Daniel 3:4-12

New American Standard Bible

⁴ Then the herald loudly proclaimed: “To you ^[a]the command is given, you ^(A)peoples, nations, and populations of all ^[b]languages, ⁵ that at the moment you ^(B)hear the sound of the horn, flute, ^[c]lyre, ^[d]trigon, ^[e]psaltery, bagpipe, and all kinds of musical instruments, you are to fall down and worship the golden statue that Nebuchadnezzar the king has set up. ⁶ But whoever does not fall down and worship shall immediately be ^(C)thrown into the middle of a ^(D)furnace of blazing fire.” ⁷ Therefore as soon as all the peoples heard the sound of the horn, flute, ^[f]lyre, trigon, psaltery, ^[g]bagpipe, and all kinds of musical instruments, all the peoples, nations, and populations of all ^[h]languages fell down and worshiped the golden statue that Nebuchadnezzar the king had set up.

Worship of the Image Refused

⁸ For this reason at that time certain ^(E)Chaldeans came forward and ^[i](F)brought charges against the Jews. ⁹ They began to speak and said to Nebuchadnezzar the king: “^(G)O king, live forever! ¹⁰ You, O king, have ^(H)made a decree that every person who hears the sound of the horn, flute, ^[j]lyre, trigon, psaltery, and bagpipe, and all kinds of musical instruments, is to ^(I)fall down and worship the golden statue. ¹¹ But whoever does not fall down and worship shall be thrown into the middle of a furnace of blazing fire. ¹² There are certain Jews whom you have ^(J)appointed over the administration of the province of Babylon, namely Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-nego. These men, O king, have disregarded you; they do not serve your gods, nor do they worship the golden statue which you have set up.”