²⁰ He said: “Some Jews have agreed to ask you to bring Paul before the Sanhedrin^(A) tomorrow on the pretext of wanting more accurate information about him.^(B)

¹⁴ They went to the chief priests and the elders and said, “We have taken a solemn oath not to eat anything until we have killed Paul.^{(A) 15} Now then, you and the Sanhedrin^(B) petition the commander to bring him before you on the pretext of wanting more accurate information about his case. We are ready to kill him before he gets here.”

23 Paul looked straight at the Sanhedrin^(A) and said, “My brothers,^(B) I have fulfilled my duty to God in all good conscience^(C) to this day.”

⁵ Finally these men said, “We will never find any basis for charges against this man Daniel unless it has something to do with the law of his God.”^(A)

⁶ So these administrators and satraps went as a group to the king and said: “May King Darius live forever!^{(B) 7} The royal administrators, prefects, satraps, advisers and governors^(C) have all agreed that the king should issue an edict and enforce the decree that anyone who prays to any god or human being during the next thirty days, except to you, Your Majesty, shall be thrown into the lions’ den.^{(D) 8} Now, Your Majesty, issue the decree and put it in writing so that it cannot be altered—in accordance with the law of the Medes and Persians, which cannot be repealed.”^{(E) 9} So King Darius put the decree in writing.

¹⁰ Now when Daniel learned that the decree had been published, he went home to his upstairs room where the windows opened toward^(F) Jerusalem. Three times a day he got down on his knees^(G) and prayed, giving thanks to his God, just as he had done before.^{(H) 11} Then these men went as a group and found Daniel praying and asking God for help.^{(I) 12} So they went to the king and spoke to him about his royal decree: “Did you not publish a decree that during the next thirty days anyone who prays to any god or human being except to you, Your Majesty, would be thrown into the lions’ den?”

The king answered, “The decree stands—in accordance with the law of the Medes and Persians, which cannot be repealed.”^(J)