This was the dream. Now we<n id="1" /> will set forth before the king its interpretation.p>

Then those officials who had gone to the king<n id="1" /> came by collusion and found Daniel praying and asking for help before his God.

He inquired of Arioch the king&#8217;s deputy, &#8220;Why is the decree from the king so urgent?&#8221;<n id="1" /> Then Arioch informed Daniel about the matter.

He asked them to pray for mercy from the God of heaven concerning this mystery so that he<n id="1" /> and his friends would not be destroyed along with the rest of the wise men of Babylon.

Daniel replied to the king, &#8220;The mystery that the king is asking about is such that no wise men, astrologers, magicians, or diviners can possibly disclose it to the king.

<p class="bodytext">Then Nebuchadnezzar in a fit of rage<n id="1" /> demanded that they bring<n id="2" /> Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego before him. So they brought them<n id="3" /> before the king.

<t /><p class="bodytext">But Daniel replied to the king, &#8220;Keep your gifts, and give your rewards to someone else! However, I will read the writing for the king and make known its<n id="1" /> interpretation.

<t /><p class="bodytext">It seemed like a good idea to Darius<n id="1" /> to appoint over the kingdom 120 satraps<n id="2" /> who would be in charge of the entire kingdom.

<p class="bodytext">The wise men replied to the king, &#8220;There is no man on earth who is able to disclose the king&#8217;s secret,<n id="1" /> for no king, regardless of his position and power, has ever requested such a thing from any magician, astrologer, or wise man.

What the king is asking is too difficult, and no one exists who can disclose it to the king, except for the gods &#8211; but they don&#8217;t live among mortals!&#8221;<n id="1" />p>

<p class="bodytext">Then Daniel went in to see<n id="1" /> Arioch (whom the king had appointed to destroy the wise men of Babylon). He came<n id="2" /> and said to him, &#8220;Don&#8217;t destroy the wise men of Babylon! Escort me<n id="3" /> to the king, and I will disclose the interpretation to him!&#8221;<n id="4" />p>

<p class="bodytext">So Arioch quickly ushered Daniel into the king&#8217;s presence, saying to him, &#8220;I<n id="1" /> have found a man from the captives of Judah who can make known the interpretation to the king.&#8221;

<p class="bodytext">So Daniel was brought in before the king. The king said to Daniel, &#8220;Are you that Daniel who is one of the captives of Judah, whom my father the king brought from Judah?

Then they said to the king, &#8220;Daniel, who is one of the captives<n id="1" /> from Judah, pays no attention to you, O king, or to the edict that you issued. Three times daily he offers his prayer.&#8221;<n id="2" />p>

<p class="bodytext">When Daniel realized<n id="1" /> that a written decree had been issued, he entered his home, where the windows<n id="2" /> in his upper room opened toward Jerusalem.<n id="3" /> Three<n id="4" /> times daily he was<n id="5" /> kneeling<n id="6" /> and offering prayers and thanks to his God just as he had been accustomed to do previously.

I have issued an edict that throughout all the dominion of my kingdom people are to revere and fear the God of Daniel.p> <p class="poetry">&#8220;For he is the living God;p> <p class="poetry">he endures forever.p> <p class="poetry">His kingdom will not be destroyed;p> <p class="poetry">his authority is forever.<n id="1" />p>

So they approached the king and said to him,<n id="1" /> &#8220;Did you not issue an edict to the effect that for the next thirty days anyone who prays to any god or human other than to you, O king, would be thrown into a den of lions?&#8221; The king replied, &#8220;That is correct,<n id="2" /> according to the law of the Medes and Persians, which cannot be changed.&#8221;