1 It pleased8232 6925 Darius1868 to set6966 over5922 the kingdom4437 a hundred3969 and twenty6243 princes,324 which1768 should be1934 over the whole3606 kingdom;4437

2 And over5924 4481 these three8532 presidents;5632 of whom4481 1768 Daniel1841 was first:2298 that1768 the459 princes324 might1934 give3052 accounts2941 unto them, and the king4430 should have1934 no3809 damage.5142

3 Then116 this1836 Daniel1841 was1934 preferred5330 above5922 the presidents5632 and princes,324 because3606 6903 1768 an excellent3493 spirit7308 was in him; and the king4430 thought6246 to set6966 him over5922 the whole3606 realm.4437

4 Then116 the presidents5632 and princes324 sought1934 1156 to find7912 occasion5931 against Daniel1841 concerning4481 6655 the kingdom;4437 but they could3202 find7912 none3809 3606 occasion5931 nor fault;7844 forasmuch as3606 6903 1768 he1932 was faithful,540 neither3809 was there any3606 error7960 or fault7844 found7912 in5922 him.

5 Then116 said560 these479 men,1400 We shall not3809 find7912 any3606 occasion5931 against this1836 Daniel,1841 except3861 we find7912 it against5922 him concerning the law1882 of his God.426

6 Then116 these459 presidents5632 and princes324 assembled together7284 to5922 the king,4430 and said560 thus3652 unto him, King4430 Darius,1868 live2418 forever.5957

7 All3606 the presidents5632 of the kingdom,4437 the governors,5460 and the princes,324 the counselors,1907 and the captains,6347 have consulted together3272 to establish6966 a royal4430 statute,7010 and to make a firm8631 decree,633 that1768 whosoever3606 1768 shall ask1156 a petition1159 of4481 any3606 God426 or man606 for5705 thirty8533 days,3118 save3861 of4481 thee, O king,4430 he shall be cast7412 into the den1358 of lions.744

8 Now,3705 O king,4430 establish6966 the decree,633 and sign7560 the writing,3792 that1768 it be not3809 changed,8133 according to the law1882 of the Medes4076 and Persians,6540 which1768 altereth5709 not.3809

9 Wherefore3606 6903 1836 king4430 Darius1868 signed7560 the writing3792 and the decree.633

10 Now when1768 Daniel1841 knew3046 that1768 the writing3792 was signed,7560 he went5954 into his house;1005 and his windows3551 being open6606 in his chamber5952 toward5049 Jerusalem,3390 he1932 kneeled1289 upon5922 his knees1291 three8532 times2166 a day,3118 and prayed,6739 and gave thanks3029 before6925 his God,426 as3606 6903 1768 he did1934 5648 formerly.4481 6928 1836

11 Then116 these479 men1400 assembled,7284 and found7912 Daniel1841 praying1156 and making supplication2604 before6925 his God.426

12 Then116 they came near,7127 and spoke560 before6925 the king4430 concerning5922 the king's4430 decree;633 Hast thou not3809 signed7560 a decree,633 that1768 every3606 man606 that1768 shall ask1156 a petition of4481 any3606 God426 or man606 within5705 thirty8533 days,3118 save3861 of4481 thee, O king,4430 shall be cast7412 into the den1358 of lions?744 The king4430 answered6032 and said,560 The thing4406 is true,3330 according to the law1882 of the Medes4076 and Persians,6540 which1768 altereth5709 not.3809

13 Then116 answered6032 they and said560 before6925 the king,4430 That1768 Daniel,1841 which1768 is of4481 the children1123 of the captivity1547 of1768 Judah,3061 regardeth7761 2942 5922 not3809 thee, O king,4430 nor the decree633 that1768 thou hast signed,7560 but maketh1156 his petition1159 three8532 times2166 a day.3118

14 Then116 the king,4430 when1768 he heard8086 these words,4406 was sore7690 displeased888 with5922 himself, and set7761 his heart1079 on5922 Daniel1841 to deliver7804 him: and he labored1934 7712 till5705 the going down4606 of the sun8122 to deliver5338 him.

15 Then116 these479 men1400 assembled7284 unto5922 the king,4430 and said560 unto the king,4430 Know,3046 O king,4430 that1768 the law1882 of the Medes4076 and Persians6540 is, That1768 no3809 3606 decree633 nor statute7010 which1768 the king4430 establisheth6966 may be changed.8133

16 Then116 the king4430 commanded,560 and they brought858 Daniel,1841 and cast7412 him into the den1358 of1768 lions.744 Now the king4430 spoke6032 and said560 unto Daniel,1841 Thy God426 whom1768 thou607 servest6399 continually,8411 he1932 will deliver7804 thee.

17 And a2298 stone69 was brought,858 and laid7761 upon5922 the mouth6433 of the den;1358 and the king4430 sealed2857 it with his own signet,5824 and with the signet5824 of his lords;7261 that1768 the purpose6640 might not3809 be changed8133 concerning Daniel.1841

18 Then116 the king4430 went236 to his palace,1965 and passed the night956 fasting:2908 neither3809 were instruments of music1761 brought5954 before6925 him: and his sleep8139 went5075 from5922 him.

19 Then116 the king4430 arose6966 very early in the morning,8238 5053 and went236 in haste927 unto the den1358 of1768 lions.744

20 And when he came7127 to the den,1358 he cried2200 with a lamentable6088 voice7032 unto Daniel:1841 and the king4430 spoke6032 and said560 to Daniel,1841 O Daniel,1841 servant5649 of the living2417 God,426 is thy God,426 whom1768 thou607 servest6399 continually,8411 able3202 to deliver7804 thee from4481 the lions?744

21 Then116 said4449 Daniel1841 unto5974 the king,4430 O king,4430 live2418 forever.5957

22 My God426 hath sent7972 his angel,4398 and hath shut5463 the lions'744 mouths,6433 that they have not3809 hurt2255 me: forasmuch as3606 6903 1768 before6925 him innocency2136 was found7912 in me; and also638 before6925 thee, O king,4430 have I done5648 no3809 hurt.2248

23 Then116 was the king exceeding glad4430 7690 2868 for5922 him, and commanded560 that they should take Daniel up5267 1841 out of4481 the den.1358 So Daniel1841 was taken up5267 out of4481 the den,1358 and no manner3809 3606 of hurt2257 was found7912 upon him, because1768 he believed540 in his God.426

24 And the king4430 commanded,560 and they brought858 those479 men1400 which1768 had accused399 7170 Daniel,1768 1841 and they cast7412 them into the den1358 of lions,744 them,581 their children,1123 and their wives;5389 and the lions744 had the mastery7981 of them, and broke all their bones in pieces1855 3606 1635 or ever they came5705 1768 3809 4291 at the bottom773 of the den.1358

25 Then116 king4430 Darius1868 wrote3790 unto all3606 people,5972 nations,524 and languages,3961 that1768 dwell1753 in all3606 the earth;772 Peace8001 be multiplied7680 unto you.

26 I make4481 6925 7761 a decree,2942 That1768 in every3606 dominion7985 of my kingdom4437 men tremble1934 2112 and fear1763 before4481 6925 the God426 of1768 Daniel:1841 for1768 he1932 is the living2417 God,426 and steadfast7011 forever,5957 and his kingdom4437 that which1768 shall not3809 be destroyed,2255 and his dominion7985 shall be even unto5705 the end.5491

27 He delivereth7804 and rescueth,5338 and he worketh5648 signs852 and wonders8540 in heaven8065 and in earth,772 who1768 hath delivered7804 Daniel1841 from4481 the power3028 of the lions.744

28 So this1836 Daniel1841 prospered6744 in the reign4437 of Darius,1868 and in the reign4437 of Cyrus3567 the Persian.6543