Daniel 3

¹King Nebuchadnezzar made a statue of gold, sixty cubits high and six cubits wide, and he set it up in the plain of Dura in the province of Babylon.

²Then king Nebuchadnezzar sent to gather together the governors, magistrates and judges, generals and sovereigns and commanders, and all the leaders of the regions, to come together for the dedication of the statue, which king Nebuchadnezzar had raised.

³Then the governors, magistrates and judges, generals and sovereigns and nobles, who were appointed to power, and all the leaders of the regions were brought together so as to convene for the dedication of the statue, which king Nebuchadnezzar had raised. And so they stood before the statue that king Nebuchadnezzar had set up.

⁴And a herald proclaimed loudly, “To you it is said, to you peoples, tribes, and languages,

⁵that in the hour when you will hear the sound of the trumpet and the pipe and the lute, the harp and the psaltery, and of the symphony and every kind of music, you must fall down and adore the gold statue, which king Nebuchadnezzar has set up.

⁶But if anyone will not bow down and adore, in the same hour he will be cast into a furnace of burning fire.”

⁷After this, therefore, as soon as all the people heard the sound of the trumpet, the pipe and the lute, the harp and the psaltery, and of the symphony and every kind of music, all the peoples, tribes, and languages fell down and adored the gold statue, which king Nebuchadnezzar had set up.

⁸And soon, about the same time, some influential Chaldeans came and accused the Jews,

⁹and they said to king Nebuchadnezzar, “O king, live forever.

¹⁰You, O king, have established a decree, so that every man who might hear the sound of the trumpet, the pipe and the lute, the harp and the psaltery, and of the symphony and every kind of music, will prostrate himself and adore the gold statue.

¹¹But if any man will not fall down and adore, he would be cast into a furnace of burning fire.

¹²Yet there are influential Jews, whom you have appointed over the works of the region of Babylon, Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego. These men, O king, have scorned your decree. They do not worship your gods, and they do not adore the gold statue which you have raised up.”

¹³Then Nebuchadnezzar, in fury and in wrath, commanded that Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego should be brought, and so, without delay, they were brought before the king.

¹⁴And king Nebuchadnezzar addressed them and said, “Is it true, Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, that you do not worship my gods, nor adore the gold statue, which I have set up?

¹⁵Therefore, if you are prepared now, whenever you hear the sound of the trumpet, pipe, lute, harp and psaltery, and of the symphony and every kind of music, prostrate yourselves and adore the statue which I have made. But if you will not adore, in the same hour you will be cast into the furnace of burning fire. And who is the God that will rescue you from my hand?”

¹⁶Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego answered and said to king Nebuchadnezzar, “It is not right for us to obey you in this matter.

¹⁷For behold our God, whom we worship, is able to rescue us from the oven of burning fire and to free us from your hands, O king.

¹⁸But even if he will not, let it be known to you, O king, that we will not worship your gods, nor adore the gold statue, which you have raised up.”

¹⁹Then Nebuchadnezzar was filled with fury and the appearance of his face was changed against Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, and he commanded that the furnace should be heated to seven times its usual fire.

²⁰And he ordered the strongest men of his army to bind the feet of Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, and to cast them into the furnace of burning fire.

²¹And immediately these men were bound, and along with their coats, and their hats, and their shoes, and their garments, were cast into the middle of the furnace of burning fire.

²²But the king’s order was so urgent that the furnace was heated excessively. As a result, those men who had cast in Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, were killed by the flame of the fire.

²³But these three men, that is, Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, having been bound, fell down in the middle of the oven of burning fire.

²⁴And they were walking in the midst of the flame, praising God and blessing the Lord.

²⁵Then Azariah, while standing, prayed in this manner, and opening his mouth in the midst of the fire, he said:

²⁶“Blessed are you, O Lord, the God of our fathers, and your name is praiseworthy and glorious for all ages.

²⁷For you are just in all the things that you have accomplished for us, and all your works are true, and your ways are right, and all your judgments are true.

²⁸For you have made equally true judgments in all the things that you have brought upon us and upon Jerusalem, the holy city of our fathers. For in truth and in judgment, you have brought down all these things because of our sins.

²⁹For we have sinned, and we have committed iniquity in withdrawing from you, and we have offended in all things.

³⁰And we have not listened to your precepts, nor have we observed or done as you have ordered us, so that it might go well with us.

³¹Therefore, everything that you have brought upon us, and all that you have done for us, you have done in true judgment.

³²And you have delivered us into the hands of our enemies: traitors, unjust and most wicked, and to a king, unjust and most wicked, even more so than all others on earth.

³³And now we are not able to open our mouths. We have become a shame and a disgrace to your servants and to those who worship you.

³⁴Do not hand us over forever, we ask you, because of your name, and do not abolish your covenant.

³⁵And do not withdraw your mercy from us, because of Abraham, your beloved, and Isaac, your servant, and Israel, your holy one.

³⁶You have spoken with them, promising that you would multiply their offspring like the stars of heaven and like the sand on the seashore.

³⁷For we, O Lord, are diminished more than all other peoples, and we are brought low throughout all the earth, this day, because of our sins.

³⁸Neither is there, at this time, a leader, or a ruler, or a prophet, nor any holocaust, or sacrifice, or oblation, or incense, or place of first fruits, in your eyes,

³⁹so that we may be able to find your mercy. Nevertheless, with a contrite soul and humble spirit, let us be accepted.

⁴⁰Just as in the holocausts of rams and bullocks, and as in thousands of fat lambs, so let our sacrifice be in your sight this day, in order to please you. For there is no shame for those who trust in you.

⁴¹And now we follow you wholeheartedly, and we fear you, and we seek your face.

⁴²Do not put us to shame, but deal with us in agreement with your clemency and according to the multitude of your mercies.

⁴³And rescue us by your wonders and give glory to your name, O Lord.

⁴⁴And let all those be confounded who lead your servants towards evil. May they be confounded by all your power and may their strength be crushed.

⁴⁵And may they know that you are the Lord, the only God, and glorious above the world.”

⁴⁶And they did not cease, those attendants of the king who had cast them in, to heat the furnace with oil, and flax, and pitch, and brush.

⁴⁷And the flame streamed forth above the furnace for forty-nine cubits.

⁴⁸And the fire erupted and burnt those of the Chaldeans within its reach near the furnace.

⁴⁹But the angel of the Lord descended with Azariah and his companions into the furnace; and he cast the flame of the fire out of the furnace.

⁵⁰And he made the middle of the furnace like the blowing of a damp wind, and the fire did not touch them, nor afflict them, nor bother them at all.

⁵¹Then these three, as if with one voice, praised and glorified and blessed God, in the furnace, saying:

⁵²“Blessed are you, Lord, God of our fathers: praiseworthy, and glorious, and exalted above all forever. And blessed is the holy name of your glory: praiseworthy, and exalted above all, for all ages.

⁵³Blessed are you in the holy temple of your glory: praiseworthy above all and exalted above all forever.

⁵⁴Blessed are you on the throne of your kingdom: praiseworthy above all and exalted above all forever.

⁵⁵Blessed are you who beholds the abyss and sits upon the cherubim: praiseworthy and exalted above all forever.

⁵⁶Blessed are you in the firmament of heaven: praiseworthy and glorious forever.

⁵⁷All works of the Lord, bless the Lord: praise and exalt him above all forever.

⁵⁸Angels of the Lord, bless the Lord: praise and exalt him above all forever.

⁵⁹Heaven, bless the Lord: praise and exalt him above all forever.

⁶⁰All waters that are above the heavens, bless the Lord: praise and exalt him above all forever.

⁶¹All powers of the Lord, bless the Lord: praise and exalt him above all forever.

⁶²Sun and moon, bless the Lord: praise and exalt him above all forever.

⁶³Stars of heaven, bless the Lord: praise and exalt him above all forever.

⁶⁴Every rain and dew, bless the Lord: praise and exalt him above all forever.

⁶⁵Every breath of God, bless the Lord: praise and exalt him above all forever.

⁶⁶Fire and steam, bless the Lord: praise and exalt him above all forever.

⁶⁷Cold and heat, bless the Lord: praise and exalt him above all forever.

⁶⁸Dews and frost, bless the Lord: praise and exalt him above all forever.

⁶⁹Sleet and winter, bless the Lord: praise and exalt him above all forever.

⁷⁰Ice and snow, bless the Lord: praise and exalt him above all forever.

⁷¹Nights and days, bless the Lord: praise and exalt him above all forever.

⁷²Light and darkness, bless the Lord: praise and exalt him above all forever.

⁷³Lightning and clouds, bless the Lord: praise and exalt him above all forever.

⁷⁴May the land bless the Lord: and praise and exalt him above all forever.

⁷⁵Mountains and hills, bless the Lord: praise and exalt him above all forever.

⁷⁶All things that grow in the land, bless the Lord: praise and exalt him above all forever.

⁷⁷Fountains, bless the Lord: praise and exalt him above all forever.

⁷⁸Seas and rivers, bless the Lord: praise and exalt him above all forever.

⁷⁹Whales and all things that move in the waters, bless the Lord: praise and exalt him above all forever.

⁸⁰All things that fly in the heavens, bless the Lord: praise and exalt him above all forever.

⁸¹All beasts and cattle, bless the Lord: praise and exalt him above all forever.

⁸²Sons of men, bless the Lord: praise and exalt him above all forever.

⁸³May Israel bless the Lord: and praise and exalt him above all forever.

⁸⁴Priests of the Lord, bless the Lord: praise and exalt him above all forever.

⁸⁵Servants of the Lord, bless the Lord: praise and exalt him above all forever.

⁸⁶Spirits and souls of the just, bless the Lord: praise and exalt him above all forever.

⁸⁷Those who are holy and humble in heart, bless the Lord: praise and exalt him above all forever.

⁸⁸Hananiah, Azariah, Mishael, bless the Lord: praise and exalt him above all forever. For he has delivered us from the underworld, and saved us from the hand of death, and freed us from the midst of the burning flame, and rescued us from the midst of the fire.

⁸⁹Give thanks to the Lord because he is good: because his mercy is forever.

⁹⁰All those who are pious, bless the Lord, the God of gods: praise him and acknowledge him because his mercy is for all generations.”

⁹¹Then king Nebuchadnezzar was astonished, and he quickly got up and said to his nobles: “Did we not cast three men shackled into the midst of the fire?” Answering the king, they said, “True, O king.”

⁹²He answered and said, “Behold, I see four men unbound and walking in the midst of the fire, and no harm is in them, and the appearance of the fourth is like a son of God.”

⁹³Then Nebuchadnezzar approached the entrance of the furnace of burning fire, and he said, “Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, servants of the supreme God, come out and approach.” And immediately Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego went out from the midst of the fire.

⁹⁴And when the governors, and the magistrates, and the judges, and the powerful of the king had gathered together, they considered these men because the fire had no power against their bodies, and not a hair of their head had been scorched, and their pants had not been affected, and the smell of the fire had not passed onto them.

⁹⁵Then Nebuchadnezzar, bursting out, said, “Blessed is their God, the God of Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, who sent his angel and rescued his servants who believed in him. And they altered the verdict of the king, and they delivered up their bodies, so that they would not serve or adore any god except their God.

⁹⁶Therefore, this decree is established by me: that every people, tribe, and language, whenever they have spoken blasphemy against the God of Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, will perish and their homes will be destroyed. For there is no other God who is able to save in this way.”

⁹⁷Then the king promoted Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego in the province of Babylon.

⁹⁸Nebuchadnezzar, the king, to all peoples, nations, and languages, who dwell in the whole world, may peace be increased with you.

⁹⁹The supreme God has accomplished signs and wonders with me. Therefore, it has pleased me to proclaim

¹⁰⁰his signs, which are great, and his wonders, which are mighty. For his kingdom is an everlasting kingdom, and his power continues from generation to generation.

Daniel 3

¹King Nabuchodonosor made a statue of gold, of sixty cubits high, and six cubits broad, and he set it up in the plain of Dura, of the province of Babylon.

²Then Nabuchodonosor, the king, sent to call together the nobles, the magistrates, and the judges, the captains, the rulers, and governors, and all the chief men of the provinces, to come to the dedication of the statue which king Nabuchodonosor had set up.

³Then the nobles, the magistrates, and the judges, the captains, and rulers, and the great men that were placed in authority, and all the princes of the provinces, were gathered together to come to the dedication of the statue, which king Nabuchodonosor had set up. And they stood before the statue which king Nabuchodonosor had set up.

⁴Then a herald cried with a strong voice: To you it is commanded, O nations, tribes and languages:

⁵That in the hour that you shall hear the sound of the trumpet, and of the flute, and of the harp, of the sackbut, and of the psaltery, and of the symphony, and of all kind of music, ye fall down and adore the golden statue which king Nabuchodonosor hath set up.

⁶But if any man shall not fall down and adore, he shall the same hour be cast into a furnace of burning fire.

⁷Upon this, therefore, at the time when all the people heard the sound of the trumpet, the flute, and the harp, of the sackbut, and the psaltery, of the symphony, and of all kind of music, all the nations, tribes, and languages fell down and adored the golden statue which king Nabuchodonosor had set up.

⁸And presently at that very time some Chaldeans came and accused the Jews,

⁹And said to king Nabuchodonosor: O king, live for ever:

¹⁰Thou, O king, hast made a decree, that every man that shall hear the sound of the trumpet, the flute, and the harp, of the sackbut, and the psaltery, of the symphony, and of all kind of music, shall prostrate himself, and adore the golden statue:

¹¹And that if any man shall not fall down and adore, he should be cast into a furnace of burning fire.

¹²Now there are certain Jews, whom thou hast set over the works of the province of Babylon, Sidrach, Misach, and Abdenago: these men, O king, have slighted thy decree: they worship not thy gods, nor do they adore the golden statue which thou hast set up.

¹³Then Nabuchodonosor in fury, and in wrath, commanded that Sidrach, Misach, and Abdenago should be brought: who immediately were brought before the king.

¹⁴And Nabuchodonosor, the king, spoke to them, and said: Is it true, O Sidrach, Misach, and Abdenago, that you do not worship my gods, nor adore the golden statue that I have set up?

¹⁵Now, therefore, if you be ready, at what hour soever, you shall hear the sound of the trumpet, flute, harp, sackbut, and psaltery, and symphony, and of all kind of music, prostrate yourselves, and adore the statue which I have made: but if you do not adore, you shall be cast the same hour into the furnace of burning fire: and who is the God that shall deliver you out of my hand?

¹⁶Sidrach, Misach, and Abdenago, answered, and said to king Nabuchodonosor: We have no occasion to answer thee concerning this matter.

¹⁷For behold our God, whom we worship, is able to save us from the furnace of burning fire, and to deliver us out of thy hands, O king.

¹⁸But if he will not, be it known to thee, O king, that we will not worship thy gods, nor adore the golden statue which thou hast set up.

¹⁹Then was Nabuchodonosor filled with fury: and the countenance of his face was changed against Sidrach, Misach, and Abdenago, and he commanded that the furnace should be heated seven times more than it had been accustomed to be heated.

²⁰And he commanded the strongest men that were in his army, to bind the feet of Sidrach, Misach, and Abdenago, and to cast them into the furnace of burning fire.

²¹And immediately these men were bound, and were cast into the furnace of burning fire, with their coats, and their caps, and their shoes, and their garments.

²²For the king's commandment was urgent, and the furnace was heated exceedingly. And the flame of the fire slew those men that had cast in Sidrach, Misach, and Abdenago.

²³But these three men, that is, Sidrach, Misach, and Abdenago, fell down bound in the midst of the furnace of burning fire.

²⁴And they walked in the midst of the flame, praising God, and blessing the Lord.

²⁵Then Azarias standing up, prayed in this manner, and opening his mouth in the midst of the fire, he said:

²⁶Blessed art thou, O Lord, the God of our fathers, and thy name is worthy of praise, and glorious for ever:

²⁷For thou art just in all that thou hast done to us, and all thy works are true, and thy ways right, and all thy judgments true.

²⁸For thou hast executed true judgments in all the things that thou hast brought upon us, and upon Jerusalem, the holy city of our fathers: for according to truth and judgment, thou hast brought all these things upon us for our sins.

²⁹For we have sinned, and committed iniquity, departing from thee: and we have trespassed in all things:

³⁰And we have not hearkened to thy commandments, nor have we observed nor done as thou hadst commanded us, that it might go well with us.

³¹Wherefore, all that thou hast brought upon us, and every thing that thou hast done to us, thou hast done in true judgment:

³²And thou hast delivered us into the hands of our enemies that are unjust, and most wicked, and prevaricators, and to a king unjust, and most wicked beyond all that are upon the earth.

³³And now we cannot open our mouths: we are become a shame, and a reproach to thy servants, and to them that worship thee.

³⁴Deliver us not up for ever, we beseech thee, for thy name's sake, and abolish not thy covenant.

³⁵And take not away thy mercy from us, for the sake of Abraham, thy beloved, and Isaac, thy servant, and Israel, thy holy one:

³⁶To whom thou hast spoken, promising that thou wouldst multiply their seed as the stars of heaven, and as the sand that is on the sea shore.

³⁷For we, O Lord, are diminished more than any nation, and are brought low in all the earth this day for our sins.

³⁸Neither is there at this time prince, or leader, or prophet, or holocaust, or sacrifice, or oblation, or incense, or place of first fruits before thee,

³⁹That we may find thy mercy: nevertheless, in a contrite heart and humble spirit let us be accepted.

⁴⁰As in holocausts of rams, and bullocks, and as in thousands of fat lambs: so let our sacrifice be made in thy sight this day, that it may please thee: for there is no confusion to them that trust in thee.

⁴¹And now we follow thee with all our heart, and we fear thee, and seek thy face.

⁴²Put us not to confusion, but deal with us according to thy meekness, and according to the multitude of thy mercies.

⁴³And deliver us, according to thy wonderful works, and give glory to thy name, O Lord:

⁴⁴And let all them be confounded that shew evils to thy servants, let them be confounded in all thy might, and let their strength be broken:

⁴⁵And let them know that thou art the Lord, the only God, and glorious over all the world.

⁴⁶Now the king's servants that had cast them in, ceased not to heat the furnace with brimstone and tow, and pitch, and dry sticks,

⁴⁷And the flame mounted up above the furnace nine and forth cubits:

⁴⁸And it broke forth, and burnt such of the Chaldeans as it found near the furnace.

⁴⁹But the angel of the Lord went down with Azarias and his companions into the furnace: and he drove the flame of the fire out of the furnace,

⁵⁰And made the midst of the furnace like the blowing of a wind bringing dew, and the fire touched them not at all, nor troubled them, nor did them any harm.

⁵¹Then these three, as with one mouth, praised and glorified and blessed God, in the furnace, saying:

⁵²Blessed art thou, O Lord, the God of our fathers; and worthy to be praised, and glorified, and exalted above all for ever: and blessed is the holy name of thy glory: and worthy to be praised and exalted above all, in all ages.

⁵³Blessed art thou in the holy temple of thy glory: and exceedingly to be praised and exalted above all for ever.

⁵⁴Blessed art thou on the throne of thy kingdom, and exceedingly to be praised, and exalted above all for ever.

⁵⁵Blessed art thou that beholdest the depths, and sittest upon the cherubims: and worthy to be praised and exalted above all for ever.

⁵⁶Blessed art thou in the firmament of heaven: and worthy of praise, and glorious for ever.

⁵⁷All ye works of the Lord, bless the Lord: praise and exalt him above all for ever.

⁵⁸O ye angels of the Lord, bless the Lord: praise and exalt him above all for ever.

⁵⁹O ye heavens, bless the Lord: praise and exalt him above all for ever.

⁶⁰O all ye waters that are above the heavens, bless the Lord: praise and exalt him above all for ever.

⁶¹O all ye powers of the Lord, bless the Lord: praise and exalt him above all for ever.

⁶²O ye sun and moon, bless the Lord: praise and exalt him above all for ever.

⁶³O ye stars of heaven, bless the Lord: praise and exalt him above all for ever.

⁶⁴O every shower and dew, bless ye the Lord: praise and exalt him above all for ever.

⁶⁵O all ye spirits of God, bless the Lord: praise and exalt him above all for ever.

⁶⁶O ye fire and heat, bless the Lord: praise and exalt him above all for ever.

⁶⁷O ye cold and heat, bless the Lord, praise and exalt him above all for ever.

⁶⁸O ye dews and hoar frost, bless the Lord: praise and exalt him above all for ever.

⁶⁹O ye frost and cold, bless the Lord: praise and exalt him above all for ever.

⁷⁰O ye ice and snow, bless the Lord: praise and exalt him above all for ever.

⁷¹O ye nights and days, bless the Lord: praise and exalt him above all for ever.

⁷²O ye light and darkness, bless the Lord: praise and exalt him above all for ever.

⁷³O ye lightnings and clouds, bless the Lord: praise and exalt him above all for ever.

⁷⁴O let the earth bless the Lord: let it praise and exalt him above all for ever.

⁷⁵Mountains and hills, bless the Lord: praise and exalt him above all forever.

⁷⁶O all ye things that spring up in the earth, bless the Lord: praise and exalt him above all for ever.

⁷⁷O ye fountains, bless the Lord: praise and exalt him above all for ever.

⁷⁸O ye seas and rivers, bless the Lord: praise and exalt him above all for ever.

⁷⁹O ye whales, and all that move in the waters, bless the Lord: praise and exalt him above all for ever.

⁸⁰O all ye fowls of the air, bless the Lord: praise and exalt him above all for ever.

⁸¹O all ye beasts and cattle, bless the Lord: praise and exalt him above all for ever.

⁸²O ye sons of men, bless the Lord: praise and exalt him above all for ever.

⁸³O let Israel bless the Lord: let them praise and exalt him above all for ever.

⁸⁴O ye priests of the Lord, bless the Lord: praise and exalt him above all for ever.

⁸⁵O ye servants of the Lord, bless the Lord: praise and exalt him above all for ever.

⁸⁶O ye spirits and souls of the just, bless the Lord: praise and exalt him above all for ever.

⁸⁷O ye holy and humble of heart, bless the Lord: praise and exalt him above all for ever.

⁸⁸O Ananias, Azarias, Misael, bless ye the Lord: praise and exalt him above all for ever. For he hath delivered us from hell, and saved us out of the hand of death, and delivered us out of the midst of the burning flame, and saved us out of the midst of the fire.

⁸⁹O give thanks to the Lord, because he is good: because his mercy endureth for ever and ever.

⁹⁰O all ye religious, bless the Lord, the God of gods: praise him, and give him thanks, because his mercy endureth for ever and ever.

⁹¹Then Nabuchodonosor, the king, was astonished, and rose up in haste, and said to his nobles: Did we not cast three men bound into the midst of the fire? They answered the king, and said: True, O king.

⁹²He answered, and said: Behold, I see four men loose, and walking in the midst of the fire, and there is no hurt in them, and the form of the fourth is like the son of God.

⁹³Then Nabuchodonosor came to the door of the burning fiery furnace, and said: Sidrach, Misach, and Abdenago, ye servants of the most high God, go ye forth, and come. And immediately Sidrach, Misach, and Abdenago, went out from the midst of the fire.

⁹⁴And the nobles, and the magistrates, and the judges, and the great men of the king, being gathered together, considered these men, that the fire had no power on their bodies, and that not a hair of their head had been singed, nor their garments altered, nor the smell of the fire had passed on them.

⁹⁵Then Nabuchodonosor breaking forth, said: Blessed be the God of them, to wit, of Sidrach, Misach, and Abdenago, who hath sent his angel, and delivered his servants that believed in him: and they changed the king's word, and delivered up their bodies, that they might not serve nor adore any god except their own God.

⁹⁶By me, therefore, this decree is made: That every people, tribe, and tongue, which shall speak blasphemy against the God of Sidrach, Misach, and Abdenago, shall be destroyed, and their houses laid waste: for there is no other God that can save in this manner.

⁹⁷Then the king promoted Sidrach, Misach, and Abdenago, in the province of Babylon.

⁹⁸Nabuchodonosor, the king, to all peoples, nations, and tongues, that dwell in all the earth, peace be multiplied unto you.

⁹⁹The most high God hath wrought signs and wonders towards me. It hath seemed good to me, therefore, to publish

¹⁰⁰His signs, because they are great: and his wonders, because they are mighty: and his kingdom is an everlasting kingdom, and his power to all generations.