The Plot against Daniel 1 ULT It seemed good before Darius, and he set up 120 satraps over the kingdom, who would be in all of the kingdom, BSB BSB: Now it pleased Darius to appoint 120 satraps to rule throughout the kingdom,
2 ULT and above from them three sareks, among whom Daniel{ was} one, to whom these satraps were to be giving account, that the king might not be suffering loss. BSB BSB: and over them three administrators, including Daniel, to whom these satraps were accountable so that the king would not suffer loss.
3 ULT Then this Daniel was distinguishing himself above the sareks and the satraps all before that an excellent spirit{ was} in him, and the king was minded to set him up over all of the kingdom. BSB BSB: Soon, by his extraordinary spirit, Daniel distinguished himself among the administrators and satraps. So the king planned to set him over the whole kingdom.
4 ULT Then the sareks and the satraps were seeking to find an occasion against Daniel regarding the kingdom, but they were not being able to find any occasion or corrupted{ thing}, all before that he could be trusted, and any negligence or corrupted{ thing} was not found in him. BSB BSB: Thus the administrators and satraps sought a charge against Daniel concerning the kingdom, but they could find no charge or corruption, because he was trustworthy, and no negligence or corruption was found in him.
5 ULT Then these men were saying that,“We will not find any occasion against this Daniel unless we find{ something} against him regarding the law of his God.” BSB BSB: Finally these men said, “We will never find any charge against this Daniel unless we find something against him concerning the law of his God.”
6 ULT Then these sareks and satraps thronged to the king, and thus they were saying to him,“King Darius, live to eternities! BSB BSB: So the administrators and satraps went together to the king and said, “O King Darius, may you live forever!
7 ULT All of the sareks of the kingdom, the prefects and the satraps, the counselors and the governors, have consulted together that the king should establish a statute and make strong a decree that anyone who petitions a petition from any god or man for 30 days, except from you, O king, shall be thrown into a den of lions. BSB BSB: All the royal administrators, prefects, satraps, advisers, and governors have agreed that the king should establish an ordinance and enforce a decree that for thirty days anyone who petitions any god or man except you, O king, will be thrown into the den of lions.
8 ULT Now, O king, set up the decree and sign the writing so that one shall not change{ it}, according to the law of the Mede and the Persian, which does not pass away.” BSB BSB: Therefore, O king, establish the decree and sign the document so that it cannot be changed—in accordance with the law of the Medes and Persians, which cannot be repealed.”
9 ULT All before this, King Darius signed the writing and the decree. BSB BSB: Therefore King Darius signed the written decree.
Daniel in the Lions’ Den 10 ULT And Daniel, when that he knew that the writing had been signed, went in to his house(now the windows to him in his upper chamber were opened toward Jerusalem), and three times in a day he was kneeling on his knees and praying and thanking before his God, all before that he was doing from before this. BSB BSB: Now when Daniel learned that the document had been signed, he went into his house, where the windows of his upper room opened toward Jerusalem, and three times a day he got down on his knees, prayed, and gave thanks to his God, just as he had done before.
11 ULT Then these men thronged and found Daniel petitioning and entreating before his God. BSB BSB: Then these men went as a group and found Daniel petitioning and imploring his God.
12 ULT Then they approached and were saying before the king about the decree of the king:“Did you not sign a decree that any man who petitions from any god or man for thirty days, except from you, O king, shall be thrown into a den of lions?” The king answered and was saying,“The matter{ is} certain, according to the law of the Mede and the Persian, which does not pass away.” BSB BSB: So they approached the king and asked about his royal decree: “Did you not sign a decree that for thirty days any man who petitions any god or man except you, O king, will be thrown into the den of lions?” The king replied, “According to the law of the Medes and Persians the order stands, and it cannot be repealed.”
13 ULT Then they answered and were saying before the king that,“Daniel, who{ is} from the sons of the captivity of Judah, does not set regard on you, O king, or on the decree that you have signed, but three times in a day he is petitioning his petition.” BSB BSB: Then they told the king, “Daniel, one of the exiles from Judah, shows no regard for you, O king, or for the decree that you have signed. He still makes his petition three times a day.”
14 ULT Then the king, when that he heard the matter, it was greatly displeasing to him, and he set his heart on Daniel to deliver him. And until the setting of the sun, he was exerting himself to rescue him. BSB BSB: As soon as the king heard this, he was deeply distressed and set his mind on delivering Daniel, and he labored until sundown to rescue him.
15 ULT Then these men thronged to the king and were saying to the king,“Know, O king, that{ it is} a law to the Mede and the Persian that any decree or statute that the king establishes, one shall not change.” BSB BSB: Then the men approached the king together and said to him, “Remember, O king, that by the law of the Medes and Persians no decree or ordinance established by the king can be changed.”
16 ULT Then the king was speaking, and they brought Daniel and threw{ him} into a den of lions. The king answered and was saying to Daniel,“Your God, whom you are serving him in continuance, he, may he deliver you.” BSB BSB: So the king gave the order, and they brought Daniel and threw him into the den of lions. The king said to Daniel, “May your God, whom you serve continually, deliver you!”
17 ULT And a stone was brought and set over the mouth of the den, and the king sealed it with his signet ring and with the signet rings of his nobles so that the purpose should not change regarding Daniel. BSB BSB: A stone was brought and placed over the mouth of the den, and the king sealed it with his own signet ring and with the rings of his nobles, so that nothing concerning Daniel could be changed.
18 ULT Then the king went to his palace and spent the night fasting. And one did not bring musical instruments before him, and his sleep departed from him. BSB BSB: Then the king went to his palace and spent the night fasting. No entertainment was brought before him, and sleep fled from him.
19 ULT Then the king arose at first light, at dawn, and went in haste to the den of lions. BSB BSB: At the first light of dawn, the king got up and hurried to the den of lions.
20 ULT And as he came near to the den, to Daniel, he cried out in a pained voice. The king answered and was saying to Daniel,“Daniel, servant of the living God, has your God, whom you are serving him in continuance, been able to deliver you from the lions?” BSB BSB: When he reached the den, he cried out in a voice of anguish, “O Daniel, servant of the living God, has your God, whom you serve continually, been able to deliver you from the lions?”
21 ULT Then Daniel was speaking with the king,“O king, live to eternities! BSB BSB: Then Daniel replied, “O king, may you live forever!
22 ULT My God sent his angel and shut the mouth of the lions, and they have not harmed me, all before that innocence was found to me before him, and also before you, O king, I have done no harm.” BSB BSB: My God sent His angel and shut the mouths of the lions. They have not hurt me, for I was found innocent in His sight, and I have done no wrong against you, O king.”
23 ULT Then the king rejoiced greatly about him, and he said to bring Daniel up from the den. And Daniel was brought up from the den, and any harm was not found in him, because he had trusted in his God. BSB BSB: The king was overjoyed and gave orders to lift Daniel out of the den, and when Daniel was lifted out of the den, no wounds whatsoever were found on him, because he had trusted in his God.
24 ULT And the king spoke, and they brought those men who had eaten the pieces of Daniel, and they threw them, their sons, and their wives into the den of lions. And they had not reached the bottom of the den before that the lions overpowered them and crushed all of their bones. BSB BSB: At the command of the king, the men who had falsely accused Daniel were brought and thrown into the den of lions—they and their children and wives. And before they had reached the bottom of the den, the lions overpowered them and crushed all their bones.
Darius Honors God 25 ULT Then King Darius wrote to all of the peoples, nations, and languages that were dwelling in all of the earth,“May your peace abound. BSB BSB: Then King Darius wrote to the people of every nation and language throughout the land: “May your prosperity abound.
26 ULT From before me a decree is set that in all of the dominion of my kingdom, they shall be trembling and fearing from before the God of Daniel, for he{ is} the living God and enduring to eternities, and his kingdom{ is one} that will not be destroyed, and his dominion{ will be} to the end, BSB BSB: I hereby decree that in every part of my kingdom, men are to tremble in fear before the God of Daniel: For He is the living God, and He endures forever; His kingdom will never be destroyed, and His dominion will never end.
27 ULT delivering and rescuing and doing signs and wonders in the heavens and on the earth, who delivered Daniel from the hand of the lions.” BSB BSB: He delivers and rescues; He performs signs and wonders in the heavens and on the earth, for He has rescued Daniel from the power of the lions.”
28 ULT And this Daniel prospered in the reign of Darius and in the reign of Cyrus the Persian. BSB BSB: So Daniel prospered during the reign of Darius and the reign of Cyrus the Persian.
Select verses for actions: Enter goes to them and Escape comes back.