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. ¹⁸ Then the king returned to his palace and spent the night without eating^(D) and without any entertainment being brought to him. And he could not sleep.^(E)

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?”^(F)

²¹ Daniel answered, “May the king live forever!^{(G) 22} My God sent his angel,^(H) and he shut the mouths of the lions.^(I) They have not hurt me, because I was found innocent in his sight.^(J) 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^(K) was found on him, because he had trusted^(L) 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,^(M) along with their wives and children.^(N) And before they reached the floor of the den, the lions overpowered them and crushed all their bones.^(O)

²⁵ Then King Darius wrote to all the nations and peoples of every language^(P) in all the earth:

Do Not Forget the Lord

8 Be careful to follow every command I am giving you today, so that you may live^(A) and increase and may enter and possess the land the Lord promised on oath to your ancestors.^{(B) 2} Remember how the Lord your God led^(C) you all the way in the wilderness these forty years, to humble and test^(D) you in order to know what was in your heart, whether or not you would keep his commands. ³ He humbled^(E) you, causing you to hunger and then feeding you with manna,^(F) which neither you nor your ancestors had known, to teach^(G) you that man does not live on bread^(H) alone but on every word that comes from the mouth^(I) of the Lord.^{(J) 4} Your clothes did not wear out and your feet did not swell during these forty years.^{(K) 5} Know then in your heart that as a man disciplines his son, so the Lord your God disciplines you.^(L)

⁶ Observe the commands of the Lord your God, walking in obedience to him^(M) and revering him.^{(N) 7} For the Lord your God is bringing you into a good land^(O)—a land with brooks, streams, and deep springs gushing out into the valleys and hills;^{(P) 8} a land with wheat and barley,^(Q) vines^(R) and fig trees,^(S) pomegranates, olive oil and honey;^{(T) 9} a land where bread^(U) will not be scarce and you will lack nothing;^(V) a land where the rocks are iron and you can dig copper out of the hills.^(W)

¹⁰ When you have eaten and are satisfied,^(X) praise the Lord your God for the good land he has given you. ¹¹ Be careful that you do not forget^(Y) the Lord your God, failing to observe his commands, his laws and his decrees that I am giving you this day. ¹² Otherwise, when you eat and are satisfied, when you build fine houses and settle down,^{(Z) 13} and when your herds and flocks grow large and your silver and gold increase and all you have is multiplied, ¹⁴ then your heart will become proud and you will forget^(AA) the Lord your God, who brought you out of Egypt, out of the land of slavery. ¹⁵ He led you through the vast and dreadful wilderness,^(AB) that thirsty and waterless land, with its venomous snakes^(AC) and scorpions. He brought you water out of hard rock.^{(AD) 16} He gave you manna^(AE) to eat in the wilderness, something your ancestors had never known,^(AF) to humble and test^(AG) you so that in the end it might go well with you. ¹⁷ You may say to yourself,^(AH) “My power and the strength of my hands^(AI) have produced this wealth for me.” ¹⁸ But remember the Lord your God, for it is he who gives you the ability to produce wealth,^(AJ) and so confirms his covenant, which he swore to your ancestors, as it is today.

¹⁹ If you ever forget the Lord your God and follow other gods^(AK) and worship and bow down to them, I testify against you today that you will surely be destroyed.^{(AL) 20} Like the nations^(AM) the Lord destroyed before you, so you will be destroyed for not obeying the Lord your God.^(AN)

²¹ To my shame I admit that we were too weak^(A) for that!

Whatever anyone else dares to boast about—I am speaking as a fool—I also dare to boast about.^{(B) 22} Are they Hebrews? So am I.^(C) Are they Israelites? So am I.^(D) Are they Abraham’s descendants? So am I.^{(E) 23} Are they servants of Christ?^(F) (I am out of my mind to talk like this.) I am more. I have worked much harder,^(G) been in prison more frequently,^(H) been flogged more severely,^(I) and been exposed to death again and again.^{(J) 24} Five times I received from the Jews the forty lashes^(K) minus one. ²⁵ Three times I was beaten with rods,^(L) once I was pelted with stones,^(M) three times I was shipwrecked,^(N) I spent a night and a day in the open sea, ²⁶ I have been constantly on the move. I have been in danger from rivers, in danger from bandits, in danger from my fellow Jews,^(O) in danger from Gentiles; in danger in the city,^(P) in danger in the country, in danger at sea; and in danger from false believers.^{(Q) 27} I have labored and toiled^(R) and have often gone without sleep; I have known hunger and thirst and have often gone without food;^(S) I have been cold and naked. ²⁸ Besides everything else, I face daily the pressure of my concern for all the churches.^{(T) 29} Who is weak, and I do not feel weak?^(U) Who is led into sin,^(V) and I do not inwardly burn?

³⁰ If I must boast, I will boast^(W) of the things that show my weakness.^{(X) 31} The God and Father of the Lord Jesus, who is to be praised forever,^(Y) knows^(Z) that I am not lying. ³² In Damascus the governor under King Aretas had the city of the Damascenes guarded in order to arrest me.^{(AA) 33} But I was lowered in a basket from a window in the wall and slipped through his hands.^(AB)