Add parallel Print Page Options

The Plot against Daniel

[a]It pleased Darius to set over the kingdom one hundred twenty satraps, stationed throughout the whole kingdom,(A) and over them three administrators, one of whom was Daniel; to these the satraps gave account, so that the king might suffer no loss.(B) Soon Daniel distinguished himself above the other administrators and satraps because an excellent spirit was in him, and the king planned to appoint him over the whole kingdom.(C) So the administrators and the satraps tried to find grounds for complaint against Daniel in connection with the kingdom. But they could find no grounds for complaint or any corruption, because he was faithful, and no negligence or corruption could be found in him.(D) The men said, “We shall not find any ground for complaint against this Daniel unless we find it in connection with the law of his God.”

So the administrators and satraps conspired and came to the king and said to him, “O King Darius, live forever!(E) All the administrators of the kingdom, the prefects and the satraps, the counselors and the governors are agreed that the king should establish an ordinance and enforce an interdict, that whoever prays to any god or human, for thirty days, except to you, O king, shall be thrown into the den of lions.(F) Now, O king, establish the interdict and sign the document, so that it cannot be changed, according to the law of the Medes and the Persians, which cannot be revoked.”(G) Therefore King Darius signed the document and interdict.(H)

Daniel in the Lions’ Den

10 Although Daniel knew that the document had been signed, he continued to go to his house, which had windows in its upper room open toward Jerusalem, and to get down on his knees three times a day to pray to his God and praise him, just as he had done previously.(I) 11 Then those men watched[b] and found Daniel praying and seeking mercy before his God. 12 Then they approached the king and said concerning the interdict, “O king! Did you not sign an interdict, that anyone who prays to any god or human, within thirty days, except to you, O king, shall be thrown into the den of lions?” The king answered, “The thing stands fast, according to the law of the Medes and Persians, which cannot be revoked.”(J) 13 Then they responded to the king, “Daniel, one of the exiles from Judah, pays no attention to you, O king, or to the interdict you have signed, but he is saying his prayers three times a day.”(K)

14 When the king heard the charge, he was very much distressed. He was determined to save Daniel, and until the sun went down he made every effort to rescue him.(L) 15 Then the conspirators came to the king and said to him, “Know, O king, that it is a law of the Medes and Persians that no interdict or ordinance that the king establishes can be changed.”(M)

16 Then the king gave the command, and Daniel was brought and thrown into the den of lions. The king said to Daniel, “May your God, whom you faithfully serve, deliver you!”(N) 17 A stone was brought and laid on the mouth of the den, and the king sealed it with his own signet ring and with the signet ring of his lords, so that nothing might be changed concerning Daniel. 18 Then the king went to his palace and spent the night fasting; no entertainment was brought to him, and sleep fled from him.(O)

Daniel Saved from the Lions

19 Then at dawn, the king got up and at first light hurried to the den of lions. 20 When he came near the den where Daniel was, he cried out anxiously to Daniel, “O Daniel, servant of the living God, has your God whom you faithfully serve been able to deliver you from the lions?”(P) 21 Daniel then said to the king, “O king, live forever! 22 My God sent his angel and shut the lions’ mouths so that they would not hurt me, because I was found blameless before him; also before you, O king, I have done no wrong.”(Q) 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 no kind of harm was found on him because he had trusted in his God.(R) 24 The king gave a command, and those who had maliciously accused Daniel were brought and thrown into the den of lions—they, their children, and their wives. Before they reached the bottom of the den, the lions overpowered them and broke all their bones in pieces.(S)

25 Then King Darius wrote to all peoples and nations of every language throughout the whole world: “May you have abundant prosperity!(T) 26 I make a decree, that in all my royal dominion people shall tremble and fear before the God of Daniel:

For he is the living God,
    enduring forever.
His kingdom shall never be destroyed,
    and his dominion has no end.(U)
27 He delivers and rescues;
    he works signs and wonders in heaven and on earth;
he has saved Daniel
    from the power of the lions.”

28 So this Daniel prospered during the reign of Darius and the reign of Cyrus the Persian.(V)

Footnotes

  1. 6.1 6.2 in Aram
  2. 6.11 Gk Theodotion Syr: Aram rushed in

Daniel en el foso de los leones

Darío decidió nombrar ciento 20 hombres[a] para que gobernaran las diferentes provincias de su reino. Además eligió a tres ministros ante los cuales debían rendir cuentas los 120 gobernadores de las provincias. Daniel era uno de los tres ministros. El rey nombró a los ministros para que todo estuviera vigilado y no corriera ningún riesgo. Daniel demostró que era mucho mejor que los demás ministros y gobernadores. El rey estaba muy impresionado por sus habilidades y sabiduría y quería nombrarlo como dirigente de todo el reino. Entonces los demás gobernadores y ministros buscaron alguna falta en la administración que hacía Daniel de los asuntos del reino. Pero no encontraron nada malo porque Daniel era un hombre de fiar y no aceptaba sobornos ni era corrupto.

Entonces ellos dijeron: «No vamos a encontrar nada malo en su trabajo, mejor busquemos en su religión la forma de acusarlo».

Así que fueron en grupo a hablar con el rey y le dijeron:

—¡Viva el rey Darío por siempre! Majestad, los ministros, prefectos[b], gobernadores de provincias y demás colaboradores tenemos una propuesta. Hemos pensado prohibir durante 30 días que las personas hagan oraciones o peticiones a cualquier dios o persona que no sea el rey. Quien no cumpla esta norma será mandado al foso de los leones. Su majestad debe aprobar el decreto y firmarlo para que sea una ley. Esa ley no podrá cambiarse porque las leyes de los medos y los persas no pueden cambiarse ni anularse.

Entonces el rey Darío aprobó la ley y la firmó.

10 Daniel, sabiendo que el rey había firmado esa ley, de inmediato se fue a su casa y abrió las ventanas del segundo piso que daban hacia Jerusalén, y se arrodilló para orar y dar gracias a Dios, tal como siempre lo hacía tres veces al día.

11 Luego esos hombres fueron a la casa de Daniel y lo encontraron orando y alabando a su Dios. 12 En seguida se presentaron ante el rey y dijeron:

—Majestad, usted ha firmado una ley prohibiendo durante 30 días que se hagan oraciones o peticiones a cualquier dios o persona que no sea usted. Y quien no obedezca será mandado al foso de los leones. ¿No es verdad?

El rey respondió:

—Así es. Es una ley para los medos y los persas, y no puede anularse ni cambiarse.

13 Entonces le dijeron al rey:

—Daniel, uno de los deportados de Judá, no lo respeta a usted ni a la ley que usted firmó. Todo lo contrario, dice oraciones a su Dios tres veces al día.

14 El rey quedó muy triste después de escuchar esas palabras. Se puso a pensar en alguna solución para salvar a Daniel. Estuvo hasta el anochecer buscando alguna manera de rescatarlo. 15 Pero aquellos hombres urgían al rey diciendo:

—Majestad, usted sabe que según la ley de los medos y de los persas, las leyes y normas firmadas por el rey no se pueden cambiar.

16 Así que el rey les ordenó que trajeran a Daniel y lo metieran en el foso de los leones. El rey le dijo a Daniel:

—Espero que tu Dios, a quien sirves con tanta devoción, te salve.

17 Luego pusieron una enorme roca tapando el foso. El rey puso su sello y el de sus altos funcionarios para que nadie pudiera cambiar la sentencia contra Daniel. 18 El rey se fue para su palacio. Se acostó sin cenar y no aceptó ninguna distracción, pero no pudo dormir en toda la noche.

19 A la mañana siguiente, el rey se levantó apenas salió el sol y se fue para el foso de los leones. 20 Cuando llegó al lugar gritó:

—¡Daniel! Tú eres servidor del Dios viviente y siempre estás a su servicio. ¿Tu Dios pudo salvarte de los leones?

21 Daniel respondió:

—¡Viva el rey por siempre! 22 Mi Dios envió a su ángel a cerrar la boca de los leones y no me han hecho nada, porque sabe que soy inocente, y tampoco le he hecho a usted, majestad, ningún mal.

23 El rey se alegró y ordenó que sacaran a Daniel del foso de los leones. Cuando lo sacaron de allí, vieron que no tenía ni un rasguño porque había confiado en su Dios. 24 Entonces el rey ordenó que llevaran ante él a los hombres que habían acusado a Daniel. Los llevaron y luego los echaron en el foso de los leones junto con sus esposas y sus hijos. Apenas entraron al foso, los leones les devoraron hasta los huesos.

25 El rey Darío escribió este mensaje para la gente de todas las naciones y lenguas del mundo:

«Los saludo a todos y deseo que tengan paz y prosperidad.

26 »Ordeno que en todo mi reino, hasta en la más pequeña provincia, todos adoren y respeten al Dios de Daniel.

ȃl es el Dios vivo
    y existe para siempre.
Su reino jamás será destruido;
    su poder no tiene fin.
27 Él salva y libera;
    hace prodigios y milagros
    en la tierra y en el cielo.
Él salvó a Daniel
    de las garras de los leones».

28 Daniel siguió siendo muy importante durante el reinado de Darío y también durante el reinado de Ciro, rey de Persia.

Footnotes

  1. 6:1 hombres Textualmente sátrapas, gobernadores de las provincias persas.
  2. 6:7 prefectos Funcionarios de alto rango.

It pleased [King] Darius [successor to Belshazzar] to set over the kingdom 120 satraps who should be [in charge] throughout all the kingdom,

And over them three presidents—of whom Daniel was one—that these satraps might give account to them and that the king should have no loss or damage.

Then this Daniel was distinguished above the presidents and the satraps because an excellent spirit was in him, and the king thought to set him over the whole realm.

Then the presidents and satraps sought to find occasion [to bring accusation] against Daniel concerning the kingdom, but they could find no occasion or fault, for he was faithful, nor was there any error or fault found in him.

Then said these men, We shall not find any occasion [to bring accusation] against this Daniel except we find it against him concerning the law of his God.(A)

Then these presidents and satraps came [tumultuously] together to the king and said to him, King Darius, live forever!

All the presidents of the kingdom, the deputies and the satraps, the counselors and the governors, have consulted and agreed that the king should establish a royal statute and make a firm decree that whoever shall ask a petition of any god or man for thirty days, except of you, O king, shall be cast into the den of lions.

Now, O king, establish the decree and sign the writing that it may not be changed, according to the law of the Medes and Persians, which cannot be altered.

So King Darius signed the writing and the decree.

10 Now when Daniel knew that the writing was signed, he went into his house, and his windows being open in his chamber toward Jerusalem, he got down upon his knees three times a day and prayed and gave thanks before his God, as he had done previously.(B)

11 Then these men came thronging [by agreement] and found Daniel praying and making supplication before his God.

12 Then they came near and said before the king concerning his prohibitory decree, Have you not signed an edict that any man who shall make a petition to any god or man within thirty days, except of you, O king, shall be cast into the den of lions? The king answered and said, The thing is true, according to the law of the Medes and Persians, which cannot be changed or repealed.

13 Then they said before the king, That Daniel, who is one of the exiles from Judah, does not regard or pay any attention to you, O king, or to the decree that you have signed, but makes his petition three times a day.

14 Then the king, when he heard these words, was much distressed [over what he had done] and set his mind on Daniel to deliver him; and he labored until the sun went down to rescue him.

15 Then these same men came thronging [by agreement] to the king and said, Know, O king, that it is a law of the Medes and Persians that no decree or statute which the king establishes may be changed or repealed.

16 Then the king commanded, and Daniel was brought and cast into the den of lions. The king said to Daniel, May your God, Whom you are serving continually, deliver you!(C)

17 And a stone was brought and laid upon the mouth of the den, and the king sealed it with his own signet and with the signet of his lords, that there might be no change of purpose concerning Daniel.

18 Then the king went to his palace and passed the night fasting, neither were instruments of music or dancing girls brought before him; and his sleep fled from him.

19 Then the king arose very early in the morning and went in haste to the den of lions.

20 And when he came to the den and to Daniel, he cried out in a voice of anguish. The king said to Daniel, O Daniel, servant of the living God, is your God, Whom you serve continually, able to deliver you from the lions?

21 Then Daniel said to the king, O king, live forever!

22 My God has sent His angel and has shut the lions’ mouths so that they have not hurt me, because I was found innocent and blameless before Him; and also before you, O king, [as you very well know] I have done no harm or wrong.(D)

23 Then the king was exceedingly glad and commanded that Daniel should be taken up out of the den. So Daniel was taken up out of the den, and no hurt of any kind was found on him because he believed in (relied on, adhered to, and trusted in) his God.

24 And the king commanded, and those men who had accused Daniel were brought and cast into the den of lions, they, their children, and their wives; and before they ever reached the bottom of the den, the lions had overpowered them and had broken their bones in pieces.

25 Then King Darius wrote to all peoples, nations, and languages [in his realm] that dwelt in all the earth: May peace be multiplied to you!

26 I make a decree that in all my royal dominion men must tremble and fear before the God of Daniel, for He is the living God, enduring and steadfast forever, and His kingdom shall not be destroyed and His dominion shall be even to the end [of the world].

27 He is a Savior and Deliverer, and He works signs and wonders in the heavens and on the earth—He Who has delivered Daniel from the power of the lions.

28 So this [man] Daniel prospered in the reign of Darius and in the reign of Cyrus the Persian.

Daniel in the Den of Lions

[a]It pleased Darius(A) to appoint 120 satraps(B) to rule throughout the kingdom, 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. 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) 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. 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)

So these administrators and satraps went as a group to the king and said: “May King Darius live forever!(H) The royal administrators, prefects, satraps, advisers and governors(I) 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.(J) Now, Your Majesty, issue the decree and put it in writing so that it cannot be altered—in accordance with the law of the Medes and Persians, which cannot be repealed.”(K) So King Darius put the decree in writing.

10 Now when Daniel learned that the decree had been published, he went home to his upstairs room where the windows opened toward(L) Jerusalem. Three times a day he got down on his knees(M) and prayed, giving thanks to his God, just as he had done before.(N) 11 Then these men went as a group and found Daniel praying and asking God for help.(O) 12 So they went to the king and spoke to him about his royal decree: “Did you not publish a decree that during the next thirty days anyone who prays to any god or human being except to you, Your Majesty, would be thrown into the lions’ den?”

The king answered, “The decree stands—in accordance with the law of the Medes and Persians, which cannot be repealed.”(P)

13 Then they said to the king, “Daniel, who is one of the exiles from Judah,(Q) pays no attention(R) to you, Your Majesty, or to the decree you put in writing. He still prays three times a day.” 14 When the king heard this, he was greatly distressed;(S) he was determined to rescue Daniel and made every effort until sundown to save him.

15 Then the men went as a group to King Darius and said to him, “Remember, Your Majesty, that according to the law of the Medes and Persians no decree or edict that the king issues can be changed.”(T)

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

17 A stone was brought and placed over the mouth of the den, and the king sealed(W) 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(X) and without any entertainment being brought to him. And he could not sleep.(Y)

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?”(Z)

21 Daniel answered, “May the king live forever!(AA) 22 My God sent his angel,(AB) and he shut the mouths of the lions.(AC) They have not hurt me, because I was found innocent in his sight.(AD) 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(AE) was found on him, because he had trusted(AF) 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,(AG) along with their wives and children.(AH) And before they reached the floor of the den, the lions overpowered them and crushed all their bones.(AI)

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

“May you prosper greatly!(AK)

26 “I issue a decree that in every part of my kingdom people must fear and reverence(AL) the God of Daniel.(AM)

“For he is the living God(AN)
    and he endures forever;(AO)
his kingdom will not be destroyed,
    his dominion will never end.(AP)
27 He rescues and he saves;(AQ)
    he performs signs and wonders(AR)
    in the heavens and on the earth.
He has rescued Daniel
    from the power of the lions.”(AS)

28 So Daniel prospered during the reign of Darius and the reign of Cyrus[b](AT) the Persian.(AU)

Footnotes

  1. Daniel 6:1 In Aramaic texts 6:1-28 is numbered 6:2-29.
  2. Daniel 6:28 Or Darius, that is, the reign of Cyrus