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

¹Nebuchadnezzar the king made an image of gold, whose height was threescore cubits, and the breadth thereof six cubits: he set it up in the plain of Dura, in the province of Babylon.

²Then Nebuchadnezzar the king sent to gather together the princes, the governors, and the captains, the judges, the treasurers, the counsellors, the sheriffs, and all the rulers of the provinces, to come to the dedication of the image which Nebuchadnezzar the king had set up.

³Then the princes, the governors, and captains, the judges, the treasurers, the counsellors, the sheriffs, and all the rulers of the provinces, were gathered together unto the dedication of the image that Nebuchadnezzar the king had set up; and they stood before the image that Nebuchadnezzar had set up.

⁴Then an herald cried aloud, To you it is commanded, O people, nations, and languages,

⁵That at what time ye hear the sound of the cornet, flute, harp, sackbut, psaltery, dulcimer, and all kinds of musick, ye fall down and worship the golden image that Nebuchadnezzar the king hath set up:

⁶And whoso falleth not down and worshippeth shall the same hour be cast into the midst of a burning fiery furnace.

⁷Therefore at that time, when all the people heard the sound of the cornet, flute, harp, sackbut, psaltery, and all kinds of musick, all the people, the nations, and the languages, fell down and worshipped the golden image that Nebuchadnezzar the king had set up.

⁸Wherefore at that time certain Chaldeans came near, and accused the Jews.

⁹They spake and said to the king Nebuchadnezzar, O king, live for ever.

¹⁰Thou, O king, hast made a decree, that every man that shall hear the sound of the cornet, flute, harp, sackbut, psaltery, and dulcimer, and all kinds of musick, shall fall down and worship the golden image:

¹¹And whoso falleth not down and worshippeth, that he should be cast into the midst of a burning fiery furnace.

¹²There are certain Jews whom thou hast set over the affairs of the province of Babylon, Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed–nego; these men, O king, have not regarded thee: they serve not thy gods, nor worship the golden image which thou hast set up.

¹³Then Nebuchadnezzar in his rage and fury commanded to bring Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed–nego. Then they brought these men before the king.

¹⁴Nebuchadnezzar spake and said unto them, Is it true, O Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed–nego, do not ye serve my gods, nor worship the golden image which I have set up?

¹⁵Now if ye be ready that at what time ye hear the sound of the cornet, flute, harp, sackbut, psaltery, and dulcimer, and all kinds of musick, ye fall down and worship the image which I have made; well: but if ye worship not, ye shall be cast the same hour into the midst of a burning fiery furnace; and who is that God that shall deliver you out of my hands?

¹⁶Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed–nego, answered and said to the king, O Nebuchadnezzar, we are not careful to answer thee in this matter.

¹⁷If it be so, our God whom we serve is able to deliver us from the burning fiery furnace, and he will deliver us out of thine hand, O king.

¹⁸But if not, be it known unto thee, O king, that we will not serve thy gods, nor worship the golden image which thou hast set up.

¹⁹Then was Nebuchadnezzar full of fury, and the form of his visage was changed against Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed–nego: therefore he spake, and commanded that they should heat the furnace one seven times more than it was wont to be heated.

²⁰And he commanded the most mighty men that were in his army to bind Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed–nego, and to cast them into the burning fiery furnace.

²¹Then these men were bound in their coats, their hosen, and their hats, and their other garments, and were cast into the midst of the burning fiery furnace.

²²Therefore because the king’s commandment was urgent, and the furnace exceeding hot, the flame of the fire slew those men that took up Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed–nego.

²³And these three men, Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed–nego, fell down bound into the midst of the burning fiery furnace.

²⁴Then Nebuchadnezzar the king was astonied, and rose up in haste, and spake, and said unto his counsellors, Did not we cast three men bound into the midst of the fire? They answered and said unto the king, True, O king.

²⁵He answered and said, Lo, I see four men loose, walking in the midst of the fire, and they have no hurt; and the form of the fourth is like the Son of God.

²⁶Then Nebuchadnezzar came near to the mouth of the burning fiery furnace, and spake, and said, Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed–nego, ye servants of the most high God, come forth, and come hither. Then Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed–nego, came forth of the midst of the fire.

²⁷And the princes, governors, and captains, and the king’s counsellors, being gathered together, saw these men, upon whose bodies the fire had no power, nor was an hair of their head singed, neither were their coats changed, nor the smell of fire had passed on them.

²⁸Then Nebuchadnezzar spake, and said, Blessed be the God of Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed–nego, who hath sent his angel, and delivered his servants that trusted in him, and have changed the king’s word, and yielded their bodies, that they might not serve nor worship any god, except their own God.

²⁹Therefore I make a decree, That every people, nation, and language, which speak any thing amiss against the God of Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed–nego, shall be cut in pieces, and their houses shall be made a dunghill: because there is no other God that can deliver after this sort.

³⁰Then the king promoted Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed–nego, in the province of Babylon.