¹⁰ When Daniel knew that the document had been signed, he went to his house where ^(A)he had windows in his upper chamber open ^(B)toward Jerusalem. He got down on his knees ^(C)three times a day and prayed and ^(D)gave thanks before his God, as he had done previously. ¹¹ Then these men came by agreement and found Daniel making petition and plea before his God. ¹² Then they ^(E)came near and said before the king, concerning the injunction, “O king! Did you not sign ^(F)an injunction, that anyone who makes petition to any god or man within thirty days except to you, O king, shall be cast into the den of lions?” The king answered and said, “The thing stands fast, according to the law of ^(G)the Medes and Persians, ^(H)which cannot be revoked.” ¹³ Then they answered and said before the king, ^(I)“Daniel, who is one ^(J)of the exiles ^(K)from Judah, ^(L)pays no attention to you, O king, or ^(M)the injunction you have signed, but makes his petition ^(N)three times a day.”

¹⁴ Then ^(O)the king, when he heard these words, ^(P)was much distressed and set his mind to deliver Daniel. And he labored till the sun went down to rescue him. ¹⁵ Then these men came by agreement to the king and said to the king, “Know, O king, that it is a law of the Medes and Persians that no ^(Q)injunction or ordinance that the king establishes can be changed.”

¹⁶ Then the king commanded, and Daniel was brought and cast into the den of lions. The king declared^[a] to Daniel, “May ^(R)your God, whom you serve continually, deliver you!” ^17 (S)And a stone was brought and laid on the mouth of the den, ^(T)and the king sealed it ^(U)with his own signet and with the signet of his ^(V)lords, that nothing might be changed concerning Daniel.