Daniel 2:34-3:18

New International Version

³⁴ While you were watching, a rock was cut out, but not by human hands.^(A) It struck the statue on its feet of iron and clay and smashed^(B) them.^{(C) 35} Then the iron, the clay, the bronze, the silver and the gold were all broken to pieces and became like chaff on a threshing floor in the summer. The wind swept them away^(D) without leaving a trace. But the rock that struck the statue became a huge mountain^(E) and filled the whole earth.^(F)

³⁶ “This was the dream, and now we will interpret it to the king.^{(G) 37} Your Majesty, you are the king of kings.^(H) The God of heaven has given you dominion^(I) and power and might and glory; ³⁸ in your hands he has placed all mankind and the beasts of the field and the birds in the sky. Wherever they live, he has made you ruler over them all.^(J) You are that head of gold.

³⁹ “After you, another kingdom will arise, inferior to yours. Next, a third kingdom, one of bronze, will rule over the whole earth.^{(K) 40} Finally, there will be a fourth kingdom, strong as iron—for iron breaks and smashes everything—and as iron breaks things to pieces, so it will crush and break all the others.^{(L) 41} Just as you saw that the feet and toes were partly of baked clay and partly of iron, so this will be a divided kingdom; yet it will have some of the strength of iron in it, even as you saw iron mixed with clay. ⁴² As the toes were partly iron and partly clay, so this kingdom will be partly strong and partly brittle. ⁴³ And just as you saw the iron mixed with baked clay, so the people will be a mixture and will not remain united, any more than iron mixes with clay.

⁴⁴ “In the time of those kings, the God of heaven will set up a kingdom that will never be destroyed, nor will it be left to another people. It will crush^(M) all those kingdoms^(N) and bring them to an end, but it will itself endure forever.^{(O) 45} This is the meaning of the vision of the rock^(P) cut out of a mountain, but not by human hands^(Q)—a rock that broke the iron, the bronze, the clay, the silver and the gold to pieces.

“The great God has shown the king what will take place in the future.^(R) The dream is true^(S) and its interpretation is trustworthy.”

⁴⁶ Then King Nebuchadnezzar fell prostrate^(T) before Daniel and paid him honor and ordered that an offering^(U) and incense be presented to him. ⁴⁷ The king said to Daniel, “Surely your God is the God of gods^(V) and the Lord of kings^(W) and a revealer of mysteries,^(X) for you were able to reveal this mystery.^(Y)”

⁴⁸ Then the king placed Daniel in a high^(Z) position and lavished many gifts on him. He made him ruler over the entire province of Babylon and placed him in charge of all its wise men.^{(AA) 49} Moreover, at Daniel’s request the king appointed Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego administrators over the province of Babylon,^(AB) while Daniel himself remained at the royal court.^(AC)

The Image of Gold and the Blazing Furnace

3 King Nebuchadnezzar made an image^(AD) of gold, sixty cubits high and six cubits wide,^[a] and set it up on the plain of Dura in the province of Babylon. ² He then summoned the satraps,^(AE) prefects, governors, advisers, treasurers, judges, magistrates and all the other provincial officials^(AF) to come to the dedication of the image he had set up. ³ So the satraps, prefects, governors, advisers, treasurers, judges, magistrates and all the other provincial officials assembled for the dedication of the image that King Nebuchadnezzar had set up, and they stood before it.

⁴ Then the herald loudly proclaimed, “Nations and peoples of every language,^(AG) this is what you are commanded to do: ⁵ As soon as you hear the sound of the horn, flute, zither, lyre, harp,^(AH) pipe and all kinds of music, you must fall down and worship the image^(AI) of gold that King Nebuchadnezzar has set up.^{(AJ) 6} Whoever does not fall down and worship will immediately be thrown into a blazing furnace.”^(AK)

⁷ Therefore, as soon as they heard the sound of the horn, flute, zither, lyre, harp and all kinds of music, all the nations and peoples of every language fell down and worshiped the image of gold that King Nebuchadnezzar had set up.^(AL)

⁸ At this time some astrologers^[b](AM) came forward and denounced the Jews. ⁹ They said to King Nebuchadnezzar, “May the king live forever!^{(AN) 10} Your Majesty has issued a decree^(AO) that everyone who hears the sound of the horn, flute, zither, lyre, harp, pipe and all kinds of music must fall down and worship the image of gold,^{(AP) 11} and that whoever does not fall down and worship will be thrown into a blazing furnace. ¹² But there are some Jews whom you have set over the affairs of the province of Babylon—Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego^(AQ)—who pay no attention^(AR) to you, Your Majesty. They neither serve your gods nor worship the image of gold you have set up.”^(AS)

¹³ Furious^(AT) with rage, Nebuchadnezzar summoned Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego. So these men were brought before the king, ¹⁴ and Nebuchadnezzar said to them, “Is it true, Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego, that you do not serve my gods^(AU) or worship the image^(AV) of gold I have set up? ¹⁵ Now when you hear the sound of the horn, flute, zither, lyre, harp, pipe and all kinds of music, if you are ready to fall down and worship the image I made, very good. But if you do not worship it, you will be thrown immediately into a blazing furnace. Then what god^(AW) will be able to rescue^(AX) you from my hand?”

¹⁶ Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego^(AY) replied to him, “King Nebuchadnezzar, we do not need to defend ourselves before you in this matter. ¹⁷ If we are thrown into the blazing furnace, the God we serve is able to deliver^(AZ) us from it, and he will deliver^(BA) us^[c] from Your Majesty’s hand. ¹⁸ But even if he does not, we want you to know, Your Majesty, that we will not serve your gods or worship the image of gold you have set up.^(BB)”