¹⁶ Then the king commanded, and Daniel was brought and cast into the den of lions. The king declared^[a] to Daniel, “May ^(A)your God, whom you serve continually, deliver you!” ^17 (B)And a stone was brought and laid on the mouth of the den, ^(C)and the king sealed it ^(D)with his own signet and with the signet of his ^(E)lords, that nothing might be changed concerning Daniel. ¹⁸ Then the king went to his palace and spent the night fasting; ^(F)no diversions were brought to him, and ^(G)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 ^(H)the living God, ^(I)has your God, whom you serve continually, ^(J)been able to deliver you from the lions?” ²¹ Then Daniel said to the king, ^(K)“O king, live forever! ²² My God ^(L)sent his angel ^(M)and shut the lions' mouths, and they have not harmed me, because I was found blameless ^(N)before him; ^(O)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 ^(P)no kind of harm was found on him, because he had trusted in his God.

²⁵ Then King Darius wrote to all ^(A)the peoples, nations, and languages ^(B)that dwell in all the earth: ^(C)“Peace be multiplied to you. ^26 (D)I make a decree, that in all my royal dominion ^(E)people are to tremble and fear before the God of Daniel,