Daniel Saved from the Lions

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.

Darius Honors 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.

27 He delivers and rescues,

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.

Vision of the Four Beasts

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.

Vision of the Ancient of Days

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.

sThe 5court was seated,

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.