Daniel 6:1-10

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.