Daniel’s Friends Are Tested

3:1 1 King Nebuchadnezzar had a golden2 statue made.3 It was ninety feet4 tall and nine feet5 wide. He erected it on the plain of Dura in the province of Babylon. 3:2 Then King Nebuchadnezzar sent out a summons to assemble the satraps, prefects, governors, counselors, treasurers, judges, magistrates,6 and all the other authorities of the province to attend the dedication of the statue that he7 had erected. 3:3 So the satraps, prefects, governors, counselors, treasurers, judges, magistrates, and all the other provincial authorities assembled for the dedication of the statue that King Nebuchadnezzar had erected. They were standing in front of the statue that Nebuchadnezzar had erected.8

3:4 Then the herald9 made a loud10 proclamation: “To you, O peoples, nations, and language groups, the following command is given:11 3:5 When you hear the sound of the horn, flute, zither,12 trigon, harp, pipes, and all kinds of music, you must13 bow down and pay homage to the golden statue that King Nebuchadnezzar has erected. 3:6 Whoever does not bow down and pay homage will immediately14 be thrown into the midst of a furnace of blazing fire!” 3:7 Therefore when they all15 heard the sound of the horn, flute, zither, trigon, harp, pipes,16 and all kinds of music, all the peoples, nations, and language groups began bowing down and paying homage to the golden statue that King Nebuchadnezzar had erected.

3:8 Now17 at that time certain18 Chaldeans came forward and brought malicious accusations against19 the Jews. 3:9 They said20 to King Nebuchadnezzar, “O king, live forever!21 3:10 You have issued an edict, O king, that everyone must bow down and pay homage to the golden statue when they hear the sound of the horn, flute, zither, trigon, harp, pipes, and all kinds of music. 3:11 And whoever does not bow down and pay homage must be thrown into the midst of a furnace of blazing fire. 3:12 But there are Jewish men whom you appointed over the administration of the province of Babylon—Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego—and these men22 have not shown proper respect to you, O king. They don’t serve your gods and they don’t pay homage to the golden statue that you have erected.”

3:13 Then Nebuchadnezzar in a fit of rage23 demanded that they bring24 Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego before him. So they brought them25 before the king. 3:14 Nebuchadnezzar said to them, “Is it true, Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, that you don’t serve my gods and that you don’t pay homage to the golden statue that I erected? 3:15 Now if you are ready, when you hear the sound of the horn, flute, zither, trigon, harp, pipes, and all kinds of music, you must bow down and pay homage to the statue that I had made. If you don’t pay homage to it, you will immediately be thrown into the midst of the furnace of blazing fire. Now, who is that god who can rescue you from my power?”26 3:16 Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego replied to King Nebuchadnezzar,27 “We do not need to give you a reply28 concerning this. 3:17 If29 our God whom we are serving exists,30 he is able to rescue us from the furnace of blazing fire, and he will rescue us, O king, from your power as well. 3:18 But if not, let it be known to you, O king, that we don’t serve your gods, and we will not pay homage to the golden statue that you have erected.”

3:19 Then Nebuchadnezzar was filled with rage, and his disposition changed31 toward Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego. He gave orders32 to heat the furnace seven times hotter than it was normally heated. 3:20 He ordered strong33 soldiers in his army to tie up Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego and to throw them into the furnace of blazing fire. 3:21 So those men were tied up while still wearing their cloaks, trousers, turbans, and other clothes,34 and were thrown into the furnace35 of blazing fire. 3:22 But since the king’s command was so urgent, and the furnace was so excessively hot, the men who escorted36 Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego were killed37 by the leaping flames.38 3:23 But those three men, Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, fell into the furnace39 of blazing fire while still securely bound.40