Daniel 3

1King Nebuchadnezzar made an image of gold, its height sixty cubits and its width six cubits. He set it up in the plain of Dura, in the province of Babylon.

2Then King Nebuchadnezzar sent to assemble the satraps, the prefects, and the governors, the counselors, the treasurers, the judges, the magistrates, and all the officials of the provinces, to come to the dedication of the image that King Nebuchadnezzar had set up.

3Then the satraps, the prefects, and the governors, the counselors, the treasurers, the judges, the magistrates, and all the officials of the provinces were assembled for the dedication of the image that King Nebuchadnezzar had set up, and they stood before the image that Nebuchadnezzar had set up.

4And the herald cried aloud, “To you it is proclaimed, O peoples, nations, and languages:”

5At the time when you hear the sound of the horn, pipe, lyre, trigon, psaltery, bagpipe, and every kind of music, you are to fall down and pay homage to the golden image that King Nebuchadnezzar has set up.

6And whoever does not fall down and worship shall in that hour be thrown into the midst of a furnace of blazing fire.

7Therefore, at that time, when all the peoples heard the sound of the horn, pipe, lyre, trigon, psaltery, and every kind of music, all the peoples, nations, and languages fell down and worshiped the golden image that King Nebuchadnezzar had set up.

8For this reason, at that time certain Chaldean men came forward and maliciously accused the Jews.

9They answered and said to King Nebuchadnezzar, “O king, live forever!”

10You, O king, have issued a decree that every man who hears the sound of the horn, pipe, lyre, trigon, psaltery, and bagpipe, and every kind of music, must fall down and worship the golden image.

11And whoever does not fall down and worship shall be thrown into the midst of a furnace of blazing fire.

12There are certain Jewish men whom you have appointed over the administration of the province of Babylon—Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-nego. These men have paid no attention to you, O king: they do not serve your gods, and they do not worship the golden image that you have set up.

13Then Nebuchadnezzar, in rage and fury, commanded that Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-nego be brought in. Then these men were brought before the king.

14Nebuchadnezzar answered and said to them, “Is it true, Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-nego, that you do not serve my god and do not bow down to the golden image that I have set up?”

15Now if you are ready, when you hear the sound of the horn, pipe, lyre, trigon, harp, and bagpipe, and every kind of music, to fall down and worship the image that I have made, well and good. But if you do not worship, in that very hour you will be thrown into the midst of a blazing furnace of fire. And who is the god who will deliver you out of my hands?

16Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-nego answered and said to the king, Nebuchadnezzar, “We have no need to give you an answer concerning this matter.”

17If it is so, our God whom we serve is able to deliver us from the furnace of blazing fire, and he will deliver us from your hand, O king.

18But if not, let it be known to you, O king, that we will not serve your gods, and we will not bow down to the golden image that you have set up.

19Then Nebuchadnezzar was filled with fury, and the expression of his face was changed against Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-nego. He answered and said to heat the furnace seven times more than it was usually heated.

20And he commanded certain mighty men of valor who were in his army to bind Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, to throw them into the blazing furnace of fire.

21Then these men were bound in their trousers, their tunics, their cloaks, and their other garments, and they were thrown into the midst of the blazing furnace.

22Because of this, since the king’s command was harsh and the furnace had been heated exceedingly, the flame of the fire killed those men who brought up Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-nego.

23And these three men—Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-nego—fell bound into the midst of the blazing furnace.

24Then King Nebuchadnezzar was astonished and rose up in haste. He answered and said to his counselors, “Did we not throw three men, bound, into the midst of the fire?” They answered and said to the king, “Certainly, O king.”

25He answered and said, “Look! I see four men unbound, walking in the midst of the fire, and there is no harm on them; and the appearance of the fourth is like a son of the gods.”

26Then Nebuchadnezzar came near to the door of the blazing fiery furnace. He answered and said, “Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-nego, servants of the Most High God, come out and come here.” Then Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-nego came out from the midst of the fire.

27And the satraps, the prefects, the governors, and the king’s counselors gathered together and saw concerning these men that the fire had no power over their bodies, and the hair of their heads was not singed, and their cloaks were not changed, and no smell of fire had come upon them.

28Nebuchadnezzar answered and said, “Blessed be the God of Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-nego, who sent his angel and delivered his servants, who trusted in him, and set aside the king’s command, and gave up their bodies, that they might not serve or worship any god except their own God.”

29And from me a decree is issued: any people, nation, or language that speaks anything offensive against the God of Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-nego shall be torn limb from limb, and his house shall be made a ruin, because there is no other god who is able to deliver like this.

30Then the king caused Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego to prosper in the province of Babylon.

31King Nebuchadnezzar, to all peoples, nations, and languages that dwell in all the earth: May your peace abound.

32It has seemed good to me to declare the signs and wonders that the Most High God has done for me.

33How great are his signs, and how mighty are his wonders! His kingdom is an everlasting kingdom, and his dominion is from generation to generation.