Daniel 6:4-23

4Then the commissioners and satraps began 1trying to find a ground of accusation against Daniel regarding 2government affairs; but they could find 3no ground of accusation or evidence of corruption, because he was trustworthy, 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 regarding 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 counselors and the governors, have 8consulted together that the king should establish a statute and enforce an injunction that anyone who offers a prayer to any god or person besides you, O king, for thirty days, shall 9be thrown into the lions’ 10den. 8Now, O king, 11establish the injunction and sign the document so that it will not be changed, according to the 12law of the Medes and Persians, which 13may not be revoked.” 9Thereupon, King Darius 14signed the document, that is, the injunction.

10Now when Daniel learned that the document was signed, he entered his house (and in his roof chamber he had windows open 15toward Jerusalem); and he continued 16kneeling on his knees three times a day, 17praying and 18offering praise before his God, just as he had been doing previously. 11Then these men came 1920by agreement and found Daniel offering a prayer and imploring favor before his God. 12Then they approached and 21spoke before the king about the king’s injunction: “Did you not sign an injunction that any person who offers a prayer to any god or person besides you, O king, for thirty days, is to be thrown into the lions’ den?” The king replied, “The statement is true, according to the 22law of the Medes and Persians, which 23may not be revoked.” 13Then they responded and spoke before the king, “24Daniel, who is one of the 25exiles from Judah, pays 26no attention to you, O king, or to the injunction which you signed, but keeps offering his prayer three times a day.”

14Then, as soon as the king heard this statement, he was deeply 27distressed, and set his mind on rescuing Daniel; and until sunset he kept exerting himself to save him. 15Then these men came 28by agreement to the king and said to the king, “Recognize, O king, that it is a 29law 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 30thrown into the lions’ den. The king said to Daniel, “3132Your God whom you continually serve will Himself rescue you.” 17And a 33stone was brought and placed 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 regarding Daniel. 18Then the king went to his palace and spent the night 34fasting, and no entertainment was brought before him; and his 35sleep fled from him.

19Then the king got up at dawn, at the break of day, and went in a hurry to the lions’ den. 20And when he had come near the den to Daniel, he cried out with a troubled voice. The king began speaking and said to Daniel, “Daniel, servant of the living God, has 36your God, whom you continually serve, been 37able to rescue you from the lions?” 21Then Daniel spoke 38to the king, “39O king, live forever! 22My God 40sent His angel and 41shut the lions’ mouths, and they have not harmed me, since 42I was found innocent before Him; and also 43toward you, O king, I have committed no crime.” 23Then the king was very glad and gave orders for Daniel to be lifted up out of the den. So Daniel was lifted up out of the den, and 44no injury whatever was found on him, because he had 45trusted in his God.