Daniel 6:14-27

New American Standard Bible

¹⁴ Then, as soon as the king heard this statement, he was deeply ^(A)distressed, and set his mind on rescuing Daniel; and until sunset he kept exerting himself to save him. ¹⁵ Then these men came ^[a]by agreement to the king and said to the king, “Recognize, O king, that it is a ^(B)law of the Medes and Persians that no injunction or statute which the king establishes may be changed.”

Daniel in the Lions’ Den

¹⁶ Then the king gave orders, and Daniel was brought in and ^(C)thrown into the lions’ den. The king said to Daniel, “^[b](D)Your God whom you continually serve will Himself rescue you.” ¹⁷ And a ^(E)stone 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 regarding Daniel. ¹⁸ Then the king went to his palace and spent the night ^(F)fasting, and no entertainment was brought before him; and his ^(G)sleep fled from him.

¹⁹ Then the king got up at dawn, at the break of day, and went in a hurry to the lions’ den. ²⁰ And when he had come near the den to Daniel, he cried out with a troubled voice. The king began speaking and said to Daniel, “Daniel, servant of the living God, has ^(H)your God, whom you continually serve, been ^(I)able to rescue you from the lions?” ²¹ Then Daniel spoke ^[c]to the king, “^(J)O king, live forever! ²² My God ^(K)sent His angel and ^(L)shut the lions’ mouths, and they have not harmed me, since ^[d]I was found innocent before Him; and also ^[e]toward you, O king, I have committed no crime.” ²³ Then the king was very glad and gave orders for Daniel to be lifted up out of the den. So Daniel was lifted up out of the den, and ^(M)no injury whatever was found on him, because he had ^(N)trusted in his God. ²⁴ The king then gave orders, and they brought those men who had ^[f]maliciously accused Daniel, and they ^(O)threw them, their ^(P)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.

²⁵ Then Darius the king wrote to all the ^(Q)peoples, nations, and populations of all ^[g]languages who were living in all the land: “^(R)May your ^[h]peace be great! ^26 [i]I ^(S)issue a decree that in all the realm of my kingdom people are to tremble and fear before the God of Daniel;