Daniel

6* Darius thought best to set up over the empire a hundred and twenty satraps, 2 and above them three controllers, of whom Daniel was one, to whom these satraps should make their reports, and the king not be troubled. 3 Then this Daniel became preeminent among the controllers and satraps, inasmuch as he had in him notable inspiration; and the king thought of setting him over all the empire. 4* Then the controllers and the satraps set about trying to find an offense of Daniel’s with regard to the administration, but could not find any offense or misconduct, inasmuch as he was a faithful man and no negligence or misconduct was found chargeable to him.

5* Then those men said “We shall not find any offense of this Daniel’s unless we find something in his religion.” 6 Then these controllers and satraps came in a body to the king and said to him “Live forever, King Darius! 7* All the controllers of the empire, the viceroys and the satraps, the courtiers and the governors, have resolved to recommend that the king enact a decree and impose a prohibition that anybody who makes a petition to any god or man except your majesty for thirty days shall be thrown into the lion-pit. 8 Your majesty is now to enact the prohibition and have it inscribed in written form to be unalterable as an irreversible law of the Medes and Persians.” 9* Accordingly King Darius had the prohibition formally inscribed.

10 But Daniel, when he learned that the edict was inscribed, went into his house, which had windows cut in its upper room toward Jerusalem, and three times a day he knelt down and prayed and gave thanks before his God in the same way as he had done before this.

11 Then those men went in a body and found Daniel making petitions and supplications before his God. 12* Then they presented themselves and said before the king “Your majesty, did you not have a prohibition inscribed that any man who makes a petition to any god or man except your majesty for thirty days shall be thrown into the lion-pit?”

The king answered “It is a settled thing with the irreversibleness of Median and Persian law.”

13 Then they answered before the king “Daniel, who is one of the Jewish deportees, has not paid any attention to your majesty and to the prohibition you have had inscribed, and three times a day he makes his petitions.”

14 Then the king was much annoyed at hearing the thing, and determined to save Daniel and exerted himself till sunset to get him clear. 15 Then those men came in a body to the king and said to him “Know, your majesty, that the Medes and Persians have a law that every prohibition or decree which the king enacts is unalterable.” 16** Then the king gave the word and they brought Daniel and threw him into the lion-pit, the king saying to Daniel “Let your God whom you constantly worship save you”; 17 and a stone was brought and laid over the mouth of the pit, and the king sealed it with his signet and with the signets of his lords, that there might not be a thing changed in Daniel’s case.

18* Then the king went to his palace and spent the night fasting, and did not have music brought before him, and his sleep would not come. 19 Then at daybreak the king rose as soon as it was light and went in haste to the lion-pit, 20* and when he came near the pit he cried to Daniel in a distressful voice “Daniel, worshiper of the living God, was your God whom you constantly invoke able to save you from the lions?” 21 Then Daniel spoke with the king; “Live forever, your majesty! 22* my God sent his angel and held the lions’ mouths shut, and they did not harm me, inasmuch as before him I was found to have right on my side; and before you too, your majesty, I had done no harm.”

23 Then the king was much gratified, and ordered Daniel lifted out of the pit; and Daniel was lifted out, and no injury was found on him, because he had trusted his God. 24 Then the king ordered those men who had laid the information against Daniel to be brought and thrown into the lion-pit, them, their children, and their wives, and they did not get to the bottom of the pit before the lions had them and had crushed all their bones.

25 Then King Darius wrote to all the peoples, nations, and languages that live in all the earth “Great be your peace. 26 It is hereby ordained that throughout the jurisdiction of my empire men are to tremble and fear before Daniel’s God, because he is the living God and stands forever, and his empire is invincible and his sovereignty lasts to the end. 27** He saves and delivers and performs tokens and wonders, he who has saved Daniel out of the power of the lions.”

28 And this Daniel did well under the reign of Darius and that of Cyrus the Persian.