20 And he ordered certain valiant warriors who were in his army to tie up Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-nego in order to throw them into the furnace of blazing fire. 21 Then these men were tied up in their (A)trousers, their [a]coats, their caps, and their other clothes, and were thrown into the middle of the furnace of blazing fire. 22 For this reason, because the king’s [b]command was (B)harsh and the furnace had been made extremely hot, the flame of the fire killed those men who took up Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-nego. 23 But these three men, Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-nego, (C)fell into the middle of the furnace of blazing fire still tied up.

24 Then Nebuchadnezzar the king was astounded and stood up quickly; he said to his counselors, “Was it not three men that we threw bound into the middle of the fire?” They replied to the king, “Absolutely, O king.” 25 He responded, “Look! I see four men untied and (D)walking about in the middle of the fire [c]unharmed, and the appearance of the fourth is like a son of the (E)gods!” 26 Then Nebuchadnezzar came near to the door of the furnace of blazing fire; he said, “Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-nego, come out, you servants of the (F)Most High God, and come here!” Then Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-nego (G)came out of the middle of the fire. 27 The (H)satraps, the prefects, the governors, and the king’s counselors gathered together and saw that the (I)fire had no [d]effect on [e]the bodies of these men, nor was the hair of their heads singed, nor were their [f](J)trousers [g]damaged, nor had even the smell of fire touched them.

28 Nebuchadnezzar responded and said, “Blessed be the (K)God of Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-nego, who has (L)sent His angel and rescued His servants who put their (M)trust in Him, [h]violating the king’s command, and surrendered their bodies (N)rather than serve or worship any god except their own God. 29 Therefore I (O)make a decree that any people, nation, or population of any language that speaks anything offensive against the God of (P)Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-nego shall be torn limb from limb and their (Q)houses made a rubbish heap, because there is (R)no other god who is able to save in this way.” 30 Then the king (S)made Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-nego prosperous in the province of Babylon.

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Footnotes

  1. Daniel 3:21 Or cloaks
  2. Daniel 3:22 Lit word
  3. Daniel 3:25 Lit there is no injury in them
  4. Daniel 3:27 Lit power over
  5. Daniel 3:27 Lit their
  6. Daniel 3:27 Or coats
  7. Daniel 3:27 Lit changed
  8. Daniel 3:28 Lit and changed the king’s word

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