1 Nebuchadnezzar the king made an image of gold. He set it up in the plain of Dura, the province of Babylon. It was ninety feet tall and nine feet wide.
2 Then Nebuchadnezzar the king gathered the satraps, deputies, governors, judges, treasurers, counselors, sheriffs, and all the rulers of the provinces. They came to the dedication of the image that Nebuchadnezzar the king set up.
3 The satraps, deputies, governors, judges, treasurers, counselors, sheriffs, and all the rulers of the provinces were gathered together at the dedication of the image that Nebuchadnezzar the king set up. They stood before the image.
4 Then the herald proclaimed: »You are commanded to do this, O peoples, nations, and men of every language.
5 »When you hear the sound of the horn, flute, harp, zither, pipes bagpipe, and all kinds of music, you must fall down and worship the golden image that Nebuchadnezzar the king set up.
6 »Whoever does not fall down and worship will immediately be thrown into the midst of a blazing furnace.«
7 When all the peoples heard the sound of the horn, flute, harp, zither, pipes, and all kinds of music, all the peoples, the nations, and the languages, fell down and worshipped the golden image that Nebuchadnezzar the king set up.
8 Some Chaldean Astrologers brought accusation against the Jews.
9 They said to Nebuchadnezzar the king, »O king, may you live for a very long time.
10 »You, O king, made a decree, that every man that hears the sound of the horn, flute, harp, zither, pipes, and all kinds of music, shall fall down and worship the golden image.
11 »Whoever does not fall down and worship, will be thrown into the midst of a blazing furnace.
12 »The Jews whom you appointed over the affairs of the province of Babylon: Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-nego have not listened to you. They do not serve your gods. They do not worship the golden image that you set up.«
13 Then Nebuchadnezzar in his rage and fury commanded to bring Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-nego. They brought these men before the king.
14 Nebuchadnezzar said to them: »Is it true Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego that you do not serve my god, nor worship the golden image that I set up?
15 »Now if you are ready at the time you hear the sound of the horn, flute, harp, zither, pipes, and all kinds of music, to fall down and worship the image that I have made, good! But if you do not worship it you will be thrown into the midst of a blazing furnace that same hour. What god will be able to rescue you from my hand?«
16 Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego answered and said to the king: »O Nebuchadnezzar, we have no need to answer you in this matter.
17 »If it is so, our God whom we serve is able to deliver us from the blazing furnace. He will deliver us out of your hand, O king.
18 »If not you should know O king that we will not serve your gods. We will not worship the golden image that you set up!«
19 Nebuchadnezzar was furious. The expression on his face changed against Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego. He commanded that they heat the furnace seven times more than its required heat.
20 He commanded the mighty men that were in his army to bind Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, and to throw them into the blazing furnace.
21 Then these men were bound in their coats, caps and their other garments. They were thrown into the midst of the blazing furnace.
22 Because of the urgency of the king's commandment and the exceeding hot furnace, the flame of the fire killed the men who delivered Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego.
23 These three men, Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, fell down bound into the midst of the blazing furnace.
24 Nebuchadnezzar the king was astonished. He hurried to speak to his counselors: / »Did we cast three men bound into the midst of the fire?« They answered: »True O king.«
25 He said: »Look, I see four men walking in the midst of the fire. They are not hurt! The appearance of the fourth is like a son of the gods!«
26 Then Nebuchadnezzar came near to the mouth of the burning blazing furnace. He called out: »Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, you servants of the Most High God come here!« Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego came out of the fire.
27 The satraps, deputies, governors, and the king's counselors, being gathered together, saw these men. They saw that the fire had no power upon their bodies. Not a single hair on their head was singed. Neither were their clothes changed and they did not smell like fire.
28 Nebuchadnezzar said: »Blessed be the God of Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego! He sent his angel and delivered his servants who trusted in him. They violated the king's command and have yielded their bodies, that they might not serve nor worship any god, except their own God.
29 »Therefore I decree that the people of any nation or language who say anything against the God of Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, shall be cut into pieces. Their houses shall be made a dunghill. There is no other god that is able to deliver like this.«
30 The king promoted Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego in the province of Babylon.