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Daniel 6
International Standard Version
Daniel 6
International Standard Version
Daniel’s Service to Darius
6 [a]It pleased Darius to appoint 120 regional authorities[b] over the kingdom throughout the realm, 2 along with three chief administrators from them, one of which was Daniel. The regional authorities[c] reported to these three administrators,[d] so that the king would experience no losses. 3 Daniel distinguished himself among all the administrators and regional authorities,[e] because he was of an extraordinary spirit. Therefore the king planned to appoint him over the whole kingdom.
A Plot to Destroy Daniel
4 Because of this, the administrators and regional authorities[f] tried to bring allegations of dereliction of duty in government affairs against Daniel, but they were unable to find any charges of corruption. Daniel[g] was trustworthy, and no evidence of[h] negligence or corruption could be found against him. 5 So these men said, “We’ll never find any basis for complaint against Daniel unless we build it on the requirements of his God.”
6 Then these administrators and regional authorities[i] went as a group to the king and said this, “Your majesty, live forever! 7 All of the royal administrators, prefects, regional authorities,[j] scribes, and governors have concluded that the king should establish and enforce an edict that anyone who prays to any god or man for the next 30 days (except to you, your majesty) is to be thrown into the lions’ pit. 8 Therefore, your majesty, establish the decree and sign the written document so it can’t be changed, in accordance with the laws of the Medes and Persians that can’t be repealed.” 9 So King Darius signed the edict contained in the written document.
Daniel is Accused
10 When Daniel learned that the written document had been signed, he went to an upstairs room in his house that had windows opened facing Jerusalem. Three times a day he would kneel down, pray, and give thanks to his God, just as he had previously done.
11 The conspirators[k] then went as a group and found Daniel praying and seeking help before his God. 12 So they approached the king and asked, “Didn’t you sign an edict that for the next 30 days if anyone prays to any god or man, except to you, your majesty, he would be thrown into the lions’ pit?”
The king responded, “The decree has been established, in accordance with the laws of the Medes and Persians that can’t be repealed.”
13 Then they told the king, “Daniel, who is one of the Judean exiles, pays no attention to you, your majesty, or to the written decree, since he is still praying three times a day.”
14 When the king heard this, he was greatly upset, because he was determined to make every effort to save Daniel before the sun set. 15 But the men who had gone as a group to the king told him,[l] “Remember, your majesty, that according to the laws of the Medes and Persians, any decree or edict that the king establishes cannot be repealed.”
Daniel in the Lions’ Pit
16 At this point, the king ordered Daniel brought in and thrown into the lions’ pit. The king spoke to Daniel, “Your God, whom you serve constantly, will deliver you himself.” 17 A stone was brought and placed over the opening to the pit, and the king affixed a seal to it with his personal signet ring and with the signet rings of his officials so that no one would interfere with Daniel’s situation. 18 Then the king retired to his palace to spend the night fasting. He enjoyed no entertainment, and he couldn’t sleep.
19 The king got up at dawn and went quickly to the lions’ pit. 20 As he approached where Daniel was in the pit, he cried out to him[m] in a voice filled with anguish, “Daniel, servant of the living God, has your God, whom you serve constantly, been able to deliver you from the lions?”
21 Daniel replied to the king, “May your majesty live forever! 22 My God sent his angel and sealed the mouths of the lions. They have not harmed me, proving that I’m innocent before him. Also against you, your majesty, I’ve committed no offense.”
23 The king was ecstatic, so he gave orders for Daniel to be released from the pit. Daniel was taken up from the pit, and no injury was found to have been inflicted on him, because he had believed in his God. 24 Then the king gave orders to bring those men who had tried to have Daniel devoured, and they threw them, their children, and their wives into the lions’ pit. They had not reached the floor of the pit before the lions had overtaken them and crushed all their bones.
Darius Exonerates Daniel
25 Afterward, King Darius wrote to all people, nations, and languages who lived throughout his realm:
“May great prosperity be yours!
26 “I hereby decree that in every area of my kingdom men[n] are to fear and tremble before the God of Daniel.
For he is the living God,
who endures forever.
His kingdom is one that will not be destroyed,
and his dominion continues forever.
27 He delivers and rescues
and performs signs and wonders
in heaven and on earth.
He has delivered Daniel
from the power of the lions.”
28 Daniel achieved success during the reigns of Darius and Cyrus the Persian.
Footnotes
- Daniel 6:1 This v. is 6:2 in MT, and so throughout the chapter.
- Daniel 6:1 Or satraps
- Daniel 6:2 Or satraps
- Daniel 6:2 The Aram. lacks three administrators
- Daniel 6:3 Or satraps
- Daniel 6:4 Or satraps
- Daniel 6:4 Lit. he
- Daniel 6:4 The Aram. lacks of evidence
- Daniel 6:6 Or satraps
- Daniel 6:7 Or satraps
- Daniel 6:11 Lit. These men
- Daniel 6:15 Lit. the king
- Daniel 6:20 Lit. Daniel
- Daniel 6:26 Lit. they
Daniel 6
New International Version
Daniel 6
New International Version
Daniel in the Den of Lions
6 [a]It pleased Darius(A) to appoint 120 satraps(B) to rule throughout the kingdom, 2 with three administrators over them, one of whom was Daniel.(C) The satraps were made accountable(D) to them so that the king might not suffer loss. 3 Now Daniel so distinguished himself among the administrators and the satraps by his exceptional qualities that the king planned to set him over the whole kingdom.(E) 4 At this, the administrators and the satraps tried to find grounds for charges(F) against Daniel in his conduct of government affairs, but they were unable to do so. They could find no corruption in him, because he was trustworthy and neither corrupt nor negligent. 5 Finally these men said, “We will never find any basis for charges against this man Daniel unless it has something to do with the law of his God.”(G)
6 So these administrators and satraps went as a group to the king and said: “May King Darius live forever!(H) 7 The royal administrators, prefects, satraps, advisers and governors(I) have all agreed that the king should issue an edict and enforce the decree that anyone who prays to any god or human being during the next thirty days, except to you, Your Majesty, shall be thrown into the lions’ den.(J) 8 Now, Your Majesty, issue the decree and put it in writing so that it cannot be altered—in accordance with the law of the Medes and Persians, which cannot be repealed.”(K) 9 So King Darius put the decree in writing.
10 Now when Daniel learned that the decree had been published, he went home to his upstairs room where the windows opened toward(L) Jerusalem. Three times a day he got down on his knees(M) and prayed, giving thanks to his God, just as he had done before.(N) 11 Then these men went as a group and found Daniel praying and asking God for help.(O) 12 So they went to the king and spoke to him about his royal decree: “Did you not publish a decree that during the next thirty days anyone who prays to any god or human being except to you, Your Majesty, would be thrown into the lions’ den?”
The king answered, “The decree stands—in accordance with the law of the Medes and Persians, which cannot be repealed.”(P)
13 Then they said to the king, “Daniel, who is one of the exiles from Judah,(Q) pays no attention(R) to you, Your Majesty, or to the decree you put in writing. He still prays three times a day.” 14 When the king heard this, he was greatly distressed;(S) he was determined to rescue Daniel and made every effort until sundown to save him.
15 Then the men went as a group to King Darius and said to him, “Remember, Your Majesty, that according to the law of the Medes and Persians no decree or edict that the king issues can be changed.”(T)
16 So the king gave the order, and they brought Daniel and threw him into the lions’ den.(U) The king said to Daniel, “May your God, whom you serve continually, rescue(V) you!”
17 A stone was brought and placed over the mouth of the den, and the king sealed(W) it with his own signet ring and with the rings of his nobles, so that Daniel’s situation might not be changed. 18 Then the king returned to his palace and spent the night without eating(X) and without any entertainment being brought to him. And he could not sleep.(Y)
19 At the first light of dawn, the king got up and hurried to the lions’ den. 20 When he came near the den, he called to Daniel in an anguished voice, “Daniel, servant of the living God, has your God, whom you serve continually, been able to rescue you from the lions?”(Z)
21 Daniel answered, “May the king live forever!(AA) 22 My God sent his angel,(AB) and he shut the mouths of the lions.(AC) They have not hurt me, because I was found innocent in his sight.(AD) Nor have I ever done any wrong before you, Your Majesty.”
23 The king was overjoyed and gave orders to lift Daniel out of the den. And when Daniel was lifted from the den, no wound(AE) was found on him, because he had trusted(AF) in his God.
24 At the king’s command, the men who had falsely accused Daniel were brought in and thrown into the lions’ den,(AG) along with their wives and children.(AH) And before they reached the floor of the den, the lions overpowered them and crushed all their bones.(AI)
25 Then King Darius wrote to all the nations and peoples of every language(AJ) in all the earth:
“May you prosper greatly!(AK)
26 “I issue a decree that in every part of my kingdom people must fear and reverence(AL) the God of Daniel.(AM)
“For he is the living God(AN)
and he endures forever;(AO)
his kingdom will not be destroyed,
his dominion will never end.(AP)
27 He rescues and he saves;(AQ)
he performs signs and wonders(AR)
in the heavens and on the earth.
He has rescued Daniel
from the power of the lions.”(AS)
28 So Daniel prospered during the reign of Darius and the reign of Cyrus[b](AT) the Persian.(AU)
Footnotes
- Daniel 6:1 In Aramaic texts 6:1-28 is numbered 6:2-29.
- Daniel 6:28 Or Darius, that is, the reign of Cyrus
International Standard Version (ISV) 
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New International Version (NIV) 
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NIV Reverse Interlinear Bible: English to Hebrew and English to Greek. Copyright © 2019 by Zondervan.