Daniel 6:1-15

English Standard Version

Daniel and the Lions' Den

6 It pleased Darius to set over the kingdom ^(A)120 ^(B)satraps, to be throughout the whole kingdom; ² and over them ^(C)three high officials, of whom Daniel was one, to whom these ^(D)satraps should give account, so that the king might suffer no loss. ³ Then this Daniel became ^(E)distinguished above all ^(F)the other high officials and ^(G)satraps, because ^(H)an excellent spirit was in him. And the king planned ^(I)to set him over the whole kingdom. ⁴ Then ^(J)the high officials and ^(K)the satraps ^(L)sought to find a ground for complaint against Daniel with regard to the kingdom, ^(M)but they could find no ground for complaint or any fault, because he was faithful, ^(N)and no error or fault was found in him. ⁵ Then these men said, “We shall not find any ground for complaint against this Daniel unless we find it in connection with the law of his God.”

⁶ Then these ^(O)high officials and ^(P)satraps came by agreement^[a] to the king and said to him, “O ^(Q)King Darius, live forever! ⁷ All the ^(R)high officials of the kingdom, the prefects and the satraps, the ^(S)counselors and the governors are agreed that the king should establish an ordinance and enforce an ^(T)injunction, that whoever makes petition to any god or man for thirty days, except to you, O king, shall be cast into the den of lions. ⁸ Now, O king, establish ^(U)the injunction and sign the document, so that it cannot be changed, according to ^(V)the law of ^(W)the Medes and the Persians, ^(X)which cannot be revoked.” ⁹ Therefore King Darius signed the document and ^(Y)injunction.

¹⁰ When Daniel knew that the document had been signed, he went to his house where ^(Z)he had windows in his upper chamber open ^(AA)toward Jerusalem. He got down on his knees ^(AB)three times a day and prayed and ^(AC)gave thanks before his God, as he had done previously. ¹¹ Then these men came by agreement and found Daniel making petition and plea before his God. ¹² Then they ^(AD)came near and said before the king, concerning the injunction, “O king! Did you not sign ^(AE)an injunction, that anyone who makes petition to any god or man within thirty days except to you, O king, shall be cast into the den of lions?” The king answered and said, “The thing stands fast, according to the law of ^(AF)the Medes and Persians, ^(AG)which cannot be revoked.” ¹³ Then they answered and said before the king, ^(AH)“Daniel, who is one ^(AI)of the exiles ^(AJ)from Judah, ^(AK)pays no attention to you, O king, or ^(AL)the injunction you have signed, but makes his petition ^(AM)three times a day.”

¹⁴ Then ^(AN)the king, when he heard these words, ^(AO)was much distressed and set his mind to deliver Daniel. And he labored till the sun went down to rescue him. ¹⁵ Then these men came by agreement to the king and said to the king, “Know, O king, that it is a law of the Medes and Persians that no ^(AP)injunction or ordinance that the king establishes can be changed.”