Daniel 6

Jealous officials trick King Darius into banning prayer to anyone but the king for thirty days. Daniel keeps praying three times a day at his open window. He is thrown into the lions' den, but God sends his angel to shut the lions' mouths, and the king praises Daniel's God.

Key verses

  • Verse 10Daniel keeps praying as he always has, ban or no ban.
  • Verse 22God shut the lions' mouths.
  • Verse 26The king tells his whole empire to honour Daniel's God.

It pleased Darius to set over the kingdom an hundred and twenty princes, which should be over the whole kingdom;SelectedDaniel 6:1Ask

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.SelectedDaniel 6:2Ask

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.SelectedDaniel 6:3Ask

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.SelectedDaniel 6:4Ask

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.SelectedDaniel 6:5Ask

Then these presidents and princes assembled together to the king, and said thus unto him, King Darius, live for ever.SelectedDaniel 6:6Ask

All the presidents of the kingdom, the governors, and the princes, the counsellors, 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.SelectedDaniel 6:7Ask

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.SelectedDaniel 6:8Ask

Wherefore king Darius signed the writing and the decree.SelectedDaniel 6:9Ask

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.SelectedDaniel 6:10Ask

Then these men assembled, and found Daniel praying and making supplication before his God.SelectedDaniel 6:11Ask

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.SelectedDaniel 6:12Ask

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.SelectedDaniel 6:13Ask

Then the king, when he heard these words, was sore displeased with himself, and set his heart on Daniel to deliver him: and he laboured till the going down of the sun to deliver him.SelectedDaniel 6:14Ask

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.SelectedDaniel 6:15Ask

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.SelectedDaniel 6:16Ask

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.SelectedDaniel 6:17Ask

Then the king went to his palace, and passed the night fasting: neither were instruments of musick brought before him: and his sleep went from him.SelectedDaniel 6:18Ask

Then the king arose very early in the morning, and went in haste unto the den of lions.SelectedDaniel 6:19Ask

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?SelectedDaniel 6:20Ask

Then said Daniel unto the king, O king, live for ever.SelectedDaniel 6:21Ask

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.SelectedDaniel 6:22Ask

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.SelectedDaniel 6:23Ask

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.SelectedDaniel 6:24Ask

Then king Darius wrote unto all people, nations, and languages, that dwell in all the earth; Peace be multiplied unto you.SelectedDaniel 6:25Ask

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 stedfast for ever, and his kingdom that which shall not be destroyed, and his dominion shall be even unto the end.SelectedDaniel 6:26Ask

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.SelectedDaniel 6:27Ask

So this Daniel prospered in the reign of Darius, and in the reign of Cyrus the Persian.SelectedDaniel 6:28Ask

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All 12 chapters of Daniel
  1. 1
  2. 2
  3. 3
  4. 4
  5. 5
  6. 6
  7. 7
  8. 8
  9. 9
  10. 10
  11. 11
  12. 12