Daniel 3:8-23

8For this reason at that time certain 1Chaldeans came forward and 23brought charges against the Jews. 9They responded and said to Nebuchadnezzar the king: “4O king, live forever! 10You, O king, have 5made a decree that every man who hears the sound of the horn, flute, 6lyre, trigon, psaltery, and bagpipe and all kinds of music, is to 7fall down and worship the golden image. 11But whoever does not fall down and worship shall be cast into the midst of a furnace of blazing fire. 12There are certain Jews whom you have 8appointed 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 9rage 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 10my gods or worship the golden image that I have set up? 15Now if you are ready, 11at the moment you hear the sound of the horn, flute, 12lyre, 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 13immediately be 14cast into the midst of a furnace of blazing fire; and 15what god is there who can deliver you out of my hands?”

1616Shadrach, Meshach and Abed-nego replied to the king, “O Nebuchadnezzar, we do not need to give you an answer concerning this matter. 1717If it be so, our 18God whom we serve is able to deliver us from the furnace of blazing fire; 19and 20He will deliver us out of your hand, O king. 1821But even if He does not, 22let 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 23wrath, and his facial expression was altered toward Shadrach, Meshach and Abed-nego. He answered 24by 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 2526trousers, their 27coats, 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 28command was 2930urgent 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, 31fell into the midst of the furnace of blazing fire still tied up.