Daniel 6:4-22

4Then the commissioners and satraps began 1trying to find a ground of accusation against Daniel in regard to 2government affairs; but they could find 3no 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 4law of his God.”

6Then these commissioners and satraps came 5by agreement to the king and spoke to him as follows: “King Darius, 6live forever! 7All the 7commissioners of the kingdom, the prefects and the satraps, the high officials and the governors have 8consulted 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 9be cast into the lions’ 10den. 8Now, O king, 11establish the injunction and sign the document so that it may not be changed, according to the 12law of the Medes and Persians, which 13may not be revoked.” 9Therefore King Darius 14signed 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 15toward Jerusalem); and he continued 16kneeling on his knees three times a day, 17praying and 18giving thanks before his God, 19as he had been doing previously. 11Then these men came 2021by agreement and found Daniel making petition and supplication before his God. 12Then they approached and 22spoke 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 23law of the Medes and Persians, which 24may not be revoked.” 13Then they answered and spoke before the king, “25Daniel, who is one of the 26exiles from Judah, pays 27no 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 28distressed and set his mind on delivering Daniel; and even until sunset he kept exerting himself to rescue him. 15Then these men came 29by agreement to the king and said to the king, “Recognize, O king, that it is a 30law 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 31cast into the lions’ den. The king spoke and said to Daniel, “3233Your God whom you constantly serve will Himself deliver you.” 17A 34stone 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 35fasting, and no entertainment was brought before him; and his 36sleep 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 37your God, whom you constantly serve, been 38able to deliver you from the lions?” 21Then Daniel spoke 39to the king, “40O king, live forever! 22My God 41sent His angel and 42shut the lions’ mouths and they have not harmed me, inasmuch as 43I was found innocent before Him; and also 44toward you, O king, I have committed no crime.”