Daniel 6

Common English Bible

Plot against Daniel

6 Darius decided to appoint one hundred twenty chief administrators throughout the kingdom, ²and 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. ³Because 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. ⁴As 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.

⁵So 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]

⁶So these officers and chief administrators ganged together and went to the king. They said to him, “Long live King Darius! ⁷All 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. ⁸Now, 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.” ⁹Because of this, King Darius signed the document containing the law.

Daniel prays

¹⁰When 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. ¹¹Just then these men, all ganged together, came upon Daniel praying and seeking mercy from his God. ¹²They 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.”

¹³So 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!”

¹⁴When 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. ¹⁵But 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

¹⁶So 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]

¹⁷A 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. ¹⁸The king then went home to his palace and fasted through the night. No pleasures^[d] were brought to him, and he couldn’t sleep. ¹⁹At dawn, at the first sign of light, the king rose and rushed to the lions’ pit.

²⁰As 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?”

²¹Then Daniel answered the king: “Long live the king! ²²My 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.”

²³The 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. ²⁴The 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

²⁵Then King Darius wrote the following decree:

To all the peoples, nations, and languages inhabiting the entire earth: I wish you much peace. ²⁶I 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.
²⁷He 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.

²⁸And 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

Daniel 6

Complete Jewish Bible

6 ^(5:31)The kingdom passed to Daryavesh the Mede when he was about sixty-two years old. ²⁽¹⁾Daryavesh decided to set over the kingdom 120 viceroys to rule throughout the entire kingdom, ³⁽²⁾with three chiefs over them, of whom Dani’el was one, so that these viceroys could be responsible to them and so that the king’s interests would be safeguarded. ⁴⁽³⁾But because an extraordinary spirit was in this Dani’el, he so distinguished himself above the other chiefs and the viceroys that the king considered putting him in charge of the whole kingdom. ⁵⁽⁴⁾The other chiefs and the viceroys tried to find a cause for complaint against Dani’el in regard to how he performed his governing duties, but they could find nothing to complain about, no fault; on the contrary, because he was so faithful, not a single instance of negligence or faulty administration could be found.

⁶⁽⁵⁾Then these men said, “We’re not going to find any cause for complaint against this Dani’el unless we can find something against him in regard to the law of his god.” ⁷⁽⁶⁾So these chiefs and viceroys descended on the king and said to him, “King Daryavesh, live forever! ⁸⁽⁷⁾All the chiefs of the kingdom, along with the prefects, viceroys, advisers and governors, have met and agreed that the king should issue a decree putting in force the following law: ‘Whoever makes a request of any god or man during the next thirty days, except of you, your majesty, is to be thrown into the lion pit.’ ⁹⁽⁸⁾Now, your majesty, issue this decree over your signature, so that it cannot be revoked, as required by the law of the Medes and Persians, which is itself irrevocable.” ¹⁰⁽⁹⁾So King Daryavesh signed the document, and the decree became law.

¹¹⁽¹⁰⁾On learning that the document had been signed, Dani’el went home. The windows of his upstairs room were open in the direction of Yerushalayim; and there he kneeled down three times a day and prayed, giving thanks before his God, just as he had been doing before. ¹²⁽¹¹⁾Then these men descended on Dani’el and found him making requests and pleading before his God. ¹³⁽¹²⁾So they went to remind the king of his royal decree: “Didn’t you sign a law prohibiting anyone from making requests of any god or man within thirty days, except yourself, your majesty, on pain of being thrown into the lion pit?” The king answered, “Yes, that is true, as required by the law of the Medes and Persians, which is itself irrevocable.” ¹⁴⁽¹³⁾They replied to the king, “That Dani’el, one of the exiles from Y’hudah, respects neither you, your majesty, nor the decree you signed; instead, he continues praying three times a day.” ¹⁵⁽¹⁴⁾When the king heard this report, he was very upset. He determined to save Dani’el and worked until sunset to find a way to rescue him. ¹⁶⁽¹⁵⁾But these men descended on the king and said to him, “Remember, your majesty, that it is a law of the Medes and Persians that no decree or edict, once issued by the king, can be revoked.”

¹⁷⁽¹⁶⁾So the king gave the order, and they brought Dani’el and threw him into the lion pit. The king said to Dani’el, “Your God, whom you are always serving, will save you.” ¹⁸⁽¹⁷⁾A stone was brought to block the opening of the pit, and the king sealed it with his own signet and with the signet of his lords, so that nothing concerning Dani’el could be changed.

¹⁹⁽¹⁸⁾Then the king returned to his palace. He spent the night fasting and refusing to be entertained, as sleep eluded him. ²⁰⁽¹⁹⁾Early in the morning, the king got up and hurried to the lion pit. ²¹⁽²⁰⁾On approaching the pit where Dani’el was, the king cried in a pained voice to Dani’el, “Dani’el, servant of the living God! Has your God, whom you are always serving, been able to save you from the lions?” ²²⁽²¹⁾Then Dani’el answered the king, “May the king live forever! ²³⁽²²⁾My God sent his angel to shut the lions’ mouths, so they haven’t hurt me. This is because before him I was found innocent; and also I have done no harm to you, your majesty.” ²⁴⁽²³⁾The king was overjoyed and ordered Dani’el taken up from the pit. So Dani’el was taken up from the pit, and he was found to be completely unharmed, because he had trusted in his God.

²⁵⁽²⁴⁾Then the king gave an order, and they brought those men who had accused Dani’el, and they threw them into the lion pit — them, their children and their wives — and before they even reached the bottom of the pit, the lions had them in their control and broke all their bones to pieces.

²⁶⁽²⁵⁾King Daryavesh wrote all the peoples, nations and languages living anywhere on earth:

“Shalom rav! [Abundant peace!]

²⁷⁽²⁶⁾“I herewith issue a decree that everywhere in my kingdom, people are to tremble and be in awe of the God of Dani’el.

    “For he is the living God;
    he endures forever.
    His kingdom will never be destroyed;
    his rulership will last till the end.
²⁸⁽²⁷⁾He saves, rescues, does signs and wonders
    both in heaven and on earth.
    He delivered Dani’el
    from the power of the lions.”

²⁹⁽²⁸⁾So this Dani’el prospered during the reign of Daryavesh, and also during the reign of Koresh the Persian.

Common English Bible (CEB)

Complete Jewish Bible (CJB)

Daniel 6 Common English Bible