*aIt pleased Darius to set over the kingdom ban hundred and twenty cprinces, which should be over the whole kingdom; 2 And over these dthree epresidents; of whom Daniel was first: that the cprinces might give accounts unto them, and the king should have no damage. 3 Then this Daniel was fpreferred above ethe presidents and cprinces, ghbecause an excellent spirit was in him; and the king thought ito set him over the whole realm.

4 *Then ethe presidents and cprinces ksought to find occasion against Daniel concerning the kingdom; but they could find none occasion nor lfault; hforasmuch as he was faithful, neither was there any merror or lfault found in him. 5 Then said these men, We shall not find any occasion against this Daniel, nexcept we find it against him concerning the law of his God. 6 Then these epresidents and cprinces ||assembled together to the king, and said thus unto him, oKing Darius, live for ever. 7 All ethe presidents of the kingdom, pthe governors, and the cprinces, qthe counsellers, and rthe captains, have consulted together to establish a royal statute, and to make a firm ||decree, that whosoever shall ask a petition of any God or man for thirty days, nsave of thee, O king, he shall be cast into the den of lions. 8 Now, O king, establish the decree, and sign the writing, that it be not changed, according to sthe law of tthe Medes and Persians, swhich †altereth not. 9 uWherefore king Darius signed the writing and the decree.

10 Now when Daniel knew that the writing was signed, he went into his house; and vhis windows being open win his chamber xtoward Jerusalem, he ykneeled upon his knees zthree times a day, and prayed, and agave thanks before his God, as he did aforetime. 11 Then these men assembled, and found Daniel praying and making supplication before his God. 12 Then they bcame near, and spake before the king concerning the king’s decree; Hast thou not signed a decree, that every man that shall ask ca petition of any God or man within thirty days, dsave of thee, O king, shall be cast into the den of lions? The king answered and said, The thing is true, eaccording to the law of the Medes and Persians, ewhich altereth not. 13 Then answered they and said before the king, That Daniel, fwhich is gof the children of the captivity of Judah, hregardeth not thee, O king, nor the decree that thou hast signed, but maketh his petition three times a day. 14 Then the king, when he heard these words, iwas sore displeased with himself, and set his heart on Daniel to deliver him: and he laboured till the going down of the sun to deliver him. 15 Then these men assembled unto the king, and said unto the king, Know, O king, that ethe law of the Medes and Persians is, That no decree nor statute which the king establisheth may be changed. 16 Then the king commanded, and they brought Daniel, and kcast him into the den of lions. Now the king spake and said unto Daniel, Thy God lwhom thou servest continually, he will deliver thee. 17 And ma stone was brought, and laid upon the mouth of the den; and nthe king sealed it owith his own signet, and with the signet of his plords; that the purpose might not be changed concerning Daniel.

18 Then the king went to his palace, and passed the night fasting: qneither were ||instruments of musick brought before him: and rhis sleep went from him. 19 Then the king arose very early in sthe morning, and went tin haste unto the den of lions. 20 And when he came to the den, he cried with a lamentable voice unto Daniel: and the king spake and said to Daniel, O Daniel, servant of uthe living God, vis thy God, lwhom thou servest continually, able to deliver thee from the lions? 21 Then said Daniel unto the king, wO king, live for ever. 22 xMy God hath sent his angel, and yhath shut the lions’ mouths, that they have not hurt me: zforasmuch as before him innocency was found in me; and also before thee, O king, have I done no hurt. 23 Then was the king exceeding 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 ano manner of hurt was found upon him, bbecause he believed in his God. 24 And the king commanded, and cthey brought those men which had daccused Daniel, and they cast them into the den of lions, them, etheir children, and their wives; and the lions had the mastery of them, and brake all their bones in pieces or ever they came at the bottom of the den.

25 Then king Darius wrote funto all people, nations, and languages, fthat dwell in all the earth; fPeace be multiplied unto you. 26 gI make a decree, That in every dominion of my kingdom men hitremble and hfear before kthe God of Daniel: for lhe is mthe living God, and stedfast for ever, and nhis kingdom that which shall not be ndestroyed, and his dominion shall be even ounto the end. 27 He delivereth and rescueth, and he worketh psigns and wonders in heaven and in earth, qwho hath delivered Daniel from the †power of the lions. 28 So this Daniel rprospered in the reign of Darius, and sin the reign of tCyrus the Persian.