¹It seemed good to Darius that he set 120 satraps over the kingdom, that they would be in charge of the whole kingdom, 2 and over them three commissioners (of whom ^aDaniel was one), that these satraps might be accountable to them, and that the king might not suffer ^bloss. 3 Then this Daniel began distinguishing himself ¹among the commissioners and satraps because an ^aextraordinary spirit was in him, and the king planned to set him over the ^bentire kingdom. 4 Then the commissioners and satraps began ^aseeking to find a ground of accusation against Daniel in regard to matters of the kingdom; but they were not able to find ^bany 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 ^alaw of his God.”

6 Then these commissioners and satraps came ¹by agreement to the king and said thus to him: “King Darius, ^alive forever! 7 All the ^acommissioners of the kingdom, the prefects and the satraps, the high officials and the governors have ^bcounseled together that the king should establish a statute and enforce an injunction that anyone who seeks to make a petition ¹to any god or man besides you, O king, for thirty days, shall ^cbe cast into the lions’ ²den. 8 Now, O king, ^aestablish the injunction and ¹sign the written document so that it may not be changed, according to the ^blaw of the Medes and Persians, which ²may not be revoked.” 9 Therefore King Darius ^asigned the written document, that is, the injunction.

10 Now when Daniel knew that the written document was signed, he entered his house (now in his roof chamber he had windows open ^atoward Jerusalem); and he continued ^bkneeling on his knees three times a day, ^cpraying and ^dgiving thanks before his God, ¹as he had been doing previously. 11 Then these men came ^1aby agreement and found Daniel seeking to make a petition and making supplication before his God. 12 Then they came near and ^asaid before the king concerning the king’s injunction, “Did you not sign an injunction that any man who seeks to make a petition ¹to any god or man besides you, O king, for thirty days, is to be cast into the lions’ den?” The king answered and said, “The word is certain, according to the ^blaw of the Medes and Persians, which ²may not be revoked.” 13 Then they answered and said before the king, “^aDaniel, who is one of the ¹exiles from Judah, pays ^bno attention to you, O king, or to the injunction which you signed, but keeps seeking to make his petition three times a day.”

14 Then, as soon as the king heard this word, he was greatly ^adistressed within himself and set his mind on saving Daniel; and even until sunset he kept exerting himself to deliver him. 15 Then these men came ¹by agreement to the king and said to the king, “Know, O king, that it is a ^alaw of the Medes and Persians that no injunction or statute which the king establishes may be changed.”

16 Then the king said the word, and Daniel was brought in and ^acast into the lions’ den. The king answered and said to Daniel, “^1bYour God whom you constantly serve will Himself save you.” 17 And a ^astone was brought and placed 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 ^afasting, and no entertainment was brought before him; and his ^bsleep fled from him.

19 Then the king arose at dawn, at the break of day, and hurriedly went to the lions’ den. 20 When he had come near the den to Daniel, he cried out with a troubled voice. The king answered and said to Daniel, “Daniel, servant of the living God, has ^ayour God, whom you constantly serve, been ^bable to save you from the lions?” 21 Then Daniel spoke ¹to the king, “^aO king, live forever! 22 My God ^asent His angel and ^bshut the lions’ mouths, and they have not harmed me, inasmuch as ¹I was found innocent before Him; and also ²toward you, O king, I have done no harm.” 23 Then the king was greatly pleased and said for Daniel to be taken up out of the den. So Daniel was taken up out of the den, and ^ano harm whatsoever was found on him because he had ^bbelieved in his God. 24 The king then said the word, and they brought those men who had ¹brought charges against Daniel, and they ^acast them, their ^bchildren, 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 ^apeoples, nations, and men of every tongue who were inhabiting all the land: “^bMay your ¹peace abound! 26 ¹I ^amake a decree that in all the ²dominion of my kingdom, men are to fear and be in dread before the God of Daniel;For He is the ^bliving God and ^cenduring forever,And ^dHis kingdom is one which will not be destroyed,And His ³dominion will be unto the end.

28 So this ^aDaniel enjoyed success in the kingdom of Darius and in the kingdom of ^bCyrus the Persian.

It seemed good to Darius who became king after Belshazzar to appoint over the kingdom 120 ¹satraps who would be in charge throughout the kingdom, 2 and over them three chief commissioners (of whom ^aDaniel was one), that these satraps might be accountable to them, so that the king would have no ^bloss from disloyalty or mismanagement. 3 Then this Daniel, because of the ^aextraordinary spirit within him, began distinguishing himself among the commissioners and the satraps, and the king planned to appoint him over the ^bentire realm. 4 Then the other two commissioners and the satraps ^abegan trying to find a reason to bring a complaint against Daniel concerning the administration of the kingdom; but they could find ^bno reason for an accusation or evidence of corruption, because he was faithful a man of high moral character and personal integrity, and no negligence or corruption of any kind was found in him. 5 Then these men said, “We will not find any basis for an accusation against this Daniel unless we find something against him in connection with the ^alaw of his God.” Acts 24:13-21; 1+@Pet 4:12-16

6 Then these commissioners and satraps agreed to approach the king and said to him, “King Darius, ^alive forever! 7 All the ^acommissioners of the kingdom, the prefects and the satraps, the counselors and the governors have ^bconsulted and agreed together that the king should establish a royal statute and enforce an injunction that anyone who petitions (prays to) any god or man besides you, O king, during the next thirty days, shall ^cbe thrown into the den of lions. 8 Now, O king, ^aestablish the injunction and sign the document so that it may not be changed, in accordance with the ^blaw of the Medes and Persians, which insures that it may not be altered or revoked.” 9 So King Darius ^asigned the document, that is, the injunction.

10 Now when Daniel knew that the document was signed, he went into his house (now in his roof chamber his windows were open ^atoward Jerusalem); he continued to get ^bdown on his knees three times a day, ^cpraying and ^dgiving thanks before his God, as he had been doing previously. Ps 5:7 11 Then, ^aby agreement, these men came together and found Daniel praying and making requests before his God. 12 Then they approached and ^aspoke before the king regarding his injunction, “Have you not signed an injunction that anyone who petitions (prays to) any god or man except you, O king, within the designated thirty days, is to be thrown into the den of lions?” The king answered, “The statement is true, in accordance with the ^blaw of the Medes and Persians, which may not be altered or revoked.” 13 Then they answered and said before the king, “^aDaniel, who is one of the exiles from Judah, does ^bnot pay any attention to you, O king, or to the injunction which you have signed, but keeps praying to his God three times a day.”

14 Then, as soon as the king heard these words, he was deeply ^adistressed over what he had done and set his mind on rescuing Daniel; and he struggled until the sun went down trying to work out a way to save him. 15 Then, by agreement, these same men came to the king and said, “Know, O king, that it is a ^alaw of the Medes and Persians that no injunction or statute which the king establishes may be altered or revoked.”

16 Then the king gave a command, and Daniel was brought and ^athrown into the den of lions. The king said to Daniel, “May ^byour God, whom you constantly serve, rescue you Himself!” Ps 34:7, 19; 37:39, 40; 50:15 17 A ^astone 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 concerning Daniel. 18 Then the king returned to his palace and spent the night ^afasting; and no music or entertainment was brought before him, and he remained unable to ^bsleep.

19 Then the king arose at dawn, at the break of day, and hurried to the den of lions. 20 When he had come near the den, he called out to Daniel with a troubled voice. The king said to Daniel, “O Daniel, servant of the living God, has ^ayour God, whom you constantly serve, been ^bable to rescue you from the lions?” 21 Then Daniel spoke to the king, “^aO king, live forever! 22 My God has ^asent His angel and has ^bshut the mouths of the lions so that they have not hurt me, because I was found innocent before Him; and also before you, O king, I have committed no crime.” 2+@Tim 4:17 23 Then the king was greatly pleased and ordered that Daniel be taken out of the den. So Daniel was taken out of the den, and ^ano injury whatever was found on him, because he ^bbelieved in and relied on and trusted in his God. 24 The king then gave a command, and those men who had maliciously accused Daniel were brought and ^athrown into the den of lions, they, their ^bchildren and their wives; and before they reached the bottom of the den, the lions overpowered them and crushed all their bones.

25 Then Darius the king wrote to all the ^apeoples, nations, and speakers of every language who were living in all the land: “^bMay peace abound to you! 26 I ^aissue a decree that in all the dominion of my kingdom men are to reverently fear and tremble before the God of Daniel,For He is the ^bliving God, ^cenduring and steadfast forever,And ^dHis kingdom is one which will not be destroyed,And His dominion will be forever.

28 So this man ^aDaniel prospered and enjoyed success in the reign of Darius and in the reign of ^bCyrus the Persian.