Daniel 3:16-30

161Shadrach, Meshach and Abed-nego replied to the king, “O Nebuchadnezzar, we do not need to give you an answer concerning this matter. 172If it be so, our 3God whom we serve is able to deliver us from the furnace of blazing fire; 4and 5He will deliver us out of your hand, O king. 186But even if He does not, 7let 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 8wrath, and his facial expression was altered toward Shadrach, Meshach and Abed-nego. He answered 9by 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 1011trousers, their 12coats, 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 13command was 1415urgent 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, 16fell 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 17walking about in the midst of the fire 18without harm, and the appearance of the fourth is like a son of the 19gods!” 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 20Most High God, and come here!” Then Shadrach, Meshach and Abed-nego 21came out of the midst of the fire. 27The 22satraps, the prefects, the governors and the king’s high officials gathered around and saw in regard to these men that the 23fire had no 24effect on 25the bodies of these men nor was the hair of their head singed, nor were their 2627trousers 28damaged, nor had the smell of fire even come upon them.

28Nebuchadnezzar responded and said, “Blessed be the 29God of Shadrach, Meshach and Abed-nego, who has 30sent His angel and delivered His servants who put their 31trust in Him, 32violating the king’s command, and yielded up their bodies so as 33not to serve or worship any god except their own God. 29Therefore I 34make a decree that any people, nation or tongue that speaks anything offensive against the God of 35Shadrach, Meshach and Abed-nego shall be torn limb from limb and their 36houses reduced to a rubbish heap, inasmuch as there is 37no other god who is able to deliver in this way.” 30Then the king 38caused Shadrach, Meshach and Abed-nego to prosper in the province of Babylon.