Daniel 6

NEW JERUSALEM	KING JAMES BIBLE
1 and Darius the Mede received the kingdom, at the age of sixty-two.	1 It pleased Darius to set over the kingdom an hundred and twenty princes, which should be over the whole kingdom;
2 It pleased Darius to appoint a hundred and twenty satraps over his kingdom for the various parts,	2 And over these three presidents; of whom Daniel was first: that the princes might give accounts unto them, and the king should have no damage.
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.	3 Then this Daniel was preferred above the presidents and princes, because an excellent spirit was in him; and the king thought to set him over the whole realm.
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.	4 Then the presidents and princes sought to find occasion against Daniel concerning the kingdom; but they could find none occasion nor fault; forasmuch as he was faithful, neither was there any error or fault 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.	5 Then said these men, We shall not find any occasion against this Daniel, except we find it against him concerning 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.'	6 Then these presidents and princes assembled together to the king, and said thus unto him, King Darius, live for ever.
7 The presidents and satraps then went in a body to the king. 'King Darius,' they said, 'live for ever!	7 All the presidents of the kingdom, the governors, and the princes, the counsellers, and the captains, have consulted together to establish a royal statute, and to make a firm decree, that whosoever shall ask a petition of any God or man for thirty days, save of thee, O king, he shall be cast into the 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.	8 Now, O king, establish the decree, and sign the writing, that it be not changed, according to the law of the Medes and Persians, which altereth not.
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.'	9 Wherefore king Darius signed the writing and the decree.
10 King Darius accordingly signed the document embodying the edict.	10 Now when Daniel knew that the writing was signed, he went into his house; and his windows being open in his chamber toward Jerusalem, he kneeled upon his knees three times a day, and prayed, and gave thanks before his God, as he did aforetime.
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.	11 Then these men assembled, and found Daniel praying and making supplication before his God.
12 These men came along in a body and found Daniel praying and pleading with God.	12 Then they came near, and spake before the king concerning the king's decree; Hast thou not signed a decree, that every man that shall ask a petition of any God or man within thirty days, save of thee, O king, shall be cast into the den of lions? The king answered and said, The thing is true, according to the law of the Medes and Persians, which altereth not.
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.'	13 Then answered they and said before the king, That Daniel, which is of the children of the captivity of Judah, regardeth not thee, O king, nor the decree that thou hast signed, but maketh his petition three times a day.
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.'	14 Then the king, when he heard these words, was sore displeased with himself, and set his heart on Daniel to deliver him: and he laboured till the going down of the sun to deliver 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.	15 Then these men assembled unto the king, and said unto the king, Know, O king, that the law of the Medes and Persians is, That no decree nor statute which the king establisheth may be changed.
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.'	16 Then the king commanded, and they brought Daniel, and cast him into the den of lions. Now the king spake and said unto Daniel, Thy God whom thou servest continually, he will deliver thee.
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.'	17 And a stone was brought and laid upon the mouth of the den; and the king sealed it with his own signet, and with the signet of his lords; that the purpose might not be changed concerning Daniel.
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.	18 Then the king went to his palace, and passed the night fasting: neither were instruments of musick brought before him: and his sleep went from him.
19 The king returned to his palace, spent the night in fasting and refused to receive any of hisconcubines. Sleep eluded him,	19 Then the king arose very early in the morning, and went in haste unto the den of lions.
20 and at the first sign of dawn he got up and hurried to the lion pit.	20 And when he came to the den, he cried with a lamentable voice unto Daniel: and the king spake and said to Daniel, O Daniel, servant of the living God, is thy God, whom thou servest continually, able to deliver thee 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?'	21 Then said Daniel unto the king, O king, live for ever.
22 Daniel answered the king, 'May Your Majesty live for ever!	22 My God hath sent his angel, and hath shut the lions' mouths, that they have not hurt me: forasmuch as before him innocency was found in me; and also before thee, O king, have I done no hurt.
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.'	23 Then was the king exceeding glad for him, and commanded that they should take Daniel up out of the den. So Daniel was taken up out of the den, and no manner of hurt was found upon him, because he believed 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.	24 And the king commanded, and they brought those men which had accused Daniel, and they cast them into the den of lions, them, their children, and their wives; and the lions had the mastery of them, and brake all their bones in pieces or ever they came at the bottom of the den.
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.	25 Then king Darius wrote unto all people, nations, and languages, that dwell in all the earth; Peace be multiplied unto you.
26 King Darius then wrote to al nations, peoples and languages dwel ing throughout the world: 'May youprosper more and more!	26 I make a decree, That in every dominion of my kingdom men tremble and fear before the God of Daniel: for he is the living God, and stedfast for ever, and his kingdom that which shall not be destroyed, and his dominion shall be even unto the 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.	27 He delivereth and rescueth, and he worketh signs and wonders in heaven and in earth, who hath delivered Daniel from the power of the lions.
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.'	28 So this Daniel prospered in the reign of Darius, and in the reign of Cyrus the Persian.
29 This Daniel flourished in the reign of Darius and the reign of Cyrus the Persian.