1Nebuchadnezzar the king made an image of gold, whose height was sixty cubits, ⁴and its width six cubits. He set it up in the plain of Dura, in the province of Babylon.

2Then Nebuchadnezzar the king sent to gather together the local governors, the deputies, and the governors, the judges, the treasurers, the counsellors, the sheriffs, and all the rulers of the provinces, to come to the dedication of the image which Nebuchadnezzar the king had set up.

3Then the local governors, the deputies, and the governors, the judges, the treasurers, the counsellors, the sheriffs, and all the rulers of the provinces, were gathered together to the dedication of the image that Nebuchadnezzar the king had set up; and they stood before the image that Nebuchadnezzar had set up.

4Then the herald cried aloud, “To you it is commanded, peoples, nations, and languages,

5that whenever you hear the sound of the horn, flute, zither, lyre, harp, pipe, and all kinds of music, you fall down and worship the golden image that Nebuchadnezzar the king has set up.

6Whoever doesn’t fall down and worship shall be cast into the middle of a burning fiery furnace the same hour.”

7Therefore at that time, when all the peoples heard the sound of the horn, flute, zither, lyre, harp, pipe, and all kinds of music, all the peoples, the nations, and the languages, fell down and worshipped the golden image that Nebuchadnezzar the king had set up.

8Therefore at that time certain Chaldeans came near, and brought accusation against the Jews.

9They answered Nebuchadnezzar the king, “O king, live for ever!

10You, O king, have made a decree that every man who hears the sound of the horn, flute, zither, lyre, harp, pipe, and all kinds of music shall fall down and worship the golden image;

11and whoever doesn’t fall down and worship shall be cast into the middle of a burning fiery furnace.

12There are certain Jews whom you have appointed over the affairs of the province of Babylon: Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego. These men, O king, have not respected you. They don’t serve your gods, and don’t worship the golden image which you have set up.”

13Then Nebuchadnezzar in rage and fury commanded that Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego be brought. Then these men were brought before the king.

14Nebuchadnezzar answered them, “Is it on purpose, Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, that you don’t serve my god, nor worship the golden image which I have set up?

15Now if you are ready whenever you hear the sound of the horn, flute, zither, lyre, harp, pipe, and all kinds of music to fall down and worship the image which I have made, good; but if you don’t worship, you shall be cast the same hour into the middle of a burning fiery furnace. Who is that god who will deliver you out of my hands?”

16Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego answered the king, “Nebuchadnezzar, we have no need to answer you in this matter.

17If it happens, 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.

18But if not, let it be known to you, O king, that we will not serve your gods or worship the golden image which you have set up.”

19Then Nebuchadnezzar was full of fury, and the form of his appearance was changed against Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego. He spoke, and commanded that they should heat the furnace seven times more than it was usually heated.

20He commanded certain mighty men who were in his army to bind Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, and to cast them into the burning fiery furnace.

21Then these men were bound in their pants, their tunics, their mantles, and their other clothes, and were cast into the middle of the burning fiery furnace.

22Therefore because the king’s commandment was urgent, and the furnace exceedingly hot, the flame of the fire killed those men who took up Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego.

23These three men, Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, fell down bound into the middle of the burning fiery furnace.

THE SONG OF THE THREE HOLY CHILDREN3:24 The Song of the Three Holy Children is an addition to Daniel found in the Greek Septuagint but not found in the traditional Hebrew text of Daniel. This portion is recognised as Deuterocanonical Scripture by the Roman Catholic, Greek Orthodox, and Russian Orthodox Churches. It is found inserted between Daniel 3:23 and Daniel 3:24 of the traditional Hebrew Bible. Here, the verses after 23 from the Hebrew Bible are numbered starting at 91 to make room for these verses.

24They walked in the midst of the fire, praising God, and blessing the Lord.

25Then Azarias stood, and prayed like this. Opening his mouth in the midst of the fire he said,

26“Blessed are you, O Lord, you God of our fathers! Your name is worthy to be praised and glorified for evermore;

27for you are righteous in all the things that you have done. Yes, all your works are true. Your ways are right, and all your judgements are truth.

28In all the things that you have brought upon us, and upon the holy city of our fathers, Jerusalem, you have executed true judgements. For according to truth and justice you have brought all these things upon us because of our sins.

29For we have sinned and committed iniquity in departing from you.

30In all things we have trespassed, and not obeyed your commandments or kept them. We haven’t done as you have commanded us, that it might go well with us.

31Therefore all that you have brought upon us, and everything that you have done to us, you have done in true judgement.

32You delivered us into the hands of lawless enemies, most hateful rebels, and to an unjust king who is the most wicked in all the world.

33And now we can’t open our mouth. Shame and reproach have come on your servants and those who worship you.

34Don’t utterly deliver us up, for your name’s sake. Don’t annul your covenant.

35Don’t cause your mercy to depart from us, for the sake of Abraham who is loved by you, and for the sake of Isaac your servant, and Israel your holy one,

36to whom you promised that you would multiply their offspring as the stars of the sky, and as the sand that is on the sea shore.

37For we, O Lord, have become less than any nation, and are brought low this day in all the world because of our sins.

38There isn’t at this time prince, or prophet, or leader, or burnt offering, or sacrifice, or oblation, or incense, or place to offer before you, and to find mercy.

39Nevertheless in a contrite heart and a humble spirit let us be accepted,

40like the burnt offerings of rams and bullocks, and like ten thousands of fat lambs. So let our sacrifice be in your sight this day, that we may wholly go after you, for they shall not be ashamed who put their trust in you.

41And now we follow you with all our heart. We fear you, and seek your face.

42Put us not to shame; but deal with us after your kindness, and according to the multitude of your mercy.

43Deliver us also according to your marvellous works, and give glory to your name, O Lord. Let all those who harm your servants be confounded.

44Let them be ashamed of all their power and might, and let their strength be broken.

45Let them know that you are the Lord, the only God, and glorious over the whole world.”

46The king’s servants who put them in didn’t stop making the furnace hot with naphtha, pitch, tinder, and small wood,

47so that the flame streamed out forty nine cubits above the furnace.

48It spread and burnt those Chaldeans whom it found around the furnace.

49But the angel of the Lord came down into the furnace together with Azarias and his fellows, and he struck the flame of the fire out of the furnace,

50and made the midst of the furnace as it had been a moist whistling wind, so that the fire didn’t touch them at all. It neither hurt nor troubled them.

51Then the three, as out of one mouth, praised, glorified, and blessed God in the furnace, saying,

52“Blessed are you, O Lord, you God of our fathers, to be praised and exalted above all forever!

53Blessed is your glorious and holy name, to be praised and exalted above all forever!

54Blessed are you in the temple of your holy glory, to be praised and glorified above all forever!

55Blessed are you who see the depths and sit upon the cherubim, to be praised and exalted above all forever.

56Blessed are you on the throne of your kingdom, to be praised and extolled above all forever!

57Blessed are you in the firmament of heaven, to be praised and glorified forever!

58O all you works of the Lord, bless the Lord! Praise and exalt him above all forever!

59O you heavens, bless the Lord! Praise and exalt him above all for ever!

60O you angels of the Lord, bless the Lord! Praise and exalt him above all forever!

61O all you waters that are above the sky, bless the Lord! Praise and exalt him above all forever!

62O all you powers of the Lord, bless the Lord! Praise and exalt him above all forever!

63O you sun and moon, bless the Lord! Praise and exalt him above all forever!

64O you stars of heaven, bless the Lord! Praise and exalt him above all forever!

65O every shower and dew, bless the Lord! Praise and exalt him above all forever!

66O all you winds, bless the Lord! Praise and exalt him above all forever!

67O you fire and heat, bless the Lord! Praise and exalt him above all forever!

68O you dews and storms of snow, bless the Lord! Praise and exalt him above all forever!

69O you nights and days, bless the Lord! Praise and exalt him above all forever!

70O you light and darkness, bless the Lord! Praise and exalt him above all forever!

71O you cold and heat, bless the Lord! Praise and exalt him above all forever!

72O you frost and snow, bless the Lord! Praise and exalt him above all forever!

73O you lightnings and clouds, bless the Lord! Praise and exalt him above all forever!

74O let the earth bless the Lord! Let it praise and exalt him above all forever!

75O you mountains and hills, bless the Lord! Praise and exalt him above all forever!

76O all you things that grow on the earth, bless the Lord! Praise and exalt him above all forever!

77⁵O sea and rivers, bless the Lord! Praise and exalt him above all forever!

78O you springs, bless the Lord! Praise and exalt him above all forever!

79O you whales and all that move in the waters, bless the Lord! Praise and exalt him above all forever!

80O all you birds of the air, bless the Lord! Praise and exalt him above all forever!

81O all you beasts and cattle, bless the Lord! Praise and exalt him above all forever!

82O you children of men, bless the Lord! Praise and exalt him above all forever!

83O let Israel bless the Lord! Praise and exalt him above all forever.

84O you priests of the Lord, bless the Lord! Praise and exalt him above all forever!

85O you servants of the Lord, bless the Lord! Praise and exalt him above all forever!

86O you spirits and souls of the righteous, bless the Lord! Praise and exalt him above all forever!

87O you who are holy and humble of heart, bless the Lord! Praise and exalt him above all forever!

88O Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah, bless the Lord! Praise and exalt him above all forever; for he has rescued us from Hades, and saved us from the hand of death! He has delivered us out of the midst of the furnace and burning flame. He has delivered us out of the midst of the fire.

89O give thanks to the Lord, for he is good; for his mercy is forever.

90O all you who worship the Lord, bless the God of gods, praise him, and give him thanks; for his mercy is forever!”

Deliverance from the Furnace

91⁶Then Nebuchadnezzar the king was astonished and rose up in haste. He spoke and said to his counsellors, “Didn’t we cast three men bound into the middle of the fire?” They answered the king, “True, O king.”

92He answered, “Look, I see four men loose, walking in the middle of the fire, and they are unharmed. The appearance of the fourth is like a son of the gods.”

93Then Nebuchadnezzar came near to the mouth of the burning fiery furnace. He spoke and said, “Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, you servants of the Most High God, come out, and come here!” Then Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego came out of the middle of the fire.

94The local governors, the deputies, and the governors, and the king’s counsellors, being gathered together, saw these men, that the fire had no power on their bodies. The hair of their head wasn’t singed. Their pants weren’t changed. The smell of fire wasn’t even on them.

95Nebuchadnezzar spoke and said, “Blessed be the God of Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, who has sent his angel and delivered his servants who trusted in him, and have changed the king’s word, and have yielded their bodies, that they might not serve nor worship any god, except their own God.

96Therefore I make a decree, that every people, nation, and language, who speak anything evil against the God of Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, shall be cut in pieces, and their houses shall be made a dunghill, because there is no other god who is able to deliver like this.”

97Then the king promoted Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego in the province of Babylon.