^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.”

¹⁹ Then Nebuchadnezzar was ^(C)filled with fury, and the expression of his face ^(D)was changed against ^(E)Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego. He ordered the furnace heated seven times more than it was usually heated. ²⁰ And he ordered some of the mighty men of his army ^(F)to bind ^(G)Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, and to cast them into the burning fiery furnace. ²¹ Then these men were ^(H)bound in their cloaks, their tunics,^[b] their hats, and their other garments, and they were thrown into the burning fiery furnace. ²² Because the king's order was ^(I)urgent and the furnace overheated, the flame of the fire killed those men who took up ^(J)Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego. ²³ And these three men, Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, fell ^(K)bound into the burning fiery furnace.

²⁴ Then King Nebuchadnezzar was ^(L)astonished and rose up ^(M)in haste. He declared to his ^(N)counselors, “Did we not cast three men ^(O)bound into the fire?” They answered and said to the king, “True, O king.” ²⁵ He answered and said, “But I see four men unbound, ^(P)walking in the midst of the fire, and they ^(Q)are not hurt; and the appearance of the fourth is like ^(R)a son of the gods.”

²⁶ Then Nebuchadnezzar came near to the door of the burning fiery furnace; he declared, ^(S)“Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, servants of the ^(T)Most High God, come out, and come here!” Then ^(U)Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego came out from the fire. ²⁷ And the ^(V)satraps, the prefects, the governors, and ^(W)the king's counselors gathered together and saw that ^(X)the fire had not had any power over the bodies of those men. The hair of their heads was not singed, their ^(Y)cloaks were not harmed, and no smell of fire had come upon them. ²⁸ Nebuchadnezzar answered and said, “Blessed be the God of ^(Z)Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, who ^(AA)has sent his angel and ^(AB)delivered his servants, who ^(AC)trusted in him, and set aside^[c] the king's command, and yielded up their bodies rather than ^(AD)serve and worship any god except their own God.

The Messages of the Three Angels

⁶ Then I saw another angel ^(A)flying directly overhead, with an eternal gospel to proclaim to ^(B)those who dwell on earth, to every nation and tribe and language and people. ⁷ And he said with a loud voice, ^(C)“Fear God and ^(D)give him glory, because the hour of his judgment has come, and ^(E)worship him who made heaven and earth, the sea and the ^(F)springs of water.”

⁵ And Jesus began to say to them, ^(A)“See that no one leads you astray. ^6 (B)Many will come in my name, saying, ^(C)‘I am he!’ and they will lead many astray. ⁷ And when you hear of wars and rumors of wars, ^(D)do not be alarmed. This ^(E)must take place, but the end is not yet. ⁸ For ^(F)nation will rise against nation, and ^(G)kingdom against kingdom. There will be ^(H)earthquakes in various places; there will be ^(I)famines. These are but the beginning of the birth pains.

^9 (J)“But ^(K)be on your guard. For they will deliver you over to councils, and you will be beaten ^(L)in synagogues, and you will stand before ^(M)governors and ^(N)kings for my sake, ^(O)to bear witness before them. ¹⁰ And the gospel must first be proclaimed ^(P)to all nations. ¹¹ And when they bring you to trial and deliver you over, ^(Q)do not be anxious beforehand what you are to say, but say ^(R)whatever is given you in that hour, ^(S)for it is not you who speak, but the Holy Spirit.