Daniel
Chapter 3
1 King Nebuchadnezzar made a gold statue sixty cubits tall and six cubits wide and set it up on the plain of Dura in the Babylon region.
2 King Nebuchadnezzar sent for the princes, governors, captains, judges, treasurers, advisers, sheriffs, and all provincial leaders to attend the dedication of the statue he had erected.
3 Then the leaders, officials, commanders, judges, money keepers, advisors, officers, and all province rulers gathered for the dedication of the statue that King Nebuchadnezzar had raised; and they stood in front of the statue that Nebuchadnezzar had raised.
4 A messenger shouted, “People, countries, and speakers of different tongues, this is an order for you.”
5 When you hear the music of the horn, flute, harp, lyre, zither, pipe, and all other musical sounds, you must bow down and worship the golden statue that King Nebuchadnezzar has set up.
6 Anyone who does not bow down and worship will immediately be thrown into a blazing furnace.
7 So at that time, when everyone heard the music from the horn, flute, harp, and other instruments, all the people from different nations and with different languages bowed down and worshipped the gold statue King Nebuchadnezzar had made.
8 So at that time, some Chaldeans approached and charged the Jews with a crime.
9 They spoke and said to King Nebuchadnezzar, “O king, may you live forever.”
10 You, king, have ordered that everyone who hears the music of horns, flutes, harps, lyres, and other instruments must bow down and worship the gold statue.
11 Whoever does not bow down and worship will be thrown into a blazing furnace.
12 Some Jews you put in charge of Babylon’s work, Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, O king, don’t respect you. They don’t worship your gods or bow to the gold statue you made.
13 Nebuchadnezzar, filled with anger, ordered Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego to be brought to him. Then, they were taken to the king.
14 Nebuchadnezzar spoke and asked them, “Is it true, Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, that you do not serve my gods or worship the golden statue I have made?”
15 If you are ready, as soon as you hear the cornet, flute, harp, sackbut, psaltery, dulcimer, and all music, to fall down and worship the statue I made, good. But if you don’t worship, you will immediately be thrown into a blazing furnace. And what God can save you from me?
16 Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego replied to the king, “Oh Nebuchadnezzar, we do not need to defend ourselves in this situation.”
17 If this is true, our God whom we serve can save us from the fiery furnace, and He will rescue us from your power, O king.
18 If not, know this, O king, we will not serve your gods or bow to the gold statue you made.
19 Then Nebuchadnezzar became very angry, and his face looked different when he looked at Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego. So he ordered that the furnace be heated seven times more than usual.
20 He ordered the strongest soldiers in his army to tie up Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego and throw them into the blazing furnace.
21 These men were tied up in their jackets, pants, hats, and other clothes, and thrown into the middle of the blazing furnace.
22 Because the king’s order was urgent and the furnace very hot, the fire’s flames killed the men who took Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego.
23 These three men, Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, fell into the middle of the blazing furnace tied up.
24 Then King Nebuchadnezzar was amazed and got up quickly. He said to his advisors, “Didn’t we throw three tied-up men into the fire?” They replied to the king, “Yes, it’s true, O king.”
25 He replied, “Look, I see four men unbound, walking around in the fire unharmed, and the fourth looks like a son of God.”
26 Then Nebuchadnezzar went up to the entrance of the flaming furnace, spoke, and said, “Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, you who serve the highest God, come out and come here.” So Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego walked out of the fire.
27 The leaders, officials, and officers, along with the king’s advisors, came together and saw that the fire did not hurt these men. Not even their hair was burnt, their clothes were not damaged, and they didn’t even smell like smoke.
28 Then Nebuchadnezzar said, “Praise be to the God of Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, who sent his angel to rescue his followers who trusted in him. They defied the king’s command and were willing to give up their lives rather than serve or worship any god except their own God.”
29 So I order that if anyone from any nation or language says something wrong about Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego’s God, they will be punished severely, and their homes will be destroyed because no other god can save like this.
30 Then the king gave Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego higher positions in the province of Babylon.