1   It pleased ^note Darius, and he appoynted ouer the kingdom. Gouerners an hundred twentie to be in al his kingdom.

2   And ouer them three princes, of whom Daniel was one: that the gouerners might render account to them, & the king might susteyne no truble.

3   Daniel therfore passed al the princes, and gouerners: because there was the spirit of God more ample in him.

4   Moreouer the king thought to appoynt him ouer al the kingdom, wherupon the princes, & the gouerners sought to finde occasion against Daniel on the behalfe of the king: and they could finde no cause, nor suspicion, because

he was faithful, and no fault, nor suspicion was found in him.

5   Those men therfore said: ^note We shal not finde against this same Daniel any occasion, vnles perhaps in the law of his God.

6   Then the princes, and the gouerners by surreption suggested to the king, and spake thus vnto him: King Darius, for euer liue:

7   Al the princes of the kingdom, the magistrates, and gouerners, the senatours and iudges haue taken counsel, that there goe forth an imperial decree, and an edict: That euerie one, which shal aske any petition of whatsoeuer God, or man, vntil thirtie dayes, but of thee ô king, he be cast into the lake of lions.

8   Now therfore ô king, confirme the sentence, and write the decree: that it may not be changed, which is decreed by the Medes and the Persians, nor be lawful for anie man to transgresse it.

9   Moreouer king Darius put forth the edict, and decreed it.

10   Which when Daniel had perceiued, that is to say, the law determined, he went into his house: and ^note the windowes being opened in his vpper chamber, three times in a day toward Ierusalem bowed he his knees, and adored, and confessed before his God, as also he had accustomed to doe before.

11   Those men therfore searching curiousely, found Daniel praying, and beseching his God.

12   And coming they spake to the king vpon the edict: O king, hast thou not decreed, that euerie man which should aske any of the goddes, & men vntil thirtie dayes, but thyself ô king, he should be cast into the lake of lions? To whom the king answering, said: The word is true according to the decree of the Medes, and Persians, which it is not lawful to transgresse.

13   Then they answering sayd before the king: Daniel of the children of the captiuitie of Iuda, hath not cared for thy law, and for the edict, that thou madest: but three times in a day he prayeth with his prayer.

14   Which word when the king had heard, he was strooken very sad: and for Daniel he set his hart to deliuer him, and euen vntil sunne set he laboured to deliuer him.

15   But those men perceiuing the king said to him: know thou ô king, that the law of Medes and Persians is, that euerie decree, which the king hath determined, is not lawful to be changed.

16   Then the king commanded, and they brought Daniel, and cast him into the lake of lions. And the king said to Daniel: Thy God, whom thou doest worshippe alwayes, he wil deliuer thee.

17   And there was a stone brought, and layd vpon the mouth of the lake: which the king sealed with his ring, and with the ring of his nobles,

that nothing should be done against Daniel.

18   And the king went into his house, and slept vnsupped, and meates were not brought before him, moreouer also sleepe departed from him.

19   Then the king rising in the very first breake of day, went in hast to the lake of the lions:

20   and approching to the lake, cried on Daniel with a weeping voice, and spake vnto him: Daniel seruant of the liuing God, thy God whom thou seruest alwayes, hath he bene able thinkest thou, to deliuer thee from the lions?

21   And Daniel answering the king said: King for euer liue.

22    ^noteMy God hath sent his Angel, and hath shut vp the mouthes of the lions, and they haue not hurt me: because before him iustice hath bene found in me: yea and before thee, ô king, I haue done no offence.

23   Then was the king exceding glad vpon him, & he commanded Daniel to be brought out of the lake: and Daniel was brought out of the lake, and no hurt was found in him, because he beleued his God.

24   And by the kings comandment, those men were brought that had accused Daniel: and ^note they were cast into the lake of the lions, themselues, and their children, and their wiues: and they came not to the pauement of the lake, til the lions caught them, & brake al their bones in peeces.

25   Then Darius the king wrote to al peoples, tribes, and tongues dwelling in the whole earth: Peace be multiplied vnto you.

26   By me a decree is made, that in al myne empire, and my kingdom they dread and feare the God of Daniel. for he is the liuing and eternal God for euer: and his kingdom shal not be dissipated, & his power euen for euer.

27   He is the deliuerer, and sauiour, doing signe, & meruels in heauen, and in earth: who hath deliuered Daniel out of the lake of the lions.

28   Moreouer Daniel continued vnto the kingdom of Darius, and the kingdom of Cyrus the Persian.

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