¹⁰ When Daniel knew that the document had been signed, he went to his house where ^(A)he had windows in his upper chamber open ^(B)toward Jerusalem. He got down on his knees ^(C)three times a day and prayed and ^(D)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 ^(E)came near and said before the king, concerning the injunction, “O king! Did you not sign ^(F)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 ^(G)the Medes and Persians, ^(H)which cannot be revoked.” ¹³ Then they answered and said before the king, ^(I)“Daniel, who is one ^(J)of the exiles ^(K)from Judah, ^(L)pays no attention to you, O king, or ^(M)the injunction you have signed, but makes his petition ^(N)three times a day.”

¹⁴ Then ^(O)the king, when he heard these words, ^(P)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 ^(Q)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^[a] to Daniel, “May ^(R)your God, whom you serve continually, deliver you!” ^17 (S)And a stone was brought and laid on the mouth of the den, ^(T)and the king sealed it ^(U)with his own signet and with the signet of his ^(V)lords, that nothing might be changed concerning Daniel. ¹⁸ Then the king went to his palace and spent the night fasting; ^(W)no diversions were brought to him, and ^(X)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 ^(Y)the living God, ^(Z)has your God, whom you serve continually, ^(AA)been able to deliver you from the lions?” ²¹ Then Daniel said to the king, ^(AB)“O king, live forever! ²² My God ^(AC)sent his angel ^(AD)and shut the lions' mouths, and they have not harmed me, because I was found blameless ^(AE)before him; ^(AF)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 ^(AG)no kind of harm was found on him, because he had trusted in his God. ²⁴ And the king commanded, and ^(AH)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 ^(AI)the peoples, nations, and languages ^(AJ)that dwell in all the earth: ^(AK)“Peace be multiplied to you. ^26 (AL)I make a decree, that in all my royal dominion ^(AM)people are to tremble and fear before the God of Daniel,

²⁸ So this Daniel prospered during the reign of Darius and ^(AT)the reign of ^(AU)Cyrus the Persian.

A Call to Persevere

¹⁷ But you must ^(A)remember, beloved, the predictions of the apostles of our Lord Jesus Christ. ¹⁸ They^[a] said to you, ^(B)“In the last time there will be scoffers, following their own ungodly passions.” ¹⁹ It is these who cause divisions, worldly people, ^(C)devoid of the Spirit. ²⁰ But you, beloved, ^(D)building yourselves up in your most holy faith and ^(E)praying in the Holy Spirit, ^21 (F)keep yourselves in the love of God, ^(G)waiting for the mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ that leads to eternal life. ²² And have mercy on those who doubt; ²³ save others by ^(H)snatching them out of ^(I)the fire; to others show mercy ^(J)with fear, hating even ^(K)the garment^[b] stained by the flesh.

Doxology

^24 (L)Now to him who is able ^(M)to keep you from stumbling and ^(N)to present you ^(O)blameless before the presence of his glory with great joy, ²⁵ to ^(P)the only God, our Savior, through Jesus Christ our Lord, ^(Q)be glory, majesty, dominion, and authority, before all time^[c] and now and forever. Amen.