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Verse

Daniel 6:4

ESV Then the high officials and the satraps sought to find a ground for complaint against Daniel with regard to the kingdom, but they could find no ground for complaint or any fault, because he was faithful, and no error or fault was found in him.
NIV 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.
NASB Then the commissioners and satraps began trying to find a ground of accusation against Daniel regarding government affairs; but they could find no ground of accusation or evidence of corruption, because he was trustworthy, and no negligence or corruption was to be found in him.
CSB The administrators and satraps, therefore, kept trying to find a charge against Daniel regarding the kingdom. But they could find no charge or corruption, for he was trustworthy, and no negligence or corruption was found in him.
NLT Then the other administrators and high officers began searching for some fault in the way Daniel was handling government affairs, but they couldn’t find anything to criticize or condemn. He was faithful, always responsible, and completely trustworthy.
KJV Then the presidents and princes sought to find occasion against Daniel concerning the kingdom; but they could find none occasion nor fault; forasmuch as he was faithful, neither was there any error or fault found in him.
NKJV So the governors and satraps sought to find some charge against Daniel concerning the kingdom; but they could find no charge or fault, because he was faithful; nor was there any error or fault found in him.

What does Daniel 6:4 mean?

The new ruler over Babylon appointed an array of supervisors, called satraps, with three leading governors over them all (Daniel 6:1–2). Daniel, a captured Hebrew (Daniel 1:1–7), was the most impressive of the three main administrators. This is attributed to his "excellent spirit" (Daniel 6:3). Prior stories also mention his deep integrity and skill (Daniel 1:8, 17, 20). The other appointed leaders were jealous of Daniel's success.

In twentieth-century Europe, corrupt government officials would say something like "give me the man, I'll find a crime." The point was that they could find something—no matter how petty—to use as an accusation. If need be, they'd simply fabricate it. With Daniel, this task becomes impossible. Not only is he blameless in his job, but he also gives no room for accusations about anything. He was beyond reproach. Their only hope is to scheme some way to use Daniel's absolute loyalty to God as an attack (Daniel 6:5).

In this respect, Daniel's experience foreshadows some of what would happen later to Jesus Christ. Religious leaders looked in vain for a valid reason to have Jesus arrested. Yet Jesus never did anything immoral, nor did He say anything incorrect or blatantly illegal. He was the sinless Son of God. The Roman governor, Pilate, confessed that he had no valid reason to have Jesus punished (John 18:38; 19:6; Luke 23:4). In the end, however, the Roman governor caved to the wishes of a mob and had Jesus executed (John 19:12–16).
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