Then these (A)high officials and (B)satraps came by agreement[a] to the king and said to him, “O (C)King Darius, live forever! All the (D)high officials of the kingdom, the prefects and the satraps, the (E)counselors and the governors are agreed that the king should establish an ordinance and enforce an (F)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. Now, O king, establish (G)the injunction and sign the document, so that it cannot be changed, according to (H)the law of (I)the Medes and the Persians, (J)which cannot be revoked.” Therefore King Darius signed the document and (K)injunction.

10 When Daniel knew that the document had been signed, he went to his house where (L)he had windows in his upper chamber open (M)toward Jerusalem. He got down on his knees (N)three times a day and prayed and (O)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 (P)came near and said before the king, concerning the injunction, “O king! Did you not sign (Q)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 (R)the Medes and Persians, (S)which cannot be revoked.” 13 Then they answered and said before the king, (T)“Daniel, who is one (U)of the exiles (V)from Judah, (W)pays no attention to you, O king, or (X)the injunction you have signed, but makes his petition (Y)three times a day.”

Read full chapter

Footnotes

  1. Daniel 6:6 Or came thronging; also verses 11, 15

So these administrators and satraps went as a group to the king and said: “May King Darius live forever!(A) The royal administrators, prefects, satraps, advisers and governors(B) 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.(C) 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put it in writing so that it cannot be altered—in accordance with the law of the Medes and Persians, which cannot be repealed.”(D) So King Darius put the decree in writing.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(E) Jerusalem. Three times a day he got down on his knees(F) and prayed, giving thanks to his God, just as he had done before.(G) 11 Then these men went as a group and found Daniel praying and asking God for help.(H) 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.”(I)

13 Then they said to the king, “Daniel, who is one of the exiles from Judah,(J) pays no attention(K) to you, Your Majesty, or to the decree you put in writing. He still prays three times a day.”

Read full chapter