Top of Page
Page Style
pleased Darius to appoint 120 satraps to govern the kingdom, stationed throughout the kingdom, 2 with three administrators over them, one of whom was Daniel. These satraps were made accountable to them, so that the king might not suffer loss. 3 Now Daniel soon distinguished himself above the other administrators and satraps because he had an excellent spirit in him, and the king planned to set him over the whole kingdom. 4 At this, the administrators and the satraps kept trying to find grounds for some charge against Daniel in his conduct of government administration. But they could find no grounds for any charges or corruption against him, because he was trustworthy, and no negligence or corruption could be found in him.
5 Finally these men said, “We will never find any basis for charges against this man Daniel unless we find something against him in connection with the law of his God.”
6 So the administrators and the satraps all went together to the king and said to him, “O King Darius, live forever! 7 All the administrators of the kingdom—the prefects, satraps, advisers, and governors have all agreed that the king should establish an ordinance and enforce the decree that anyone who prays to any God or man during the next thirty days, except to you, O king, will be thrown into the lion’s den. 8 Now, O king, issue the decree and sign the document so it cannot be altered, in accordance with the law of the Medes and Persians, which cannot be revoked.” 9 So King Darius signed the document.
10 Now when Daniel learned that the document had been signed, he went to his house into the upper room where the windows opened toward Jerusalem. Three times each day he got down on his knees and prayed, giving thanks to God, just as he had done before. 11 Then these men went as a group and found Daniel praying and asking for help from God. 12 So they approached the king and asked about his decree: “Have you not signed a decree that for the next thirty days any man who prays to any god or man except to you, O king, will be thrown into the lions’ den?”
The king answered, “The decree is fixed in place, in accordance with the law of the Medes and Persians, which cannot be revoked.”
13 Then they said to the king, “Daniel, one of the exiles from Judah, pays no attention to you, O king, or to the decree you have signed, for he still prays three times each day.” 14 When the king heard this, he was very distressed. So he became determined to rescue Daniel, and he made every effort until the sun went down to deliver him.
15 Then these men again approached the king and said to him, “Remember, O king, that it is a law of the Medes and Persians that no decree or ordinance the king establishes may be changed.”
16 So the king gave the order, and they brought Daniel and threw him into the lions’ den. The king said to Daniel, “May your God, whom you serve continually, rescue you!”
17 A stone was brought and placed over the mouth of the den, and the king sealed it with his own signet ring and with the signet rings of his nobles, so that nothing could be changed concerning Daniel’s situation. 18 Then the king went to his palace and spent the night without eating; no one came before him to entertain him, and he could not sleep.
19 At the first light of dawn, the king got up and hurried to the lion’s den. 20 When he came near the den, he called out anxiously to Daniel, “Daniel, servant of the living God,” the king said, “has your God, whom you serve continually, been able to deliver you from the lions?”
21 Daniel answered the king, “O king, live forever! 22 My God sent His angel, and he shut the mouths of the lions so they wouldn’t hurt me, because I was found to be innocent before Him. Also, I have not done any wrong before you, O king.”
23 The king was overjoyed and gave orders that Daniel be lifted up out of the den. So Daniel was taken from the den, and no injuries or wounds were found on him, because he had trusted in his God.
24 Then the king gave the command, and those men who had falsely accused Daniel were brought in and thrown into the lion’s den—they, their children, and their wives. They had not reached the floor of the den before the lions overpowered them and crushed all their bones.
25 Then Darius wrote to all the peoples of every nation and language who lived throughout the land:
May you have abundant prosperity!
26 I issue a decree that in every part of my royal dominion people must tremble in fear before the God of Daniel.
For He is a living God
and He endures forever;
His kingdom will never be destroyed,
and His dominion will never end.
27 He rescues and delivers;
He performs signs and wonders
in the heavens and on the earth.
He has delivered Daniel
from the power of the lions.
28 So Daniel prospered during the reign of Darius and the reign of Cyrus the Persian.