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.” 14When the king heard this, he was greatly distressed; he was determined to rescue Daniel and made every effort until sundown to save him. 15 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.” 16 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!” 17 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. 18Then 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.

It pleased Darius to appoint 120 satraps to rule throughout the kingdom, 2with three

administrators over them, one of whom was Daniel. The satraps were made

accountable to them so that the king might not suffer loss. 3Now 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.

… the king planned to set him over the whole kingdom.

We will never find any basis for charges against this man Daniel unless it has

something to do with the law of his God.

… 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 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.

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.

Daniel 6:10, 11 (NIV)

Three times a day he got down on his knees and prayed, giving thanks to his God, just

as he had done before … praying and asking God for help.

Yet the news about him spread all the more, so that crowds of people came to hear

him and to be healed of their sicknesses.

But Jesus often withdrew to lonely places and prayed.

He went on a little farther and bowed with his face to the ground, praying, “My Father!

If it is possible, let this cup of suffering be taken away from me. Yet I want your will to

be done, not mine.”

Don’t let anyone look down on you because you are young, but set an example for the

believers in speech, in conduct, in love, in faith and in purity.

However, I consider my life worth nothing to me; my only aim is to finish the race and

complete the task the Lord Jesus has given me