Daniel and the Lion's Den: Required reading for third grade public school students in Texas

Episode 214: Daniel in the lion's den

Daniel 6

The plot against Daniel

^1-3 King Darius made Daniel his chief official because he had such an excellent spirit.

⁴ The others tried to find something to accuse him with, but they couldn't find anything since he was so perfect.

⁵ So they decided to attack his religion.

⁷ They wrote a decree saying that whoever asks any god or man, except the king, for anything in the next thirty days will be cast into a den of lions.

⁹ And the king signed the decree.

Daniel in the lion's den

¹⁰ When Daniel heard about it, he went to his room and prayed three times a day toward Jerusalem.

¹¹ And the other officials saw him praying.

¹² So they went to the king and said to him,

Didn't you sign a decree saying that anyone in the next thirty days who asks any god or man, besides you, for anything will be cast into a den of lions?

The king said, “Yes, I did.”

¹³ They said to him, "Well, Daniel, prays three times a day."

¹⁶ So the king commanded that Daniel be cast into the den of lions.

Daniel is saved by an angel

¹⁹ The next morning the king went to the lions' den.

²⁰ He shouted down to Daniel, saying, Hey Daniel, can your God save you from the lions?

^21-22 Daniel said, "God sent an angel to shut the lions' mouths because I am innocent."

²³ This made the king happy. And he commanded that Daniel be brought up from the den.

Daniel's accusers (along with their wives and children) are thrown to the lions

²⁴ Then the king commanded that those who accused Daniel be cast into the lions' den, along with their wives and children. The lions tore them all to pieces.

The king becomes a Jew

²⁵ The king wrote a letter to everyone on earth, saying,

²⁶ I command everyone to fear the god of Daniel.

He is the living God, who does great signs and wonders.

²⁸ So Daniel prospered in the reign of Darius, and in the reign of Cyrus the Persian.