Daniel 3

1King Nebuchadnezzar made a big statue. It was made of gold. It was 60 cubits high and 6 cubits wide. He put the statue upright in the Dura Valley in the land of Babylon

2Then King Nebuchadnezzar called all the important officials in the land to be there when they dedicated the statue that King Nebuchadnezzar had made and put upright.

3All the important officials in the land came to be there when they dedicated the statue. They all stood in front of the statue that the king had made.

4Then one of the king’s officials talked very loudly and said: ‘All of you who come from other lands and speak different languages, you must listen to what the king says.

5When they start to play music, you must bow down to the golden statue that Nebuchadnezzar has made, and you must worship the statue.

6My men will take each person who does not bow down and immediately throw him into a big fire.

7All the people who came from other lands and who talked different languages did what the king had said. Every time they started to play music, the people bowed down and worshipped the golden statue that Nebuchadnezzar had made.

8But one day some of the Chaldreans came to the king and complained about the Jews

9The wise men told King Nebuchadnezzar: O king, we hope you will live forever.

10You said that everyone must bow down and worship the golden statue when the music plays,

11And you also said that whoever does not bow down and worship the gold statue will be thrown into a very hot furnace.

12There are some Jews 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 statue you set up.

14Then he said to them: ‘Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego, is it true that you do not want to serve my god? Is it true that you do not want to bow down and worship the statue that I have made?

15Now, if the music plays and you bow down and worship the golden statue that I have made, it will be good, and there will be no problem. But if you don’t bow down, my men will take you immediately and throw you in the fire. I will do it to you. There is no God who can stop me. Now, if the music plays and you bow down and worship the golden statue that I have made, it will be good, and there will be no problem. But if you don’t bow down, my men will take you immediately and throw you in the fire. I will do it to you. There is no God who can stop me.

16Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego said to King Nebuchadnezzar: we will not try to “talk our way out of” this situation

17Our God can save us. We serve Him and He will keep us from burning in the fire.

18Your Majesty, you must know that even if our God does not save us, we will not serve your god and we will not worship the statue that you have made.

19Nebuchadnezzar became very angry with Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego. He told his men to make the fire 7 times hotter than it always was.

20Then he told his mighty soldiers to tie Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego and to throw them into the fire.

21Then the soldiers tied them up and threw them into the fire. Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego were still wearing all their clothes.

22Then the king told them to make the fire hotter, and it was very hot. When the soldiers threw the 3 men into the fire, the flames burnt the soldiers and they died.

23The 3 men, Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego, fell into the furnace. Their hands and feet were tied.

24Then King Nebuchadnezzar jumped to his feet. He was very surprised, and he asked his advisors, we tied only three men, and we threw only three men into the fire. Is that right?

25He answered and said, Lo, I see four men loose, walking in the midst of the fire, and they are not hurt; and the form of the fourth is like the Son of God.

26Nebuchadnezzar went to the door of the big furnace where the fire was. He said: Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego, servants of the Highest God, come out. And they came out.

27The important officials all came to look at them and they saw that the fire had not burnt the 3 men. It had not even burnt the hair on their heads. Their clothes were still the same and they did not smell like fire.

28Then Nebuchadnezzar said: I praise the God of Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego. He sent his angel, and He saved his servants. They believed that He would help them, and they did not do what the king said. They thought it was better to die than to disobey their own God. They did not want to serve any other God.

29That is why I say: All people in all the lands must honor the God of Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego. If someone says anything bad against their God, my soldiers will kill him and cut him into pieces and destroy his house. There is no other god who can save like this God.