1It pleased Darius to set over the kingdom a hundred and twenty satraps, which should be over the whole kingdom,
2and over them three presidents, of whom Daniel was one, that the satraps might give accounts to them, and the king might have no damage.
3Then this Daniel was eminent above the presidents and satraps, because an excellent spirit was in him; and the king thought to set him over the whole realm.
4Then the presidents and satraps sought to find occasion against Daniel in relation to the kingdom; but they could find no occasion nor fault; because he was faithful, and no error nor fault was found in him.
5Then said these men, We shall not find any occasion against this Daniel, unless we find it against him concerning the law of his God.
6Then these presidents and satraps rushed together to the king, and spake thus to him: King Darius, live forever!
7All the presidents of the kingdom, the governors and the satraps, the counsellors and the prefects, have consulted together to establish a royal statute, and to make a firm decree, that whoever 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.
8Now, O king, establish the decree and sign the writing that it be not changed, according to the law of the Medes and Persians which altereth not.
9Wherefore King Darius signed the writing and the decree.
10Now when Daniel knew that the writing was signed, he went into his house, his windows being open in his chamber toward Jerusalem, and three times a day he kneeled upon his knees, and prayed and gave thanks before his God, as he had done before.
11Then these men rushed together, and found Daniel praying and making supplication before his God.
12Then they came near and spake before the king concerning the royal decree: Hast thou not signed a decree, that every man who shall ask a petition of any god or man within thirty days, save of thee, O king, shall be cast into the den of lions? The king answered and said, The thing is true, according to the law of the Medes and Persians, which altereth not.
13Then answered they and said before the king, Daniel, who is of the sons of the captives of Judah, regardeth not thee, O king, nor the decree which thou hast signed, but maketh his petition three times a day.
14Then the king, when he heard these words, was much troubled, and set his heart to deliver him; and he labored till the going down of the sun to deliver him.
15Then these men assembled before the king, and said to the king, Know, O king, that the law of the Medes and Persians is, that no decree or statute which the king establisheth may be changed.
16Then the king commanded that they should bring Daniel and cast him into the den of lions. And the king spake and said to Daniel, May thy God, whom thou servest continually, deliver thee!
17And a stone was brought and laid upon the mouth of the den; and the king sealed it with his own signet, and with the signet of his lords, that nothing concerning Daniel might be changed.
18Then the king went to his palace, and passed the night fasting, and suffered not the concubines to be brought to him; and his sleep went from him.
19Then the king arose very early in the morning, and went in haste to the den of lions.
20And when he came to the den, he cried with a troubled voice to Daniel; and the king spake and said to Daniel, O Daniel, servant of the living God, has thy God, whom thou servest continually, been able to deliver thee from the lions?
21Then said Daniel to the king, O king, live forever!
22My God hath sent his angel, and hath shut the lions' mouths, so that they have not hurt me; forasmuch as before him innocency was found in me; and also before thee, O king, have I done no wrong.
23Then was the king exceedingly glad, and commanded that they should take Daniel up out of the den. So Daniel was taken up out of the den, and no manner of hurt was found upon him, because he trusted in his God.
24And the king commanded, and they brought those men who had accused Daniel, and cast them into the den of lions, them, their children, and their wives; and the lions had the mastery of them, and broke all their bones before they came to the bottom of the den.
25Then King Darius wrote to all people, nations, and languages, that dwell in all the earth: Peace be multiplied to you!
26I make a decree, that in every government of my kingdom men tremble and fear before the God of Daniel; for he is the living God that endureth forever, and whose kingdom shall not be destroyed, and whose dominion shall endure to the end.
27It is he that delivereth and rescueth, and worketh signs and wonders in heaven and in earth, who hath delivered Daniel from the power of the lions.
28This Daniel prospered in the reign of Darius, and in the reign of Cyrus the Persian.