²³ And these three men, Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, fell ^(A)bound into the burning fiery furnace.

¹⁶ Then the king commanded, and Daniel was brought and cast into the den of lions. The king declared^[a] to Daniel, “May ^(A)your God, whom you serve continually, deliver you!” ^17 (B)And a stone was brought and laid on the mouth of the den, ^(C)and the king sealed it ^(D)with his own signet and with the signet of his ^(E)lords, that nothing might be changed concerning Daniel.

⁶ So they took Jeremiah ^(A)and cast him into the cistern of Malchiah, the king's son, which was in ^(B)the court of the guard, letting Jeremiah down ^(C)by ropes. ^(D)And there was no water in the cistern, but only mud, and ^(E)Jeremiah sank in the mud.

Our Help Is in the Name of the Lord

A Song of ^(A)Ascents. Of David.

Suffering as a Christian

¹² Beloved, do not be surprised at ^(A)the fiery trial when it comes upon you to test you, as though something strange were happening to you. ¹³ But rejoice ^(B)insofar as you share Christ's sufferings, that you may also rejoice and be glad ^(C)when his glory is revealed.

¹⁷ For ^(A)this light momentary affliction is preparing for us an eternal weight of glory beyond all comparison,

⁸ For we do not want you to be unaware, brothers,^[a] of ^(A)the affliction we experienced in Asia. For we were so utterly burdened beyond our strength that we despaired of life itself. ⁹ Indeed, we felt that we had received the sentence of death. But that was to make us ^(B)rely not on ourselves ^(C)but on God ^(D)who raises the dead. ^10 (E)He delivered us from such a deadly peril, and he will deliver us. ^(F)On him we have set our hope that he will deliver us again.