Daniel 6
6
Plot against Daniel
1Darius decided to appoint one hundred twenty chief administrators throughout the kingdom, 2and to set over them three main officers to whom they would report so that the king wouldn’t have to be bothered with too much.#6.2 Aram uncertain One of these main officers was Daniel. 3Because of his extraordinary spirit, Daniel soon surpassed the other officers and the chief administrators—so much so that the king had plans to set him over the entire kingdom. 4As a result, the other officers and the chief administrators tried to find some problem with Daniel’s work for the kingdom. But they couldn’t find any problem or corruption at all because Daniel was trustworthy. He wasn’t guilty of any negligence or corruption.
5So these men said, “We won’t find any fault in Daniel, unless we can find something to use against him from his religious practice.”#6.5 Or in the Instruction of his God
6So these officers and chief administrators ganged together and went to the king. They said to him, “Long live King Darius! 7All the officers of the kingdom, the ministers, the chief administrators, the royal associates, and the governors advise the king to issue an edict and enforce a law, that for thirty days anyone who says prayers to any god or human being except you, Your Majesty, will be thrown into a pit of lions. 8Now, Your Majesty, issue the law and sign the document so that it cannot be changed, as per the law of Media and Persia, which cannot be annulled.” 9Because of this, King Darius signed the document containing the law.
Daniel prays
10When Daniel learned that the document had been signed, he went to his house. Now his upper room had open windows that faced Jerusalem. Daniel knelt down, prayed, and praised his God three times that day, just like he always did. 11Just then these men, all ganged together, came upon Daniel praying and seeking mercy from his God. 12They then went and talked to the king about the law: “Your Majesty! Didn’t you sign a law, that for thirty days any person who prays to any god or human being besides you, Your Majesty, would be thrown into a pit of lions?”
The king replied, “The decision is absolutely firm in accordance with the law of Media and Persia, which cannot be annulled.”
13So they said to the king, “One of the Judean exiles, Daniel, has ignored you, Your Majesty, as well as the law you signed. He says his prayers three times a day!”
14When the king heard this report, he was very unhappy. He decided to rescue Daniel and did everything he could do to save Daniel before the sun went down. 15But these men, all ganged together, came and said to the king, “You must realize, Your Majesty, that the law of Media and Persia, including every law and edict the king has issued, cannot be changed.”
Daniel in the lions’ pit
16So the king gave the order, and they brought Daniel and hurled him into the pit of lions.
The king said to Daniel: “Your God—the one you serve so consistently—will rescue you.”#6.16 Or May your God—the one you serve so consistently—rescue you.
17A single stone was brought and placed over the entrance to the pit. The king sealed it with his own ring and with those of his princes so that Daniel’s situation couldn’t be changed. 18The king then went home to his palace and fasted through the night. No pleasures#6.18 Aram uncertain were brought to him, and he couldn’t sleep. 19At dawn, at the first sign of light, the king rose and rushed to the lions’ pit.
20As he approached it, he called out to Daniel, worried: “Daniel, servant of the living God! Was your God—the one you serve so consistently—able to rescue you from the lions?”
21Then Daniel answered the king: “Long live the king! 22My God sent his messenger, who shut the lions’ mouths. They haven’t touched me because I was judged innocent before my God. I haven’t done anything wrong to you either, Your Majesty.”
23The king was thrilled. He commanded that Daniel be brought up out of the pit, and Daniel was lifted out. Not a scratch was found on him, because he trusted in his God. 24The king then ordered that the men who had accused Daniel be brought and thrown into the lions’ pit—including their wives and children. They hadn’t even reached the bottom of the pit before the lions overpowered them, crushing all their bones.
New decree
25Then King Darius wrote the following decree:
To all the peoples, nations, and languages inhabiting the entire earth: I wish you much peace. 26I now issue this command: In every region of my kingdom, all people must fear and revere Daniel’s God because:
He is the living God.
God stands firm forever.
His kingship is indestructible.
God’s rule will last until the end of time.
27He is rescuer and savior;
God performs signs and miracles in heaven and on earth.
Here’s the proof:
He rescued Daniel from the lions’ power.
28And so Daniel was made prosperous during the rule of Darius and during the rule of Cyrus the Persian.
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Daniel 6: CEB
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2011 Common English Bible. All rights reserved.
Daniel 6
6
1 It pleased Darius, and so he appointed over the kingdom one hundred twenty governors, to be placed throughout his whole kingdom.
2 And over these, three leaders, of whom Daniel was one, so that the governors would be accountable to them and the king would have no trouble.
3 And so Daniel excelled above all the leaders and governors, because a greater spirit of God was in him.
4 Furthermore, the king considered setting him over the entire kingdom; whereupon the leaders and the governors sought to find a complaint against Daniel and in favor of the king. And they could find no case, or even suspicion, because he was faithful, and no fault or suspicion was found in him.
5 Therefore, these men said, "We will not find any complaint against this Daniel, unless it is against the law of his God."
6 Then the leaders and governors took the king aside privately and spoke to him in this way: "King Darius, live forever.
7 All the leaders of your kingdom, the magistrates and governors, the senators and judges, have taken counsel that an imperial decree and edict should be published, so that all who ask any petition of any god or man for thirty days, except of you, O king, will be cast into the den of lions.
8 Now, therefore, O king, confirm this judgment and write the decree, so that what is established by the Medes and Persians may not be altered, nor will any man be allowed to transgress it."
9 And so king Darius set forth the decree and established it.
10 Now when Daniel learned of this, namely, that the law had been established, he entered his house, and, opening the windows in his upper room towards Jerusalem, he knelt down three times a day, and he adored and gave thanks before his God, as he had been accustomed to do previously.
11 Therefore, these men, inquiring diligently, discovered that Daniel was praying and making supplication to his God.
12 And they approached and spoke to the king about the edict. "O king, did you not decree that every man who makes a request to any of the gods or men for thirty days, except to yourself, O king, would be cast into the den of lions?" To which the king replied, saying, "The sentence is true, and according to the decree of the Medes and Persians, it is not lawful to violate it."
13 Then they answered and said before the king, "Daniel, of the sons of the captivity of Judah, is not concerned about your law, nor about the decree that you have established, but three times a day he prays his supplication."
14 Now when the king had heard these words, he was greatly grieved, and, on behalf of Daniel, he set his heart to free him, and he labored even until sunset to rescue him.
15 But these men, knowing the king, said to him, "You know, O king, that the law of the Medes and Persians is that every decree which the king has established may not be altered."
16 Then the king commanded, and they brought Daniel and cast him into the den of lions. And the king said to Daniel, "Your God, whom you always serve, he himself will free you."
17 And a stone was brought, and it was placed over the mouth of the den, which the king sealed with his own ring, and with the ring of his nobles, so that no one would act against Daniel.
18 And the king departed into his house, and he went to bed without eating, and food was not set before him, moreover, even sleep fled from him.
19 Then the king, getting himself up at first light, went quickly to the den of lions.
20 And coming near to the den, he cried out with a tearful voice to Daniel and spoke to him. "Daniel, servant of the living God, your God, whom you serve always, do you believe he has prevailed to free you from the lions?"
21 And Daniel, answering the king, said, "O king, live forever.
22 My God has sent his angel, and he has closed the mouths of the lions, and they have not harmed me, because before him justice has been found in me, and, even before you, O king, I have committed no offense."
23 Then was the king exceedingly glad for him, and he commanded that Daniel should be taken out of the den. And Daniel was taken out of the den, and no wound was found in him, because he believed in his God.
24 Moreover, by order of the king, those men were brought who had accused Daniel, and they were cast into the lions' den, they, and their sons, and their wives, and they did not reach the bottom of the den before the lions seized them and crushed all their bones.
25 Then king Darius wrote to all peoples, tribes, and languages dwelling in all the land. "May peace be increased with you.
26 It is hereby established by my decree that, in all my empire and my kingdom, they shall begin to tremble and fear the God of Daniel. For he is the living and eternal God forever, and his kingdom will not be destroyed, and his power will last forever.
27 He is the liberator and the savior, performing signs and wonders in heaven and on earth, who has freed Daniel from the lions' den."
28 Thereafter, Daniel continued through the reign of Darius until the reign of Cyrus, the Persian.
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