ den.
6:20 When he came near the den, he called to Daniel in an anguished voice, “Daniel, servant of the living God, has your God, whom you serve continually, been able to rescue you from the lions?”
6:21 Daniel answered, “O king, live forever!
6:22 My God sent his angel, and he shut the mouths of the lions. They have not hurt me, because I was found innocent in his sight. Nor have I ever done any wrong before you, O king.”
6:23 The king was overjoyed and gave orders to lift Daniel out of the den. And when Daniel was lifted from the den, no wound was found on him, because he had trusted in his God.
6:24 At the king’s command, the men who had falsely accused Daniel were brought in and thrown into the lions’ den, along with their wives and children. And before they reached the floor of the den, the lions overpowered them and crushed all their bones.
6:25 Then King Darius wrote to all the peoples, nations and men of every language throughout the land: “May you prosper greatly!
6:26 “I issue a decree that in every part of my kingdom people must fear and reverence the God of Daniel. “For he is the living God and he endures forever; his kingdom will not be destroyed, his dominion will never end.
6:27 He rescues and he saves; he performs signs and wonders in the heavens and on the earth. He has rescued Daniel from the power of the lions.”
6:28 So Daniel prospered during the reign of Darius and the reign of Cyrus the Persian.
6:1 It pleased Darius to set up over the kingdom a hundred and twenty satraps, who would be throughout the whole kingdom;
6:2 And over them, three chief ministers ? of whom Daniel was one ? so that these satraps might give account to them and the king might not suffer loss.
6:3 Then this Daniel distinguished himself among the chief ministers and satraps because in him there was an excellent spirit, and the king considered setting him over the whole kingdom.
6:4 Then the chief ministers and satraps sought to find a ground for accusation against Daniel from the perspective of the kingdom, but they could find no ground for accusation or fault, inasmuch as he was faithful, and no negligence or fault was found related to him.
6:5 Then these men said, We will not find any ground for accusation against this Daniel unless we find something related to him due to the law of his God.
6:6 Then these chief ministers and satraps came to prevail upon the king and said thus to him, King Darius, live forever!
6:7 All the chief ministers of the kingdom, the prefects and the satraps, the counselors and the governors, have taken counsel together that the king should establish a statute and make firm an edict that anyone who makes a petition within the next thirty days to any god or man besides you, O king, shall be cast into the lions’ den.
6:8 Now, O king, establish the edict and sign the writing, so that it is not changed, according to the law of the Medes and Persians, which cannot pass away.
6:9 Therefore King Darius signed the writing, that is, the edict.
6:10 Now when Daniel came to know that the writing had been signed, he went to his house (in his upper room he had windows open toward Jerusalem) and three times daily he knelt on his knees and prayed and gave thanks before his God, because he had always done so previously.
6:11 Then these men assembled and found Daniel making petition and supplication before his God.
6:12 Then they came near and spoke before the king concerning the king’s edict: Did you not sign an edict that anyone who petitions, within the next thirty days, any god or man besides you, O king, shall be cast into the lions’ den? The king answered and said, The thing is certain, according to the law of the Medes and Persians, which cannot pass away.
6:13 Then they answered and said before the king, Daniel, one of the captives from Judah, has not respected you, O king, or the edict that you have signed, but three times daily makes his petition.
6:14 Then the king, when he heard the thing, was very displeased with himself and set his heart on delivering Daniel; and until the sun set, he made efforts to deliver him.
6:15 Then these men came to prevail upon the king and said to the king, Know, O king, that it is the law of the Medes and Persians that no edict or statute which the king establishes can be changed.
6:16 Then the king commanded, and they brought Daniel and threw him into the lions’ den. The king responded and said to Daniel, Your God, whom you serve continually, He will deliver you.
6:17 And a stone was brought and set over the mouth of the den. And the king sealed it with his signet ring and with the signet rings of his lords that nothing might be changed regarding Daniel.
6:18 Then the king went to his palace and spent the night fasting; and no entertainment was brought before him, and his sleep fled from him.
6:19 Then the king arose at dawn at the first light, and went in haste to the lions’ den.
6:20 And when he had come near the den, he shouted to Daniel with a sad voice; the king responded and said to Daniel, O Daniel, servant of the living God, has your God, whom you serve continually, been able to deliver you from the lions?
6:21 Then Daniel said to the king, O king, live forever!
6:22 My God has sent His angel and has shut the lions’ mouth, and they have not hurt me, inasmuch as before Him innocence was found in me; and also before you, O king, I have done no harm.
6:23 Then the king was very pleased concerning him, and he commanded that they take Daniel up out of the den. So Daniel was taken up out of the den, and he was found completely unhurt, because he had trusted in his God.
6:24 Then the king commanded, and they brought those men who had accused Daniel and threw them into the lions’ den, them, their children, and their wives; and they had not reached the bottom of the den before the lions overpowered them and crushed all their bones.
6:25 Then Darius the king wrote to all the peoples, nations, and languages that dwell in the whole land: May your peace abound!
6:26 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 enduring forever; / And His kingdom is one which will not be destroyed, / And His dominion will be unto the end.
6:27 He delivers and rescues, / And He does signs and wonders / In heaven and on earth; / It is He who has delivered Daniel from the power of the lions.
6:28 And this Daniel prospered in the reign of Darius and in the reign of Cyrus the Persian.