Daniel 6
Nueva Versión Internacional
Daniel en el foso de los leones
6 Le pareció bien a Darío nombrar ciento veinte sátrapas que gobernaran todo el reino 2 y tres administradores, uno de los cuales era Daniel. Estos sátrapas eran responsables ante los administradores, a fin de que los intereses del rey no se vieran afectados. 3 Y tanto se distinguió Daniel entre los administradores y los sátrapas por sus extraordinarias cualidades que el rey pensó en ponerlo al frente de todo el reino. 4 Entonces los administradores y los sátrapas empezaron a buscar algún motivo para acusar a Daniel de malos manejos en los negocios del reino. Sin embargo, no pudieron encontrar corrupción en él, porque era digno de confianza y no era negligente ni corrupto. 5 Por eso concluyeron: «Nunca encontraremos nada de qué acusar a Daniel, a no ser algo relacionado con la Ley de su Dios».
6 Entonces esos administradores y sátrapas fueron de común acuerdo al rey y dijeron:
—¡Que viva para siempre el rey Darío! 7 Nosotros los administradores reales, junto con los prefectos, sátrapas, consejeros y gobernadores, convenimos en que Su Majestad debiera emitir y confirmar un decreto que exija que, durante los próximos treinta días, sea arrojado al foso de los leones todo el que adore a cualquier dios u hombre que no sea Su Majestad. 8 Expida usted ahora ese decreto y póngalo por escrito. Así, conforme a la ley de los medos y los persas, no podrá ser revocado.
9 El rey Darío expidió el decreto y lo puso por escrito.
10 Cuando Daniel se enteró de la publicación del decreto, se fue a su casa y subió a su dormitorio, cuyas ventanas se abrían en dirección a Jerusalén. Allí se arrodilló y se puso a orar y alabar a Dios, pues tenía por costumbre orar tres veces al día. 11 Cuando aquellos hombres llegaron y encontraron a Daniel orando e implorando la ayuda de Dios, 12 fueron a hablar con el rey respecto al decreto real:
—¿No es verdad que usted publicó un decreto? Según entendemos, todo el que en los próximos treinta días ore a otro dios u hombre que no sea Su Majestad será arrojado al foso de los leones.
El rey contestó:
—El decreto sigue en pie. Según la ley de los medos y los persas, no puede ser revocado.
13 Ellos respondieron:
—Pues Daniel, que es uno de los exiliados de Judá, no toma en cuenta a Su Majestad ni el decreto que ha promulgado. ¡Continúa orando tres veces al día!
14 Cuando el rey escuchó esto, se deprimió mucho y se propuso salvar a Daniel, así que durante todo el día buscó la forma de salvarlo. 15 Pero aquellos hombres fueron a ver al rey y lo presionaron:
—Recuerde, Su Majestad que, según la ley de los medos y los persas, ningún decreto ni edicto emitido por el rey puede ser modificado.
16 El rey dio entonces la orden y Daniel fue arrojado al foso de los leones. Allí el rey animaba a Daniel:
—¡Que tu Dios, a quien sirves continuamente, se digne salvarte!
17 Trajeron entonces una piedra y con ella taparon la boca del foso. El rey lo selló con su propio anillo y con el de sus nobles para que la sentencia contra Daniel no pudiera ser cambiada. 18 Luego volvió a su palacio y pasó la noche sin comer y sin divertirse, hasta el sueño se le fue.
19 Tan pronto como amaneció, se levantó y fue al foso de los leones. 20 Ya cerca, lleno de ansiedad gritó:
—Daniel, siervo del Dios viviente, ¿pudo tu Dios, a quien sirves continuamente, salvarte de los leones?
21 —¡Que viva el rey por siempre! —contestó Daniel—. 22 Mi Dios envió a su ángel, quien cerró la boca a los leones. No me han hecho ningún daño, porque Dios bien sabe que soy inocente. ¡Tampoco he cometido nada malo contra Su Majestad!
23 Sin ocultar su alegría, el rey ordenó que sacaran del foso a Daniel. Cuando lo sacaron, no se le halló un solo rasguño, pues Daniel confiaba en su Dios.
24 Entonces el rey mandó traer a los que lo habían acusado y ordenó que los arrojaran al foso de los leones, junto con sus esposas y sus hijos. ¡No habían tocado el suelo cuando ya los leones habían caído sobre ellos y les habían triturado los huesos!
25 Entonces, el rey Darío escribió un decreto a todos los pueblos, naciones y lenguas de la tierra:
¡Paz y prosperidad!
26 He decretado que en todo lugar de mi reino la gente adore y honre al Dios de Daniel.
Porque él es el Dios vivo,
y permanece para siempre.
Su reino jamás será destruido,
y su dominio jamás tendrá fin.
27 Él rescata y salva;
hace señales y maravillas
en los cielos y en la tierra.
¡Ha salvado a Daniel
de las garras de los leones!
28 Fue así como Daniel prosperó durante los reinados de Darío y de Ciro el Persa.
Daniel 6
New International Version
Daniel in the Den of Lions
6 [a]It pleased Darius(A) to appoint 120 satraps(B) to rule throughout the kingdom, 2 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. 3 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) 4 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. 5 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)
6 So these administrators and satraps went as a group to the king and said: “May King Darius live forever!(H) 7 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) 8 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) 9 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
- Daniel 6:1 In Aramaic texts 6:1-28 is numbered 6:2-29.
- Daniel 6:28 Or Darius, that is, the reign of Cyrus
Daniel 6
English Standard Version
Daniel and the Lions' Den
6 It pleased Darius to set over the kingdom (A)120 (B)satraps, to be throughout the whole kingdom; 2 and over them (C)three high officials, of whom Daniel was one, to whom these (D)satraps should give account, so that the king might suffer no loss. 3 Then this Daniel became (E)distinguished above all (F)the other high officials and (G)satraps, because (H)an excellent spirit was in him. And the king planned (I)to set him over the whole kingdom. 4 Then (J)the high officials and (K)the satraps (L)sought to find a ground for complaint against Daniel with regard to the kingdom, (M)but they could find no ground for complaint or any fault, because he was faithful, (N)and no error or fault was found in him. 5 Then these 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.”
6 Then these (O)high officials and (P)satraps came by agreement[a] to the king and said to him, “O (Q)King Darius, live forever! 7 All the (R)high officials of the kingdom, the prefects and the satraps, the (S)counselors and the governors are agreed that the king should establish an ordinance and enforce an (T)injunction, that whoever makes petition to any god or man for thirty days, except to you, O king, shall be cast into the den of lions. 8 Now, O king, establish (U)the injunction and sign the document, so that it cannot be changed, according to (V)the law of (W)the Medes and the Persians, (X)which cannot be revoked.” 9 Therefore King Darius signed the document and (Y)injunction.
10 When Daniel knew that the document had been signed, he went to his house where (Z)he had windows in his upper chamber open (AA)toward Jerusalem. He got down on his knees (AB)three times a day and prayed and (AC)gave thanks before his God, as he had done previously. 11 Then these men came by agreement and found Daniel making petition and plea before his God. 12 Then they (AD)came near and said before the king, concerning the injunction, “O king! Did you not sign (AE)an injunction, that anyone who makes petition to any god or man within thirty days except to you, O king, shall be cast into the den of lions?” The king answered and said, “The thing stands fast, according to the law of (AF)the Medes and Persians, (AG)which cannot be revoked.” 13 Then they answered and said before the king, (AH)“Daniel, who is one (AI)of the exiles (AJ)from Judah, (AK)pays no attention to you, O king, or (AL)the injunction you have signed, but makes his petition (AM)three times a day.”
14 Then (AN)the king, when he heard these words, (AO)was much distressed and set his mind to deliver Daniel. And he labored till the sun went down to rescue him. 15 Then these men came by agreement to the king and said to the king, “Know, O king, that it is a law of the Medes and Persians that no (AP)injunction or ordinance that the king establishes can be changed.”
16 Then the king commanded, and Daniel was brought and cast into the den of lions. The king declared[b] to Daniel, “May (AQ)your God, whom you serve continually, deliver you!” 17 (AR)And a stone was brought and laid on the mouth of the den, (AS)and the king sealed it (AT)with his own signet and with the signet of his (AU)lords, that nothing might be changed concerning Daniel. 18 Then the king went to his palace and spent the night fasting; (AV)no diversions were brought to him, and (AW)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 (AX)the living God, (AY)has your God, whom you serve continually, (AZ)been able to deliver you from the lions?” 21 Then Daniel said to the king, (BA)“O king, live forever! 22 My God (BB)sent his angel (BC)and shut the lions' mouths, and they have not harmed me, because I was found blameless (BD)before him; (BE)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 (BF)no kind of harm was found on him, because he had trusted in his God. 24 And the king commanded, and (BG)those men who had maliciously accused Daniel were brought and cast into the den of lions—they, their children, and their wives. And before they reached the bottom of the den, the lions overpowered them and broke all their bones in pieces.
25 Then King Darius wrote to all (BH)the peoples, nations, and languages (BI)that dwell in all the earth: (BJ)“Peace be multiplied to you. 26 (BK)I make a decree, that in all my royal dominion (BL)people are to tremble and fear before the God of Daniel,
for (BM)he is (BN)the living God,
enduring forever;
his kingdom shall never be destroyed,
(BO)and his dominion shall be (BP)to the end.
27 He delivers and rescues;
he works (BQ)signs and wonders
in heaven and on earth,
he who has (BR)saved Daniel
from the power of the lions.”
28 So this Daniel prospered during the reign of Darius and (BS)the reign of (BT)Cyrus the Persian.
Footnotes
- Daniel 6:6 Or came thronging; also verses 11, 15
- Daniel 6:16 Aramaic answered and said; also verse 20
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