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Daniel 6
Contemporary English Version
Daniel 6
Contemporary English Version
Daniel in a Pit of Lions
6 Darius divided his kingdom into 120 states and placed a governor in charge of each one. 2 In order to make sure that his government was run properly, Darius put three other officials in charge of the governors. One of these officials was Daniel. 3 And he did his work so much better than the other governors and officials that the king decided to let him govern the whole kingdom.
4 The other men tried to find something wrong with the way Daniel did his work for the king. But they could not accuse him of anything wrong, because he was honest and faithful and did everything he was supposed to do. 5 Finally, they said to one another, “We will never be able to bring any charge against Daniel, unless it has to do with his religion.”
6 They all went to the king and said:
“Your Majesty, we hope you live forever! 7 (A) All of your officials, leaders, advisors, and governors agree that you should make a law forbidding anyone to pray to any god or human except you for the next 30 days. Everyone who disobeys this law must be thrown into a pit of lions. 8 Order this to be written and then sign it, so it cannot be changed, just as no written law of the Medes and Persians can be changed.”
9 So King Darius made the law and had it written down.
10 Daniel heard about the law, but when he returned home, he went upstairs and prayed in front of the window that faced Jerusalem. In the same way that he had always done, he knelt down in prayer three times a day, giving thanks to God.
11 The men who had spoken to the king watched Daniel and saw him praying to his God for help. 12 They went back to the king and said, “Didn't you make a law that forbids anyone to pray to any god or human except you for the next 30 days? And doesn't the law say that everyone who disobeys it will be thrown into a pit of lions?”
“Yes, that's the law I made,” the king agreed. “And just like all written laws of the Medes and Persians, it cannot be changed.”
13 The men then told the king, “That Jew named Daniel, who was brought here as a captive, refuses to obey you or the law that you ordered to be written. And he still prays to his god three times a day.” 14 The king was really upset to hear about this, and for the rest of the day he tried to think how he could save Daniel.
15 At sunset the men returned and said, “Your Majesty, remember that no written law of the Medes and Persians can be changed, not even by the king.”
16 (B) So Darius ordered Daniel to be brought out and thrown into a pit of lions. But he said to Daniel, “You have been faithful to your God, and I pray that he will rescue you.”
17 A stone was rolled over the pit, and it was sealed. Then Darius and his officials stamped the seal to show that no one should let Daniel out. 18 All night long the king could not sleep. He did not eat anything, and he would not let anyone come in to entertain him.
19 At daybreak the king got up and ran to the pit. 20 He was anxious and shouted, “Daniel, you were faithful and served your God. Was he able to save you from the lions?”
21 Daniel answered, “Your Majesty, I hope you live forever! 22 (C) My God knew that I was innocent, and he sent an angel to keep the lions from eating me. Your Majesty, I have never done anything to hurt you.”
23 The king was relieved to hear Daniel's voice, and he gave orders for him to be taken out of the pit. Daniel's faith in his God had kept him from being harmed. 24 And the king ordered the men who had brought charges against Daniel to be thrown into the pit, together with their wives and children. But before they even reached the bottom, the lions ripped them to pieces.
25 King Darius then sent this message to all people of every nation and race in the world:
“Greetings to all of you!
26 I command everyone
in my kingdom
to worship and honor
the God of Daniel.
He is the living God,
the one who lives forever.
His power and his kingdom
will never end.
27 He rescues people
and sets them free
by working great miracles.
Daniel's God has rescued him
from the power of the lions.”
28 All went well for Daniel while Darius was king, and even when Cyrus the Persian ruled.[a]
Footnotes
- 6.28 Cyrus the Persian ruled: 539–530 b.c.
Daniel 6
New International Version
Daniel 6
New International Version
Daniel in the Den of Lions
6 [a]It pleased Darius(A) to appoint 120 satraps(B) to rule throughout the kingdom, 2 with three administrators over them, one of whom was Daniel.(C) The satraps were made accountable(D) to them so that the king might not suffer loss. 3 Now Daniel so distinguished himself among the administrators and the satraps by his exceptional qualities that the king planned to set him over the whole kingdom.(E) 4 At this, the administrators and the satraps tried to find grounds for charges(F) against Daniel in his conduct of government affairs, but they were unable to do so. They could find no corruption in him, because he was trustworthy and neither corrupt nor negligent. 5 Finally these men said, “We will never find any basis for charges against this man Daniel unless it has something to do with the law of his God.”(G)
6 So these administrators and satraps went as a group to the king and said: “May King Darius live forever!(H) 7 The royal administrators, prefects, satraps, advisers and governors(I) have all agreed that the king should issue an edict and enforce the decree that anyone who prays to any god or human being during the next thirty days, except to you, Your Majesty, shall be thrown into the lions’ den.(J) 8 Now, Your Majesty, issue the decree and put it in writing so that it cannot be altered—in accordance with the law of the Medes and Persians, which cannot be repealed.”(K) 9 So King Darius put the decree in writing.
10 Now when Daniel learned that the decree had been published, he went home to his upstairs room where the windows opened toward(L) Jerusalem. Three times a day he got down on his knees(M) and prayed, giving thanks to his God, just as he had done before.(N) 11 Then these men went as a group and found Daniel praying and asking God for help.(O) 12 So they went to the king and spoke to him about his royal decree: “Did you not publish a decree that during the next thirty days anyone who prays to any god or human being except to you, Your Majesty, would be thrown into the lions’ den?”
The king answered, “The decree stands—in accordance with the law of the Medes and Persians, which cannot be repealed.”(P)
13 Then they said to the king, “Daniel, who is one of the exiles from Judah,(Q) pays no attention(R) to you, Your Majesty, or to the decree you put in writing. He still prays three times a day.” 14 When the king heard this, he was greatly distressed;(S) he was determined to rescue Daniel and made every effort until sundown to save him.
15 Then the men went as a group to King Darius and said to him, “Remember, Your Majesty, that according to the law of the Medes and Persians no decree or edict that the king issues can be changed.”(T)
16 So the king gave the order, and they brought Daniel and threw him into the lions’ den.(U) The king said to Daniel, “May your God, whom you serve continually, rescue(V) you!”
17 A stone was brought and placed over the mouth of the den, and the king sealed(W) it with his own signet ring and with the rings of his nobles, so that Daniel’s situation might not be changed. 18 Then the king returned to his palace and spent the night without eating(X) and without any entertainment being brought to him. And he could not sleep.(Y)
19 At the first light of dawn, the king got up and hurried to the lions’ den. 20 When he came near the den, he called to Daniel in an anguished voice, “Daniel, servant of the living God, has your God, whom you serve continually, been able to rescue you from the lions?”(Z)
21 Daniel answered, “May the king live forever!(AA) 22 My God sent his angel,(AB) and he shut the mouths of the lions.(AC) They have not hurt me, because I was found innocent in his sight.(AD) Nor have I ever done any wrong before you, Your Majesty.”
23 The king was overjoyed and gave orders to lift Daniel out of the den. And when Daniel was lifted from the den, no wound(AE) was found on him, because he had trusted(AF) in his God.
24 At the king’s command, the men who had falsely accused Daniel were brought in and thrown into the lions’ den,(AG) along with their wives and children.(AH) And before they reached the floor of the den, the lions overpowered them and crushed all their bones.(AI)
25 Then King Darius wrote to all the nations and peoples of every language(AJ) in all the earth:
“May you prosper greatly!(AK)
26 “I issue a decree that in every part of my kingdom people must fear and reverence(AL) the God of Daniel.(AM)
“For he is the living God(AN)
and he endures forever;(AO)
his kingdom will not be destroyed,
his dominion will never end.(AP)
27 He rescues and he saves;(AQ)
he performs signs and wonders(AR)
in the heavens and on the earth.
He has rescued Daniel
from the power of the lions.”(AS)
28 So Daniel prospered during the reign of Darius and the reign of Cyrus[b](AT) the Persian.(AU)
Footnotes
- Daniel 6:1 In Aramaic texts 6:1-28 is numbered 6:2-29.
- Daniel 6:28 Or Darius, that is, the reign of Cyrus
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