Daniel 6:1–8:27
6 It pleased Darius to set over the kingdom one hundred and twenty satraps, to be over the whole kingdom; 2 and over these, three governors, of whom Daniel was one, that the satraps might give account to them, so that the king would suffer no loss. 3 Then this Daniel distinguished himself above the governors and satraps, abecause an excellent spirit was in him; and the king gave thought to setting him over the whole realm. 4 bSo the governors and satraps sought to find some charge against Daniel concerning the kingdom; but they could find no charge or fault, because he was faithful; nor was there any error or fault found in him. 5 Then these men said, “We shall not find any charge against this Daniel unless we find it against him concerning the law of his God.”
6 So these governors and satraps thronged before the king, and said thus to him: c“King Darius, live forever! 7 All the governors of the kingdom, the administrators and satraps, the counselors and advisors, have dconsulted together to establish a royal statute and to make a firm decree, that whoever petitions any god or man for thirty days, except you, O king, shall be cast into the den of lions. 8 Now, O king, establish the decree and sign the writing, so that it cannot be changed, according to the elaw of the Medes and Persians, which 1does not alter.” 9 Therefore King Darius signed the written decree.
10 Now when Daniel knew that the writing was signed, he went home. And in his upper room, with his windows open ftoward Jerusalem, he knelt down on his knees gthree times that day, and prayed and gave thanks before his God, as was his custom since early days.
11 Then these men assembled and found Daniel praying and making supplication before his God. 12 hAnd they went before the king, and spoke concerning the king’s decree: “Have you not signed a decree that every man who petitions any god or man within thirty days, except you, O king, shall be cast into the den of lions?”
The king answered and said, “The thing is true, iaccording to the law of the Medes and Persians, which 2does not alter.”
13 So they answered and said before the king, “That Daniel, jwho is 3one of the captives from Judah, kdoes not show due regard for you, O king, or for the decree that you have signed, but makes his petition three times a day.”
14 And the king, when he heard these words, lwas greatly displeased with himself, and set his heart on Daniel to deliver him; and he 4labored till the going down of the sun to deliver him. 15 Then these men 5approached the king, and said to the king, “Know, O king, that it is mthe law of the Medes and Persians that no decree or statute which the king establishes may be changed.”
16 So the king gave the command, and they brought Daniel and cast him into the den of lions. But the king spoke, saying to Daniel, “Your God, whom you serve continually, He will deliver you.” 17 nThen a stone was brought and laid on the mouth of the den, oand the king sealed it with his own signet ring and with the signets of his lords, that the purpose concerning Daniel might not be changed.
18 Now the king went to his palace and spent the night fasting; and no 6musicians were brought before him. pAlso his sleep 7went from him. 19 Then the qking arose very early in the morning and went in haste to the den of lions. 20 And when he came to the den, he cried out with a 8lamenting voice to Daniel. The king spoke, saying to Daniel, “Daniel, servant of the living God, rhas your God, whom you serve continually, been able to deliver you from the lions?”
21 Then Daniel said to the king, s“O king, live forever! 22 tMy God sent His angel and ushut the lions’ mouths, so that they have not hurt me, because I was found innocent before Him; and also, O king, I have done no wrong before you.”
23 Now the king was exceedingly glad for him, and commanded that they should take Daniel up out of the den. So Daniel was taken up out of the den, and no injury whatever was found on him, vbecause he believed in his God.
24 And the king gave the command, wand they brought those men who had accused Daniel, and they cast them into the den of lions—them, xtheir children, and their wives; and the lions overpowered them, and broke all their bones in pieces before they ever came to the bottom of the den.
25 yThen King Darius wrote:
To all peoples, nations, and languages that dwell in all the earth:
Peace be multiplied to you.
26 zI make a decree that in every dominion of my kingdom men must atremble and fear before the God of Daniel.
bFor He is the living God,
And steadfast forever;
His kingdom is the one which shall not be cdestroyed,
And His dominion shall endure to the end.
dAnd He works signs and wonders
In heaven and on earth,
Who has delivered Daniel from the 9power of the lions.
28 So this Daniel prospered in the reign of Darius eand in the reign of fCyrus the Persian.
7 In the first year of Belshazzar king of Babylon, aDaniel 1had a dream and bvisions of his head while on his bed. Then he wrote down the dream, telling 2the main facts.
2 Daniel spoke, saying, “I saw in my vision by night, and behold, the four winds of heaven were stirring up the Great Sea. 3 And four great beasts ccame up from the sea, each different from the other. 4 The first was dlike a lion, and had eagle’s wings. I watched till its wings were plucked off; and it was lifted up from the earth and made to stand on two feet like a man, and a eman’s heart was given to it.
5 f“And suddenly another beast, a second, like a bear. It was raised up on one side, and had three ribs in its mouth between its teeth. And they said thus to it: ‘Arise, devour much flesh!’
6 “After this I looked, and there was another, like a leopard, which had on its back four wings of a bird. The beast also had gfour heads, and dominion was given to it.
7 “After this I saw in the night visions, and behold, ha fourth beast, dreadful and terrible, exceedingly strong. It had huge iron teeth; it was devouring, breaking in pieces, and trampling the residue with its feet. It was different from all the beasts that were before it, iand it had ten horns. 8 I was considering the horns, and jthere was another horn, a little one, coming up among them, before whom three of the first horns were plucked out by the roots. And there, in this horn, were eyes like the eyes kof a man, land a mouth speaking 3pompous words.
9 “I mwatched till thrones were 4put in place,
And nthe Ancient of Days was seated;
oHis garment was white as snow,
And the hair of His head was like pure wool.
His throne was a fiery flame,
pIts wheels a burning fire;
10 qA fiery stream issued
And came forth from before Him.
rA thousand thousands ministered to Him;
Ten thousand times ten thousand stood before Him.
And the books were opened.
11 “I watched then because of the sound of the 6pompous words which the horn was speaking; tI watched till the beast was slain, and its body destroyed and given to the burning flame. 12 As for the rest of the beasts, they had their dominion taken away, yet their lives were prolonged for a season and a time.
13 “I was watching in the night visions,
And behold, uOne like the Son of Man,
Coming with the clouds of heaven!
He came to the Ancient of Days,
And they brought Him near before Him.
14 vThen to Him was given dominion and glory and a kingdom,
That all wpeoples, nations, and languages should serve Him.
His dominion is xan everlasting dominion,
Which shall not pass away,
And His kingdom the one
Which shall not be destroyed.
15 “I, Daniel, was grieved in my spirit 7within my body, and the visions of my head troubled me. 16 I came near to one of those who stood by, and asked him the truth of all this. So he told me and made known to me the interpretation of these things: 17 ‘Those great beasts, which are four, are four 8kings which arise out of the earth. 18 But ythe saints of the Most High shall receive the kingdom, and possess the kingdom forever, even forever and ever.’
19 “Then I wished to know the truth about the fourth beast, which was different from all the others, exceedingly dreadful, with its teeth of iron and its nails of bronze, which devoured, broke in pieces, and trampled the residue with its feet; 20 and the ten horns that were on its head, and the other horn which came up, before which three fell, namely, that horn which had eyes and a mouth which spoke 9pompous words, whose appearance was greater than his fellows.
21 “I was watching; zand the same horn was making war against the saints, and prevailing against them, 22 until the Ancient of Days came, aand a judgment was made in favor of the saints of the Most High, and the time came for the saints to possess the kingdom.
‘The fourth beast shall be
bA fourth kingdom on earth,
Which shall be different from all other kingdoms,
And shall devour the whole earth,
Trample it and break it in pieces.
24 cThe ten horns are ten kings
Who shall arise from this kingdom.
And another shall rise after them;
He shall be different from the first ones,
And shall subdue three kings.
25 dHe shall speak pompous words against the Most High,
Shall epersecute 1the saints of the Most High,
And shall fintend to change times and law.
Then gthe saints shall be given into his hand
hFor a time and times and half a time.
26 ‘But ithe court shall be seated,
And they shall jtake away his dominion,
To consume and destroy it forever.
27 Then the kkingdom and dominion,
And the greatness of the kingdoms under the whole heaven,
Shall be given to the people, the saints of the Most High.
lHis kingdom is an everlasting kingdom,
mAnd all dominions shall serve and obey Him.’
28 “This is the end of the 2account. As for me, Daniel, nmy thoughts greatly troubled me, and my countenance changed; but I okept the matter in my heart.”
8 In 1the third year of the reign of King …