²⁵ At the king’s command, those men who had maliciously accused Daniel were brought and thrown into the lions’ den—they, their children, and their wives. They had not even reached the bottom of the pit before the lions overpowered them and crushed all their bones.

²⁶ Then King Darius wrote to all the peoples, nations, and languages dwelling in all the earth:

²⁷ I issue a decree that in all the dominion of my kingdom people are to tremble with fear before the God of Daniel.