Daniel

It pleased Darius to appoint over the kingdom a hundred and twenty satraps, who should be over the whole kingdom.

And over them three governors, of whom Daniel was one: that these satraps might give them an account, and the king should not be troubled.

Then Daniel was over them, because there was an excellent spirit in him; and the king set him over the whole kingdom.

Then the governors and satraps sought to find occasion against Daniel with reference to the kingdom: but they could find no occasion nor fault, because he was faithful.

So those men said, We shall not find any occasion against this Daniel, unless we find it against him in the law of his God.

Then the governors and satraps came to the king, and said to him, King Darius, live for ever.

All the governors of the kingdom, the captains, the satraps, the chiefs, and the princes, have taken counsel together to make a royal decree, and to confirm it, that whosoever shall ask a petition of any god or man for thirty days, save of thee, O king, he shall be cast into the den of lions.

Now then, O king, establish the decree, and publish the writing, that the decree of the Medes and Persians may not be changed.

Then king Darius established the decree.

But Daniel, when he knew that the decree was confirmed, went into his house; and his windows were open in his upper chamber looking toward Jerusalem, and he knelt upon his knees three times a day, praying and giving thanks before his God, as he used to do before.

Then those men came together, and found Daniel praying and supplicating before his God.

And they came near, and said to the king, O king, hast thou not established a decree, that every man who shall ask a petition of any god or man for thirty days, save of thee, O king, shall be cast into the den of lions? And the king said, The word is true, and the decree of the Medes and Persians shall not be changed.

Then they answered and said before the king, Daniel, one of the children of the captivity of Judea, has not regarded thy decree, nor the decree which thou didst establish, but prays three times a day.

Then the king, when he heard this saying, was much grieved, and set his heart on Daniel to deliver him; and he laboured till the evening to deliver him.

Then those men came to the king, and said, Know, O king, that the law of the Medes and Persians is, that no decree or ordinance which the king establishes may be changed.

Then the king commanded, and they brought Daniel, and cast him into the den of lions. And the king said to Daniel, Thy God, whom thou servest continually, he will deliver thee.

And a stone was brought and laid upon the mouth of the den, and the king sealed it with his own ring, and with the ring of his nobles; that the case might not be altered with regard to Daniel.

And the king went to his palace, and passed the night without eating, and they brought no food before him, and his sleep departed from him.

Then the king arose very early in the morning, and went in haste to the den of lions.

And when he came near to the den, he cried with a loud voice to Daniel, and said, O Daniel, servant of the living God, has thy God, whom thou servest continually, been able to deliver thee from the lions?

Then Daniel said to the king, O king, live for ever.

My God has sent his angel, and has stopped the lions' mouths, and they have not hurt me: for uprightness was found in me before him; and before thee, O king, I have committed no fault.

Then the king was exceedingly glad, and commanded to bring Daniel out of the den. So Daniel was brought out of the den, and no hurt was found on him, because he believed in his God.

And the king commanded, and they brought those men who had accused Daniel, and they were cast into the den of lions, they and their children and their wives: and the lions had the mastery of them, and crushed all their bones before they came to the bottom of the den.

Then king Darius wrote to all nations, tribes, and languages, who dwell in all the earth: Peace be multiplied to you.

I have made a decree, that in every dominion of my kingdom men tremble and fear before the God of Daniel: for he is the living God, and endures for ever, and his kingdom shall not be destroyed, and his dominion is for ever.

He delivers and rescues, and works signs and wonders in heaven and on earth, who has delivered Daniel from the power of the lions.

So Daniel prospered in the reign of Darius, and in the reign of Cyrus the Persian.