16 Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego replied to the king, “Nebuchadnezzar, we don’t need to give you an answer to this question. 17 If the God we serve exists,f then he can rescueg us from the furnace of blazing fire, and he canA rescue us from the power of you, the king. 18 But even if he does not rescue us,B we want you as king to know that we will not serveh your godsi or worship the gold statue you set up.”