Daniel 3:12-30

12There are certain Jews whom you have 1appointed over the administration of the province of Babylon, namely Shadrach, Meshach and Abed-nego. These men, O king, have disregarded you; they do not serve your gods or worship the golden image which you have set up.”

13Then Nebuchadnezzar in 2rage and anger gave orders to bring Shadrach, Meshach and Abed-nego; then these men were brought before the king. 14Nebuchadnezzar responded and said to them, “Is it true, Shadrach, Meshach and Abed-nego, that you do not serve 3my gods or worship the golden image that I have set up? 15Now if you are ready, 4at the moment you hear the sound of the horn, flute, 5lyre, trigon, psaltery and bagpipe and all kinds of music, to fall down and worship the image that I have made, very well. But if you do not worship, you will 6immediately be 7cast into the midst of a furnace of blazing fire; and 8what god is there who can deliver you out of my hands?”

169Shadrach, Meshach and Abed-nego replied to the king, “O Nebuchadnezzar, we do not need to give you an answer concerning this matter. 1710If it be so, our 11God whom we serve is able to deliver us from the furnace of blazing fire; 12and 13He will deliver us out of your hand, O king. 1814But even if He does not, 15let it be known to you, O king, that we are not going to serve your gods or worship the golden image that you have set up.”

19Then Nebuchadnezzar was filled with 16wrath, and his facial expression was altered toward Shadrach, Meshach and Abed-nego. He answered 17by giving orders to heat the furnace seven times more than it was usually heated. 20He commanded certain valiant warriors who were in his army to tie up Shadrach, Meshach and Abed-nego in order to cast them into the furnace of blazing fire. 21Then these men were tied up in their 1819trousers, their 20coats, their caps and their other clothes, and were cast into the midst of the furnace of blazing fire. 22For this reason, because the king’s 21command was 2223urgent and the furnace had been made extremely hot, the flame of the fire slew those men who carried up Shadrach, Meshach and Abed-nego. 23But these three men, Shadrach, Meshach and Abed-nego, 24fell into the midst of the furnace of blazing fire still tied up.

24Then Nebuchadnezzar the king was astounded and stood up in haste; he said to his high officials, “Was it not three men we cast bound into the midst of the fire?” They replied to the king, “Certainly, O king.” 25He said, “Look! I see four men loosed and 25walking about in the midst of the fire 26without harm, and the appearance of the fourth is like a son of the 27gods!” 26Then Nebuchadnezzar came near to the door of the furnace of blazing fire; he responded and said, “Shadrach, Meshach and Abed-nego, come out, you servants of the 28Most High God, and come here!” Then Shadrach, Meshach and Abed-nego 29came out of the midst of the fire. 27The 30satraps, the prefects, the governors and the king’s high officials gathered around and saw in regard to these men that the 31fire had no 32effect on 33the bodies of these men nor was the hair of their head singed, nor were their 3435trousers 36damaged, nor had the smell of fire even come upon them.

28Nebuchadnezzar responded and said, “Blessed be the 37God of Shadrach, Meshach and Abed-nego, who has 38sent His angel and delivered His servants who put their 39trust in Him, 40violating the king’s command, and yielded up their bodies so as 41not to serve or worship any god except their own God. 29Therefore I 42make a decree that any people, nation or tongue that speaks anything offensive against the God of 43Shadrach, Meshach and Abed-nego shall be torn limb from limb and their 44houses reduced to a rubbish heap, inasmuch as there is 45no other god who is able to deliver in this way.” 30Then the king 46caused Shadrach, Meshach and Abed-nego to prosper in the province of Babylon.