Daniel 6:12–17

¹²Then they ⁱcame near and said before the king, concerning the injunction, “O king! Did you not sign ^jan injunction, that anyone who makes petition to any god or man within thirty days except to you, O king, shall be cast into the den of lions?” The king answered and said, “The thing stands fast, according to the law of ^cthe Medes and Persians, ^dwhich cannot be revoked.” ¹³Then they answered and said before the king, ^k“Daniel, who is one ^lof the exiles ^kfrom Judah, ^mpays no attention to you, O king, or ^jthe injunction you have signed, but makes his petition ^gthree times a day.”

¹⁴Then ⁿthe king, when he heard these words, ⁿwas much distressed and set his mind to deliver Daniel. And he labored till the sun went down to rescue him. ¹⁵Then these men came by agreement to the king and said to the king, “Know, O king, that it is a law of the Medes and Persians that no ^jinjunction or ordinance that the king establishes can be changed.”

¹⁶Then the king commanded, and Daniel was brought and cast into the den of lions. The king declared² to Daniel, “May ^oyour God, whom you serve continually, deliver you!” ^17pAnd a stone was brought and laid on the mouth of the den, ^qand the king sealed it ^rwith his own signet and with the signet of his ^slords, that nothing might be changed concerning Daniel.