Daniel 6 It having seemed good in the sight of Darius, he set over the kingdom a hundred and twenty satraps to be governors of provinces throughout his whole dominion;

Thomson⁽ⁱ⁾ ¹ It having seemed good in the sight of Darius, he set over the kingdom a hundred and twenty satraps to be governors of provinces throughout his whole dominion; ² and over these he appointed three ministers of whom Daniel was one; that the governors might render an account to them, so that the king might not be oppressed with business. ³ And Daniel was at the head of these. Because there was in him an extraordinary spirit and the king had set him over his whole kingdom, ⁴ therefore the ministers and the governors sought to find some pretext against Daniel. And when they found no pretext, lapse or crime with which to charge him, for he was faithful; ⁵ the ministers said, We shall not find any pretext against Daniel except in the ceremonies relating to his God. ⁶ Then the ministers and the governors waited on the king, and said to him, King Darius live forever! ⁷ All that are over thy kingdom, the generals and governors, the chief commanders and toparchs have joined in opinion to establish by a royal statute and make a firm decree, that whoever shall make any request of any god or man for thirty days, save of thee only, king; he shall be cast into the den of the lions. ⁸ Now therefore, king, establish the edict and promulgate it in writing, that the decree of the Persians and Medes may not be dispensed with. ⁹ Upon this Darius the king ordered the decree to be written. ¹⁰ Now when Daniel knew that the decree was passed, he went home and the windows in his upper chamber towards Jerusalem were opened for him, and three times a day, kneeling down on his knees, he prayed and gave thanks before his God as he had done heretofore. ¹¹ Now those men watched and having found Daniel praising and supplicating his God, ¹² they went and said to the king, king, hast thou not passed an edict, that every man who shall make any request of any god or man for the space of thirty days save of thee only, king, shall be cast into the den of the lions? And the king said, It is true; and the decree of the Medes and Persians cannot be altered. ¹³ Then they answered and said before the king, Daniel, who is one of the captives from Juda, hath not paid obedience to thy decree. For three times a day he maketh requests of his God. ¹⁴ When the king heard this matter he was exceedingly grieved for it and strove hard for Daniel to save him and continued till evening his endeavours to deliver him. ¹⁵ Then the men said to the king, Know, king, that it is decreed by the Medes and Persians, That no edict or statute which the king shall pass must be dispensed with. ¹⁶ Then the king gave orders and they brought Daniel and threw him into the lions' den. And the king said to Daniel, Thy God whom thou servest continually will himself deliver thee. ¹⁷ And when they had brought a stone and put it on the mouth of the den, the king caused it to be sealed with his own signet and with the signet of his nobles that nothing might be altered in respect to Daniel. ¹⁸ Then the king went to his house and retired to bed without supper. And there was no food brought to him and sleep went from him. But God shut the mouths of the lions so that they did not molest Daniel. ¹⁹ And in the morning the king arose soon as it was light and went in haste to the lions' den. ²⁰ And when he approached the den, he cried with a loud voice, Daniel, the servant of the living God, hath thy God, whom thou servest continually, been able to deliver thee from the mouths of the lions? ²¹ Thereupon Daniel said to the king, king live forever! ²² My God sent his angel and shut the mouths of the lions and they have not hurt me. For before him rectitude was found in me; and even in thy sight, king, I have committed no offence. ²³ At this the king was exceedingly rejoiced and gave order to take Daniel up out of the den. So he was taken up out of the den and there was no manner of hurt found on him, because he had trusted in his God. ²⁴ Then the king commanded and they brought the men who had accused Daniel, and they and their sons and their wives were cast into the den of the lions. And before they reached the bottom of the den the lions had such mastery over them that they broke all their bones. ²⁵ Then Darius the king wrote; To all the peoples, tribes and languages who dwell in the whole earth, Peace be multiplied to you. ²⁶ From my presence this decree is established, that in every government of my kingdom men tremble and be struck with awe at the presence of the God of Daniel; for he is the living God and endureth forever, and his kingdom can never be destroyed and his dominion will be to the end. ²⁷ He supporteth and delivereth and doth signs and wonders in heaven and on earth. He it is who hath delivered Daniel from the power of the lions. ²⁸ So Daniel prospered in the reign of Darius and in the reign of Cyrus the Persian.