Daniel 6

NEW AMERICAN BIBLE	NEW JERUSALEM
1 And Darius the Mede succeeded to the kingdom at the age of sixty-two.	1 and Darius the Mede received the kingdom, at the age of sixty-two.
2 Darius decided to appoint over his entire kingdom one hundred and twenty satraps, to safeguard his interests;	2 It pleased Darius to appoint a hundred and twenty satraps over his kingdom for the various parts,
3 these were accountable to three supervisors, one of whom was Daniel.	3 and over them three presidents -- of whom Daniel was one -- to whom the satraps were to beresponsible. This was to safeguard the king's interests.
4 Daniel outshone all the supervisors and satraps because an extraordinary spirit was in him, and the king thought of giving him authority over the entire kingdom.	4 This Daniel, by virtue of the marvel ous spirit residing in him, was so evidently superior to the otherpresidents and satraps that the king considered appointing him to rule the whole kingdom.
5 Therefore the supervisors and satraps tried to find grounds for accusation against Daniel as regards the administration. But they could accuse him of no wrongdoing; because he was trustworthy, no fault of neglect or misconduct was to be found in him.	5 The presidents and satraps, in consequence, started hunting for some affair of state by which theycould discredit Daniel; but they could find nothing to his discredit, and no case of negligence; he was sopunctilious that they could not find a single instance of maladministration or neglect.
6 Then these men said to themselves, "We shall find no grounds for accusation against this Daniel unless by way of the law of his God."	6 These men then thought, 'We shal never find a way of discrediting Daniel unless we try something todo with the law of his God.'
7 So these supervisors and satraps went thronging to the king and said to him, "King Darius, live forever!	7 The presidents and satraps then went in a body to the king. 'King Darius,' they said, 'live for ever!
8 All the supervisors of the kingdom, the prefects, satraps, nobles, and governors are agreed that the following prohibition ought to be put in force by royal decree: no one is to address any petition to god or man for thirty days, except to you, O king; otherwise he shall be cast into a den of lions.	8 We are all agreed, presidents of the realm, magistrates, satraps, councillors and governors, that theking should issue an edict enforcing the fol owing regulation: Whoever within the next thirty days prays toanyone, divine or human, other than to yourself, Your Majesty, is to be thrown into the lions' den.
9 Now, O king, issue the prohibition over your signature, immutable and irrevocable under Mede and Persian law."	9 Your Majesty, ratify the edict at once by signing this document, making it unalterable, as befits the lawof the Medes and the Persians, which cannot be revoked.'
10 So King Darius signed the prohibition and made it law.	10 King Darius accordingly signed the document embodying the edict.
11 Even after Daniel heard that this law had been signed, he continued his custom of going home to kneel in prayer and give thanks to his God in the upper chamber three times a day, with the windows open toward Jerusalem.	11 When Daniel heard that the document had been signed, he retired to his house. The windows of hisupstairs room faced towards Jerusalem. Three times each day, he went down on his knees, praying and givingpraise to God as he had always done.
12 So these men rushed in and found Daniel praying and pleading before his God.	12 These men came along in a body and found Daniel praying and pleading with God.
13 Then they went to remind the king about the prohibition: "Did you not decree, O king, that no one is to address a petition to god or man for thirty days, except to you, O king; otherwise he shall be cast into a den of lions?" The king answered them, "The decree is absolute, irrevocable under the Mede and Persian law."	13 They then went to the king and reminded him of the royal edict, 'Have you not signed an edictforbidding anyone for the next thirty days to pray to anyone, divine or human, other than to yourself, YourMajesty, on pain of being thrown into the lions' den?' 'The decision stands', the king replied, 'as befits the law ofthe Medes and the Persians, which cannot be revoked.'
14 To this they replied, "Daniel, the Jewish exile, has paid no attention to you, O king, or to the decree you issued; three times a day he offers his prayer."	14 They then said to the king, 'Your Majesty, this man Daniel, one of the exiles from Judah, disregardsboth you and the edict which you have signed: he is at his prayers three times each day.'
15 The king was deeply grieved at this news and he made up his mind to save Daniel; he worked till sunset to rescue him.	15 When the king heard these words he was deeply distressed and determined to save Daniel; he rackedhis brains until sunset to find some way to save him.
16 But these men insisted. "Keep in mind, O king," they said, "that under the Mede and Persian law every royal prohibition or decree is irrevocable."	16 But the men kept pressing the king, 'Your Majesty, remember that in conformity with the law of theMedes and the Persians, no edict or decree can be altered when once issued by the king.'
17 So the king ordered Daniel to be brought and cast into the lions' den. To Daniel he said, "May your God, whom you serve so constantly, save you."	17 The king then ordered Daniel to be brought and thrown into the lion pit. The king said to Daniel, 'YourGod, whom you have served so faithful y, wil have to save you.'
18 To forestall any tampering, the king sealed with his own ring and the rings of the lords the stone that had been brought to block the opening of the den.	18 A stone was then brought and laid over the mouth of the pit; and the king sealed it with his own signetand with that of his noblemen, so that there could be no going back on the original decision about Daniel.
19 Then the king returned to his palace for the night; he refused to eat and he dismissed the entertainers. Since sleep was impossible for him,	19 The king returned to his palace, spent the night in fasting and refused to receive any of hisconcubines. Sleep eluded him,
20 the king rose very early the next morning and hastened to the lions' den.	20 and at the first sign of dawn he got up and hurried to the lion pit.
21 As he drew near, he cried out to Daniel sorrowfully, "O Daniel, servant of the living God, has the God whom you serve so constantly been able to save you from the lions?"	21 As he approached the pit he cal ed in anguished tones to Daniel, 'Daniel, servant of the living God!Has your God, whom you serve so faithful y, been able to save you from the lions?'
22 Daniel answered the king: "O king, live forever!	22 Daniel answered the king, 'May Your Majesty live for ever!
23 My God has sent his angel and closed the lions' mouths so that they have not hurt me. For I have been found innocent before him; neither to you have I done any harm, O king!"	23 My God sent his angel who sealed the lions' jaws; they did me no harm, since in his sight I amblameless; neither have I ever done you any wrong, Your Majesty.'
24 This gave the king great joy. At his order Daniel was removed from the den, unhurt because he trusted in his God.	24 The king was overjoyed and ordered Daniel to be released from the pit. Daniel was released from thepit and found to be quite unhurt, because he had trusted in his God.
25 The king then ordered the men who had accused Daniel, along with their children and their wives, to be cast into the lions' den. Before they reached the bottom of the den, the lions overpowered them and crushed all their bones.	25 The king then sent for the men who had accused Daniel and had them thrown into the lion pit, andtheir wives and children too; and before they reached the floor of the pit the lions had seized them and crushedtheir bones to pieces.
26 Then King Darius wrote to the nations and peoples of every language, wherever they dwell on the earth: "All peace to you!	26 King Darius then wrote to al nations, peoples and languages dwel ing throughout the world: 'May youprosper more and more!
27 I decree that throughout my royal domain the God of Daniel is to be reverenced and feared: "For he is the living God, enduring forever; his kingdom shall not be destroyed, and his dominion shall be without end.	27 This is my decree: Throughout every dominion of my realm, let al tremble with fear before the God ofDaniel: He is the living God, he endures for ever, his kingdom wil never be destroyed and his empire nevercome to an end.
28 He is a deliverer and savior, working signs and wonders in heaven and on earth, and he delivered Daniel from the lions' power."	28 He saves, sets free, and works signs and wonders in the heavens and on earth; he has saved Danielfrom the power of the lions.'
29 So Daniel fared well during the reign of Darius and the reign of Cyrus the Persian.	29 This Daniel flourished in the reign of Darius and the reign of Cyrus the Persian.