Daniel 6

6 ¹ Darius appointed a hundred and twenty satraps over the kingdom, stationed throughout the whole kingdom, ^a a v1 Satraps were the highest tier of Persian provincial officials, each governing a large region of the empire. ² and three officials over them, one of them Daniel, so the satraps would answer to them and the king lose nothing. ³ Daniel outshone the administrators and satraps, because an extraordinary spirit was in him, and the king planned to set him over the whole kingdom.

⁴ Administrators and satraps sought grounds to charge Daniel over the kingdom, but found none—no corruption—since he was faithful; no negligence or corruption was found in him. ⁵ Then these men said, "We'll find no charge against Daniel unless we find one in his God's law."

⁶ So the administrators and satraps went together to the king and said, "King Darius, live forever!" ⁷ All the kingdom's administrators, prefects, satraps, counselors, and governors agreed the king should issue a royal statute and firm decree: whoever petitions any god or man but you, king, for thirty days, will be thrown into the lions' den. ⁸ Now, king, issue the decree and sign it in writing, unalterable, under the law of the Medes and Persians, which cannot be revoked. ⁹ So King Darius signed the document and the ordinance.

¹⁰ Learning the decree was signed, Daniel went home to his upstairs room, windows open toward Jerusalem, knelt three times daily, and prayed, giving thanks before his Father as always. ¹¹ Then these men came together and found Daniel praying and pleading for mercy before his Father. ¹² They approached the king about the decree: "Did you not sign a decree that for thirty days, anyone petitioning any god or man except you, king, would be thrown into the lions' den?" The king answered, "The matter stands, by the law of the Medes and Persians, unchangeable."

¹³ They told the king, "Daniel, one of Judah's exiles, ignores you and your signed decree—praying three times daily." ¹⁴ Hearing this, the king was deeply troubled, determined to save Daniel, and worked until sunset to rescue him.

¹⁵ Then these men gathered before the king and said, "Know, king: by law of the Medes and Persians, no decree or edict the king issues can be changed."

¹⁶ Then the king ordered Daniel brought and thrown into the lions' den, saying, "May your God, whom you serve continually, rescue you."

¹⁷ A stone was brought, placed over the den's mouth, and sealed by the king with his signet ring and his nobles' rings, so nothing about Daniel could change. ¹⁸ Then the king went to his palace and fasted that night; no entertainment was brought before him, and sleep fled from him.

¹⁹ Then, at the first light of dawn, the king rose and hurried to the den of lions. ²⁰ Nearing the den, he cried out anxiously: "Daniel, servant of the living God, has your God, whom you serve continually, been able to rescue you from the lions?"

²¹ Then Daniel said to the king, "King, may you live forever! ²² My Father sent his angel and shut the lions' mouths. They haven't harmed me, because I was found innocent before him, and before you, king, I've done no wrong.

²³ The king was overjoyed and ordered Daniel lifted from the den. Daniel was lifted out with no injury at all, for he had trusted in his Father. ^b b v23 Daniel, sealed in a pit under a stone and brought out alive, points ahead to Jesus — sealed in a tomb behind a stone and raised by the Father who would not abandon him.

²⁴ The king ordered the men who had accused Daniel brought and thrown into the lions' den—with their children and wives. Before they reached the bottom, the lions overpowered them and crushed all their bones.

²⁵ Then King Darius wrote to all peoples, nations, and languages living on earth: "May your peace overflow! ²⁶ I decree: in all my kingdom, people must tremble and fear before Daniel's God — the living God, enduring forever. His kingdom will never be destroyed; his rule never ends. ²⁷ He rescues and delivers; he works signs and wonders in the heavens and on the earth; he is the one who rescued Daniel from the power of the lions."

²⁸ So this Daniel thrived in the reign of Darius and of Cyrus the Persian.