但以理在獅子坑

大流士決定設立一百二十個總督治理全國。 總督之上,設三個總長,以維護王的統治,但以理是其中之一。 因為但以理有非凡的心智,遠超過其他總長和總督,王便考慮讓他治理全國。 於是,其他總長和總督想在但以理的政務中找把柄控告他,卻找不到任何把柄或過失,因為他誠實可靠,毫無過失。 最後他們說:「除非我們從但以理上帝的律法下手,否則找不到指控他的把柄。」

於是,這些總長和總督齊來見王,說:「願大流士王萬歲! 所有總長、行政官、總督、謀士和省長都認為王應該下一道禁令,三十天內,任何人不得向王以外的神明或人禱告,違者必被扔進獅子坑。 王啊,求你頒佈、簽署這道禁令,使之不可更改,正如瑪代人和波斯人的律令是不可更改的。」 於是大流士王簽署了這道禁令。

10 但以理知道王簽署禁令後,就回到家裡。他樓上的窗戶朝向耶路撒冷,他像往常一樣每日三次跪下向上帝禱告、感恩。 11 那些官員一同來了,發現但以理向他的上帝禱告、祈求, 12 便去見王,提及王的禁令,說:「王啊,你不是簽署禁令,三十天內,任何人不得向王以外的神明或人禱告,違者必被扔進獅子坑嗎?」王說:「確有此事,按照瑪代人和波斯人的律,這禁令不可更改。」 13 他們對王說:「王啊,被擄來的猶大人但以理不理會你和你的禁令,仍一日三次向他的上帝祈禱。」 14 王聽了這些話,十分愁煩,一心想救但以理,直到日落都在籌畫解救之道。 15 那些人齊來見王,說:「王啊,按照瑪代人和波斯人的律,王頒佈的禁令和律例是不可更改的。」

16 王便下令把但以理帶來扔進獅子坑。他對但以理說:「願你忠心事奉的上帝拯救你!」 17 坑口用大石封住,並加上王和大臣的封印,使懲辦但以理的事不可更改。 18 王回宮後,整夜禁食,拒絕娛樂,無法入睡。

19 次日黎明,王起來匆忙趕往獅子坑, 20 到了坑邊,淒聲呼喊但以理:「永活上帝的僕人但以理啊,你忠心事奉的上帝有沒有救你脫離獅子的口?」 21 但以理對王說:「願王萬歲! 22 我的上帝差遣天使封住了獅子的口,不讓牠們傷害我,因為我在上帝面前是清白的。王啊,我在你面前也沒有過錯。」 23 王非常高興,便命人把但以理從坑中拉上來。於是,但以理從坑中被拉了上來,他因為信靠他的上帝,身上毫無損傷。 24 王下令把那些惡意控告但以理的人及其兒女妻子都帶來,扔進獅子坑。他們還沒到坑底,獅子便撲上去,咬碎了他們的骨頭。

25 後來,大流士王傳諭境內的各族、各邦、各語種的人,說:「願你們大享平安! 26 我下令,我統治的國民都要敬畏但以理的上帝,

「因為祂是永活長存的上帝,
祂的國度永不滅亡,
祂的統治直到永遠。
27 祂庇護、拯救,
在天上地下行神蹟奇事,
救但以理脫離獅子的口。」

28 因此,在大流士和波斯人塞魯士執政期間,但以理凡事亨通。

Daniel and the Lions' Den

It pleased Darius to set over the kingdom (A)120 (B)satraps, to be throughout the whole kingdom; 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. 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. 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. 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.”

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! 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. 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.” 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.”

16 Then the king commanded, and Daniel was brought and cast into the den of lions. The king declared[b] to Daniel, “May (AQ)your God, whom you serve continually, deliver you!” 17 (AR)And a stone was brought and laid on the mouth of the den, (AS)and the king sealed it (AT)with his own signet and with the signet of his (AU)lords, that nothing might be changed concerning Daniel. 18 Then the king went to his palace and spent the night fasting; (AV)no diversions were brought to him, and (AW)sleep fled from him.

19 Then, at break of day, the king arose and went in haste to the den of lions. 20 As he came near to the den where Daniel was, he cried out in a tone of anguish. The king declared to Daniel, “O Daniel, servant of (AX)the living God, (AY)has your God, whom you serve continually, (AZ)been able to deliver you from the lions?” 21 Then Daniel said to the king, (BA)“O king, live forever! 22 My God (BB)sent his angel (BC)and shut the lions' mouths, and they have not harmed me, because I was found blameless (BD)before him; (BE)and also before you, O king, I have done no harm.” 23 Then the king was exceedingly glad, and commanded that Daniel be taken up out of the den. So Daniel was taken up out of the den, and (BF)no kind of harm was found on him, because he had trusted in his God. 24 And the king commanded, and (BG)those men who had maliciously accused Daniel were brought and cast into the den of lions—they, their children, and their wives. And before they reached the bottom of the den, the lions overpowered them and broke all their bones in pieces.

25 Then King Darius wrote to all (BH)the peoples, nations, and languages (BI)that dwell in all the earth: (BJ)“Peace be multiplied to you. 26 (BK)I make a decree, that in all my royal dominion (BL)people are to tremble and fear before the God of Daniel,

for (BM)he is (BN)the living God,
    enduring forever;
his kingdom shall never be destroyed,
    (BO)and his dominion shall be (BP)to the end.
27 He delivers and rescues;
    he works (BQ)signs and wonders
    in heaven and on earth,
he who has (BR)saved Daniel
    from the power of the lions.”

28 So this Daniel prospered during the reign of Darius and (BS)the reign of (BT)Cyrus the Persian.

Footnotes

  1. Daniel 6:6 Or came thronging; also verses 11, 15
  2. Daniel 6:16 Aramaic answered and said; also verse 20

It pleased Darius to set over the kingdom an hundred and twenty princes, which should be over the whole kingdom;

And over these three presidents; of whom Daniel was first: that the princes might give accounts unto them, and the king should have no damage.

Then this Daniel was preferred above the presidents and princes, because an excellent spirit was in him; and the king thought to set him over the whole realm.

Then the presidents and princes sought to find occasion against Daniel concerning the kingdom; but they could find none occasion nor fault; forasmuch as he was faithful, neither was there any error or fault found in him.

Then said these men, We shall not find any occasion against this Daniel, except we find it against him concerning the law of his God.

Then these presidents and princes assembled together to the king, and said thus unto him, King Darius, live for ever.

All the presidents of the kingdom, the governors, and the princes, the counsellors, and the captains, have consulted together to establish a royal statute, and to make a firm decree, that whosoever shall ask a petition of any God or man for thirty days, save of thee, O king, he shall be cast into the den of lions.

Now, O king, establish the decree, and sign the writing, that it be not changed, according to the law of the Medes and Persians, which altereth not.

Wherefore king Darius signed the writing and the decree.

10 Now when Daniel knew that the writing was signed, he went into his house; and his windows being open in his chamber toward Jerusalem, he kneeled upon his knees three times a day, and prayed, and gave thanks before his God, as he did aforetime.

11 Then these men assembled, and found Daniel praying and making supplication before his God.

12 Then they came near, and spake before the king concerning the king's decree; Hast thou not signed a decree, that every man that shall ask a petition of any God or man within thirty days, save of thee, O king, shall be cast into the den of lions? The king answered and said, The thing is true, according to the law of the Medes and Persians, which altereth not.

13 Then answered they and said before the king, That Daniel, which is of the children of the captivity of Judah, regardeth not thee, O king, nor the decree that thou hast signed, but maketh his petition three times a day.

14 Then the king, when he heard these words, was sore displeased with himself, and set his heart on Daniel to deliver him: and he laboured till the going down of the sun to deliver him.

15 Then these men assembled unto the king, and said unto the king, Know, O king, that the law of the Medes and Persians is, That no decree nor statute which the king establisheth may be changed.

16 Then the king commanded, and they brought Daniel, and cast him into the den of lions. Now the king spake and said unto Daniel, Thy God whom thou servest continually, he will deliver thee.

17 And a stone was brought, and laid upon the mouth of the den; and the king sealed it with his own signet, and with the signet of his lords; that the purpose might not be changed concerning Daniel.

18 Then the king went to his palace, and passed the night fasting: neither were instruments of musick brought before him: and his sleep went from him.

19 Then the king arose very early in the morning, and went in haste unto the den of lions.

20 And when he came to the den, he cried with a lamentable voice unto Daniel: and the king spake and said to Daniel, O Daniel, servant of the living God, is thy God, whom thou servest continually, able to deliver thee from the lions?

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

22 My God hath sent his angel, and hath shut the lions' mouths, that they have not hurt me: forasmuch as before him innocency was found in me; and also before thee, O king, have I done no hurt.

23 Then was the king exceedingly glad for him, and commanded that they should take Daniel up out of the den. So Daniel was taken up out of the den, and no manner of hurt was found upon him, because he believed in his God.

24 And the king commanded, and they brought those men which had accused Daniel, and they cast them into the den of lions, them, their children, and their wives; and the lions had the mastery of them, and brake all their bones in pieces or ever they came at the bottom of the den.

25 Then king Darius wrote unto all people, nations, and languages, that dwell in all the earth; Peace be multiplied unto you.

26 I make a decree, That in every dominion of my kingdom men tremble and fear before the God of Daniel: for he is the living God, and stedfast for ever, and his kingdom that which shall not be destroyed, and his dominion shall be even unto the end.

27 He delivereth and rescueth, and he worketh signs and wonders in heaven and in earth, who hath delivered Daniel from the power of the lions.

28 So this Daniel prospered in the reign of Darius, and in the reign of Cyrus the Persian.