Daniel 6

Bishops^{(i) 1} It pleased Darius to set ouer his kingdome a hundred and twentie gouernours, which should be ouer the whole kingdome ² Aboue these he set three princes, of whom Daniel was one, that the gouernours might geue accomptes vnto them, and the king shoulde haue no damage ³ Nowe this Daniel was preferred aboue the princes and gouerners, for the spirite of God was plenteous in him: so that the king was minded to set him ouer the whole realme ⁴ Wherfore the rulers and gouernours sought an occasion against Daniel concerning the kingdome, but they coulde finde none occasion nor fault: for he was so faithfull, that there was no blame nor fault founde in him ⁵ Then saide these men, We shall finde none occasion against this Daniel, except we finde it against him concerning the lawe of his God ⁶ Upon this went the princes and lordes together vnto the king, and saide this vnto him: King Darius, liue for euer ⁷ All the rulers of thy kingdome, the officers and gouernours, the counsellers and dukes, haue consulted together to make a decree for the king, & to establish a statute, That who so desireth any petition either of any god or man within these thirtie dayes, except of thee O king, he shalbe cast into the lions denne ⁸ Now O king confirme the decree, and seale the writing, that it be not chaunged according to the lawe of the Medes and Persians, which altereth not ⁹ Wherefore king Darius sealed the writing and decree ¹⁰ Now when Daniel vnderstoode that he had sealed the writing, he went into his house, and the windowes of his chamber towarde Hierusalem stoode open, there kneeled he downe vpon his knees three times a day, he made his petition, and praysed his God, as he dyd afore time ¹¹ Then these men assembled and found Daniel making his petition, and praying vnto his God ¹² So they came to the king, & spake before him concerning his comaundement, saying: O king, hast thou not sealed the decree, that within thirtie dayes whoso requireth his petition of any God or man, but onely of thy selfe O king, he shalbe cast into the denne of lions? The king aunswered and said, Yea it is true, according to the lawe of the Medes and Perses that altereth not ¹³ Then aunswered they, and saide vnto the king: This Daniel which is of the children of the captiuitie of Iuda, O king, regardeth neither thee, nor thy decree that thou hast sealed: but maketh his petition three times a day ¹⁴ When the king heard these wordes, he was sore displeased with him selfe, and set his heart on Daniel to deliuer him, and he laboured till the sonne went downe, to deliuer him ¹⁵ Then these men assembled vnto the king, and said vnto him: Knowe this O king, that the lawe of the Medes & Perses [is] that the commaundement & statute which the king maketh, may not be altered ¹⁶ Then the king commaunded, and they brought Daniel, and they cast him into the lions denne. Nowe the king spake vnto Daniel, & saide: Thy God whom thou alway seruest, euen he wyll deliuer thee ¹⁷ And there was brought a stone, & laide vpon ye mouth of the denne, this the king sealed with his owne ring and with the signet of his princes, that the purpose concerning Daniel should not be chaunged ¹⁸ So the king went into his palace, and remayned fasting, neither was there any instrumentes of musicke brought in before him, & his sleepe went from him ¹⁹ But betimes in the morning at the breake of the day, the king arose, & went in all haste vnto the denne of the lions ²⁰ Now as he came nye vnto the denne, he cryed with a pitious voyce vnto Daniel, yea the king spake and saide vnto Daniel: O Daniel, thou seruaut of the liuing God, is not thy God whom thou seruest alway, able to deliuer thee from ye lions ²¹ Then Daniel saide vnto the king: O king, liue for euer ²² My God hath sent his angel, which hath shut the lions mouthes, so that they might not hurt me, for myne vngiltinesse is founde out before him: and as for thee O king, I neuer offended thee ²³ Then was the king exceeding glad for him, & commaunded to take Daniel out of the denne: So Daniel was brought out of ye denne, & no maner of hurt was founde vpon him, for he put his trust in his God ²⁴ And as for those men which had accused Daniel, the king commaunded to bring them, & to cast them into the lions denne, them, their children, & their wyues: so the lions had the maisterie of them, and brake all their bones asunder or euer they came at the grounde of the denne ²⁵ After this, wrote king Darius vnto al people, nations, & tongues that dwelt in all landes: Peace be multiplied vnto you ²⁶ My commaundement is in all my dominion and kingdome, that men feare and stand in awe of Daniels God: for he is the liuing God which abideth euer, his kindgome shall not fayle, and his power is euerlasting ²⁷ It is he that deliuereth and saueth, he doth wonders and marueylous workes in heauen and in earth, he hath preserued Daniel from the power of the lions ²⁸ So this Daniel prospered in the raigne of Darius, and in the raigne of Cyrus of Persia