³ Then the satraps, the prefects and the governors, the counselors, the treasurers, the judges, the magistrates and all the rulers of the provinces were assembled for the dedication of the image that Nebuchadnezzar the king had set up; and they stood before the image that Nebuchadnezzar had set up.

²⁷ The ^(A)satraps, the prefects, the governors and the king’s high officials gathered around and saw in regard to these men that the ^(B)fire had no ^[a]effect on ^[b]the bodies of these men nor was the hair of their head singed, nor were their ^[c](C)trousers ^[d]damaged, nor had the smell of fire even come upon them.

Daniel Serves Darius

6 ^[a]It seemed good to Darius to appoint 120 satraps over the kingdom, that they would be in charge of the whole kingdom, ² and over them three commissioners (of whom ^(A)Daniel was one), that these satraps might be accountable to them, and that the king might not suffer ^(B)loss. ³ Then this Daniel began distinguishing himself ^[b]among the commissioners and satraps because ^[c]he possessed an ^(C)extraordinary spirit, and the king planned to appoint him over the ^(D)entire kingdom. ⁴ Then the commissioners and satraps began ^(E)trying to find a ground of accusation against Daniel in regard to ^[d]government affairs; but they could find ^(F)no ground of accusation or evidence of corruption, inasmuch as he was faithful, and no negligence or corruption was to be found in him. ⁵ Then these men said, “We will not find any ground of accusation against this Daniel unless we find it against him with regard to the ^(G)law of his God.”

⁶ Then these commissioners and satraps came ^[e]by agreement to the king and spoke to him as follows: “King Darius, ^(H)live forever! ⁷ All the ^(I)commissioners of the kingdom, the prefects and the satraps, the high officials and the governors have ^(J)consulted 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 ^(K)be cast into the lions’ ^[f]den.