Daniel 3:19–27

Daniel’s Three Friends Are Sentenced to Death

¹⁹Then Nebuchadnezzar lost his temper, and his face turned red with anger at Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego. So he ordered the furnace to be heated seven times hotter than usual. ²⁰And he commanded the strongest men in his army to tie the three men up and throw them into the blazing furnace. ²¹So they tied them up, fully dressed—shirts, robes, caps, and all—and threw them into the blazing furnace. ²²Now because the king had given strict orders for the furnace to be made extremely hot, the flames burnt up the guards who took the men to the furnace. ²³Then Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, still tied up, fell into the heart of the blazing fire.

²⁴Suddenly Nebuchadnezzar leapt to his feet in amazement. He asked his officials, “Didn’t we tie up three men and throw them into the blazing furnace?”

They answered, “Yes, we did, Your Majesty.”

²⁵“Then why do I see four men walking about in the fire?” he asked. “They are not tied up, and they show no sign of being hurt—and the fourth one looks like an angel.”^c

The Three Men Are Released and Promoted

²⁶So Nebuchadnezzar went up to the door of the blazing furnace and called out, “Shadrach! Meshach! Abednego! Servants of the Supreme God! Come out!” And they came out at once. ²⁷All the princes, governors, lieutenant-governors, and other officials of the king gathered to look at the three men, who had not been harmed by the fire. Their hair was not singed, their clothes were not burnt, and there was no smell of smoke on them.