Daniel 6:12–17

¹²Then they approached and ^aspoke before the king about the king’s injunction, “Did you not sign an injunction that any man who makes a petition to any god or man besides you, O king, for thirty days, is to be cast into the lions’ den?” The king replied, “The statement is true, according to the ^blaw of the Medes and Persians, which ¹may not be revoked.”

¹³Then they answered and spoke 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 making his petition three times a day.”

¹⁴Then, as soon as the king heard this statement, he was deeply ^adistressed and set his mind on delivering Daniel; and even until sunset he kept exerting himself to rescue him.

¹⁵Then these men came ¹by agreement to the king and said to the king, “Recognize, 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

¹⁶Then the king gave orders, and Daniel was brought in and ^acast into the lions’ den. The king spoke and said to Daniel, “^1bYour God whom you constantly serve will Himself deliver you.”

¹⁷A ^astone was brought and laid 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.