Daniel 6:7–23

⁷Taken counsel have all the presidents of the kingdom, the prefects, and the satraps, the counsellors, and the governors, to establish a royal statute, and to strengthen an interdict, that any who seeketh a petition from any god and man until thirty days, save of thee, O king, is cast into a den of lions. ⁸Now, O king, thou dost establish the interdict, and sign the writing, that it is not to be changed, as a law of Media and Persia, that doth not pass away.’ ⁹Therefore king Darius hath signed the writing and interdict. ¹⁰And Daniel, when he hath known that the writing is signed, hath gone up to his house, and the window being opened for him, in his upper chamber, over-against Jerusalem, three times in a day he is kneeling on his knees, and praying, and confessing before his God, because that he was doing it before this.

¹¹Then these men have assembled, and found Daniel praying and entreating grace before his God; ¹²then they have come near, yea, they are saying before the king concerning the king’s interdict: ‘Hast thou not signed an interdict, that any man who seeketh from any god and man until thirty days, save of thee, O king, is cast into a den of lions?’ Answered hath the king, and said, ‘The thing is certain as a law of Media and Persia, that doth not pass away.’ ¹³Then they have answered, yea, they are saying before the king, that, ‘Daniel, who is of the sons of the Removed of Judah, hath not placed on thee, O king, any regard, nor on the interdict that thou hast signed, and three times in a day he is seeking his petition.’ ¹⁴Then the king, when he hath heard the matter, is greatly displeased at himself, and on Daniel he hath set the heart to deliver him, and till the going up of the sun he was arranging to deliver him. ¹⁵Then these men have assembled near the king, and are saying to the king, ‘know, O king, that the law of Media and Persia is: That any interdict and statute that the king doth establish is not to be changed.’ ¹⁶Then the king hath said, and they have brought Daniel, and have cast him into a den of lions. The king hath answered and said to Daniel, ‘Thy God, whom thou art serving continually, Himself doth deliver thee.’ ¹⁷And a stone hath been brought and placed at the mouth of the den, and the king hath sealed it with his signet, and with the signet of his great men, that the purpose be not changed concerning Daniel.

¹⁸Then hath the king gone to his palace, and he hath passed the night fasting, and dahavan have not been brought up before him, and his sleep hath fled from off him. ¹⁹Then doth the king rise in the early morning, at the light, and in haste to the den of lions he hath gone; ²⁰and at his coming near to the den, to Daniel, with a grieved voice, he crieth. The king hath answered and said to Daniel, O Daniel, servant of the living God, thy God, whom thou art serving continually, is He able to deliver thee from the lions?’ ²¹Then Daniel hath spoken with the king: ‘O king, to the ages live: ²²my God hath sent His messenger, and hath shut the lions’ mouths, and they have not injured me: because that before Him purity hath been found in me; and also before thee, O king, injury I have not done.’ ²³Then was the king very glad for him, and he hath commanded Daniel to be taken up out of the den, and Daniel hath been taken up out of the den, and no injury hath been found in him, because he hath believed in his God.