Daniel in the Den of Lions

6 ^[a]It pleased Darius^(A) to appoint 120 satraps^(B) to rule throughout the kingdom, ² with three administrators over them, one of whom was Daniel.^(C) The satraps were made accountable^(D) to them so that the king might not suffer loss. ³ Now Daniel so distinguished himself among the administrators and the satraps by his exceptional qualities that the king planned to set him over the whole kingdom.^{(E) 4} At this, the administrators and the satraps tried to find grounds for charges^(F) against Daniel in his conduct of government affairs, but they were unable to do so. They could find no corruption in him, because he was trustworthy and neither corrupt nor negligent. ⁵ Finally these men said, “We will never find any basis for charges against this man Daniel unless it has something to do with the law of his God.”^(G)

⁷ The royal administrators, prefects, satraps, advisers and governors^(A) have all agreed that the king should issue an edict and enforce the decree that anyone who prays to any god or human being during the next thirty days, except to you, Your Majesty, shall be thrown into the lions’ den.^(B)

¹⁰ Now when Daniel learned that the decree had been published, he went home to his upstairs room where the windows opened toward^(A) Jerusalem. Three times a day he got down on his knees^(B) and prayed, giving thanks to his God, just as he had done before.^(C)

¹⁶ So the king gave the order, and they brought Daniel and threw him into the lions’ den.^(A) The king said to Daniel, “May your God, whom you serve continually, rescue^(B) you!”

¹⁷ A stone was brought and placed over the mouth of the den, and the king sealed^(C) it with his own signet ring and with the rings of his nobles, so that Daniel’s situation might not be changed.

¹⁹ At the first light of dawn, the king got up and hurried to the lions’ den. ²⁰ When he came near the den, he called to Daniel in an anguished voice, “Daniel, servant of the living God, has your God, whom you serve continually, been able to rescue you from the lions?”^(A)

²¹ Daniel answered, “May the king live forever!^{(B) 22} My God sent his angel,^(C) and he shut the mouths of the lions.^(D) They have not hurt me, because I was found innocent in his sight.^(E) Nor have I ever done any wrong before you, Your Majesty.”

²³ The king was overjoyed and gave orders to lift Daniel out of the den. And when Daniel was lifted from the den, no wound^(F) was found on him, because he had trusted^(G) in his God.

²⁴ At the king’s command, the men who had falsely accused Daniel were brought in and thrown into the lions’ den,^(H) along with their wives and children.^(I) And before they reached the floor of the den, the lions overpowered them and crushed all their bones.^(J)

The Guard at the Tomb

⁶² The next day, the one after Preparation Day, the chief priests and the Pharisees went to Pilate. ⁶³ “Sir,” they said, “we remember that while he was still alive that deceiver said, ‘After three days I will rise again.’^{(A) 64} So give the order for the tomb to be made secure until the third day. Otherwise, his disciples may come and steal the body^(B) and tell the people that he has been raised from the dead. This last deception will be worse than the first.”

⁶⁵ “Take a guard,”^(C) Pilate answered. “Go, make the tomb as secure as you know how.” ⁶⁶ So they went and made the tomb secure by putting a seal^(D) on the stone^(E) and posting the guard.^(F)

Jesus Has Risen^(G)

28 After the Sabbath, at dawn on the first day of the week, Mary Magdalene^(H) and the other Mary^(I) went to look at the tomb.

² There was a violent earthquake,^(J) for an angel^(K) of the Lord came down from heaven and, going to the tomb, rolled back the stone^(L) and sat on it. ³ His appearance was like lightning, and his clothes were white as snow.^{(M) 4} The guards were so afraid of him that they shook and became like dead men.

⁵ The angel said to the women, “Do not be afraid,^(N) for I know that you are looking for Jesus, who was crucified. ⁶ He is not here; he has risen, just as he said.^(O) Come and see the place where he lay. ⁷ Then go quickly and tell his disciples: ‘He has risen from the dead and is going ahead of you into Galilee.^(P) There you will see him.’ Now I have told you.”

⁸ So the women hurried away from the tomb, afraid yet filled with joy, and ran to tell his disciples. ⁹ Suddenly Jesus met them.^(Q) “Greetings,” he said. They came to him, clasped his feet and worshiped him. ¹⁰ Then Jesus said to them, “Do not be afraid. Go and tell my brothers^(R) to go to Galilee; there they will see me.”

¹⁷ So when the crowd had gathered, Pilate asked them, “Which one do you want me to release to you: Jesus Barabbas, or Jesus who is called the Messiah?”^{(A) 18} For he knew it was out of self-interest that they had handed Jesus over to him.

¹⁹ While Pilate was sitting on the judge’s seat,^(B) his wife sent him this message: “Don’t have anything to do with that innocent^(C) man, for I have suffered a great deal today in a dream^(D) because of him.”

²⁰ But the chief priests and the elders persuaded the crowd to ask for Barabbas and to have Jesus executed.^(E)

²¹ “Which of the two do you want me to release to you?” asked the governor.

“Barabbas,” they answered.

²² “What shall I do, then, with Jesus who is called the Messiah?”^(F) Pilate asked.

They all answered, “Crucify him!”

²³ “Why? What crime has he committed?” asked Pilate.

But they shouted all the louder, “Crucify him!”

²⁴ When Pilate saw that he was getting nowhere, but that instead an uproar^(G) was starting, he took water and washed his hands^(H) in front of the crowd. “I am innocent of this man’s blood,”^(I) he said. “It is your responsibility!”^(J)

²⁵ All the people answered, “His blood is on us and on our children!”^(K)