^16 (A)Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego answered and said to the king, “O Nebuchadnezzar, we have no need to answer you in this matter. ¹⁷ If this be so, ^(B)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.^{[a] 18} But if not, be it known to you, O king, that we will not serve your gods or worship the golden image that you have set up.”

⁶ Then these ^(A)high officials and ^(B)satraps came by agreement^[a] to the king and said to him, “O ^(C)King Darius, live forever! ⁷ All the ^(D)high officials of the kingdom, the prefects and the satraps, the ^(E)counselors and the governors are agreed that the king should establish an ordinance and enforce an ^(F)injunction, that whoever makes petition to any god or man for thirty days, except to you, O king, shall be cast into the den of lions. ⁸ Now, O king, establish ^(G)the injunction and sign the document, so that it cannot be changed, according to ^(H)the law of ^(I)the Medes and the Persians, ^(J)which cannot be revoked.” ⁹ Therefore King Darius signed the document and ^(K)injunction.

¹⁰ When Daniel knew that the document had been signed, he went to his house where ^(L)he had windows in his upper chamber open ^(M)toward Jerusalem. He got down on his knees ^(N)three times a day and prayed and ^(O)gave thanks before his God, as he had done previously. ¹¹ Then these men came by agreement and found Daniel making petition and plea before his God.

The Full Assurance of Faith

^19 (A)Therefore, brothers,^[a] since we have confidence to enter ^(B)the holy places by the blood of Jesus, ²⁰ by ^(C)the new and living way that he opened for us through ^(D)the curtain, that is, through his flesh, ²¹ and since we have ^(E)a great priest over the house of God, ²² let us draw near with a true heart in full assurance of faith, with our hearts ^(F)sprinkled clean ^(G)from an evil conscience and our bodies ^(H)washed with pure water. ^23 (I)Let us hold fast the confession of our hope without wavering, for ^(J)he who promised is faithful. ²⁴ And ^(K)let us consider how to stir up one another to love and good works, ^25 (L)not neglecting to meet together, as is the habit of some, but encouraging one another, and ^(M)all the more as you see ^(N)the Day drawing near.