Daniel 6:16-28

New American Standard Bible

Daniel in the Lions’ Den

¹⁶Then the king gave orders, and Daniel was brought in and ^(A)thrown into the lions’ den. The king said to Daniel, “^[a]^(B)Your God whom you continually serve will Himself rescue you.” ¹⁷And a ^(C)stone was brought and placed over the mouth of the den; and the king sealed it with his own signet ring and with the signet rings of his nobles, so that nothing would be changed regarding Daniel. ¹⁸Then the king went to his palace and spent the night ^(D)fasting, and no entertainment was brought before him; and his ^(E)sleep fled from him.

¹⁹Then the king got up at dawn, at the break of day, and went in a hurry to the lions’ den. ²⁰And when he had come near the den to Daniel, he cried out with a troubled voice. The king began speaking and said to Daniel, “Daniel, servant of the living God, has ^(F)your God, whom you continually serve, been ^(G)able to rescue you from the lions?” ²¹Then Daniel spoke ^[b]to the king, “^(H)O king, live forever! ²²My God ^(I)sent His angel and ^(J)shut the lions’ mouths, and they have not harmed me, since ^[c]I was found innocent before Him; and also ^[d]toward you, O king, I have committed no crime.” ²³Then the king was very glad and gave orders for Daniel to be lifted up out of the den. So Daniel was lifted up out of the den, and ^(K)no injury whatever was found on him, because he had ^(L)trusted in his God. ²⁴The king then gave orders, and they brought those men who had ^[e]maliciously accused Daniel, and they ^(M)threw them, their ^(N)children, and their wives into the lions’ den; and they had not reached the bottom of the den before the lions overpowered them and crushed all their bones.

²⁵Then Darius the king wrote to all the ^(O)peoples, nations, and populations of all ^[f]languages who were living in all the land: “^(P)May your ^[g]peace be great! ²⁶^[h]I ^(Q)issue a decree that in all the realm of my kingdom people are to tremble and fear before the God of Daniel;

For He is the ^(R)living God and ^(S)enduring forever,
And ^(T)His kingdom is one which will not be destroyed,
And His dominion will be ^[i]forever.
²⁷He rescues, saves, and performs ^(U)signs and miracles
In heaven and on earth,
He who has also rescued Daniel from the ^[j]power of the lions.”