Darius’ Officials Seek to Accuse Daniel

6 ^[a]It seemed good to Darius that he set 120 satraps over the kingdom, that they would be in charge of the whole kingdom, ² and over them three commissioners (of whom ^(A)Daniel was one), that these satraps might be accountable to them, and that the king might not suffer ^(B)loss. ³ Then this Daniel began distinguishing himself ^[b]among the commissioners and satraps because an ^(C)extraordinary spirit was in him, and the king planned to set him over the ^(D)entire kingdom. ⁴ Then the commissioners and satraps began ^(E)seeking to find a ground of accusation against Daniel in regard to matters of the kingdom; but they were not able to find ^(F)any ground of accusation or evidence of corruption, inasmuch as he was faithful, and no negligence or corruption was to be found in him. 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 ^(G)law of his God.”

⁶ Then these commissioners and satraps came ^[c]by agreement to the king and said thus to him: “King Darius, ^(H)live forever! ⁷ All the ^(I)commissioners of the kingdom, the prefects and the satraps, the high officials and the governors have ^(J)counseled together that the king should establish a statute and enforce an injunction that anyone who seeks to make a petition ^[d]to any god or man besides you, O king, for thirty days, shall ^(K)be cast into the lions’ ^[e]den. ⁸ Now, O king, ^(L)establish the injunction and ^[f]sign the written document so that it may not be changed, according to the ^(M)law of the Medes and Persians, which ^[g]may not be revoked.” ⁹ Therefore King Darius ^(N)signed the written document, that is, the injunction.

¹⁰ Now when Daniel knew that the written document was signed, he entered his house (now in his roof chamber he had windows open ^(O)toward Jerusalem); and he continued ^(P)kneeling on his knees three times a day, ^(Q)praying and ^(R)giving thanks before his God, ^[h]as he had been doing previously. ¹¹ Then these men came ^[i](S)by agreement and found Daniel seeking to make a petition and making supplication before his God. ¹² Then they came near and ^(T)said before the king concerning the king’s injunction, “Did you not sign an injunction that any man who seeks to make a petition ^[j]to any god or man besides you, O king, for thirty days, is to be cast into the lions’ den?” The king answered and said, “The word is certain, according to the ^(U)law of the Medes and Persians, which ^[k]may not be revoked.” ¹³ Then they answered and said before the king, “^(V)Daniel, who is one of the ^[l]exiles from Judah, pays ^(W)no attention to you, O king, or to the injunction which you signed, but keeps seeking to make his petition three times a day.”

¹⁴ Then, as soon as the king heard this word, he was greatly ^(X)distressed within himself and set his mind on saving Daniel; and even until sunset he kept exerting himself to deliver him. ¹⁵ Then these men came ^[m]by agreement to the king and said to the king, “Know, O king, that it is a ^(Y)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 said the word, and Daniel was brought in and ^(Z)cast into the lions’ den. The king answered and said to Daniel, “^[n](AA)Your God whom you constantly serve will Himself save you.” ¹⁷ And a ^(AB)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 in regard to Daniel. ¹⁸ Then the king went off to his palace and spent the night ^(AC)fasting, and no entertainment was brought before him; and his ^(AD)sleep fled from him.

¹⁹ Then the king arose at dawn, at the break of day, and hurriedly went to the lions’ den. ²⁰ When he had come near the den to Daniel, he cried out with a troubled voice. The king answered and said to Daniel, “Daniel, servant of the living God, has ^(AE)your God, whom you constantly serve, been ^(AF)able to save you from the lions?” ²¹ Then Daniel spoke ^[o]to the king, “^(AG)O king, live forever! ²² My God ^(AH)sent His angel and ^(AI)shut the lions’ mouths, and they have not harmed me, inasmuch as ^[p]I was found innocent before Him; and also ^[q]toward you, O king, I have done no harm.” ²³ Then the king was greatly pleased and said for Daniel to be taken up out of the den. So Daniel was taken up out of the den, and ^(AJ)no harm whatsoever was found on him because he had ^(AK)believed in his God. ²⁴ The king then said the word, and they brought those men who had ^[r]brought charges against Daniel, and they ^(AL)cast them, their ^(AM)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 ^(AN)peoples, nations, and men of every tongue who were inhabiting all the land: “^(AO)May your ^[s]peace abound! ^26 [t]I ^(AP)make a decree that in all the ^[u]dominion of my kingdom, men are to fear and be in dread before the God of Daniel;

²⁸ So this ^(AU)Daniel enjoyed success in the kingdom of Darius and in the kingdom of ^(AV)Cyrus the Persian.