CHAPTER 6

1 It pleased Darius, and he set over the kingdom one hundred and twenty presidents of the provinces, who should be over the whole kingdom.

2 And over them were three satraps, of whom Daniel was one, that the presidents of the provinces should render an account to them, and the king should suffer no loss.

3 Then Daniel himself was superior to the satraps and presidents of the provinces, because a nobler spirit was in him; and the king was thinking of elevating him over the whole kingdom.

4 Then the satraps and presidents of the provinces sought to find an occasion against Daniel in his administration of the kingdom, and they could find neither occasion nor fault, because he was trustworthy, and neither fault nor crime was found in him.

5 Then those men said, we shall not find in this Daniel any occasion, unless we find it against him as to the law of his God.

6 Then the satraps and presidents of the provinces came in a body to the king, and spoke thus to him, King Darius, live for ever!

7 All the presidents of the kingdom, the senators and governors of provinces, the counselors and the generals, have consulted together to establish a royal statute, and to confirm the edict, that whoever should ask a petition from any god or man for thirty days, except of thee, O king, shall be cast into the lions' den.

8 Now, O king, establish the edict, and sign the writing which is immutable, according to the law of the Medes and Persians, which does not pass away.

9 Wherefore King Darius signed the writing and the decree.

10 But when Daniel knew the writing to have been signed, he entered into his house, and his windows being open in his chamber towards Jerusalem, three times every day he bent upon his knees and prayed, and confessed before his God, as he was accustomed to do.

11 Then these men assembled, and found Daniel uttering prayers and supplications before his God.

12 Then they approached, and said before the king concerning the edict: Hast thou not signed an diet, that if any man shall ask anything from any god or man even for thirty days, except of thee, O king, he should be cast into the lions' den? The king answered and said, -- The saying is true, according to the law of the Medes and Persians, which passes not away.

13 Then they spoke, and said before the king: Daniel, who is of the children of the captivity of Judah, has not given his mind to thee, O king, nor to the edict which thou hast signed, but prays according to his custom three times a day.

14 Then the king, on hearing those words, was much grieved within himself, and applied his heart to deliver Daniel, and was anxious to snatch him away even to the setting of the sun.

15 Then those men assembled around the king and said, -- Know, O king, this is the law of the Medes and Persians; No edict or statute which the king has established can be changed.

16 Then the king commanded, and they brought Daniel, and east him into the lions' den. The king answered, and said to Daniel: Thy God, whom thou servest continually, will surely deliver thee.

17 And a stone was brought, and laid upon the mouth of the cave; and the king sealed it with his own ring, and with the ring of his nobles, lest the decree concerning Daniel should be changed.

18 Then the king went to his palace, and passed the night fasting, and musical instruments were not brought before him, and sleep departed from him.

19 Then the king rose in the morning, as soon as it was light, and came in haste to the lions' den.

20 And when he approached the den, he cried with a sorrowful voice to Daniel, and the king spoke and said to Daniel, Daniel! servant of the living God: Could thy God, whom thou servest continually, preserve thee from the lions?

21 Then Daniel said unto the king, O king, live for ever!

22 My God sent his angel, and shut the lions' mouths, and they have not hurt me, since integrity before him was found in me, and also before thee, O king, I have committed nothing wrong.

23 Then the king was highly delighted within himself, and commanded Daniel to be brought out of the den; and Daniel was brought out of the den, and no injury was found upon him, because he trusted in his God.

24 And the king commanded, and they brought those men who had invented the accusation against Daniel, and they were cast into the den, themselves, their children, and their wives, and before they arrived at the pavement of the den, the lions obtained the mastery of them, and broke in pieces all their bones.

25 Then King Darius wrote to all people, nations, and languages, which dwell in all the earth: Peace be multiplied unto you!

26 I have issued a decree throughout the whole of the dominions of my kingdom, that they may fear and be afraid at the presence of the God of Daniel, because he is the living God, and endureth for ever; and his kingdom shall not be overthrown, and his dominion shall be for ever.

27 In delivering and rescuing, and uttering signs and wonders in heaven and earth; for he delivered Daniel from the power of the lions.

28 So Daniel himself lived prosperously in the reigns of Darius, and of Cyrus the Persian.