Daniel 3
1 King Nebuchadnezzar ordered his men to make a gold statue. It was (90 feet/27 meters) high and (9 feet/2.7 meters) wide. They set it up in the Dura plain in Babylon province.
ἔτους ὀκτωκαιδεκάτου Ναβουχοδονοσορ βασιλεὺς διοικῶν πόλεις καὶ χώρας καὶ πάντας τοὺς κατοικοῦντας ἐπὶ τῆς γῆς ἀπὸ Ινδικῆς ἕως Αἰθιοπίας ἐποίησεν εἰκόνα χρυσῆν τὸ ὕψος αὐτῆς πηχῶν ἑξήκοντα καὶ τὸ πλάτος αὐτῆς πηχῶν ἕξ καὶ ἔστησεν αὐτὴν ἐν πεδίῳ τοῦ περιβόλου χώρας Βαβυλωνίας
2 Then he sent messages to all the provincial governors, the district governors, the chief advisors, the counselors, the various judges, and all the other officials in the province. He told them to come to the dedication of the statue that he had set up.
καὶ Ναβουχοδονοσορ βασιλεὺς βασιλέων καὶ κυριεύων τῆς οἰκουμένης ὅλης ἀπέστειλεν ἐπισυναγαγεῖν πάντα τὰ ἔθνη καὶ φυλὰς καὶ γλώσσας σατράπας στρατηγούς τοπάρχας καὶ ὑπάτους διοικητὰς καὶ τοὺς ἐπ’ ἐξουσιῶν κατὰ χώραν καὶ πάντας τοὺς κατὰ τὴν οἰκουμένην ἐλθεῖν εἰς τὸν ἐγκαινισμὸν τῆς εἰκόνος τῆς χρυσῆς ἣν ἔστησε Ναβουχοδονοσορ ὁ βασιλεύς
3 When they all arrived, they all stood in front of that statue.
καὶ ἔστησαν οἱ προγεγραμμένοι κατέναντι τῆς εἰκόνος
4 Then an announcer shouted, “You people who come from many countries and many people-groups and [who speak many] languages, listen to what the king has commanded!
καὶ ὁ κῆρυξ ἐκήρυξε τοῖς ὄχλοις ὑμῖν παραγγέλλεται ἔθνη καὶ χῶραι λαοὶ καὶ γλῶσσαι
5 When you hear the sounds made by the trumpets, the flutes, the guitars, the harps, the wind instruments, and all the other musical instruments, bow down to worship King Nebuchadnezzar’s gold statue.
ὅταν ἀκούσητε τῆς φωνῆς τῆς σάλπιγγος σύριγγος καὶ κιθάρας σαμβύκης καὶ ψαλτηρίου συμφωνίας καὶ παντὸς γένους μουσικῶν πεσόντες προσκυνήσατε τῇ εἰκόνι τῇ χρυσῇ ἣν ἔστησε Ναβουχοδονοσορ βασιλεύς
6 Anyone who refuses to do that will be thrown into a blazing furnace!”
καὶ πᾶς ὃς ἂν μὴ πεσὼν προσκυνήσῃ ἐμβαλοῦσιν αὐτὸν εἰς τὴν κάμινον τοῦ πυρὸς τὴν καιομένην
7 So when all those people who had gathered heard the sounds made by the musical instruments, they all bowed down to worship the statue.
καὶ ἐν τῷ καιρῷ ἐκείνῳ ὅτε ἤκουσαν πάντα τὰ ἔθνη τῆς φωνῆς τῆς σάλπιγγος καὶ παντὸς ἤχου μουσικῶν πίπτοντα πάντα τὰ ἔθνη φυλαὶ καὶ γλῶσσαι προσεκύνησαν τῇ εἰκόνι τῇ χρυσῇ ἣν ἔστησε Ναβουχοδονοσορ κατέναντι τούτου
8 But some of the men who studied the stars went to the king.
ἐν ἐκείνῳ τῷ καιρῷ προσελθόντες ἄνδρες Χαλδαῖοι διέβαλον τοὺς Ιουδαίους
9 They reported to him, “We hope that you, O king, will live a long time!
καὶ ὑπολαβόντες εἶπον κύριε βασιλεῦ εἰς τὸν αἰῶνα ζῆθι
10 You decreed that all the officials [whom you had gathered] should bow down and worship the gold statue when they heard the sounds made by the musical instruments.
σύ βασιλεῦ προσέταξας καὶ ἔκρινας ἵνα πᾶς ἄνθρωπος ὃς ἂν ἀκούσῃ τῆς φωνῆς τῆς σάλπιγγος καὶ παντὸς ἤχου μουσικῶν πεσὼν προσκυνήσῃ τῇ εἰκόνι τῇ χρυσῇ
11 You also decreed that those who refused to do that would be thrown into a blazing furnace.
καὶ ὃς ἂν μὴ πεσὼν προσκυνήσῃ ἐμβληθήσεται εἰς τὴν κάμινον τοῦ πυρὸς τὴν καιομένην
12 Sir, there are some men from Judah whom you have appointed to be officials in Babylon province who have not obeyed your decree. Their names are Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego. They have refused to worship your god and the gold statue that you have set up.”
εἰσὶ δέ τινες ἄνδρες Ιουδαῖοι οὓς κατέστησας ἐπὶ τῆς χώρας τῆς Βαβυλωνίας Σεδραχ Μισαχ Αβδεναγω οἱ ἄνθρωποι ἐκεῖνοι οὐκ ἐφοβήθησάν σου τὴν ἐντολὴν καὶ τῷ εἰδώλῳ σου οὐκ ἐλάτρευσαν καὶ τῇ εἰκόνι σου τῇ χρυσῇ ᾗ ἔστησας οὐ προσεκύνησαν
13 Nebuchadnezzar became very angry. He commanded [his soldiers] to bring in Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego. When they were brought to him,
τότε Ναβουχοδονοσορ θυμωθεὶς ὀργῇ προσέταξεν ἀγαγεῖν τὸν Σεδραχ Μισαχ Αβδεναγω τότε οἱ ἄνθρωποι ἤχθησαν πρὸς τὸν βασιλέα
14 Nebuchadnezzar said to them, “Is it true that you three men have refused to worship my gods or the gold statue that I have set up?
οὓς καὶ συνιδὼν Ναβουχοδονοσορ ὁ βασιλεὺς εἶπεν αὐτοῖς διὰ τί Σεδραχ Μισαχ Αβδεναγω τοῖς θεοῖς μου οὐ λατρεύετε καὶ τῇ εἰκόνι τῇ χρυσῇ ἣν ἔστησα οὐ προσκυνεῖτε
15 [If that is true, ] I will give you one more chance. If you bow down to worship the statue that I have set up when you hear the sounds of the musical instruments, fine. But if you refuse, you will be thrown immediately into the blazing furnace. Then (what god will be able to rescue you from my power?/no god will be able to rescue you from my power!)” [RHQ]
καὶ νῦν εἰ μὲν ἔχετε ἑτοίμως ἅμα τῷ ἀκοῦσαι τῆς σάλπιγγος καὶ παντὸς ἤχου μουσικῶν πεσόντες προσκυνῆσαι τῇ εἰκόνι τῇ χρυσῇ ᾗ ἔστησα εἰ δὲ μή γε γινώσκετε ὅτι μὴ προσκυνησάντων ὑμῶν αὐθωρὶ ἐμβληθήσεσθε εἰς τὴν κάμινον τοῦ πυρὸς τὴν καιομένην καὶ ποῖος θεὸς ἐξελεῖται ὑμᾶς ἐκ τῶν χειρῶν μου
16 Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego replied, “Nebuchadnezzar, we do not need to defend our [actions] to you in this matter.
ἀποκριθέντες δὲ Σεδραχ Μισαχ Αβδεναγω εἶπαν τῷ βασιλεῖ Ναβουχοδονοσορ βασιλεῦ οὐ χρείαν ἔχομεν ἡμεῖς ἐπὶ τῇ ἐπιταγῇ ταύτῃ ἀποκριθῆναί σοι
17 If we are thrown into the blazing furnace, the God whom we worship is able to rescue us. Sir, he will rescue us from your power.
ἔστι γὰρ θεὸς ἐν οὐρανοῖς εἷς κύριος ἡμῶν ὃν φοβούμεθα ὅς ἐστι δυνατὸς ἐξελέσθαι ἡμᾶς ἐκ τῆς καμίνου τοῦ πυρός καὶ ἐκ τῶν χειρῶν σου βασιλεῦ ἐξελεῖται ἡμᾶς
18 But [even] if he does not [rescue us], you need to know that we will never worship your gods or the gold statue that you have set up.”
καὶ τότε φανερόν σοι ἔσται ὅτι οὔτε τῷ εἰδώλῳ σου λατρεύομεν οὔτε τῇ εἰκόνι σου τῇ χρυσῇ ἣν ἔστησας προσκυνοῦμεν
19 Nebuchadnezzar was extremely angry. [His being very angry even] showed on his face. He commanded that the furnace should be made seven times as hot as usual.
τότε Ναβουχοδονοσορ ἐπλήσθη θυμοῦ καὶ ἡ μορφὴ τοῦ προσώπου αὐτοῦ ἠλλοιώθη καὶ ἐπέταξε καῆναι τὴν κάμινον ἑπταπλασίως παρ’ ὃ ἔδει αὐτὴν καῆναι
20 [After that was done, ] he commanded some of the [very] strong men of his army to tie Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego, and [then] to throw them into the blazing furnace.
καὶ ἄνδρας ἰσχυροτάτους τῶν ἐν τῇ δυνάμει ἐπέταξε συμποδίσαντας τὸν Σεδραχ Μισαχ Αβδεναγω ἐμβαλεῖν εἰς τὴν κάμινον τοῦ πυρὸς τὴν καιομένην
21 So [the soldiers] tied them up and threw them into the furnace, while they were wearing their clothes.
τότε οἱ ἄνδρες ἐκεῖνοι συνεποδίσθησαν ἔχοντες τὰ ὑποδήματα αὐτῶν καὶ τὰς τιάρας αὐτῶν ἐπὶ τῶν κεφαλῶν αὐτῶν σὺν τῷ ἱματισμῷ αὐτῶν καὶ ἐβλήθησαν εἰς τὴν κάμινον
22 Because the fire had been made very hot because the king had very strongly ordered them to do that, the flames [leaped out and] killed the soldiers as they were throwing the men into the fire!
ἐπειδὴ τὸ πρόσταγμα τοῦ βασιλέως ἤπειγεν καὶ ἡ κάμινος ἐξεκαύθη ὑπὲρ τὸ πρότερον ἑπταπλασίως καὶ οἱ ἄνδρες οἱ προχειρισθέντες συμποδίσαντες αὐτοὺς καὶ προσαγαγόντες τῇ καμίνῳ ἐνεβάλοσαν εἰς αὐτήν
23 So Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego fell into the roaring flames.
τοὺς μὲν οὖν ἄνδρας τοὺς συμποδίσαντας τοὺς περὶ τὸν Αζαριαν ἐξελθοῦσα ἡ φλὸξ ἐκ τῆς καμίνου ἐνεπύρισε καὶ ἀπέκτεινεν αὐτοὶ δὲ συνετηρήθησαν
24 But as Nebuchadnezzar was watching, he was amazed. He suddenly jumped up and shouted to his advisors, “Did we tie up three men and throw them into the flames, or not?” They replied, “Yes, O king, [we did].”
καὶ ἐγένετο ἐν τῷ ἀκοῦσαι τὸν βασιλέα ὑμνούντων αὐτῶν καὶ ἑστὼς ἐθεώρει αὐτοὺς ζῶντας τότε Ναβουχοδονοσορ ὁ βασιλεὺς ἐθαύμασε καὶ ἀνέστη σπεύσας καὶ εἶπεν τοῖς φίλοις αὐτοῦ
25 Nebuchadnezzar shouted, “[Look]! I see four men in the fire! They have no ropes on them, they are walking around, and [the flames] are not hurting them! And the fourth man looks like a divine being!”
ἰδοὺ ἐγὼ ὁρῶ ἄνδρας τέσσαρας λελυμένους περιπατοῦντας ἐν τῷ πυρί καὶ φθορὰ οὐδεμία ἐγενήθη ἐν αὐτοῖς καὶ ἡ ὅρασις τοῦ τετάρτου ὁμοίωμα ἀγγέλου θεοῦ
26 Nebuchadnezzar came closer to the opening of the flaming furnace, and he shouted, “Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, you who worship the Supreme God, come out of there! Come here!” So they stepped out of the fire.
καὶ προσελθὼν ὁ βασιλεὺς πρὸς τὴν θύραν τῆς καμίνου τῆς καιομένης τῷ πυρὶ ἐκάλεσεν αὐτοὺς ἐξ ὀνόματος Σεδραχ Μισαχ Αβδεναγω οἱ παῖδες τοῦ θεοῦ τῶν θεῶν τοῦ ὑψίστου ἐξέλθετε ἐκ τοῦ πυρός οὕτως οὖν ἐξῆλθον οἱ ἄνδρες ἐκ μέσου τοῦ πυρός
27 Then all the king’s officials crowded around them. They saw that the flames had not harmed them. The flames had not [even] singed any of the hair on their heads or scorched any of their clothes! There was not [even] any smell of smoke on them!
καὶ συνήχθησαν οἱ ὕπατοι τοπάρχαι καὶ ἀρχιπατριῶται καὶ οἱ φίλοι τοῦ βασιλέως καὶ ἐθεώρουν τοὺς ἀνθρώπους ἐκείνους ὅτι οὐχ ἥψατο τὸ πῦρ τοῦ σώματος αὐτῶν καὶ αἱ τρίχες αὐτῶν οὐ κατεκάησαν καὶ τὰ σαράβαρα αὐτῶν οὐκ ἠλλοιώθησαν οὐδὲ ὀσμὴ τοῦ πυρὸς ἦν ἐν αὐτοῖς
28 [Then] Nebuchadnezzar said, “Praise the God whom Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego [worship]! He sent one of his angels to rescue these [three] men who worship him and trust in him. They ignored my command; they insisted that they would worship only their God, and were willing to die instead of worshiping any other god.
ὑπολαβὼν δὲ Ναβουχοδονοσορ ὁ βασιλεὺς εἶπεν εὐλογητὸς κύριος ὁ θεὸς τοῦ Σεδραχ Μισαχ Αβδεναγω ὃς ἀπέστειλε τὸν ἄγγελον αὐτοῦ καὶ ἔσωσε τοὺς παῖδας αὐτοῦ τοὺς ἐλπίσαντας ἐπ’ αὐτόν τὴν γὰρ προσταγὴν τοῦ βασιλέως ἠθέτησαν καὶ παρέδωκαν τὰ σώματα αὐτῶν εἰς ἐμπυρισμόν ἵνα μὴ λατρεύσωσι μηδὲ προσκυνήσωσι θεῷ ἑτέρῳ ἀλλ’ ἢ τῷ θεῷ αὐτῶν
29 Therefore, I am [now] making this decree: ‘If any people, from any country or people-group or any language group, criticize the God whom Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego worship, they will be cut in pieces and their houses [will be torn down and] made into a pile of rubble. There is no other god who can rescue people like this!’”
καὶ νῦν ἐγὼ κρίνω ἵνα πᾶν ἔθνος καὶ πᾶσαι φυλαὶ καὶ πᾶσαι γλῶσσαι ὃς ἂν βλασφημήσῃ εἰς τὸν κύριον τὸν θεὸν Σεδραχ Μισαχ Αβδεναγω διαμελισθήσεται καὶ ἡ οἰκία αὐτοῦ δημευθήσεται διότι οὐκ ἔστιν θεὸς ἕτερος ὃς δυνήσεται ἐξελέσθαι οὕτως
30 Then the king gave Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego more important positions in Babylon province than they had before.
οὕτως οὖν ὁ βασιλεὺς τῷ Σεδραχ Μισαχ Αβδεναγω ἐξουσίαν δοὺς ἐφ’ ὅλης τῆς χώρας κατέστησεν αὐτοὺς ἄρχοντας
