17. A stone was brought and placed over the mouth of the den. The king sealed it with his own signet ring and with the signet rings of his nobles, so that nothing in regard to Daniel could be changed.
18. Then the king went to his palace and spent the night fasting. No diversions were brought to him, and he could not sleep.
19. At the first light of dawn the king got up and hurried to the lions’ den.
20. When he reached the den, he cried out in anguish to Daniel. “Daniel, servant of the living God,” the king said, “has your God whom you serve continually been able to rescue you from the lions? ”
21. Then Daniel spoke with the king: “May the king live forever.
22. My God sent His angel and shut the lions’ mouths. They haven’t hurt me, for I was found innocent before Him. Also, I have not committed a crime against you my king.”
23. The king was overjoyed and gave orders to take Daniel out of the den. So Daniel was taken out of the den, uninjured, for he trusted in his God.
24. The king then gave the command, and those men who had maliciously accused Daniel were brought and thrown into the lions’ den — they, their children, and their wives. They had not reached the bottom of the den before the lions overpowered them and crushed all their bones.
25. Then King Darius wrote to those of every people, nation, and language who live in all the earth: “May your prosperity abound.
26. I issue a decree that in all my royal dominion, people must 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 has no end.
27. He rescues and delivers;He performs signs and wondersin the heavens and on the earth, for He has rescued Danielfrom the power of the lions.”
28. So Daniel prospered during the reign of Darius and the reign of Cyrus the Persian.