Daniel 3:3-19

English Standard Version

³ Then ^(A)the satraps, the prefects, and the governors, the counselors, the treasurers, the justices, the magistrates, and all the officials of the provinces gathered for the dedication of the image that King Nebuchadnezzar had set up. And they stood before the image that Nebuchadnezzar had set up. ⁴ And the herald ^(B)proclaimed aloud, “You are commanded, O ^(C)peoples, nations, and languages, ⁵ that when you hear the ^(D)sound of the horn, pipe, lyre, trigon, harp, bagpipe, and every kind of music, you ^(E)are to fall down and worship the golden image that King Nebuchadnezzar has set up. ⁶ And whoever does not fall down and worship shall immediately ^(F)be cast into a burning fiery furnace.” ⁷ Therefore, as soon as all the peoples heard the sound of the horn, pipe, lyre, trigon, harp, bagpipe, and every kind of music, all ^(G)the peoples, nations, and languages fell down and worshiped the golden image that King Nebuchadnezzar had set up.

The Fiery Furnace

⁸ Therefore at that time certain ^(H)Chaldeans ^(I)came forward and maliciously accused the Jews. ⁹ They declared^[a] to King Nebuchadnezzar, “O king, live forever! ¹⁰ You, O king, ^(J)have made a decree, that every man who ^(K)hears the sound of the horn, pipe, lyre, trigon, harp, bagpipe, and every kind of music, ^(L)shall fall down and worship the golden image. ¹¹ And whoever does not fall down and worship ^(M)shall be cast into a burning fiery furnace. ¹² There are certain Jews whom you have ^(N)appointed over the affairs of ^(O)the province of Babylon: ^(P)Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego. These men, O king, ^(Q)pay no attention to you; they do not serve your gods or worship the golden image that you have set up.”

¹³ Then Nebuchadnezzar ^(R)in furious rage commanded that ^(S)Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego be brought. So they brought these men before the king. ¹⁴ Nebuchadnezzar answered and said to them, “Is it true, O Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, that you do not serve my gods or worship the golden image that I have set up? ¹⁵ Now if you are ready when ^(T)you hear the sound of the horn, pipe, lyre, trigon, harp, bagpipe, and every kind of music, to fall down and worship the image that I have made, well and good.^[b] But if you do not worship, ^(U)you shall immediately be cast into a burning fiery furnace. And ^(V)who is the god who will deliver you out of my hands?”

^16 (W)Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego answered and said to the king, “O Nebuchadnezzar, we have no need to answer you in this matter. ¹⁷ If this be so, ^(X)our God whom we serve is able to deliver us from the burning fiery furnace, and he will deliver us out of your hand, O king.^{[c] 18} But if not, be it known to you, O king, that we will not serve your gods or worship the golden image that you have set up.”

¹⁹ Then Nebuchadnezzar was ^(Y)filled with fury, and the expression of his face ^(Z)was changed against ^(AA)Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego. He ordered the furnace heated seven times more than it was usually heated.