Dan 3
1
In his eighteenth year Nabuchodonosor the king made a golden image, its height was
sixty cubits, its breadth six cubits: and he set it up in the plain of Deira, in the
province of Babylon.
2
And he sent forth to gather the governors, and the captains, and the heads of provinces,
chiefs, and princes, and those who were in authority, and all the rulers of districts,
to come to the dedication of the image.
3
So the heads of provinces, the governors, the captains, the chiefs, the great princes,
those who were in authority, and all the rulers of districts, were gathered to the
dedication of the image which king Nabuchodonosor had set up; and they stood before
the image.
4
Then a herald cried aloud, To you it is commanded, you peoples, tribes, and languages,
5
at what hour you shall hear the sound of the trumpet, and pipe, and harp, and sackbut,
and psaltery, and every kind of music, you shall fall down and worship the golden
image which king Nabuchodonosor has set up.
6
And whoever shall not fall down and worship, in the same hour he shall be cast into
the burning fiery furnace.
7
And it came to pass when the nations heard the sound of the trumpet, and pipe, and
harp, and sackbut, and psaltery, and all kinds of music, all the nations, tribes,
and languages, fell down and worshiped the golden image which king Nabuchodonosor
had set up.
8
Then came near certain Chaldeans, and accused the Jews to the king, saying,
9
O king, live for ever.
10
You, O king, has made a decree that every man who shall hear the sound of the trumpet,
and pipe, and harp, sackbut, and psaltery, and all kinds of music,
11
and shall not fall down and worship the golden image, shall be cast into the burning
fiery furnace.
12
There are certain Jews whom you has appointed over the affairs of the province of
Babylon, Sedrach, Misach, and Abdenago, who have not obeyed your decree, O king: they
serve not your gods, and worship not the golden image which you have set up.
13
Then Nabuchodonosor in anger and anger commanded to bring Sedrach, Misach, and Abdenago:
and they were brought before the king.
14
And Nabuchodonosor answered and said to them, Is it true, Sedrach, Misach, and Abdenago,
that you serve not my gods, and worship not the golden image which I have set up?
15
Now then if you be ready, whenever you shall hear the sound of the trumpet, and pipe,
and harp, and sackbut, and psaltery, and harmony, and every kind of music, to fall
down and worship the golden image which I have made; well: but if you worship not,
in the same hour you shall be cast into the burning fiery furnace; and who is the
God that shall deliver you out of my hand?
16
Then answered Sedrach, Misach and Abdenago and said to king Nabuchodonosor, We have
no need to answer you concerning this matter.
17
For our God whom we serve is in the heavens, able to deliver us from the burning fiery
furnace, and he will rescue us from your hands, O king.
18
But if not, be it known to you, O king, that we will not serve your gods, nor worship
the image which you have set up.
19
Then Nabuchodonosor was filled with anger, and the form of his countenance was changed
toward Sedrach, Misach, and Abdenago: and he gave orders to heat the furnace seven
times more than usual, until it should burn to the uttermost.
20
And he commanded mighty men to bind Sedrach, Misach, and Abdenago, and to cast them
into the burning fiery furnace.
21
Then those men were bound with their Chaldee word coats, and caps, and hose, and were cast into the midst of the burning fiery
furnace,
22
seeing that as the king’s word prevailed; and the furnace was made exceeding hot.
23
Then these three men, Sedrach, Misach, and Abdenago, fell bound into the midst of
the burning furnace, and walked in the midst of the flame, singing praise to God,
and blessing the Lord.
24
And they walked in the midst of the fire, praising God,
and blessing the Lord.
25
Then Azarias stood up, and prayed on this manner; and opening his mouth in the midst
of the fire said,
26
Blessed are you, O Lord God of our fathers: your name is worthy to be praised and
glorified for evermore:
27
For you are righteous in all the things that you have done to us: yea, true are all
your works, your ways are right, and all your judgements truth.
28
In all the things that you have brought upon us, and upon the holy city of our fathers,
even Jerusalem, you have executed true judgement: for according to truth and judgement
did you bring all these things upon us because of our sins.
29
For we have sinned and committed iniquity, departing from you.
30
In all things have we trespassed, and not obeyed your commandments, nor kept them,
neither done as you have commanded us, that it might go well with us.
31
Wherefore all that you have brought upon us, and every thing that you have done to
us, you have done in true judgement.
32
And you did deliver us into the hands of lawless enemies, most hateful forsakers of
God, and to an unjust king, and the most wicked in all the world.
33
And now we cannot open our mouths, we are become a shame and reproach to your servants;
and to them that worship you.
34
Yet deliver us not up wholly, for your name’s sake, neither disannul you your covenant:
35
And cause not your mercy to depart from us, for your beloved Abraham’s sake, for your
servant Isaac’s sake, and for your holy Israel’s sake;
36
To whom you have spoken and promised, that you would multiply their seed as the stars
of heaven, and as the sand that lies upon the seashore.
37
For we, O Lord, are become less than any nation, and be kept under this day in all
the world because of our sins.
38
Neither is there at this time prince, or prophet, or leader, or burnt offering, or
sacrifice, or oblation, or incense, or place to sacrifice before you, and to find
mercy.
39
Nevertheless in a contrite heart and an humble spirit let us be accepted.
40
Like as in the burnt offerings of rams and bullocks, and like as in ten thousands
of fat lambs: so let our sacrifice be in your sight this day, and grant that we may
wholly go after you: for they shall not be confounded that put their trust in you.
41
And now we follow you with all our heart, we fear you, and seek your face.
42
Put us not to shame: but deal with us after your lovingkindness, and according to
the multitude of your mercies.
43
Deliver us also according to your marvelous works, and give glory to your name, O
Lord: and let all them that do your servants hurt be ashamed;
44
And let them be confounded in all their power and might, and let their strength be
broken;
45
And let them know that you are God, the only God, and glorious over the whole world.
46
And the king’s servants, that put them in, ceased not to make the oven hot with rosin,
pitch, tow, and small wood;
47
So that the flame streamed forth above the furnace forty and nine cubits.
48
And it passed through, and burned those Chaldeans it found about the furnace.
49
But the angel of the Lord came down into the oven together with Azarias and his fellows,
and smote the flame of the fire out of the oven;
50
And made the midst of the furnace as it had been a moist whistling wind, so that the
fire touched them not at all, neither hurt nor troubled them.
51
Then the three, as out of one mouth, praised, glorified, and blessed, God in the furnace,
saying,
52
Blessed are you, O Lord God of our fathers: and to be praised and exalted above all
for ever. And blessed is your glorious and holy name: and to be praised and exalted above all
for ever.
53
Blessed are you in the temple of your holy glory: and to be praised and glorified
above all for ever.
54
Blessed are you that behold the depths, and sit upon the cherubims: and to be praised
and exalted above all for ever.
55
Blessed are you on the glorious throne of your kingdom: and to be praised and glorified
above all for ever.
56
Blessed are you in the firmament of heaven: and above all to be praised and glorified
for ever.
57
O all you works of the Lord, bless the Lord: praise and exalt him above all for
ever,
58
O you heavens, bless the Lord: praise and exalt him above all for ever.
59
O you angels of the Lord, bless the Lord: praise and exalt him above all for ever.
60
O all you waters that be above the heaven, bless the Lord: praise and exalt him
above all for ever.
61
O all you powers of the Lord, bless the Lord: praise and exalt him above all for
ever.
62
O you sun and moon, bless the Lord: praise and exalt him above all for ever.
63
O you stars of heaven, bless the Lord: praise and exalt him above all for ever.
64
O every shower and dew, bless the Lord: praise and exalt him above all for ever.
65
O all you winds, bless the Lord: praise and exalt him above all for ever,
66
O you fire and heat, bless the Lord: praise and exalt him above all for ever.
67
O you winter and summer, bless the Lord: praise and exalt him above all for ever.
68
O you dews and storms of snow, bless the Lord: praise and exalt him above all
for ever.
69
O you frost and cold, bless the Lord: praise and exalt him above all for ever.
70
O you ice and snow, bless the Lord: praise and exalt him above all for ever.
71
O you nights and days, bless the Lord: bless and exalt him above all for ever.
72
O you light and darkness, bless the Lord: praise and exalt him above all for ever.
73
O you lightnings and clouds, bless the Lord: praise and exalt him above all for
ever.
74
O let the earth bless the Lord: praise and exalt him above all for ever.
75
O you mountains and little hills, bless the Lord: praise and exalt him above all
for ever.
76
O all you things that grow in the earth, bless the Lord: praise and exalt him
above all for ever.
77
O you mountains, bless the Lord: Praise and exalt him above all for ever.
78
O you seas and rivers, bless the Lord: praise and exalt him above all for ever.
79
O you whales, and all that move in the waters, bless the Lord: praise and exalt
him above all for ever.
80
O all you fowls of the air, bless the Lord: praise and exalt him above all for
ever.
81
O all you beasts and cattle, bless the Lord: praise and exalt him above all for
ever.
82
O you children of men, bless the Lord: praise and exalt him above all for ever.
83
O Israel, bless the Lord: praise and exalt him above all for ever.
84
O you priests of the Lord, bless the Lord: praise and exalt him above all for
ever.
85
O you servants of the Lord, bless the Lord: praise and exalt him above all for
ever.
86
O you spirits and souls of the righteous, bless the Lord: praise and exalt him
above all for ever.
87
O you holy and humble men of heart, bless the Lord: praise and exalt him above
all for ever.
88
O Ananias, Azarias, and Misael, bless the Lord: praise and exalt him above all
for ever: for he has delivered us from hell, and saved us from the hand of death,
and delivered us out of the midst of the furnace and burning flame: even out of the
midst of the fire has he delivered us.
89
O give thanks to the Lord, because he is gracious: for his mercy endures for ever.
90
O all you that worship the Lord, bless the God of gods, praise him, and give him thanks:
for his mercy endures for ever.
91
Then Nebuchadnezzar the king was astonished, and rose up in haste: he spoke and said
to his counsellors, Did not we cast three men bound into the midst of the fire? They
answered and said to the king, True, O king.
92
He answered and said, Behold, I see four men loose, walking in the midst of the fire,
and they have no hurt; and the aspect of the fourth is like a son of the gods.
93
Then Nebuchadnezzar came near to the mouth of the burning fiery furnace: he spoke
and said, Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-nego, you servants of the Most High God, come
forth, and come here. Then Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-nego came forth out of the
midst of the fire.
94
And the satraps, the deputies, and the governors, and the king`s counsellors, being
gathered together, saw these men, that the fire had no power upon their bodies, nor
was the hair of their head singed, neither were their hosen changed, nor had the smell
of fire passed on them.
95
Nebuchadnezzar spoke and said, Blessed be the God of Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-nego,
who has sent his angel, and delivered his servants that 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.
96
Therefore I make a decree, that every people, nation, and language, which speak anything
amiss against the God of Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-nego, shall be cut in pieces,
and their houses shall be made a dunghill; because there is no other god that is able
to deliver after this sort.
97
Then the king promoted Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-nego in the province of Babylon..
98
King Nabuchodonosor to all nations, tribes, and tongues, who dwell in all the earth;
Peace be multiplied to you.
99
It seemed good to me to declare to you the signs and wonders which the most high God
has wrought with me,
100
how great and mighty they are: his kingdom is an everlasting kingdom, and his power
to all generations.