Daniel Serves Darius

6 ^[a]It pleased Darius to appoint 120 satraps over the kingdom, to be in charge of the whole kingdom, ² and over them, three commissioners (of whom ^(A)Daniel was one), so that these satraps would be accountable to them, and that the king would not ^[b]suffer ^(B)loss. ³ Then this Daniel began distinguishing himself ^[c]among the commissioners and satraps because ^[d]he possessed an ^(C)extraordinary spirit, and the king intended to appoint him over the ^(D)entire kingdom. ⁴ Then the commissioners and satraps began ^(E)trying to find a ground of accusation against Daniel regarding ^[e]government affairs; but they could find ^(F)no ground of accusation or evidence of corruption, because he was trustworthy, 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 regarding the ^(G)law of his God.”

⁶ Then these commissioners and satraps came ^[f]by agreement to the king and spoke to him as follows: “King Darius, ^(H)live forever! ⁷ All the ^(I)commissioners of the kingdom, the prefects and the satraps, the counselors and the governors, have ^(J)consulted together that the king should establish a statute and enforce an injunction that anyone who offers a prayer to any god or person besides you, O king, for thirty days, shall ^(K)be thrown into the lions’ ^[g]den. ⁸ Now, O king, ^(L)establish the injunction and sign the document so that it will not be changed, according to the ^(M)law of the Medes and Persians, which ^[h]may not be revoked.” ⁹ Thereupon, King Darius ^(N)signed the document, that is, the injunction.

¹⁰ Now when Daniel learned that the document was signed, he entered his house (and 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)offering praise before his God, just as he had been doing previously.