Revised Common Lectionary (Complementary)
A song of praise.
98 Sing a new song[a] to the Lord,
because he has done amazing things!
His powerful and holy right arm[b]
has brought him another victory.
2 The Lord showed the nations his power to save.
He showed them his goodness.
3 He has kept his promise of love and loyalty to the people of Israel.
People everywhere have seen our God’s power to save.
4 Everyone on earth, shout with joy to the Lord.
Start singing happy songs of praise!
5 Praise the Lord with harps.
Yes, praise him with music from the harps.
6 Blow the pipes and horns,
and shout for joy to the Lord our King!
7 Let the sea and everything in it,
the earth and all who live in it shout his praise!
8 Rivers, clap your hands!
All together now, mountains sing out!
9 Sing before the Lord
because he is coming to judge the world.
He will rule the world fairly.
He will rule the people with goodness.
The Idol of Gold and the Hot Furnace
3 King Nebuchadnezzar had a gold idol made that was 60 cubits[a] high and 6 cubits[b] wide. Then he set the idol up on the plain of Dura in the province of Babylon. 2 Then he called the satraps, prefects, governors, advisors, treasurers, judges, rulers, and all the other officials in his kingdom to come together. He wanted all of them to come to the dedication ceremony for the idol.
3 So all the men came and stood in front of the idol that King Nebuchadnezzar had set up. 4 Then the man who makes announcements for the king spoke in a loud voice, “All you people from many nations and language groups, listen to me. This is what you are commanded to do: 5 You must bow down as soon as you hear the sound of all the musical instruments. When you hear the horns, flutes, lyres, sambucas,[c] harps, bagpipes,[d] and all the other musical instruments, you must worship the gold idol. King Nebuchadnezzar has set this idol up. 6 Whoever does not bow down and worship this gold idol will immediately be thrown into a very hot furnace.”
7 So as soon as they heard the sound of the horns, flutes, lyres, sambucas, bagpipes, and all the other musical instruments, they bowed down and worshiped the gold idol. All the peoples, nations, and different language groups there worshiped the gold idol that King Nebuchadnezzar had set up.
8 Then some of the Chaldeans came up to the king and began speaking against the people from Judah. 9 They said, “King, may you live forever! 10 King, you gave a command. You said that everyone who hears the sound of the horns, flutes, lyres, sambucas, harps, bagpipes, and all the other musical instruments must bow down and worship the gold idol. 11 And you also said that whoever does not bow down and worship the gold idol will be thrown into a very hot furnace. 12 There are some Judeans who you made important officials in the province of Babylon that ignored your order, King. Their names are Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego. They don’t worship your gods, and they didn’t bow down to worship the gold idol you set up.”
13 Nebuchadnezzar became very angry. He called for Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego. So they were brought to him. 14 And Nebuchadnezzar said to them, “Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, is it true that you don’t worship my gods? And is it true that you didn’t bow down and worship the gold idol I have set up? 15 Now when you hear the sound of the horns, flutes, lyres, sambucas, harps, bagpipes, and all the other musical instruments, you must bow down and worship the gold idol. If you are ready to worship the idol I have made, that is good. But if you don’t worship it, you will be thrown very quickly into the hot furnace. Then no god will be able to save you from my power!”
16 Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego answered the king, “Nebuchadnezzar, we don’t need to explain these things to you. 17 If you throw us into the hot furnace, the God we serve can save us. And if he wants to, he can save us from your power. 18 But even if God does not save us, we want you to know, King, that we refuse to serve your gods. We will not worship the gold idol you have set up.”
Babylon Is Destroyed
18 Then I saw another angel coming down from heaven. This angel had great power. The angel’s glory made the earth bright. 2 The angel shouted with a powerful voice,
“She is destroyed!
The great city of Babylon is destroyed!
She has become a home for demons.
That city has become a place for every unclean spirit to live.
She is a city filled with all kinds of unclean birds.
She is a place where every unclean and hated animal lives.
3 All the peoples of the earth have drunk the wine
of her sexual sin and of God’s anger.
The rulers of the earth sinned sexually with her,
and the merchants of the world grew rich from the great wealth of her luxury.”
4 Then I heard another voice from heaven say,
“Come out of that city, my people,
so that you will not share in her sins.
Then you will not suffer any of the terrible punishment she will get.
5 That city’s sins are piled up as high as heaven.
God has not forgotten the wrongs she has done.
6 Give that city the same as she gave to others.
Pay her back twice as much as she did.
Prepare wine for her that is twice as strong
as the wine she prepared for others.
7 She gave herself much glory and rich living.
Give her that much suffering and sadness.
She says to herself, ‘I am a queen sitting on my throne.
I am not a widow;
I will never be sad.’
8 So in one day she will suffer
great hunger, mourning, and death.
She will be destroyed by fire,
because the Lord God who judges her is powerful.
9 “The rulers of the earth who sinned sexually with her and shared her wealth will see the smoke from her burning. Then they will cry and be sad because of her death. 10 The rulers will be afraid of her suffering and stand far away. They will say,
‘Terrible! How terrible, O great city,
O powerful city of Babylon!
Your punishment came in one hour!’
19 They threw dust on their heads and cried loudly to show the deep sorrow they felt. They said,
‘Terrible! How terrible for the great city!
All those who had ships on the sea became rich because of her wealth!
But she has been destroyed in one hour!
20 Be happy because of this, O heaven!
Be happy, God’s holy people and apostles and prophets!
God has punished her because of what she did to you.’”
Copyright © 2006 by Bible League International