1 Darius|strong="H1868" thought it would be a good idea to|strong="H1868" choose 120 satraps to|strong="H1868" rule throughout his kingdom|strong="H4437".
2 He|strong="H1768" chose three men to|strong="H5922" rule over|strong="H5922" the|strong="H3606" 120 satraps|strong="H0324". Daniel was|strong="H1934" one of|strong="H4437" the|strong="H3606" three supervisors. The|strong="H3606" king put these men in|strong="H4437" this position to|strong="H5922" keep anyone|strong="H3606" from|strong="H1768" cheating him|strong="H6966".
3 Daniel|strong="H1841" proved himself to|strong="H4481" be|strong="H1934" a|strong="H2298" better supervisor than|strong="H4481" any of|strong="H4481" the|strong="H1768" others. He|strong="H1768" did this by|strong="H4481" his|strong="H1768" good character and|strong="H4430" great ability. The|strong="H1768" king|strong="H4430" was|strong="H1934" so|strong="H1768" impressed with|strong="H1841" Daniel|strong="H1841" that|strong="H1768" he|strong="H1768" planned to|strong="H4481" make him|strong="H3052" ruler over|strong="H5924" the|strong="H1768" whole kingdom.
4 But|strong="H1768" when|strong="H1768" the|strong="H3606" other supervisors|strong="H5632" and|strong="H4430" the|strong="H3606" satraps|strong="H0324" heard about|strong="H5922" this|strong="H1836", they|strong="H0116" were|strong="H1934" very jealous. They|strong="H0116" tried to|strong="H5922" find reasons to|strong="H5922" accuse Daniel|strong="H1841". So|strong="H0116" they|strong="H0116" watched what|strong="H1768" Daniel|strong="H1841" did as|strong="H1768" he|strong="H1768" went about|strong="H5922" doing the|strong="H3606" business of|strong="H4437" the|strong="H3606" government|strong="H4437". But|strong="H1768" they|strong="H0116" could|strong="H1768" not find anything wrong with|strong="H5922" him|strong="H6966", so|strong="H0116" they|strong="H0116" could|strong="H1768" not accuse him|strong="H6966" of|strong="H4437" doing anything wrong. Daniel|strong="H1841" was|strong="H1934" a|strong="H0116" man people could|strong="H1768" trust. He|strong="H1768" did not cheat the|strong="H3606" king|strong="H4430", and|strong="H4430" he|strong="H1768" worked very hard.
5 Finally, they|strong="H0116" said, “We|strong="H0116" will|strong="H1768" never find|strong="H7912" any|strong="H3606" reason to|strong="H5922" accuse Daniel|strong="H1841" of|strong="H4437" doing something wrong. So|strong="H0116" we|strong="H0116" must find|strong="H7912" something to|strong="H5922" complain about|strong="H5922" that|strong="H1768" is|strong="H1768" connected to|strong="H5922" the|strong="H3606" law of|strong="H4437" his|strong="H5922" God.”
6 So|strong="H0116" the|strong="H3606" two supervisors and|strong="H1841" the|strong="H3606" satraps went as|strong="H1768" a|strong="H7912" group to|strong="H5922" the|strong="H3606" king. They|strong="H0116" said|strong="H0560", “King Darius, live forever!
7 The|strong="H0116" supervisors|strong="H5632", prefects, satraps|strong="H0324", advisors, and|strong="H4430" governors have|strong="H4430" all|strong="H5957" agreed on|strong="H5922" something. We|strong="H0116" think that|strong="H0116" the|strong="H0116" king|strong="H4430" should|strong="H4430" make this law and|strong="H4430" that|strong="H0116" everyone must obey it|strong="H5922": For|strong="H5922" the|strong="H0116" next 30 days, whoever prays to|strong="H5922" any god or|strong="H4430" man except you|strong="H5922", King|strong="H4430", will|strong="H4430" be thrown into the|strong="H0116" lions’ den.
8 Now|strong="H4430", King|strong="H4430", make the|strong="H3606" law and|strong="H4430" sign the|strong="H3606" paper it is|strong="H1768" written on|strong="H0606" so|strong="H1768" that|strong="H1768" it cannot be|strong="H0426" changed, because|strong="H4481" the|strong="H3606" laws of|strong="H0426" the|strong="H3606" Medes and|strong="H4430" Persians cannot be|strong="H0426" canceled or|strong="H0426" changed.”
9 So|strong="H1768" King|strong="H4430" Darius made|strong="H6966" the|strong="H1768" law|strong="H1882" and|strong="H4430" signed|strong="H7560" it.
10 Daniel always prayed to|strong="H4430" God three times every|strong="H3606" day. Three times every|strong="H3606" day, he bowed down on his|strong="H3606" knees to|strong="H4430" pray and|strong="H4430" praise God. Even though|strong="H6903" Daniel heard about the|strong="H3606" new law, he still went to|strong="H4430" his|strong="H3606" house to|strong="H4430" pray. He went up to|strong="H4430" the|strong="H3606" upper room of|strong="H4430" his|strong="H3606" house and|strong="H4430" opened the|strong="H3606" windows that|strong="H0633" faced toward Jerusalem. Then|strong="H6903" Daniel bowed down on his|strong="H3606" knees and|strong="H4430" prayed just|strong="H6903" as|strong="H6903" he always had|strong="H4430" done.
11 Then|strong="H6903" the|strong="H3606" supervisors and|strong="H3792" satraps went|strong="H5954" as|strong="H1768" a|strong="H5648" group and|strong="H3792" found Daniel|strong="H1841" praying|strong="H6739" and|strong="H3792" asking God|strong="H0426" for|strong="H1768" help.
12 So|strong="H0116" they|strong="H0116" went to|strong="H6925" the|strong="H0116" king and|strong="H1841" talked to|strong="H6925" him|strong="H6925" about the|strong="H0116" law he|strong="H0116" had made|strong="H1156". They|strong="H0116" said, “King Darius, you signed a|strong="H1156" law that|strong="H0116" says, for|strong="H1156" the|strong="H0116" next 30 days anyone who prays|strong="H1156" to|strong="H6925" any god|strong="H0426" or|strong="H0426" man|strong="H1400" except you, the|strong="H0116" king, would be|strong="H0426" thrown into the|strong="H0116" lions’ den. You did sign that|strong="H0116" law, didn’t you?”
13 Then|strong="H0116" they|strong="H0116" said|strong="H0560" to|strong="H5922" the|strong="H3606" king|strong="H4430", “That|strong="H1768" man|strong="H0606" Daniel is|strong="H1768" not|strong="H3809" paying any|strong="H3606" attention to|strong="H5922" you|strong="H1768". He|strong="H1768" is|strong="H1768" one of|strong="H0426" the|strong="H3606" captives from|strong="H4481" Judah, and|strong="H6032" he|strong="H1768" is|strong="H1768" not|strong="H3809" paying attention to|strong="H5922" the|strong="H3606" law|strong="H1882" you|strong="H1768" signed|strong="H7560". Daniel still prays|strong="H1156" to|strong="H5922" his|strong="H5922" God|strong="H0426" three times every|strong="H3606" day|strong="H3118".”
14 The|strong="H0116" king|strong="H4430" became very sad and|strong="H6032" upset when|strong="H1768" he|strong="H1768" heard this. He|strong="H1768" decided to|strong="H5922" save Daniel|strong="H1841". He|strong="H1768" worked until sunset trying|strong="H1156" to|strong="H5922" think of|strong="H4481" a|strong="H7761" way to|strong="H5922" save him|strong="H6925".
15 Then|strong="H0116" the|strong="H0116" men went as|strong="H1768" a|strong="H7761" group to|strong="H5922" the|strong="H0116" king|strong="H4430" and|strong="H4430" said to|strong="H5922" him, “Remember, King|strong="H4430", that|strong="H1768" the|strong="H0116" law of|strong="H4430" the|strong="H0116" Medes and|strong="H4430" Persians says that|strong="H1768" no law or|strong="H4430" command|strong="H4406" signed by|strong="H7761" the|strong="H0116" king|strong="H4430" can|strong="H1768" ever be|strong="H1934" canceled or|strong="H4430" changed.”
16 So|strong="H0116" King|strong="H4430" Darius gave|strong="H0560" the|strong="H3606" order. They|strong="H0116" brought Daniel and|strong="H4430" threw him|strong="H6966" into the|strong="H3606" lions’ den. The|strong="H3606" king|strong="H4430" said|strong="H0560" to|strong="H5922" Daniel, “May the|strong="H3606" God you|strong="H1768" serve save you|strong="H1768"!”
17 A|strong="H0116" big rock was|strong="H1841" brought|strong="H0858" and|strong="H6032" put over the|strong="H0116" opening of|strong="H0426" the|strong="H0116" lions’|strong="H0744" den|strong="H1358". Then|strong="H0116" the|strong="H0116" king|strong="H4430" used his|strong="H1768" ring and|strong="H6032" put his|strong="H1768" seal on the|strong="H0116" rock. He|strong="H1768" also used the|strong="H0116" rings of|strong="H0426" his|strong="H1768" officials and|strong="H6032" put their seals on the|strong="H0116" rock. This|strong="H1932" showed that|strong="H1768" no one could|strong="H1768" move that|strong="H1768" rock and|strong="H6032" bring|strong="H0858" Daniel|strong="H1841" out of|strong="H0426" the|strong="H0116" lion’s den|strong="H1358".
18 Then|strong="H4430" King|strong="H4430" Darius went|strong="H0858" back to|strong="H5922" his|strong="H5922" house. He|strong="H1768" did not|strong="H3809" eat that|strong="H1768" night. He|strong="H1768" did not|strong="H3809" want anyone to|strong="H5922" come|strong="H0858" and|strong="H4430" entertain him. He|strong="H1768" could|strong="H1768" not|strong="H3809" sleep all night.
19 The|strong="H0116" next morning, King|strong="H4430" Darius got up|strong="H6925" just as|strong="H0116" it|strong="H5922" was|strong="H4430" getting light and|strong="H4430" ran to|strong="H5922" the|strong="H0116" lions’ den.
20 He|strong="H1768" was|strong="H4430" very worried. When|strong="H1768" he|strong="H1768" got to|strong="H4430" the|strong="H0116" lions’|strong="H0744" den|strong="H1358", he|strong="H1768" called to|strong="H4430" Daniel. He|strong="H1768" said, “Daniel, servant of|strong="H4430" the|strong="H0116" living God, has|strong="H1768" your God been able to|strong="H4430" save you|strong="H1768" from|strong="H1768" the|strong="H0116" lions|strong="H0744"? You|strong="H1768" always serve your God.”
21 Daniel|strong="H1841" answered|strong="H6032", “King|strong="H4430", live forever!
22 My God sent his angel to|strong="H5974" save me. The|strong="H0116" angel closed the|strong="H0116" lions’ mouths. The|strong="H0116" lions have|strong="H4430" not hurt me because my God knows I|strong="H0116" am innocent. I|strong="H0116" never did anything wrong to|strong="H5974" you, King|strong="H4430".”
23 King|strong="H4430" Darius was|strong="H4430" very happy. He|strong="H1768" told his|strong="H7972" servants to|strong="H6925" lift Daniel out|strong="H5648" of|strong="H0426" the|strong="H3606" lions’|strong="H0744" den. And|strong="H4430" when|strong="H1768" Daniel was|strong="H4430" lifted out|strong="H5648" of|strong="H0426" the|strong="H3606" den, they|strong="H1768" did not|strong="H3809" find|strong="H7912" any|strong="H3606" injury on his|strong="H7972" body. The|strong="H3606" lions|strong="H0744" did not|strong="H3809" hurt Daniel because|strong="H6903" he|strong="H1768" trusted in|strong="H0426" his|strong="H7972" God|strong="H0426".
24 Then|strong="H0116" the|strong="H3606" king|strong="H4430" gave|strong="H0560" a|strong="H7912" command|strong="H0560" to|strong="H5922" bring the|strong="H3606" men who|strong="H1768" had|strong="H4430" accused Daniel|strong="H1841" to|strong="H5922" the|strong="H3606" lions’ den|strong="H1358". The|strong="H3606" men and|strong="H4430" their|strong="H3606" wives and|strong="H4430" children were|strong="H1768" thrown into the|strong="H3606" lion’s den|strong="H1358". The|strong="H3606" lions grabbed them|strong="H0560" before they|strong="H0116" hit the|strong="H3606" floor. The|strong="H3606" lions ate their|strong="H3606" bodies and|strong="H4430" then|strong="H0116" chewed on|strong="H5922" their|strong="H3606" bones.
25 Then|strong="H4430" King|strong="H4430" Darius wrote this letter to|strong="H0560" all|strong="H3606" the|strong="H3606" people|strong="H1400" from|strong="H1768" other nations and|strong="H4430" language groups all|strong="H3606" around the|strong="H3606" world:
26 I|strong="H1768" am making a|strong="H0116" new law. This law is|strong="H1768" for|strong="H1768" people|strong="H5972" in|strong="H1753" every|strong="H3606" part of|strong="H4430" my|strong="H1768" kingdom. All|strong="H3606" of|strong="H4430" you|strong="H1768" must fear and|strong="H4430" respect the|strong="H3606" God of|strong="H4430" Daniel.
27 God|strong="H0426" helps and|strong="H4437" saves people.
28 So|strong="H1768" Daniel|strong="H1841" was|strong="H1841" successful during the|strong="H1768" time Darius was|strong="H1841" king and|strong="H8065" when|strong="H1768" Cyrus the|strong="H1768" Persian was|strong="H1841" king.