¹⁶ Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego replied to the king, “Nebuchadnezzar, we don’t need to give you an answer to this question. ¹⁷ If the God we serve exists,^(A) then he can rescue^(B) us from the furnace of blazing fire, and he can^[a] rescue us from the power of you, the king. ¹⁸ But even if he does not rescue us,^[b] we want you as king to know that we will not serve^(C) your gods^(D) or worship the gold statue you set up.”

¹⁸ So they called for them and ordered them not to speak or teach at all in the name of Jesus.

¹⁹ Peter and John answered them, “Whether it’s right in the sight of God for us to listen to you rather than to God, you decide;^{(A) 20} for we are unable to stop speaking about what we have seen and heard.”^(B)

²⁹ Peter and the apostles replied, “We must obey God rather than people.