Daniel 6
Daniel in the Lions'
Den |
1 |
It pleased Dari'us to set over the
kingdom a hundred and twenty princes, which should be over the whole
kingdom;
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2 |
and over these three presidents; of whom
Daniel was first: that the princes might give accounts unto
them, and the king should have no damage.
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3 |
Then this Daniel was preferred above the
presidents and princes, because an excellent spirit was in
him; and the king thought to set him over the whole realm.
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4 |
Then the presidents and princes sought to
find occasion against Daniel concerning the kingdom; but they could
find none occasion nor fault; forasmuch as he was faithful,
neither was there any error or fault found in him.
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5 |
Then said these men, We shall not find
any occasion against this Daniel, except we find it against
him concerning the law of his God.
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6 |
Then these presidents and princes
assembled together to the king, and said thus unto him, King
Dari'us, live for ever.
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7 |
All the presidents of the kingdom, the
governors, and the princes, the counselors, and the captains, have
consulted together to establish a royal statute, and to make a firm
decree, 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.
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8 |
Now, O king, establish the decree, and
sign the writing, that it be not changed, according to the law of
the Medes and Persians, which altereth not.
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9 |
Wherefore king Dari'us signed the writing
and the decree.
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10 |
Now when Daniel knew that the writing
was signed, he went into his house; and, his windows being open in
his chamber toward Jerusalem, he kneeled upon his knees three times
a day, and prayed, and gave thanks before his God, as he did
aforetime.
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11 |
Then these men assembled, and found
Daniel praying and making supplication before his God.
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12 |
Then they 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 den
of lions? The king answered and said, The thing is true,
according to the law of the Medes and Persians, which altereth
not.
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13 |
Then answered they and said before the
king, That Daniel, which is of the children of the captivity
of Judah, regardeth not thee, O king, nor the decree that thou hast
signed, but maketh his petition three times a day.
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14 |
Then the king, when he heard these words, was sore displeased with himself, and set his heart on Daniel to deliver him: and he labored till the
going down of the sun to deliver him.
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15 |
Then these men assembled unto the king,
and said unto the king, Know, O king, that the law of the Medes and
Persians is, That no decree nor statute which the king
establisheth may be changed.
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16 |
Then the king commanded, and they
brought Daniel, and cast him into the den of lions. Now the king spake and said unto Daniel, Thy God whom thou
servest continually, he will deliver thee.
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17 |
And a stone 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.
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18 |
Then the king went to his palace, and
passed the night fasting: neither were instruments of music brought
before him: and his sleep went from him.
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19 |
Then the king arose very early in the
morning, and went in haste unto the den of lions.
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20 |
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, is thy God,
whom thou servest continually, able to deliver thee from the
lions?
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21 |
Then said Daniel unto the king, O king,
live for ever.
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22 |
My God hath sent his angel, and hath shut
the lions' mouths, that they have not hurt me: forasmuch as before
him innocency was found in me; and also before thee, O king, have I
done no hurt.
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23 |
Then was 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, because he believed in his God.
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24 |
And the king commanded, and they brought
those men which had accused Daniel, and they cast them into
the den of lions, them, their children, and their wives; and the
lions had the mastery of them, and brake all their bones in pieces
or ever they came at the bottom of the den.
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25 |
Then king Dari'us wrote unto all
people, nations, and languages, that dwell in all the earth; Peace
be multiplied unto you.
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26 |
I make a decree, That in every dominion
of my kingdom men tremble and fear before the God of Daniel: for he is the living God, and steadfast for ever, and his kingdom that which shall not be destroyed, and his dominion shall
be even unto the end.
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27 |
He delivereth and rescueth, and he
worketh signs and wonders in heaven and in earth, who hath delivered
Daniel from the power of the lions.
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28 |
So this Daniel prospered in the reign
of Dari'us, and in the reign of Cyrus the
Persian.
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