Daniel 6

New American Standard Bible 1995

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. ⁸ Now, O king, ^(L)establish the injunction and sign the document so that it may not be changed, according to the ^(M)law of the Medes and Persians, which ^[g]may not be revoked.” ⁹ Therefore King Darius ^(N)signed the document, that is, the injunction.

¹⁰ Now when Daniel knew that the document was signed, he entered his house (now in his roof chamber he had windows open ^(O)toward Jerusalem); and he continued ^(P)kneeling on his knees three times a day, ^(Q)praying and ^(R)giving thanks before his God, ^[h]as he had been doing previously. ¹¹ Then these men came ^[i](S)by agreement and found Daniel making petition and supplication before his God. ¹² Then they approached and ^(T)spoke 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 ^(U)law of the Medes and Persians, which ^[j]may not be revoked.” ¹³ Then they answered and spoke before the king, “^(V)Daniel, who is one of the ^[k]exiles from Judah, pays ^(W)no attention to you, O king, or to the injunction which you signed, but keeps making his petition three times a day.”

¹⁴ Then, as soon as the king heard this statement, he was deeply ^(X)distressed and set his mind on delivering Daniel; and even until sunset he kept exerting himself to rescue him. ¹⁵ Then these men came ^[l]by agreement to the king and said to the king, “Recognize, O king, that it is a ^(Y)law of the Medes and Persians that no injunction or statute which the king establishes may be changed.”

Daniel in the Lions’ Den

¹⁶ Then the king gave orders, and Daniel was brought in and ^(Z)cast into the lions’ den. The king spoke and said to Daniel, “^[m](AA)Your God whom you constantly serve will Himself deliver you.” ¹⁷ A ^(AB)stone 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. ¹⁸ Then the king went off to his palace and spent the night ^(AC)fasting, and no entertainment was brought before him; and his ^(AD)sleep fled from him.

¹⁹ Then the king arose at dawn, at the break of day, and went in haste to the lions’ den. ²⁰ When 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 ^(AE)your God, whom you constantly serve, been ^(AF)able to deliver you from the lions?” ²¹ Then Daniel spoke ^[n]to the king, “^(AG)O king, live forever! ²² My God ^(AH)sent His angel and ^(AI)shut the lions’ mouths and they have not harmed me, inasmuch as ^[o]I was found innocent before Him; and also ^[p]toward you, O king, I have committed no crime.” ²³ Then the king was very pleased and gave orders for Daniel to be taken up out of the den. So Daniel was taken up out of the den and ^(AJ)no injury whatever was found on him, because he had ^(AK)trusted in his God. ²⁴ The king then gave orders, and they brought those men who had ^[q]maliciously accused Daniel, and they ^(AL)cast them, their ^(AM)children and their wives into the lions’ den; and they had not reached the bottom of the den before the lions overpowered them and crushed all their bones.

²⁵ Then Darius the king wrote to all the ^(AN)peoples, nations and men of every ^[r]language who were living in all the land: “^(AO)May your ^[s]peace abound! ^26 [t]I ^(AP)make a decree that in all the dominion of my kingdom men are to fear and tremble before the God of Daniel;

²⁸ So this ^(AU)Daniel enjoyed success in the reign of Darius and in the reign of ^(AV)Cyrus the Persian.