Then these commissioners and satraps came [a]by agreement to the king and spoke to him as follows: “King Darius, (A)live forever! All the (B)commissioners of the kingdom, the prefects and the satraps, the counselors and the governors, have (C)consulted together that the king should establish a statute and enforce an injunction that anyone who offers a prayer to any god or person besides you, O king, for thirty days, shall (D)be thrown into the lions’ [b]den. Now, O king, (E)establish the injunction and sign the document so that it will not be changed, according to the (F)law of the Medes and Persians, which [c]may not be revoked.” Thereupon, King Darius (G)signed the document, that is, the injunction.

10 Now when Daniel learned that the document was signed, he entered his house (and in his roof chamber he had windows open (H)toward Jerusalem); and he continued (I)kneeling on his knees three times a day, (J)praying and (K)offering praise before his God, just as he had been doing previously. 11 Then these men came [d](L)by agreement and found Daniel offering a prayer and imploring favor before his God. 12 Then they approached and (M)spoke before the king about the king’s injunction: “Did you not sign an injunction that any person who offers a prayer to any god or person besides you, O king, for thirty days, is to be thrown into the lions’ den?” The king replied, “The statement is true, according to the (N)law of the Medes and Persians, which [e]may not be revoked.” 13 Then they responded and spoke before the king, “(O)Daniel, who is one of the [f]exiles from Judah, pays (P)no attention to you, O king, or to the injunction which you signed, but keeps offering his prayer three times a day.”

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Footnotes

  1. Daniel 6:6 Or as a group
  2. Daniel 6:7 Or pit, and so throughout the ch
  3. Daniel 6:8 Lit does not pass away
  4. Daniel 6:11 Or as a group
  5. Daniel 6:12 Lit does not go away
  6. Daniel 6:13 Lit sons of the exile

So these administrators and satraps went as a group to the king and said: “May King Darius live forever!(A) The royal administrators, prefects, satraps, advisers and governors(B) 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.(C) 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.”(D) 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(E) Jerusalem. Three times a day he got down on his knees(F) and prayed, giving thanks to his God, just as he had done before.(G) 11 Then these men went as a group and found Daniel praying and asking God for help.(H) 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.”(I)

13 Then they said to the king, “Daniel, who is one of the exiles from Judah,(J) pays no attention(K) to you, Your Majesty, or to the decree you put in writing. He still prays three times a day.”

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