Daniel 3
1 King Nebuchadnezzar made an image of gold, the height of which was sixty cubits, and the breadth of which was six cubits: he set it up in the valley of Dura, in the province of Babylon.
King Nebuchadnezzar made a gold statue that was sixty cubits tall and six cubits wide. He set it up in the Plain of Dura in the province of Babylon.
2 And king Nebuchadnezzar sent to assemble [his] lieutenants, the superintendents, and the governors, the judges, the treasurers, the counsellors, those learned in the law, and all the rulers of the provinces, to come to the dedication of the image which king Nebuchadnezzar had set up.
Then Nebuchadnezzar sent messages out to gather together the provincial governors, regional governors, and local governors, together with the counselors, treasurers, judges, magistrates, and all the high officials of the provinces to come to the dedication of the statue that he had set up.
3 Thereupon were assembled the lieutenants, the superintendents, and the governors, the judges, the treasurers, the counsellors, those learned in the law, and all the rulers of the provinces unto the dedication of the image that king Nebuchadnezzar had set up; and they stood opposite to the image that Nebuchadnezzar had set up.
Then the provincial governors, regional governors, and local governors, together with the counselors, treasurers, judges, magistrates, and all the high officials of the provinces gathered together to the dedication of the statue that Nebuchadnezzar had set up. They stood before it.
4 Then a herald called out with a loud voice, To you it is commanded, O people, nations, and languages,
Then a herald loudly shouted, “You are commanded, peoples, nations, and languages,
5 That at the time when ye do hear the sound of the cornet, flute, guitar, harp, psaltery, bagpipe, and all kinds of music, ye shall fall down and bow yourselves to the golden image which king Nebuchadnezzar hath set up:
that at the time you hear the sound of the horns, flutes, zithers, lyres, harps, and pipes, and all kinds of music, you must fall down and prostrate yourselves to the golden statue that King Nebuchadnezzar has set up.
6 And whoso doth not fall down and bow himself shall in the same hour be cast into the midst of a burning fiery furnace.
Whoever does not fall down and worship, at that very moment, will be thrown into a blazing furnace.”
7 Therefore at the same time, when all the people heard the sound of the cornet, flute, guitar, harp, psaltery, and all kinds of music, all the people, the nations, and the languages fell down bowing themselves to the golden image which king Nebuchadnezzar had set up.
So when all the peoples heard the sounds of the horns, flutes, zithers, lyres, harps, and pipes, and all kinds of music, all the peoples, nations, and languages fell down and prostrated themselves to the golden statue that Nebuchadnezzar the king had set up.
8 Therefore at the same time certain Chaldean men came near, and accused the Jews treacherously.
Now at this time certain Chaldeans came and brought accusations against the Jews.
9 They commenced and said to king Nebuchadnezzar, O king, live for ever.
They said to Nebuchadnezzar the king, “King, live forever!
10 Thou, O king, hadst made a decree, that every man that should hear the sound of the cornet, flute, guitar, harp, psaltery, and bagpipe, and all kinds of music, should fall down and bow himself to the golden image;
You, king, have made a decree that every person who hears the sounds of the horns, flutes, zithers, lyres, harps, and pipes, and all kinds of music, must fall down and prostrate himself to the golden statue.
11 And that whoso should not fall down and bow himself should be cast into the midst of a burning fiery furnace.
Whoever does not fall down and worship must be thrown into a blazing furnace.
12 There are certain Jewish men whom thou hast appointed over the public service of the province of Babylon, Shadrach, Meshach, and 'Abed-nego: these men, O king, have not paid any regard to thee; thy god they do not worship, and to the golden image which thou hast set up they do not bow themselves.
Now there are certain Jews whom you have appointed over the affairs of the province of Babylon; their names are Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego. These men, king, pay no attention to you. They will not worship or serve your gods, or prostrate themselves before the golden statue you have set up.”
13 Then ordered Nebuchadnezzar in rage and fury to bring Shadrach, Meshach, and 'Abed-nego. Then were these men brought before the king.
Then Nebuchadnezzar, filled with anger and rage, commanded that Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego be brought to him. So they brought these men before the king.
14 Nebuchadnezzar commenced and said unto them, Is it out of disrespect, O Shadrach, Meshach, and 'Abed-nego? My god ye do not worship, and to the golden image which I have set up ye do not bow yourselves?
Nebuchadnezzar said to them, “Have you made your minds up, Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, that you will not worship my gods or prostrate yourselves to the golden statue that I have set up?
15 Now then if ye be ready at the time when ye hear the sound of the cornet, flute, harp, guitar, psaltery, and bagpipe, and all kinds of music, to fall down and bow yourselves to the image which I have made, [well]; but if ye bow yourselves not, ye shall be cast in the same hour into the midst of a burning fiery furnace: and who is the God that can deliver you out of my hand?
Now if you are ready—when you hear the sounds of the horns, flutes, zithers, lyres, harps, and pipes, and all kinds of music—to fall down and prostrate yourselves to the statue that I have made, all will be well. But if you do not worship, you will immediately be thrown into a blazing furnace. Who is the god who is able to rescue you out of my hands?”
16 Then answered Shadrach, Meshach, and 'Abed-nego, and said to the king, O Nebuchadnezzar, we have no need to answer thee a word in this matter.
Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego answered the king, “Nebuchadnezzar, we have no need to answer you in this matter.
17 Behold, there is our God whom we worship, he is able to deliver us from the burning fiery furnace: and out of thy hand, O king, will he deliver us.
If there is an answer, it is that our God whom we serve is able to keep us safe from the blazing furnace, and he will rescue us out of your hand, king.
18 But if not, then be it known unto thee, O king, that thy god will we not worship, and to the golden image which; thou hast set up will we not bow ourselves.
But if not, let it be known to you, king, that we will not worship your gods, and we will not prostrate ourselves to the golden statue you set up.”
19 Then was Nebuchadnezzar filled with fury, and the form of his countenance was changed because of Shadrach, Meshach, and 'Abed-nego; [and] he commenced and ordered that they should heat the furnace thoroughly seven times more than it was wont to be heated.
Then Nebuchadnezzar was filled with rage; the look on his face changed against Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego. He commanded that the furnace should be heated seven times hotter than it was normally heated.
20 And he ordered the mightiest men in strength that were in his army, to bind Shadrach, Meshach, and 'Abed-nego, [and] to cast them into the burning fiery furnace.
Then he commanded some very strong men in his army to tie up Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego and to throw them into the blazing furnace.
21 Then were these men bound in their mantles, their under-garments, and their turbans, and their other garments, and were cast into the midst of the burning fiery furnace.
They were tied up still wearing their robes, tunics, turbans, and other clothing, and they were thrown into the blazing furnace.
22 Now, because the king's command was so urgent, and the furnace exceedingly heated, the flame of the fire slew those men that carried up Shadrach, Meshach, and 'Abed-nego.
Because the king's command was strictly followed and the furnace was very hot, the flames killed the men who took up Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego.
23 And these three men, Shadrach, Meshach, and 'Abed-nego, fell down bound into the midst of the burning fiery furnace.
These three men, Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, fell into the blazing furnace while they were tied up.
24 Then was king Nebuchadnezzar astonished, and he rose up in haste, [and] commenced, and said unto his counsellors, Did we not cast three men bound into the midst of the fire? They answered and said unto the king, Certainly, O king.
Then Nebuchadnezzar the king was amazed and stood up quickly. He asked his advisors, “Did we not throw three men tied up into the fire?” They replied to the king, “Certainly, king.”
25 He answered and said, Lo, I see four men unbound, walking in the midst of the fire, and there is no injury on them; and the appearance of the fourth is like a son of the gods.
He said, “But I see four men who are not tied up walking around in the fire, and they are not hurt. The brilliance of the fourth is like a son of the gods.”
26 Then came Nebuchadnezzar near to the door of the burning fiery furnace, commenced, and said, Shadrach, Meshach, and 'Abed-nego, ye servants of the most high God, step forth, and come hither. Then stepped Shadrach, Meshach, and 'Abed-nego forth out of the midst of the fire.
Then Nebuchadnezzar came near the door of the blazing furnace and called out, “Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, servants of God Most High, come out! Come here!” Then Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego came out of the fire.
27 And the lieutenants, superintendents, and governors, and the king's counsellors, being assembled together, saw these men, over whose bodies the fire had had no power, and the hair of whose head was not singed, whose mantles were not changed, and on whom there was not come the smell of fire.
The provincial governors, regional governors, other governors, and the king's counselors who had gathered together saw these men. The fire had not hurt their bodies; the hair on their heads was not singed; their robes were not harmed; and there was no smell of fire on them.
28 Then commenced Nebuchadnezzar, and said, Blessed be the God of Shadrach, Meshach, and 'Abed-nego, who hath sent his angel, and delivered his servants that had trusted in him, and had transgressed the king's word, and yielded up their bodies, that they might not worship no bow themselves to any god, except their own God.
Nebuchadnezzar said, “Let us praise the God of Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, who has sent his messenger and given his message to his servants. They trusted in him when they set aside my command, and they gave up their bodies rather than worship or prostrate themselves to any god except their God.
29 Therefore do I make a decree, That every people, nation, and language, that may speak any thing disrespectful against the God of Shadrach, Meshach, and 'Abed-nego, shall be cut in pieces, and their houses shall be changed into a dunghill; because there is no other God that can deliver like this one.
Therefore I make a decree that any people, nation, or language that speaks anything against the God of Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego must be torn apart, and that their houses must be made into rubbish heaps because there is no other god who is able to save like this.”
30 Then did the king promote Shadrach, Meshach, and 'Abed-nego, in the province of Babylon.
Then the king promoted Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego in the province of Babylon.
