19 Then Nebuchadnezzar was (A)filled with fury, and the expression of his face (B)was changed against (C)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 (D)to bind (E)Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, and to cast them into the burning fiery furnace. 21 Then these men were (F)bound in their cloaks, their tunics,[a] their hats, and their other garments, and they were thrown into the burning fiery furnace. 22 Because the king's order was (G)urgent and the furnace overheated, the flame of the fire killed those men who took up (H)Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego. 23 And these three men, Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, fell (I)bound into the burning fiery furnace.

24 Then King Nebuchadnezzar was (J)astonished and rose up (K)in haste. He declared to his (L)counselors, “Did we not cast three men (M)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, (N)walking in the midst of the fire, and they (O)are not hurt; and the appearance of the fourth is like (P)a son of the gods.”

26 Then Nebuchadnezzar came near to the door of the burning fiery furnace; he declared, (Q)“Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, servants of the (R)Most High God, come out, and come here!” Then (S)Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego came out from the fire. 27 And the (T)satraps, the prefects, the governors, and (U)the king's counselors gathered together and saw that (V)the fire had not had any power over the bodies of those men. The hair of their heads was not singed, their (W)cloaks were not harmed, and no smell of fire had come upon them. 28 Nebuchadnezzar answered and said, “Blessed be the God of (X)Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, who (Y)has sent his angel and (Z)delivered his servants, who (AA)trusted in him, and set aside[b] the king's command, and yielded up their bodies rather than (AB)serve and worship any god except their own God. 29 Therefore (AC)I make a decree: Any (AD)people, nation, or language that speaks anything against the God of (AE)Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego (AF)shall be torn limb from limb, and their houses laid in ruins, for there is no other god who is able to rescue in this way.” 30 Then the king promoted (AG)Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego in (AH)the province of Babylon.

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Footnotes

  1. Daniel 3:21 The meaning of the Aramaic words rendered cloaks and tunics is uncertain; also verse 27
  2. Daniel 3:28 Aramaic and changed

The Blazing Furnace

19 Nebuchadnezzar was so furious with Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego that his face became distorted with rage. He commanded that the furnace be heated seven times hotter than usual. 20 Then he ordered some of the strongest men of his army to bind Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego and throw them into the blazing furnace. 21 So they tied them up and threw them into the furnace, fully dressed in their pants, turbans, robes, and other garments. 22 And because the king, in his anger, had demanded such a hot fire in the furnace, the flames killed the soldiers as they threw the three men in. 23 So Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, securely tied, fell into the roaring flames.

24 But suddenly, Nebuchadnezzar jumped up in amazement and exclaimed to his advisers, “Didn’t we tie up three men and throw them into the furnace?”

“Yes, Your Majesty, we certainly did,” they replied.

25 “Look!” Nebuchadnezzar shouted. “I see four men, unbound, walking around in the fire unharmed! And the fourth looks like a god[a]!”

26 Then Nebuchadnezzar came as close as he could to the door of the flaming furnace and shouted: “Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, servants of the Most High God, come out! Come here!”

So Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego stepped out of the fire. 27 Then the high officers, officials, governors, and advisers crowded around them and saw that the fire had not touched them. Not a hair on their heads was singed, and their clothing was not scorched. They didn’t even smell of smoke!

28 Then Nebuchadnezzar said, “Praise to the God of Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego! He sent his angel to rescue his servants who trusted in him. They defied the king’s command and were willing to die rather than serve or worship any god except their own God. 29 Therefore, I make this decree: If any people, whatever their race or nation or language, speak a word against the God of Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, they will be torn limb from limb, and their houses will be turned into heaps of rubble. There is no other god who can rescue like this!”

30 Then the king promoted Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego to even higher positions in the province of Babylon.

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Footnotes

  1. 3:25 Aramaic like a son of the gods.