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, nor do they worship the golden statue 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 began speaking and said to them, “Is it true, Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-nego, that you do not serve 3my gods, nor worship the golden statue 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 musical instruments, to fall down and worship the statue that I have made, very well. But if you do not worship, you will 6immediately be 7thrown into the midst of a furnace of blazing fire; and 8what god is there who can rescue you from my hands?”

169Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-nego replied to the king, “Nebuchadnezzar, we are not in need of an answer to give you concerning this matter. 17If it be so, our 10God whom we serve is able to rescue us from the furnace of blazing fire; 11and 12He will rescue us from your hand, O king. 1813But even if He does not, 14let it be known to you, O king, that we are not going to serve your gods nor worship the golden statue that you have set up.”

19Then Nebuchadnezzar was filled with 15wrath, and his facial expression was changed toward Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-nego. He answered 16by giving orders to heat the furnace seven times more than it was usually heated. 20And he ordered certain valiant warriors who were in his army to tie up Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-nego in order to throw them into the furnace of blazing fire. 21Then these men were tied up in their 17trousers, their 18coats, their caps, and their other clothes, and were thrown into the middle of the furnace of blazing fire. 22For this reason, because the king’s 19command was 20harsh and the furnace had been made extremely hot, the flame of the fire killed those men who took up Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-nego. 23But these three men, Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-nego, 21fell into the middle of the furnace of blazing fire still tied up.

24Then Nebuchadnezzar the king was astounded and stood up quickly; he said to his counselors, “Was it not three men that we threw bound into the middle of the fire?” They replied to the king, “Absolutely, O king.” 25He responded, “Look! I see four men untied and 22walking about in the middle of the fire 23unharmed, and the appearance of the fourth is like a son of the 24gods!” 26Then Nebuchadnezzar came near to the door of the furnace of blazing fire; he said, “Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-nego, come out, you servants of the 25Most High God, and come here!” Then Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-nego 26came out of the middle of the fire. 27The 27satraps, the prefects, the governors, and the king’s counselors gathered together and saw that the 28fire had no 29effect on 30the bodies of these men, nor was the hair of their heads singed, nor were their 3132trousers 33damaged, nor had even the smell of fire touched them.

28Nebuchadnezzar responded and said, “Blessed be the 34God of Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-nego, who has 35sent His angel and rescued His servants who put their 36trust in Him, 37violating the king’s command, and surrendered their bodies 38rather than serve or worship any god except their own God. 29Therefore I 39make a decree that any people, nation, or population of any language that speaks anything offensive against the God of 40Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-nego shall be torn limb from limb and their 41houses made a rubbish heap, because there is 42no other god who is able to save in this way.” 30Then the king 43made Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-nego prosperous in the province of Babylon.