6:1  It seemed good to Darius to appoint 120 satraps over the kingdom, that they could take charge of the whole kingdom,

6:2  and over them three commissioners (of whom Daniel served as one), that these satraps might report to them, and that the king might not suffer loss.

6:3  Then this Daniel began distinguishing himself among the commissioners and satraps because he possessed an extraordinary spirit, and the king planned to appoint him over the entire kingdom.

6:4  Then the commissioners and satraps began trying to find a ground of accusation against Daniel in regard to government affairs; but they could find no ground of accusation or evidence of corruption, inasmuch as proved faithful, and no one could find negligence or corruption .

6:5  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 law of his God."

6:6  Then these commissioners and satraps came by agreement to the king and spoke to him as follows: "King Darius, live forever!

6:7  "All the commissioners of the kingdom, the prefects and the satraps, the high officials and the governors have 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, we shall cast into the lions' den.

6:8  "Now, O king, establish the injunction and sign the document so that it may not change, according to the law of the Medes and Persians, which no one may revoke."

6:9  Therefore King Darius signed the document, namely, the injunction.

6:10  Now when Daniel knew that the king had signed the document , he entered his house (now in his roof chamber he had windows open toward Jerusalem); and he continued kneeling on his knees three times a day, praying and giving thanks before his God, as he had done previously.

6:11  Then these men came by agreement and found Daniel making petition and supplication before his God.

6:12  Then they approached and 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, we shall cast into the lions' den?" The king replied, "The statement we acknowledge as true, according to the law of the Medes and Persians, which no one may revoke."

6:13  Then they answered and spoke before the king, " Daniel, one of the exiles from Judah, pays no attention to you, O king, or to the injunction which you signed, but keeps making his petition three times a day."

6:14  Then, as soon as the king heard this statement, he felt deeply distressed and set his mind on delivering Daniel; and even until sunset he kept exerting himself to rescue him.

6:15  Then these men came by agreement to the king and said to the king, "Recognize, O king, that we acknowledge it as a law of the Medes and Persians that no one can change an injunction or statute which the king establishes."

6:16  Then the king gave orders, and brought Daniel in and cast him into the lions' den The king spoke and said to Daniel, " Your God whom you constantly serve will Himself deliver you."

6:17   The authorities brought in a stone 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 no one could change anything in regard to Daniel.

6:18  Then the king went off to his palace and spent the night fasting, and ordered that no entertainment appear before him; and his sleep fled from him.

6:19  Then the king arose at dawn, at the break of day, and went in haste to the lions' den.

6:20  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,

6:21  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 your God, whom you constantly serve, delivered you from the lions?"

6:22   Then Daniel spoke to the king, " O king, live forever!

6:23  "My God sent His angel and shut the lions' mouths and they have not harmed me, inasmuch as He considered me innocent before Him; and also toward you, O king, I have committed no crime."

6:24  Then the king felt very pleased and gave orders for the authorities to take Daniel up out of the den. So they took Daniel up out of the den and no one found any injury on him, because he had trusted in his God.

6:25  The king then gave orders, and they brought those men who had maliciously accused Daniel, and they cast them, their 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.

6:26  Then Darius the king wrote to all the peoples, nations and men of every language who lived in all the land: " May your peace abound!

6:27  "I make a decree that in all the dominion of my kingdom men will fear and tremble before the God of Daniel; For He we regard as the living God and enduring forever, And His kingdom will not suffer destruction, And His dominion will endure forever.

6:28  "He delivers and rescues and performs signs and wonders In heaven and on earth, Who has also delivered Daniel from the power of the lions."