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.”

⁷ All the ^(A)high officials of the kingdom, the prefects and the satraps, the ^(B)counselors and the governors are agreed that the king should establish an ordinance and enforce an ^(C)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.

¹⁰ When Daniel knew that the document had been signed, he went to his house where ^(A)he had windows in his upper chamber open ^(B)toward Jerusalem. He got down on his knees ^(C)three times a day and prayed and ^(D)gave thanks before his God, as he had done previously.

¹⁶ Then the king commanded, and Daniel was brought and cast into the den of lions. The king declared^[a] to Daniel, “May ^(A)your God, whom you serve continually, deliver you!” ^17 (B)And a stone was brought and laid on the mouth of the den, ^(C)and the king sealed it ^(D)with his own signet and with the signet of his ^(E)lords, that nothing might be changed concerning Daniel.

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 ^(A)the living God, ^(B)has your God, whom you serve continually, ^(C)been able to deliver you from the lions?” ²¹ Then Daniel said to the king, ^(D)“O king, live forever! ²² My God ^(E)sent his angel ^(F)and shut the lions' mouths, and they have not harmed me, because I was found blameless ^(G)before him; ^(H)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 ^(I)no kind of harm was found on him, because he had trusted in his God. ²⁴ And the king commanded, and ^(J)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.

The Guard at the Tomb

⁶² The next day, that is, after the day of ^(A)Preparation, the chief priests and the Pharisees gathered before Pilate ⁶³ and said, “Sir, we remember how ^(B)that impostor said, while he was still alive, ^(C)‘After three days I will rise.’ ⁶⁴ Therefore order the tomb to be made secure until the third day, ^(D)lest his disciples go and steal him away and tell the people, ‘He has risen from the dead,’ and the last fraud will be worse than the first.” ⁶⁵ Pilate said to them, “You have ^(E)a guard^[a] of soldiers. Go, make it as secure as you can.” ⁶⁶ So they went and made the tomb secure by ^(F)sealing the stone and setting a guard.

The Resurrection

28 ^(G)Now after the Sabbath, toward the dawn of the first day of the week, Mary Magdalene and ^(H)the other Mary went to see the tomb. ² And behold, there was a great earthquake, for ^(I)an angel of the Lord descended from heaven and came and rolled back the stone and sat on it. ^3 (J)His appearance was like lightning, and ^(K)his clothing white as snow. ⁴ And for fear of him the guards trembled and ^(L)became like dead men. ⁵ But the angel said to the women, “Do not be afraid, for I know that you seek Jesus who was crucified. ⁶ He is not here, for he has risen, ^(M)as he said. Come, see the place where he^[b] lay. ⁷ Then go quickly and tell his disciples that he has risen from the dead, and behold, ^(N)he is going before you to Galilee; there you will see him. See, I have told you.” ⁸ So they departed quickly from the tomb ^(O)with fear and great joy, and ran to tell his disciples. ⁹ And behold, Jesus ^(P)met them and said, “Greetings!” And they came up and ^(Q)took hold of his feet and ^(R)worshiped him. ¹⁰ Then Jesus said to them, “Do not be afraid; ^(S)go and tell ^(T)my brothers to go to Galilee, and there they will see me.”

¹⁷ So when they had gathered, Pilate said to them, “Whom do you want me to release for you: Barabbas, or ^(A)Jesus who is called Christ?” ¹⁸ For he knew that it was out ^(B)of envy that they had delivered him up. ¹⁹ Besides, while he was sitting on ^(C)the judgment seat, his wife sent word to him, “Have nothing to do with ^(D)that righteous man, for I have suffered much because of him today ^(E)in a dream.” ²⁰ Now the chief priests and the elders persuaded the crowd to ^(F)ask for Barabbas and destroy Jesus. ²¹ The governor again said to them, “Which of the two do you want me to release for you?” And they said, “Barabbas.” ²² Pilate said to them, “Then what shall I do with Jesus who is called Christ?” ^(G)They all said, “Let him be crucified!” ²³ And he said, “Why? ^(H)What evil has he done?” But they shouted all the more, “Let him be crucified!”

Pilate Delivers Jesus to Be Crucified

²⁴ So when Pilate saw that he was gaining nothing, but rather that ^(I)a riot was beginning, he took water and ^(J)washed his hands before the crowd, saying, “I am innocent of ^(K)this man's blood;^{[a] (L)}see to it yourselves.” ²⁵ And all the people answered, ^(M)“His blood be on us and ^(N)on our children!”