Daniel 3

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

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

³ Then the local governors, the deputies, and the governors, the judges, the treasurers, the counselors, the sheriffs, and all the rulers of the provinces, were gathered together to the dedication of the image that Nebuchadnezzar the king had set up; and they stood before the image that Nebuchadnezzar had set up.

⁴ Then the herald cried aloud, “To you it is commanded, peoples, nations, and languages,

⁵ that whenever you hear the sound of the horn, flute, zither, lyre, harp, pipe, and all kinds of music, you fall down and worship the golden image that Nebuchadnezzar the king has set up.

⁶ Whoever doesn’t fall down and worship shall be cast into the middle of a burning fiery furnace the same hour.”

⁷ Therefore at that time, when all the peoples heard the sound of the horn, flute, zither, lyre, harp, pipe, and all kinds of music, all the peoples, the nations, and the languages, fell down and worshiped the golden image that Nebuchadnezzar the king had set up.

⁸ Therefore at that time certain Chaldeans came near, and brought accusation against the Jews.

⁹ They answered Nebuchadnezzar the king, “O king, live for ever!

¹⁰ You, O king, have made a decree that every man who hears the sound of the horn, flute, zither, lyre, harp, pipe, and all kinds of music shall fall down and worship the golden image;

¹¹ and whoever doesn’t fall down and worship shall be cast into the middle of a burning fiery furnace.

¹² There are certain Jews whom you have appointed over the affairs of the province of Babylon: Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego. These men, O king, have not respected you. They don’t serve your gods, and don’t worship the golden image which you have set up.”

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

¹⁴ Nebuchadnezzar answered them, “Is it on purpose, Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, that you don’t serve my god, nor worship the golden image which I have set up?

¹⁵ Now if you are ready whenever you hear the sound of the horn, flute, zither, lyre, harp, pipe, and all kinds of music to fall down and worship the image which I have made, good; but if you don’t worship, you shall be cast the same hour into the middle of a burning fiery furnace. Who is that god who will deliver you out of my hands?”

¹⁶ Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego answered the king, “Nebuchadnezzar, we have no need to answer you in this matter.

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

¹⁸ But if not, let it be known to you, O king, that we will not serve your gods or worship the golden image which you have set up.”

¹⁹ Then Nebuchadnezzar was full of fury, and the form of his appearance was changed against Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego. He spoke, and commanded that they should heat the furnace seven times more than it was usually heated.

²⁰ He commanded certain mighty men who were in his army to bind Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, and to cast them into the burning fiery furnace.

²¹ Then these men were bound in their pants, their tunics, their mantles, and their other clothes, and were cast into the middle of the burning fiery furnace.

²² Therefore because the king’s commandment was urgent, and the furnace exceedingly hot, the flame of the fire killed those men who took up Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego.

²³ These three men, Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, fell down bound into the middle of the burning fiery furnace.

²⁴ They walked in the midst of the fire, praising God, and blessing the Lord.

²⁵ Then Azarias stood, and prayed like this. Opening his mouth in the midst of the fire he said,

²⁶ “Blessed are you, O Lord, you God of our fathers! Your name is worthy to be praised and glorified for evermore;

²⁷ for you are righteous in all the things that you have done. Yes, all your works are true. Your ways are right, and all your judgments are truth.

²⁸ In all the things that you have brought upon us, and upon the holy city of our fathers, Jerusalem, you have executed true judgments. For according to truth and justice you have brought all these things upon us because of our sins.

²⁹ For we have sinned and committed iniquity in departing from you.

³⁰ In all things we have trespassed, and not obeyed your commandments or kept them. We haven’t done as you have commanded us, that it might go well with us.

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

³² You delivered us into the hands of lawless enemies, most hateful rebels, and to an unjust king who is the most wicked in all the world.

³³ And now we can’t open our mouth. Shame and reproach have come on your servants and those who worship you.

³⁴ Don’t utterly deliver us up, for your name’s sake. Don’t annul your covenant.

³⁵ Don’t cause your mercy to depart from us, for the sake of Abraham who is loved by you, and for the sake of Isaac your servant, and Israel your holy one,

³⁶ to whom you promised that you would multiply their offspring as the stars of the sky, and as the sand that is on the sea shore.

³⁷ For we, O Lord, have become less than any nation, and are brought low this day in all the world because of our sins.

³⁸ There isn’t at this time prince, or prophet, or leader, or burnt offering, or sacrifice, or oblation, or incense, or place to offer before you, and to find mercy.

³⁹ Nevertheless in a contrite heart and a humble spirit let us be accepted,

⁴⁰ like the burnt offerings of rams and bullocks, and like ten thousands of fat lambs. So let our sacrifice be in your sight this day, that we may wholly go after you, for they shall not be ashamed who put their trust in you.

⁴¹ And now we follow you with all our heart. We fear you, and seek your face.

⁴² Put us not to shame; but deal with us after your kindness, and according to the multitude of your mercy.

⁴³ Deliver us also according to your marvelous works, and give glory to your name, O Lord. Let all those who harm your servants be confounded.

⁴⁴ Let them be ashamed of all their power and might, and let their strength be broken.

⁴⁵ Let them know that you are the Lord, the only God, and glorious over the whole world.”

⁴⁶ The king’s servants who put them in didn’t stop making the furnace hot with naphtha, pitch, tinder, and small wood,

⁴⁷ so that the flame streamed out forty nine cubits above the furnace.

⁴⁸ It spread and burned those Chaldeans whom it found around the furnace.

⁴⁹ But the angel of the Lord came down into the furnace together with Azarias and his fellows, and he struck the flame of the fire out of the furnace,

⁵⁰ and made the midst of the furnace as it had been a moist whistling wind, so that the fire didn’t touch them at all. It neither hurt nor troubled them.

⁵¹ Then the three, as out of one mouth, praised, glorified, and blessed God in the furnace, saying,

⁵² “Blessed are you, O Lord, you God of our fathers, to be praised and exalted above all forever!

⁵³ Blessed is your glorious and holy name, to be praised and exalted above all forever!

⁵⁴ Blessed are you in the temple of your holy glory, to be praised and glorified above all forever!

⁵⁵ Blessed are you who see the depths and sit upon the cherubim, to be praised and exalted above all forever.

⁵⁶ Blessed are you on the throne of your kingdom, to be praised and extolled above all forever!

⁵⁷ Blessed are you in the firmament of heaven, to be praised and glorified forever!

⁵⁸ O all you works of the Lord, bless the Lord! Praise and exalt him above all forever!

⁵⁹ O you heavens, bless the Lord! Praise and exalt him above all for ever!

⁶⁰ O you angels of the Lord, bless the Lord! Praise and exalt him above all forever!

⁶¹ O all you waters that are above the sky, bless the Lord! Praise and exalt him above all forever!

⁶² O all you powers of the Lord, bless the Lord! Praise and exalt him above all forever!

⁶³ O you sun and moon, bless the Lord! Praise and exalt him above all forever!

⁶⁴ O you stars of heaven, bless the Lord! Praise and exalt him above all forever!

⁶⁵ O every shower and dew, bless the Lord! Praise and exalt him above all forever!

⁶⁶ O all you winds, bless the Lord! Praise and exalt him above all forever!

⁶⁷ O you fire and heat, bless the Lord! Praise and exalt him above all forever!

⁶⁸ O you dews and storms of snow, bless the Lord! Praise and exalt him above all forever!

⁶⁹ O you nights and days, bless the Lord! Praise and exalt him above all forever!

⁷⁰ O you light and darkness, bless the Lord! Praise and exalt him above all forever!

⁷¹ O you cold and heat, bless the Lord! Praise and exalt him above all forever!

⁷² O you frost and snow, bless the Lord! Praise and exalt him above all forever!

⁷³ O you lightnings and clouds, bless the Lord! Praise and exalt him above all forever!

⁷⁴ O let the earth bless the Lord! Let it praise and exalt him above all forever!

⁷⁵ O you mountains and hills, bless the Lord! Praise and exalt him above all forever!

⁷⁶ O all you things that grow on the earth, bless the Lord! Praise and exalt him above all forever!

⁷⁷ O sea and rivers, bless the Lord! Praise and exalt him above all forever!

⁷⁸ O you springs, bless the Lord! Praise and exalt him above all forever!

⁷⁹ O you whales and all that move in the waters, bless the Lord! Praise and exalt him above all forever!

⁸⁰ O all you birds of the air, bless the Lord! Praise and exalt him above all forever!

⁸¹ O all you beasts and cattle, bless the Lord! Praise and exalt him above all forever!

⁸² O you children of men, bless the Lord! Praise and exalt him above all forever!

⁸³ O let Israel bless the Lord! Praise and exalt him above all forever.

⁸⁴ O you priests of the Lord, bless the Lord! Praise and exalt him above all forever!

⁸⁵ O you servants of the Lord, bless the Lord! Praise and exalt him above all forever!

⁸⁶ O you spirits and souls of the righteous, bless the Lord! Praise and exalt him above all forever!

⁸⁷ O you who are holy and humble of heart, bless the Lord! Praise and exalt him above all forever!

⁸⁸ O Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah, bless the Lord! Praise and exalt him above all forever; for he has rescued us from Hades, and saved us from the hand of death! He has delivered us out of the midst of the furnace and burning flame. He has delivered us out of the midst of the fire.

⁸⁹ O give thanks to the Lord, for he is good; for his mercy is forever.

⁹⁰ O all you who worship the Lord, bless the God of gods, praise him, and give him thanks; for his mercy is forever!”

⁹¹ Then Nebuchadnezzar the king was astonished and rose up in haste. He spoke and said to his counselors, “Didn’t we cast three men bound into the middle of the fire?” They answered the king, “True, O king.”

⁹² He answered, “Look, I see four men loose, walking in the middle of the fire, and they are unharmed. The appearance of the fourth is like a son of the gods.”

⁹³ Then Nebuchadnezzar came near to the mouth of the burning fiery furnace. He spoke and said, “Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, you servants of the Most High God, come out, and come here!” Then Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego came out of the middle of the fire.

⁹⁴ The local governors, the deputies, and the governors, and the king’s counselors, being gathered together, saw these men, that the fire had no power on their bodies. The hair of their head wasn’t singed. Their pants weren’t changed. The smell of fire wasn’t even on them.

⁹⁵ Nebuchadnezzar spoke and said, “Blessed be the God of Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, who has sent his angel and delivered his servants who trusted in him, and have changed the king’s word, and have yielded their bodies, that they might not serve nor worship any god, except their own God.

⁹⁶ Therefore I make a decree, that every people, nation, and language, who speak anything evil against the God of Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, shall be cut in pieces, and their houses shall be made a dunghill, because there is no other god who is able to deliver like this.”

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

¹ KKing 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.

² Then 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.

³ Then 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.

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

⁵ That 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.

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

⁷ Upon 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.

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

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

¹⁰ Thou, 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:

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

¹² Now 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.

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

¹⁴ And 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?

¹⁵ Now, 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?

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

¹⁷ For 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.

¹⁸ But 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.

¹⁹ Then 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.

²⁰ And 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.

²¹ And 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.

²² For 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.

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

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

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

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

²⁷ For 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.

²⁸ For 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.

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

³⁰ And 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.

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

³² And 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.

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

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

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

³⁶ To 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.

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

³⁸ Neither 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,

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

⁴⁰ As 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.

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

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

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

⁴⁴ And 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:

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

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

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

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

⁴⁹ But 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,

⁵⁰ And 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.

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

⁵² Blessed 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.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

⁷⁵ O ye mountains and hills, bless the Lord: praise and exalt him above all for ever.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

⁸⁸ O Ananias, Azarias, and 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.

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

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

⁹¹ Then 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.

⁹² He 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.

⁹³ Then 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.

⁹⁴ And 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.

⁹⁵ Then 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.

⁹⁶ By 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.

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

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

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

¹⁰⁰ His 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.