Daniel 6
Common English Bible
Plot against Daniel
6 Darius decided to appoint one hundred twenty chief administrators throughout the kingdom, 2 and to set over them three main officers to whom they would report so that the king wouldn’t have to be bothered with too much.[a] One of these main officers was Daniel. 3 Because of his extraordinary spirit, Daniel soon surpassed the other officers and the chief administrators—so much so that the king had plans to set him over the entire kingdom. 4 As a result, the other officers and the chief administrators tried to find some problem with Daniel’s work for the kingdom. But they couldn’t find any problem or corruption at all because Daniel was trustworthy. He wasn’t guilty of any negligence or corruption.
5 So these men said, “We won’t find any fault in Daniel, unless we can find something to use against him from his religious practice.”[b]
6 So these officers and chief administrators ganged together and went to the king. They said to him, “Long live King Darius! 7 All the officers of the kingdom, the ministers, the chief administrators, the royal associates, and the governors advise the king to issue an edict and enforce a law, that for thirty days anyone who says prayers to any god or human being except you, Your Majesty, will be thrown into a pit of lions. 8 Now, Your Majesty, issue the law and sign the document so that it cannot be changed, as per the law of Media and Persia, which cannot be annulled.” 9 Because of this, King Darius signed the document containing the law.
Daniel prays
10 When Daniel learned that the document had been signed, he went to his house. Now his upper room had open windows that faced Jerusalem. Daniel knelt down, prayed, and praised his God three times that day, just like he always did. 11 Just then these men, all ganged together, came upon Daniel praying and seeking mercy from his God. 12 They then went and talked to the king about the law: “Your Majesty! Didn’t you sign a law, that for thirty days any person who prays to any god or human being besides you, Your Majesty, would be thrown into a pit of lions?”
The king replied, “The decision is absolutely firm in accordance with the law of Media and Persia, which cannot be annulled.”
13 So they said to the king, “One of the Judean exiles, Daniel, has ignored you, Your Majesty, as well as the law you signed. He says his prayers three times a day!”
14 When the king heard this report, he was very unhappy. He decided to rescue Daniel and did everything he could do to save Daniel before the sun went down. 15 But these men, all ganged together, came and said to the king, “You must realize, Your Majesty, that the law of Media and Persia, including every law and edict the king has issued, cannot be changed.”
Daniel in the lions’ pit
16 So the king gave the order, and they brought Daniel and hurled him into the pit of lions.
The king said to Daniel: “Your God—the one you serve so consistently—will rescue you.”[c]
17 A single stone was brought and placed over the entrance to the pit. The king sealed it with his own ring and with those of his princes so that Daniel’s situation couldn’t be changed. 18 The king then went home to his palace and fasted through the night. No pleasures[d] were brought to him, and he couldn’t sleep. 19 At dawn, at the first sign of light, the king rose and rushed to the lions’ pit.
20 As he approached it, he called out to Daniel, worried: “Daniel, servant of the living God! Was your God—the one you serve so consistently—able to rescue you from the lions?”
21 Then Daniel answered the king: “Long live the king! 22 My God sent his messenger, who shut the lions’ mouths. They haven’t touched me because I was judged innocent before my God. I haven’t done anything wrong to you either, Your Majesty.”
23 The king was thrilled. He commanded that Daniel be brought up out of the pit, and Daniel was lifted out. Not a scratch was found on him, because he trusted in his God. 24 The king then ordered that the men who had accused Daniel be brought and thrown into the lions’ pit—including their wives and children. They hadn’t even reached the bottom of the pit before the lions overpowered them, crushing all their bones.
New decree
25 Then King Darius wrote the following decree:
To all the peoples, nations, and languages inhabiting the entire earth: I wish you much peace. 26 I now issue this command: In every region of my kingdom, all people must fear and revere Daniel’s God because:
He is the living God.
God stands firm forever.
His kingship is indestructible.
God’s rule will last until the end of time.
27 He is rescuer and savior;
God performs signs and miracles in heaven and on earth.
Here’s the proof:
He rescued Daniel from the lions’ power.
28 And so Daniel was made prosperous during the rule of Darius and during the rule of Cyrus the Persian.
Footnotes
- Daniel 6:2 Aram uncertain
- Daniel 6:5 Or in the Instruction of his God
- Daniel 6:16 Or May your God—the one you serve so consistently—rescue you.
- Daniel 6:18 Aram uncertain
但以理书 6
Chinese Union Version Modern Punctuation (Simplified)
大流士王立但以理为三总长之一
6 大流士随心所愿，立一百二十个总督，治理通国。 2 又在他们以上立总长三人，但以理在其中，使总督在他们三人面前回复事务，免得王受亏损。 3 因这但以理有美好的灵性，所以显然超乎其余的总长和总督，王又想立他治理通国。
众臣妒但以理欲寻隙讼之
4 那时总长和总督寻找但以理误国的把柄，为要参他，只是找不着他的错误过失，因他忠心办事，毫无错误过失。 5 那些人便说：“我们要找参这但以理的把柄，除非在他神的律法中，就寻不着。”
奏请降诏谕民三旬内唯王是求
6 于是，总长和总督纷纷聚集来见王，说：“愿大流士王万岁！ 7 国中的总长、钦差、总督、谋士和巡抚彼此商议，要立一条坚定的禁令[a]，三十日内，不拘何人，若在王以外，或向神或向人求什么，就必扔在狮子坑中。 8 王啊，现在求你立这禁令，加盖玉玺，使禁令决不更改，照玛代和波斯人的例是不可更改的。” 9 于是大流士王立这禁令，加盖玉玺。
但以理仍日三次祷告神
10 但以理知道这禁令盖了玉玺，就到自己家里（他楼上的窗户开向耶路撒冷），一日三次双膝跪在他神面前祷告感谢，与素常一样。 11 那些人就纷纷聚集，见但以理在他神面前祈祷恳求。 12 他们便进到王前，提王的禁令，说：“王啊，三十日内不拘何人，若在王以外，或向神或向人求什么，必被扔在狮子坑中。王不是在这禁令上盖了玉玺吗？”王回答说：“实有这事，照玛代和波斯人的例是不可更改的。” 13 他们对王说：“王啊，那被掳之犹大人中的但以理不理你，也不遵你盖了玉玺的禁令，他竟一日三次祈祷。” 14 王听见这话就甚愁烦，一心要救但以理，筹划解救他，直到日落的时候。 15 那些人就纷纷聚集来见王，说：“王啊，当知道玛代人和波斯人有例，凡王所立的禁令和律例都不可更改。”
王依禁令投之于狮坑
16 王下令，人就把但以理带来，扔在狮子坑中。王对但以理说：“你所常侍奉的神，他必救你。” 17 有人搬石头放在坑口，王用自己的玺和大臣的印封闭那坑，使惩办但以理的事毫无更改。 18 王回宫，终夜禁食，无人拿乐器到他面前，并且睡不着觉。
主护但以理不为狮伤
19 次日黎明王就起来，急忙往狮子坑那里去。 20 临近坑边，哀声呼叫但以理，对但以理说：“永生神的仆人但以理啊，你所常侍奉的神能救你脱离狮子吗？” 21 但以理对王说：“愿王万岁！ 22 我的神差遣使者封住狮子的口，叫狮子不伤我，因我在神面前无辜，我在王面前也没有行过亏损的事。” 23 王就甚喜乐，吩咐人将但以理从坑里系上来。于是但以理从坑里被系上来，身上毫无伤损，因为信靠他的神。
讼但以理者遭报见噬
24 王下令，人就把那些控告但以理的人连他们的妻子、儿女都带来，扔在狮子坑中。他们还没有到坑底，狮子就抓住[b]他们，咬碎他们的骨头。
王谕全国敬畏神
25 那时大流士王传旨，晓谕住在全地，各方、各国、各族的人说：“愿你们大享平安！ 26 现在我降旨晓谕我所统辖的全国人民，要在但以理的神面前战兢恐惧。因为他是永远长存的活神，他的国永不败坏，他的权柄永存无极。 27 他护庇人，搭救人，在天上地下施行神迹奇事，救了但以理脱离狮子的口。”
28 如此，这但以理当大流士王在位的时候和波斯王居鲁士在位的时候，大享亨通。
Copyright © 2011 by Common English Bible
Copyright © 2011 by Global Bible Initiative