Daniel 6
6
1It hath been good before Darius, and he hath established over the kingdom satraps — a hundred and twenty — that they may be throughout the whole kingdom,
2and higher than they three presidents, of whom Daniel [is] first, that these satraps may give to them an account, and the king have no loss.
3Then this Daniel hath been overseer over the presidents and satraps, because that an excellent spirit [is] in him, and the king hath thought to establish him over the whole kingdom.
4Then the presidents and satraps have been seeking to find a cause of complaint against
5Then these men are saying, ‘We do not find against this Daniel any cause of complaint, except we have found [it] against him in the law of his God.’
6Then these presidents and satraps have assembled near the king, and thus they are saying to him: ‘O king Darius, to the ages live!
7Taken counsel have all the presidents of the kingdom, the prefects, and the satraps, the counsellors, and the governors, to establish a royal statute, and to strengthen an interdict, that any who seeketh a petition from any god and man until thirty days, save of thee, O king, is cast into a den of lions.
8Now, O king, thou dost establish the interdict, and sign the writing, that it is not to be changed, as a law of Media and Persia, that doth not pass away.’
9Therefore king Darius hath signed the writing and interdict.
10And Daniel, when he hath known that the writing is signed, hath gone up to his house, and the window being opened for him, in his upper chamber, over-against Jerusalem, three times in a day he is kneeling on his knees, and praying, and confessing before his God, because that he was doing [it] before this.
11Then these men have assembled, and found Daniel praying and entreating grace before his God;
12then they have come near, yea, they are saying before the king concerning the king's interdict: ‘Hast thou not signed an interdict, that any man who seeketh from any god and man until thirty days, save of thee, O king, is cast into a den of lions?’ Answered hath the king, and said, ‘The thing [is] certain as a law of Media and Persia, that doth not pass away.’
13Then they have answered, yea, they are saying before the king, that, ‘Daniel, who [is] of the sons of the Removed of Judah, hath not placed on thee, O king, [any] regard, nor on the interdict that thou hast signed, and three times in a day he is seeking his petition.’
14Then the king, when he hath heard the matter, is greatly displeased at himself, and on
15Then these men have assembled near the king, and are saying to the king, ‘know, O king, that the law of Media and Persia [is]: That any interdict and statute that the king doth establish is not to be changed.’
16Then the king hath said, and they have brought Daniel, and have cast [him] into a den of lions. The king hath answered and said to Daniel, ‘Thy God, whom thou art serving continually, Himself doth deliver thee.’
17And a stone hath been brought and placed at the mouth of the den, and the king hath sealed it with his signet, and with the signet of his great men, that the purpose be not changed concerning Daniel.
18Then hath the king gone to his palace, and he hath passed the night fasting, and dahavan have not been brought up before him, and his sleep hath fled [from] off him.
19Then doth the king rise in the early morning, at the light, and in haste to the den of lions he hath gone;
20and at his coming near to the den, to Daniel, with a grieved voice, he crieth. The king hath answered and said to Daniel, ‘O Daniel, servant of the living God, thy God, whom thou art serving continually, is He able to deliver thee from the lions?’
21Then Daniel hath spoken with the king: ‘O king, to the ages live:
22my God hath sent His messenger, and hath shut the lions' mouths, and they have not injured me: because that before Him purity hath been found in me; and also before thee, O king, injury I have not done.’
23Then was the king very glad for him, and he hath commanded Daniel to be taken up out of the den, and Daniel hath been taken up out of the den, and no injury hath been found in him, because he hath believed in his God.
24And the king hath said, and they have brought those men who had accused Daniel, and to the den of lions they have cast them, they, their sons, and their wives; and they have not come to the lower part of the den till that the lions have power over them, and all their bones they have broken small.
25Then Darius the king hath written to all the peoples, nations, and languages, who are dwelling in all the land: ‘Your peace be great!
26From before me is made a decree, that in every dominion of my kingdom they are trembling and fearing before the God of Daniel, for He [is] the living God, and abiding to the ages, and His kingdom that which [is] not destroyed, and His dominion [is] unto the end.
27A deliverer, and rescuer, and doer of signs and wonders in the heavens and in earth [is] He who hath delivered Daniel from the paw of the lions.’
28And this Daniel hath prospered in the reign of Darius, and in the reign of Cyrus the Persian.
Currently Selected:
Daniel 6: YLT98
Highlight
Share
Copy
Want to have your highlights saved across all your devices? Sign up or sign in
maintained by the British and Foreign Bible Society
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.
Currently Selected:
:
Highlight
Share
Copy
Want to have your highlights saved across all your devices? Sign up or sign in
2011 Common English Bible. All rights reserved.