Daniel 6:7–23

7 “All the acommissioners of the kingdom, the prefects and the satraps, the high officials and the governors have bcounseled together that the king should establish a statute and enforce an injunction that anyone who seeks to make a petition 1to any god or man besides you, O king, for thirty days, shall cbe cast into the lions’ 2den.

8 “Now, O king, aestablish the injunction and 1sign the written document so that it may not be changed, according to the blaw of the Medes and Persians, which 2may not be revoked.”

9 Therefore King Darius asigned the written document, that is, the injunction.

10 Now when Daniel knew that the written document was signed, he entered his house (now in his roof chamber he had windows open atoward Jerusalem); and he continued bkneeling on his knees three times a day, cpraying and dgiving thanks before his God, 1as he had been doing previously.

11 Then these men came 1aby agreement and found Daniel seeking to make a petition and making supplication before his God.

12 Then they came near and asaid before the king concerning the king’s injunction, “Did you not sign an injunction that any man who seeks to make a petition 1to any god or man besides you, O king, for thirty days, is to be cast into the lions’ den?” The king answered and said, “The word is certain, according to the blaw of the Medes and Persians, which 2may not be revoked.”

13 Then they answered and said before the king, “aDaniel, who is one of the 1exiles from Judah, pays bno attention to you, O king, or to the injunction which you signed, but keeps seeking to make his petition three times a day.”

14 Then, as soon as the king heard this word, he was greatly adistressed within himself and set his mind on saving Daniel; and even until sunset he kept exerting himself to deliver him.

15 Then these men came 1by agreement to the king and said to the king, “Know, O king, that it is a alaw of the Medes and Persians that no injunction or statute which the king establishes may be changed.”

Daniel in the Lions’ Den

16 Then the king said the word, and Daniel was brought in and acast into the lions’ den. The king answered and said to Daniel, “1bYour God whom you constantly serve will Himself save you.”

17 And a astone was brought and placed over the mouth of the den; and the king sealed it with his own signet ring and with the signet rings of his nobles so that nothing would be changed in regard to Daniel.

18 Then the king went off to his palace and spent the night afasting, and no entertainment was brought before him; and his bsleep fled from him.

19 Then the king arose at dawn, at the break of day, and hurriedly went to the lions’ den.

20 When he had come near the den to Daniel, he cried out with a troubled voice. The king answered and said to Daniel, “Daniel, servant of the living God, has ayour God, whom you constantly serve, been bable to save you from the lions?”

21 Then Daniel spoke 1to the king, “aO king, live forever!

22 “My God asent His angel and bshut the lions’ mouths, and they have not harmed me, inasmuch as 1I was found innocent before Him; and also 2toward you, O king, I have done no harm.”

23 Then the king was greatly pleased and said for Daniel to be taken up out of the den. So Daniel was taken up out of the den, and ano harm whatsoever was found on him because he had bbelieved in his God.