1It pleased Darius to set over the kingdom a hundred and twenty satraps, that they might be over the kingdom. 2And over them were three presidents, of whom Daniel was one, so that the satraps might give account to them, and that the king should have no loss. 3Then this Daniel distinguished himself above the presidents and satraps, because an excellent spirit was in him. And the king was thinking to set him over all the kingdom. 4Then the presidents and satraps sought to find occasion against Daniel concerning the kingdom. But they could find no occasion or fault because he was trustworthy. And no error or fault was found in him. 5Then these men said, 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 gathered together to the king and said this to him, King Darius, live forever. 7All the presidents of the kingdom, the prefects, and the satraps, the officials and the governors, have planned 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, except from you, O king, shall be thrown into the den of lions. 8Now, O king, establish the decree and sign the document, so that it may not be changed, according to the law of the Medes and Persians, which does not pass away. 9So, King Darius signed the document and the decree. 10And when he had learned that the document was signed, Daniel went to his house. And in his roof room, with his windows open toward Jerusalem, he knelt on his knees three times a day, and prayed and praised before his God, as he did before. 11Then these men conspired together and found Daniel praying and making supplication before his God. 12Then they came near and spoke before the king concerning the king’s decree, saying, Have you not signed a decree that every man who shall ask of any god or man within thirty days, except of you, O king, that he shall be thrown into the den of lions? The king answered and said, The thing is certain, according to the law of the Medes and Persians, which does not pass away. 13Then they answered and said before the king, Daniel, who is of the sons of the captives from Judah, does not show due regard to you, O king, or the decree that you have signed, but he makes his petition three times a day. 14Then the king, when he heard these words, was very displeased with himself, and he set his heart on Daniel, to deliver him. And he labored until the going down of the sun to deliver him. 15Then these men met before the king and said to the king, O king, know that the law of the Medes and Persians is that no decree or law which the king establishes may be changed. 16And the king commanded. And they brought Daniel, and they threw him into the den of lions. The king spoke and said to Daniel, Your God whom you serve continually will deliver you. 17And a stone was brought and laid on the mouth of the den. And the king sealed it with his own signet, and with the signet of his nobles, that the matter concerning Daniel might not be changed. 18Then the king went to his palace and spent the night fasting; and no entertainment was brought before him; and his sleep fled from him. 19Then the king rose up at dawn, at daybreak, and hurried to the den of lions. 20And when he came to the den, he cried with a grieving voice to Daniel. The king spoke and said to Daniel, O Daniel, servant of the living God, your God whom you always serve, is He able to deliver you from the lions? 21Then Daniel said to the king, O king, live forever! 22My God has sent His Angel, and He has shut the mouths of the lions. And they have not harmed me, because in His sight innocence was found in me. And also before you, O king, I have done no harm. 23Then the king was exceedingly glad over him. And he commanded to bring up Daniel from the den. And Daniel was brought out of the den, and no harm was found on him, because he trusted in his God. 24And the king commanded, and they brought those men who had accused Daniel. And they threw them into the den of lions, them, their sons and their wives. And the lions overpowered them and crushed all their bones before they ever reached the bottom of the den. 25Then King Darius wrote to all the peoples, the nations, and the languages who were living in all the earth: Peace be multiplied to you. 26I make a decree, that in every domain of my kingdom there shall be trembling and fear before the God of Daniel. For He is the living God and endures forever, and His kingdom is the one which shall not be destroyed. And His rule shall be to the end. 27He delivers and rescues, and He works signs and wonders in the heavens and on the earth, He who has delivered Daniel from the power of the lions. 28So this Daniel was made to prosper in the reign of Darius, and in the reign of Cyrus the Persian.