1 I t hath been good before Darius, and he hath established over the kingdom satraps -- a hundred and twenty -- that they may be throughout the whole kingdom,

It pleased Darius to choose 120 captains to rule over the people. They would rule over the whole nation.

2 a nd higher than they three presidents, of whom Daniel first, that these satraps may give to them an account, and the king have no loss.

And three leaders were to rule over them, and Daniel was one. The captains were to answer to them, so that the king might suffer no loss.

3 T hen this Daniel hath been overseer over the presidents and satraps, because that an excellent spirit in him, and the king hath thought to establish him over the whole kingdom.

Then Daniel showed that he could do better work than the other leaders and captains because a special spirit was in him. So the king planned to give him power over the whole nation.

4 T hen the presidents and satraps have been seeking to find a cause of complaint against Daniel concerning the kingdom, and any cause of complaint and corruption they are not able to find, because that he faithful, and any error and corruption have not been found in him.

Then the leaders and captains tried to find a reason to complain against Daniel about his duties over the nation. But they could not find any reason to complain or anything to blame him for, because he was faithful and honest and did not do anything wrong.

5 T hen these men are saying, `We do not find against this Daniel any cause of complaint, except we have found against him in the law of his God.'

Then these men said, “We will not find anything to say against Daniel unless it has to do with the Law of his God.”

6 T hen these presidents and satraps have assembled near the king, and thus they are saying to him: `O king Darius, to the ages live!

So these leaders and captains came as a group to the king and said, “King Darius, live forever!

7 T aken counsel have all the presidents of the kingdom, the prefects, and the satraps, the counsellors, and the governors, to establish a royal statute, and to strengthen an interdict, that any who seeketh a petition from any god and man until thirty days, save of thee, O king, is cast into a den of lions.

All the leaders of the nation, the captains, the important men and the rulers have spoken with each other and have agreed that a new law should be made. The king should make a law that must be obeyed, saying that anyone who asks something of any god or man besides you, O king, for thirty days, must be thrown to the lions.

8 N ow, O king, thou dost establish the interdict, and sign the writing, that it is not to be changed, as a law of Media and Persia, that doth not pass away.'

O king, make this law now and write your name on it so that it may not be changed. It will be by the law of the Medes and Persians, and cannot be changed.”

9 T herefore king Darius hath signed the writing and interdict.

So King Darius made the law and wrote his name on it.

10 A nd Daniel, when he hath known that the writing is signed, hath gone up to his house, and the window being opened for him, in his upper chamber, over-against Jerusalem, three times in a day he is kneeling on his knees, and praying, and confessing before his God, because that he was doing before this.

When Daniel knew that the king had written his name on this law, he went into his house where, in his upper room, he had windows open toward Jerusalem. There he got down on his knees three times each day, praying and giving thanks to his God, as he had done before.

11 T hen these men have assembled, and found Daniel praying and entreating grace before his God;

Then these men came as a group and found Daniel praying and asking favor from his God.

12 t hen they have come near, yea, they are saying before the king concerning the king's interdict: `Hast thou not signed an interdict, that any man who seeketh from any god and man until thirty days, save of thee, O king, is cast into a den of lions?' Answered hath the king, and said, `The thing certain as a law of Media and Persia, that doth not pass away.'

So they went to the king and spoke to him about his law, saying, “Did you not write your name on a law which says that anyone who asks something of any god or man besides you, O king, for thirty days, is to be thrown to the lions?” The king answered, “This is true. It is by the law of the Medes and Persians, which cannot be changed.”

13 T hen they have answered, yea, they are saying before the king, that, `Daniel, who of the sons of the Removed of Judah, hath not placed on thee, O king, regard, nor on the interdict that thou hast signed, and three times in a day he is seeking his petition.'

Then they said to the king, “Daniel, who is one of the people brought from Judah, does not listen to you, O king. He is not obeying the law that you wrote your name on. He is still asking things of his God three times a day.”

14 T hen the king, when he hath heard the matter, is greatly displeased at himself, and on Daniel he hath set the heart to deliver him, and till the going up of the sun he was arranging to deliver him.

When the king heard this, he was very troubled and tried to think of a way to save Daniel. Even until sunset he was trying to find a way to save him.

15 T hen these men have assembled near the king, and are saying to the king, `know, O king, that the law of Media and Persia: That any interdict and statute that the king doth establish is not to be changed.'

Then these men came as a group to the king and said, “Understand, O king, that it is a law of the Medes and Persians that any law the king makes cannot be changed.”

16 T hen the king hath said, and they have brought Daniel, and have cast into a den of lions. The king hath answered and said to Daniel, `Thy God, whom thou art serving continually, Himself doth deliver thee.'

So the king had Daniel brought in and thrown into the place where lions were kept. The king said to Daniel, “May your God, Whom you are faithful to serve, save you.”

17 A nd a stone hath been brought and placed at the mouth of the den, and the king hath sealed it with his signet, and with the signet of his great men, that the purpose be not changed concerning Daniel.

And a stone was brought and laid over the mouth of the hole. The king marked it with his own special ring and with the rings of his important men, so that no one could save Daniel.

18 T hen hath the king gone to his palace, and he hath passed the night fasting, and dahavan have not been brought up before him, and his sleep hath fled off him.

Then the king went to his beautiful house and spent the night without food and sleep. And nothing was brought to make him feel better. Daniel Is Saved from the Lions

19 T hen doth the king rise in the early morning, at the light, and in haste to the den of lions he hath gone;

The king got up at sunrise and went in a hurry to the place where lions were kept.

20 a nd at his coming near to the den, to Daniel, with a grieved voice, he crieth. The king hath answered and said to Daniel, O Daniel, servant of the living God, thy God, whom thou art serving continually, is He able to deliver thee from the lions?'

When he came to the hole in the ground where Daniel was, he called to him with a troubled voice, “Daniel, servant of the living God, has your God, Whom you always serve, been able to save you from the lions?”

21 T hen Daniel hath spoken with the king: `O king, to the ages live:

Then Daniel said to the king, “O king, live forever!

22 m y God hath sent His messenger, and hath shut the lions' mouths, and they have not injured me: because that before Him purity hath been found in me; and also before thee, O king, injury I have not done.'

My God sent His angel and shut the lions’ mouths. They have not hurt me, because He knows that I am not guilty, and because I have done nothing wrong to you, O king.”

23 T hen was the king very glad for him, and he hath commanded Daniel to be taken up out of the den, and Daniel hath been taken up out of the den, and no injury hath been found in him, because he hath believed in his God.

Then the king was very pleased and had Daniel taken up out of the hole in the ground. So they took Daniel out of the hole and saw that he had not been hurt at all, because he had trusted in his God.

24 A nd the king hath said, and they have brought those men who had accused Daniel, and to the den of lions they have cast them, they, their sons, and their wives; and they have not come to the lower part of the den till that the lions have power over them, and all their bones they have broken small.

Then the king had those men brought to him who had spoken against Daniel. And they threw them with their wives and children into the hole with the lions. Even before they hit the bottom of the hole, the lions went after them and crushed all their bones.

25 T hen Darius the king hath written to all the peoples, nations, and languages, who are dwelling in all the land: `Your peace be great!

Then King Darius wrote to all the people of every nation and language who were living on the earth. He wrote, “May you have much peace!

26 F rom before me is made a decree, that in every dominion of my kingdom they are trembling and fearing before the God of Daniel, for He the living God, and abiding to the ages, and His kingdom that which not destroyed, and His dominion unto the end.

I make a law that all those under my rule are to fear and shake before the God of Daniel. For He is the living God and He lives forever. His nation will never be destroyed and His rule will last forever.

27 A deliverer, and rescuer, and doer of signs and wonders in the heavens and in earth He who hath delivered Daniel from the paw of the lions.'

He saves and brings men out of danger, and shows His great power in heaven and on earth. And He has saved Daniel from the power of the lions.”

28 A nd this Daniel hath prospered in the reign of Darius, and in the reign of Cyrus the Persian.

So things went well for Daniel during the rule of Darius and during the rule of Cyrus the Persian.