¶ It pleased Darius¹ to set over the kingdom an² hundred and twenty princes, which should be over the whole kingdom;

And over these three presidents; of³ whom Daniel was first: that⁴ the princes might give accounts unto them, and the⁵ king should have no damage.

Then this Daniel was preferred⁶ above the presidents and princes, because an⁷ excellent spirit was in him; and the king thought⁸ to set him over the whole realm.

Then the presidents and princes sought to find occasion against Daniel concerning the kingdom; but¹⁰ they could find none occasion nor fault; forasmuch as he was faithful, neither was there any error or fault found in him.

¹¹Then said these men, We shall not find any occasion against this Daniel, except we find it against him concerning the law of his God.

¶ Then these presidents and princes assembled together¹² to the king¹³, and said thus unto him, King Darius, live for ever.

All¹⁴ the presidents of the kingdom, the governors, and the princes, the counsellors, and the captains, have consulted¹⁵ together to establish a royal statute, and to make a firm decree¹⁶, 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.

Now, O king, establish¹⁷ the decree, and sign the writing, that it be not changed, according¹⁸ to the law of the Medes and Persians, which altereth not¹⁹.

Wherefore king Darius signed²⁰ the writing and the decree.

¶ Now when²¹ Daniel knew that the writing was signed, he went into his house; and his windows²² being open in his chamber toward Jerusalem, he kneeled²³ upon his knees three²⁴ times a day, and prayed, and gave²⁵ thanks before his God, as he²⁶ did aforetime.

¶ Then these men assembled²⁷, and found Daniel praying and making supplication before his God.

Then they²⁸ 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 den²⁹ of lions? The king answered and said, The thing³⁰ is true, according to the law of the Medes and Persians, which altereth not.

Then answered they and said before the king, That Daniel³¹, which is of the children of the captivity of Judah, regardeth³² not thee, O king, nor the decree that thou hast signed, but maketh his petition three times a day.

Then the king, when he heard these words, was sore³³ displeased with himself, and set his heart on Daniel to deliver him: and he³⁴ laboured till the going down of the sun to deliver him.

Then these men assembled unto the king, and said unto the king, Know³⁵, O king, that the law of the Medes and Persians is, That no decree nor statute which the king establisheth may be changed.

Then the king³⁶ commanded, and they brought Daniel, and cast him into the den of lions. Now the king spake and said unto Daniel, Thy God³⁷ whom thou servest continually, he will deliver thee.

And a stone³⁸ 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.

¶ Then the king went to his palace, and passed³⁹ the night fasting: neither were instruments⁴⁰ of musick brought before him: and his sleep went from him.

⁴¹Then the king arose very early in the morning, and went in haste unto the den of lions.

¶ 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, is⁴² thy God, whom thou servest⁴³ continually, able⁴⁴ to deliver thee from the lions?

Then said Daniel unto the king, O king⁴⁵, live for ever.

My God⁴⁶ hath sent⁴⁷ his angel, and hath shut⁴⁸ the lions' mouths, that they have not hurt me: forasmuch⁴⁹ as before him innocency was found in me; and also⁵⁰ before thee, O king, have I done no hurt.

Then was⁵¹ 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, because⁵² he believed in his God.

And the king commanded, and they brought⁵³ those men which had accused Daniel, and they cast them⁵⁴ into the den of lions, them, their children⁵⁵, and their wives; and the lions⁵⁶ had the mastery of them, and brake all their bones in pieces or ever they came at the bottom of the den.

¶ Then king⁵⁷ Darius wrote unto all people, nations, and languages, that dwell in all the earth; Peace⁵⁸ be multiplied unto you.

I make⁵⁹ a decree, That in every dominion of my kingdom men tremble⁶⁰ and fear before the God of Daniel: for⁶¹ he is the living God, and stedfast⁶² for ever, and his kingdom⁶³ that which shall not be destroyed, and his dominion shall be even unto the end.

He delivereth⁶⁴ and rescueth, and he⁶⁵ worketh signs and wonders in heaven and in earth, who hath delivered Daniel from the power⁶⁶ of the lions.

So this Daniel prospered in the reign of Darius, and in⁶⁷ the reign of Cyrus the Persian.