Daniel 6:2-28

2and over them three commissioners (of whom 1Daniel was one), that these satraps might be accountable to them, and that the king might not suffer 2loss. 3Then this Daniel began distinguishing himself 3among the commissioners and satraps because 4he possessed an 5extraordinary spirit, and the king planned to appoint him over the 6entire kingdom. 4Then the commissioners and satraps began 7trying to find a ground of accusation against Daniel in regard to 8government affairs; but they could find 9no ground of accusation or evidence of corruption, inasmuch as he was faithful, and no negligence or corruption was to be found in him. 5Then these men said, “We will not find any ground of accusation against this Daniel unless we find it against him with regard to the 10law of his God.”

6Then these commissioners and satraps came 11by agreement to the king and spoke to him as follows: “King Darius, 12live forever! 7All the 13commissioners of the kingdom, the prefects and the satraps, the high officials and the governors have 14consulted together that the king should establish a statute and enforce an injunction that anyone who makes a petition to any god or man besides you, O king, for thirty days, shall 15be cast into the lions’ 16den. 8Now, O king, 17establish the injunction and sign the document so that it may not be changed, according to the 18law of the Medes and Persians, which 19may not be revoked.” 9Therefore King Darius 20signed the document, that is, the injunction.

10Now when Daniel knew that the document was signed, he entered his house (now in his roof chamber he had windows open 21toward Jerusalem); and he continued 22kneeling on his knees three times a day, 23praying and 24giving thanks before his God, 25as he had been doing previously. 11Then these men came 2627by agreement and found Daniel making petition and supplication before his God. 12Then they approached and 28spoke before the king about the king’s injunction, “Did you not sign an injunction that any man who makes a petition to any god or man besides you, O king, for thirty days, is to be cast into the lions’ den?” The king replied, “The statement is true, according to the 29law of the Medes and Persians, which 30may not be revoked.” 13Then they answered and spoke before the king, “31Daniel, who is one of the 32exiles from Judah, pays 33no attention to you, O king, or to the injunction which you signed, but keeps making his petition three times a day.”

14Then, as soon as the king heard this statement, he was deeply 34distressed and set his mind on delivering Daniel; and even until sunset he kept exerting himself to rescue him. 15Then these men came 35by agreement to the king and said to the king, “Recognize, O king, that it is a 36law of the Medes and Persians that no injunction or statute which the king establishes may be changed.”

16Then the king gave orders, and Daniel was brought in and 37cast into the lions’ den. The king spoke and said to Daniel, “3839Your God whom you constantly serve will Himself deliver you.” 17A 40stone was brought and laid over the mouth of the den; and the king sealed it with his own signet ring and with the signet rings of his nobles, so that nothing would be changed in regard to Daniel. 18Then the king went off to his palace and spent the night 41fasting, and no entertainment was brought before him; and his 42sleep fled from him.

19Then the king arose at dawn, at the break of day, and went in haste to the lions’ den. 20When he had come near the den to Daniel, he cried out with a troubled voice. The king spoke and said to Daniel, “Daniel, servant of the living God, has 43your God, whom you constantly serve, been 44able to deliver you from the lions?” 21Then Daniel spoke 45to the king, “46O king, live forever! 22My God 47sent His angel and 48shut the lions’ mouths and they have not harmed me, inasmuch as 49I was found innocent before Him; and also 50toward you, O king, I have committed no crime.” 23Then the king was very pleased and gave orders for Daniel to be taken up out of the den. So Daniel was taken up out of the den and 51no injury whatever was found on him, because he had 52trusted in his God. 24The king then gave orders, and they brought those men who had 53maliciously accused Daniel, and they 54cast them, their 55children and their wives into the lions’ den; and they had not reached the bottom of the den before the lions overpowered them and crushed all their bones.

25Then Darius the king wrote to all the 56peoples, nations and men of every 57language who were living in all the land: “58May your 59peace abound! 2660I 61make a decree that in all the dominion of my kingdom men are to fear and tremble before the God of Daniel; For He is the 62living God and 63enduring forever, And 64His kingdom is one which will not be destroyed, And His dominion will be 65forever.27He delivers and rescues and performs 66signs and wonders In heaven and on earth, Who has also delivered Daniel from the 67power of the lions.”

28So this 68Daniel enjoyed success in the reign of Darius and in the reign of 69Cyrus the Persian.