Intro: Daniel Chapter 6 Summary
The Daniel Chapter 6 Summary recounts one of the most beloved and enduring stories in Scripture — Daniel in the lions’ den. Following the fall of Babylon described in Daniel Chapter 5, the Medo-Persian Empire now rules. Daniel, though advanced in age, remains a man of influence and unwavering faith. When jealous officials conspire against him, his devotion to God places him in mortal danger. Yet, through divine intervention, Daniel is delivered unharmed, proving once again that no power on earth can silence faithfulness to God.
📖 Read Daniel 6 (KJV). Also see our Chapter-by-Chapter Book of Daniel Summary.
Daniel’s Rise Under Darius
After the Medes and Persians conquered Babylon, Darius the Mede reorganized the kingdom, appointing 120 princes and three presidents to oversee them. Daniel distinguished himself above all others because “an excellent spirit was in him.” His integrity and wisdom earned the king’s trust so deeply that Darius planned to set him over the entire realm.
However, Daniel’s success provoked jealousy among the other officials. Unable to find any fault in his administration or character, they plotted against his faith. Their conclusion was chillingly precise: “We shall not find any occasion against this Daniel, except we find it against him concerning the law of his God.” (Daniel 6:5, KJV)
The Decree Against Prayer
Knowing Daniel’s daily habit of prayer, the conspirators manipulated Darius into signing a royal decree: for thirty days, no one could petition any god or man except the king himself. Violators would be thrown into a den of lions. Bound by the unchangeable law of the Medes and Persians, Darius sealed the decree, unaware that it targeted his most faithful servant.
Daniel’s response was simple and steadfast. When he learned that the law was signed, he “went into his house; and his windows being open… he kneeled upon his knees three times a day, and prayed, and gave thanks before his God, as he did aforetime.” (Daniel 6:10, KJV)
He did not pray to defy the king but to remain true to the King of kings.
The Trap and the Sentence
The officials rushed to Daniel’s home and caught him praying. They immediately reported it to Darius, who was grieved but powerless to revoke the decree. Though the king labored all day to find a way to save him, the law could not be altered. As evening fell, Daniel was brought to the lions’ den.
Darius spoke words of reluctant faith:
“Thy God whom thou servest continually, he will deliver thee.” (Daniel 6:16, KJV)
A stone was laid upon the mouth of the den and sealed with the king’s signet. That night, the king fasted and refused entertainment. Sleep fled from him as he worried for his faithful friend.
God’s Deliverance
At dawn, Darius hurried to the den and cried out in anguish:
“O Daniel, servant of the living God, is thy God, whom thou servest continually, able to deliver thee from the lions?” (Daniel 6:20, KJV)
To his astonishment, Daniel’s voice answered from within:
“My God hath sent his angel, and hath shut the lions’ mouths, that they have not hurt me.” (Daniel 6:22, KJV)
Daniel was lifted out unharmed — “because he believed in his God.” The lions that could not harm Daniel devoured his accusers instead, fulfilling divine justice.
Darius’s Decree of Praise
Overwhelmed by the miracle, Darius issued a new decree throughout his empire:
“He is the living God, and steadfast forever… his kingdom shall not be destroyed, and his dominion shall be even unto the end.” (Daniel 6:26, KJV)
Through Daniel’s faith, the God of Israel was once again proclaimed among the nations, just as He was in the days of Nebuchadnezzar.
The Global Revelation of God
A deeper truth runs through both Daniel’s story and the earlier accounts of Nebuchadnezzar: God was never reaching only Israel — He was revealing Himself to the entire world. When He showed His power to Babylon through Nebuchadnezzar’s dreams, and now to Medo-Persia through Daniel’s deliverance, He was declaring His supremacy to the greatest empires on earth.
Each of these kings — Nebuchadnezzar, Belshazzar, and Darius — represents the nations of the world. By humbling one and saving another, God made His name known beyond Jerusalem, proving that His kingdom is not confined to borders or ethnicity.
Through Daniel’s unwavering faith, God reached rulers who commanded millions. When Darius proclaimed, “He is the living God,” the entire empire heard the truth of the Most High. Just as Daniel’s courage transformed the courts of ancient kings, today, faithful believers still carry the name of God into every realm of influence — from palaces to workplaces — showing that the God of Israel is the God of all creation.
Application for Today
This Daniel Chapter 6 Summary reminds believers that faithfulness may be costly but never goes unnoticed by God. Daniel’s courage wasn’t dramatic — it was consistent. His faith was practiced quietly, daily, and without compromise. He didn’t panic, protest, or hide; he simply continued doing what he always did — pray.
Modern believers can draw powerful lessons from Daniel’s example:
- Consistency in devotion is stronger than moments of emotional zeal.
- Public faithfulness may invite opposition, but God honors integrity.
- Divine protection is not always the absence of danger but the presence of God within it.
Just as God shut the mouths of lions for Daniel, He can silence any threat that rises against those who trust Him. And sometimes, even if He doesn’t deliver us from the den, He delivers us through it — proving His power to sustain faith in impossible situations.
Conclusion of Daniel Chapter 6 Summary
Daniel’s time in the lions’ den reveals that faith isn’t proven by avoiding trials, but by enduring them with unwavering trust. When the world’s decrees conflict with God’s commands, obedience to God must always come first.