Daniel 6
1 Darius the Mede received the kingdom at about sixty-two years of age.
2 It pleased Darius to appoint over the kingdom 120 satraps, who were to be throughout the kingdom.
3 Over them were three administrators, one of whom was Daniel, so that these satraps would report to them and the king would suffer no loss.
4 Then Daniel distinguished himself above the administrators and satraps because an extraordinary spirit was in him, and the king planned to appoint him over the whole kingdom.
5 Then the administrators and satraps sought a pretext against Daniel concerning the kingdom, but they could find no pretext or fault, because he was faithful. No negligence or fault was found in him.
6 Then those men said, “We will find no pretext against this Daniel unless we find one against him in the law of his God.”
7 Then those administrators and satraps rushed to the king and spoke to him: “King Darius, live forever!
8 All the administrators of the kingdom, the prefects and satraps, the advisers and governors, have agreed to establish a royal decree and enforce a ban: whoever makes a request to any god or man for thirty days, except to you, O king, shall be thrown into the lions’ den.
9 Now, O king, establish the ban and sign the document, so that it cannot be changed, according to the law of the Medes and Persians, which cannot be revoked.”
10 Because of this, King Darius signed the document and the ban.
11 When Daniel learned that the document had been signed, he went into his house. The windows of his upper room faced Jerusalem, and three times a day he knelt down, prayed, and gave thanks before his God, as he had been accustomed to do before.
12 Then those men rushed in and found Daniel asking and pleading before his God.
13 Then they approached and spoke before the king about the royal ban: “Did you not sign a ban, O king, that whoever makes a request to any god or man for thirty days, except to you, O king, shall be thrown into the lions’ den?” The king answered, “The matter is settled, according to the law of the Medes and Persians, which cannot be revoked.”
14 Then they answered and said before the king, “Daniel, one of the exiles from Judah, pays no attention to you, O king, or to the ban you signed. Three times a day he makes his request.”
15 When the king heard this, he was greatly distressed and set his heart on rescuing Daniel. Until sunset he struggled to save him.
16 Then those men rushed to the king and said to him, “Know, O king, that it is the law of the Medes and Persians that no ban or decree established by the king can be changed.”
17 Then 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, deliver you.”
18 A stone was brought and placed over the mouth of the den, and the king sealed it with his signet ring and the signet rings of his nobles, so that nothing could be changed concerning Daniel.
19 Then the king went to his palace and spent the night fasting. No entertainment was brought before him, and sleep fled from him.
20 Then the king rose at daybreak, with the first light, and hurried to the lions’ den.
21 As he approached the den, he called out to Daniel in a distressed voice. The king said to Daniel, “Daniel, servant of the living God, has your God, whom you serve continually, been able to deliver you from the lions?”
22 Then Daniel spoke to the king: “O king, live forever!
23 My God sent his angel and shut the lions’ mouths, and they did me no harm, because I was found innocent before him. And before you too, O king, I have committed no crime.”
24 Then the king was exceedingly glad and ordered Daniel to be taken out of the den. Daniel was taken out of the den, and no injury was found on him, because he had trusted in his God.
25 Then the king gave the order, and they brought those men who had accused Daniel. They threw them, their children, and their wives into the lions’ den. They had not yet reached the bottom of the den when the lions overpowered them and crushed all their bones.
26 Then King Darius wrote to all peoples, nations, and languages living throughout the whole earth: “May your peace abound!
27 I issue this decree: throughout the entire domain of my kingdom, let people tremble and fear before the God of Daniel, for he is the living God, who endures forever. His kingdom will not be destroyed, and his dominion lasts to the end.
28 He delivers and rescues, and he performs signs and wonders in heaven and on earth. He delivered Daniel from the power of the lions.”
29 And this Daniel prospered during the reign of Darius and the reign of Cyrus the Persian.
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