Daniel 6 New International Version (NIV)
Daniel
in the Den of Lions
“It
pleased Darius to appoint 120 satraps to rule throughout the kingdom, with three administrators over them, one of whom was Daniel.
The satraps were made accountable to them so that the king might not suffer
loss. Now Daniel so distinguished himself among
the administrators and the satraps by his exceptional qualities that the king
planned to set him over the whole kingdom. At
this, the administrators and the satraps tried to find grounds for charges
against Daniel in his conduct of government affairs, but they were unable to do
so. They could find no corruption in him, because he was trustworthy and
neither corrupt nor negligent. Finally these men
said, “We will never find any basis for charges against this man Daniel unless
it has something to do with the law of his God.”
So these administrators and
satraps went as a group to the king and said: “May King Darius live forever!
The royal administrators, prefects, satraps, advisers
and governors have all agreed that the king should issue an edict and enforce
the decree that anyone who prays to any god or human being during the next thirty
days, except to you, Your Majesty, shall be thrown into the lions’ den. Now, Your Majesty, issue the decree and put it in writing so
that it cannot be altered—in accordance with the law of the Medes and Persians,
which cannot be repealed.” So King Darius put
the decree in writing.
Now when Daniel learned that
the decree had been published, he went home to his upstairs room where the
windows opened toward Jerusalem.
Three times a day he got down on his knees and prayed, giving thanks to his
God, just as he had done before. Then these men
went as a group and found Daniel praying and asking God for help. So they went to the king and spoke to him about his royal
decree: “Did you not publish a decree that during the next thirty days anyone
who prays to any god or human being except to you, Your Majesty, would be
thrown into the lions’ den?”
The king answered, “The decree
stands—in accordance with the law of the Medes and Persians, which cannot be
repealed.”
Then they said to the king,
“Daniel, who is one of the exiles from Judah, pays no attention to you,
Your Majesty, or to the decree you put in writing. He still prays three times a
day.” When the king heard this, he was greatly
distressed; he was determined to rescue Daniel and made every effort until
sundown to save him.
Then the men went as a group
to King Darius and said to him, “Remember, Your Majesty, that according to the
law of the Medes and Persians no decree or edict that the king issues can be
changed.”
So the king gave the order,
and they brought Daniel and threw him into the lions’ den. The king said to
Daniel, “May your God, whom you serve continually, rescue you!”
A stone was brought and placed
over the mouth of the den, and the king sealed it with his own signet ring and
with the rings of his nobles, so that Daniel’s situation might not be changed.
Then the king returned to his palace and spent the
night without eating and without any entertainment being brought to him. And he
could not sleep.
At the first light of dawn,
the king got up and hurried to the lions’ den. When
he came near the den, he called to Daniel in an anguished voice, “Daniel,
servant of the living God, has your God, whom you serve continually, been able
to rescue you from the lions?”
Daniel answered, “May the king
live forever! My God sent his angel, and he
shut the mouths of the lions. They have not hurt me, because I was found
innocent in his sight. Nor have I ever done any wrong before you, Your
Majesty.”
The king was overjoyed and
gave orders to lift Daniel out of the den. And when Daniel was lifted from the
den, no wound was found on him, because he had trusted in his God.
At the king’s command, the men
who had falsely accused Daniel were brought in and thrown into the lions’ den,
along with their wives and children. And before they reached the floor of the
den, the lions overpowered them and crushed all their bones.
Then King Darius wrote to all
the nations and peoples of every language in all the earth:
“May you prosper greatly!
“I issue a decree that in
every part of my kingdom people must fear and reverence the God of Daniel.
“For he is the living God and
he endures forever; his kingdom will not be destroyed, his dominion will never
end.
He rescues and he saves; he performs signs and wonders in the heavens and
on the earth.
He has rescued Daniel from the power of the lions.”
So Daniel prospered during the
reign of Darius and the reign of Cyrus[b] the Persian.”
Unbelievers or New Believers – Scriptures taken from the Holy Bible [1]
1 Peter 2 New International Version (NIV)
“Therefore, rid yourselves of all malice and all deceit,
hypocrisy, envy, and slander of every kind. Like
newborn babies, crave pure spiritual milk, so that by it you may grow up in
your salvation, 3 now that you
have tasted that the Lord is good.”
The
Living Stone and a Chosen People
As you come to him, the living
Stone—rejected by humans but chosen by God and precious to him— you also, like living stones, are being built into a
spiritual house to be a holy priesthood, offering spiritual sacrifices
acceptable to God through Jesus Christ. For in
Scripture it says:
“See, I lay a stone in Zion, a chosen and
precious cornerstone, and the one who trusts in him will never be put to
shame.”
Now to you who believe, this
stone is precious. But to those who do not believe,
“The stone the builders
rejected has become the cornerstone,”
and,
“A stone that causes people to
stumble and a rock that makes them fall.”
They stumble because they
disobey the message—which is also what they were destined for.
But you are a chosen people, a
royal priesthood, a holy nation, God’s special possession, that you may declare
the praises of him who called you out of darkness into his wonderful light.
Once you were not a people, but now you are the
people of God; once you had not received mercy, but now you have received
mercy.
Living
Godly Lives in a Pagan Society
Dear friends, I urge you, as
foreigners and exiles, to abstain from sinful desires, which wage war against
your soul. Live such good lives among the
pagans that, though they accuse you of doing wrong, they may see your good
deeds and glorify God on the day he visits us.
Submit yourselves for the
Lord’s sake to every human authority: whether to the emperor, as the supreme
authority, or to governors, who are sent by
him to punish those who do wrong and to commend those who do right. For it is God’s will that by doing good you should silence
the ignorant talk of foolish people. Live as
free people, but do not use your freedom as a cover-up for evil; live as God’s
slaves. Show proper respect to everyone, love
the family of believers, fear God, honor the emperor.
Slaves, in reverent fear of
God submit yourselves to your masters, not only to those who are good and
considerate, but also to those who are harsh. For
it is commendable if someone bears up under the pain of unjust suffering
because they are conscious of God. But how is
it to your credit if you receive a beating for doing wrong and endure it? But
if you suffer for doing good and you endure it, this is commendable before God.
To this you were called, because Christ suffered for
you, leaving you an example, that you should follow in his steps.
“He committed no sin, and no
deceit was found in his mouth.”
When they hurled their
insults at him, he did not retaliate; when he suffered, he made no threats.
Instead, he entrusted himself to him who judges justly. “He himself bore our sins” in his body on the cross, so
that we might die to sins and live for righteousness; “by his wounds you have
been healed.” For “you were like sheep going
astray,” but now you have returned to the Shepherd and Overseer of your souls.
Unbelievers or New Believers – Scriptures taken from the Holy Bible [1]
Ecclesiastes 4 New International Version (NIV)
Oppression,
Toil, Friendlessness
Again I looked and saw all the
oppression that was taking place under the sun:
I saw the tears of the
oppressed— and they have no comforter;
power was on the side of their oppressors— and they
have no comforter.
And I declared that the dead, who had already died,
are happier than the living, who are still alive.
But better than both is the one who has never been
born, who has not seen the evil that is done under the sun.
And I saw that all toil and
all achievement spring from one person’s envy of another. This too is meaningless,
a chasing after the wind.
Fools fold their hands and
ruin themselves.
Better one handful with tranquility than two handfuls
with toil and chasing after the wind.
Again I saw something
meaningless under the sun:
There was a man all alone; he
had neither son nor brother.
There was no end to his toil, yet his eyes were not
content with his wealth.
“For whom am I toiling,” he asked, “and why am I
depriving myself of enjoyment?”
This too is meaningless— a miserable business!
Two are better than one, because
they have a good return for their labor:
If either of them falls down, one can help the other
up.
But pity anyone who falls and has no one to help them
up.
Also, if two lie down together, they will keep warm.
But how can one keep warm alone?
Though one may be overpowered, two can defend
themselves.
A cord of three strands is not quickly broken.”
Advancement
Is Meaningless
“Better a poor but
wise youth than an old but foolish king who no longer knows how to heed a
warning. The youth may have come from prison
to the kingship, or he may have been born in poverty within his kingdom.
I saw that all who lived and walked under the sun
followed the youth, the king’s successor. There
was no end to all the people who were before them. But those who came later
were not pleased with the successor. This too is meaningless, a chasing after
the wind.”
Unbelievers or New Believers – Scriptures taken from the Holy Bible [1]
Proverbs 27 New International
Version (NIV)
“Do not boast about tomorrow, for you do not know what
a day may bring.
Let someone else praise you, and not your own mouth; an
outsider, and not your own lips.
Stone is heavy and sand a burden, but a fool’s
provocation is heavier than both.
Anger is cruel and fury overwhelming, but who can stand
before jealousy?
Better is open rebuke than hidden love.
Wounds from a friend can be trusted, but an enemy
multiplies kisses.
One who is full loathes honey from the comb, but to the
hungry even what is bitter tastes sweet.
Like a bird that flees its nest is anyone who flees
from home.
Perfume and incense bring joy to the heart, and the
pleasantness of a friend springs from their heartfelt advice.
Do not forsake your friend or a friend of your family, and
do not go to your relative’s house when disaster strikes you— better a neighbor
nearby than a relative far away.
Be wise, my son, and bring joy to my heart; then I can
answer anyone who treats me with contempt.
The prudent see danger and take refuge, but the simple
keep going and pay the penalty.
Take the garment of one who puts up security for a
stranger; hold it in pledge if it is done for an outsider.
If anyone loudly blesses their neighbor early in the
morning, it will be taken as a curse.
A quarrelsome wife is like the dripping of a leaky roof
in a rainstorm; restraining her is like restraining the wind or grasping oil
with the hand.
As iron sharpens iron, so one person sharpens another.
The one who guards a fig tree will eat its fruit, and
whoever protects their master will be honored.
As water reflects the face, so one’s life reflects the
heart.
Death and Destruction are never satisfied, and neither
are human eyes.
The crucible for silver and the furnace for gold, but
people are tested by their praise.
Though you grind a fool in a mortar, grinding them like
grain with a pestle, you will not remove their folly from them.
Be sure you know the condition of your flocks, give
careful attention to your herds; for riches do not endure forever, and a crown is
not secure for all generations.
When the hay is removed and new growth appears and the grass from the hills is gathered in, the lambs will provide you with clothing, and the goats with the price of a field.
You will have plenty of goats’ milk to feed your family and to nourish your female servants.”
When the hay is removed and new growth appears and the grass from the hills is gathered in, the lambs will provide you with clothing, and the goats with the price of a field.
You will have plenty of goats’ milk to feed your family and to nourish your female servants.”
Unbelievers or New Believers – Scriptures taken from the Holy Bible [1]
Psalm 27 New International Version (NIV)
“The Lord is my light and my salvation— whom shall I fear?
The Lord is
the stronghold of my life— of whom shall I be afraid?
When the wicked advance against
me to devour me, it is my enemies and my foes who will stumble and fall.
Though an army besiege me, my heart will not fear;
though war break out against me, even then I will be confident.
One thing I ask from the Lord, this only do I seek: that I may dwell in the house of the Lord all the days of my life, to gaze on the beauty of the Lord and to seek him in his temple.
For in the day of trouble he will keep me safe in his
dwelling; he will hide me in the shelter of his sacred tent and set me high
upon a rock.
Then my head will be exalted above
the enemies who surround me;
at his sacred tent I will sacrifice with shouts of joy;
I will sing and make music to the Lord.
Hear my voice when I call, Lord; be merciful to me and answer me.
My heart says of you, “Seek his
face!” Your face, Lord, I will seek.
Do not hide your face from me, do not
turn your servant away in anger; you have been my helper.
Do not reject me or forsake me, God my Savior.
Though my father and mother forsake me, the Lord will receive me.
Teach me your way, Lord; lead
me in a straight path because of my oppressors.
Do not turn me over to the desire of my foes, for
false witnesses rise up against me, spouting malicious accusations.
I remain confident of this: I
will see the goodness of the Lord in
the land of the living.
Wait for the Lord; be
strong and take heart and wait for the Lord.
Unbelievers or New Believers – Scriptures taken from the Holy Bible [1]
In Jesus’ Name.
Amen.
Footnotes:
1. Scriptures taken from the Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV®.
Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.® Used by permission of
Zondervan. All rights reserved worldwide. Purchased Product License 01/09/2015
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