Daniel 3
Nebuchadnezzar set up a golden image and commanded all to bow down to it. Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego refused and were cast into a fiery furnace heated seven times hotter — but a fourth figure appeared with them in the fire, and they came out without even the smell of smoke on them.
| v | King James Version | Modern English |
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| 1 | Nebuchadnezzar the king made an image of gold, whose height was threescore cubits, and the breadth thereof six cubits: he set it up in the plain of Dura, in the province of Babylon. | King Nebuchadnezzar made a gold statue ninety feet tall and nine feet wide and set it up on the plain of Dura in the province of Babylon. |
| 2 | Then Nebuchadnezzar the king sent to gather together the princes, the governors, and the captains, the judges, the treasurers, the counsellors, the sheriffs, and all the rulers of the provinces, to come to the dedication of the image which Nebuchadnezzar the king had set up. | He then sent word to gather the satraps, prefects, governors, advisers, treasurers, judges, magistrates, and all the other provincial officials to come to the dedication of the statue he had set up. |
| 3 | Then the princes, the governors, and captains, the judges, the treasurers, the counsellors, the sheriffs, and all the rulers of the provinces, were gathered together unto the dedication of the image that Nebuchadnezzar the king had set up; and they stood before the image that Nebuchadnezzar had set up. | So the satraps, prefects, governors, advisers, treasurers, judges, magistrates, and all the other provincial officials assembled for the dedication of the statue, and they stood before it. |
| 4 | Then an herald cried aloud, To you it is commanded, O people, nations, and languages, | Then a herald called out loudly, "People of every nation and language, this is what you are commanded: |
| 5 | That at what time ye hear the sound of the cornet, flute, harp, sackbut, psaltery, dulcimer, and all kinds of musick, ye fall down and worship the golden image that Nebuchadnezzar the king hath set up: | As soon as you hear the sound of the horn, flute, zither, lyre, harp, pipes, and all kinds of music, fall down and worship the gold statue that King Nebuchadnezzar has set up. |
| 6 | And whoso falleth not down and worshippeth shall the same hour be cast into the midst of a burning fiery furnace. | Anyone who does not fall down and worship will immediately be thrown into a blazing furnace." |
| 7 | Therefore at that time, when all the people heard the sound of the cornet, flute, harp, sackbut, psaltery, and all kinds of musick, all the people, the nations, and the languages, fell down and worshipped the golden image that Nebuchadnezzar the king had set up. | When the music played, all the peoples, nations, and men of every language fell down and worshipped the gold statue that King Nebuchadnezzar had set up. |
| 8 | Wherefore at that time certain Chaldeans came near, and accused the Jews. | At this time some astrologers came forward and denounced the Jews. |
| 9 | They spake and said to the king Nebuchadnezzar, O king, live for ever. | They said to King Nebuchadnezzar, "O king, live forever! |
| 10 | Thou, O king, hast made a decree, that every man that shall hear the sound of the cornet, flute, harp, sackbut, psaltery, and dulcimer, and all kinds of musick, shall fall down and worship the golden image: | You have issued a decree, O king, that everyone who hears the music must fall down and worship the gold statue. |
| 11 | And whoso falleth not down and worshippeth, that he should be cast into the midst of a burning fiery furnace. | Anyone who does not fall down and worship is to be thrown into a blazing furnace. |
| 12 | There are certain Jews whom thou hast set over the affairs of the province of Babylon, Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego; these men, O king, have not regarded thee: they serve not thy gods, nor worship the golden image which thou hast set up. | But there are some Jews you have appointed over the affairs of Babylon — Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego — who pay no attention to you, O king. They do not serve your gods and will not worship the gold statue you have set up." |
| 13 | Then Nebuchadnezzar in his rage and fury commanded to bring Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego. Then they brought these men before the king. | Furious with rage, Nebuchadnezzar ordered Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego to be brought before him. |
| 14 | Nebuchadnezzar spake and said unto them, Is it true, O Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, do not ye serve my gods, nor worship the golden image which I have set up? | Nebuchadnezzar said to them, "Is it true, Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, that you do not serve my gods or worship the gold statue I have set up? |
| 15 | Now if ye be ready that at what time ye hear the sound of the cornet, flute, harp, sackbut, psaltery, and dulcimer, and all kinds of musick, ye fall down and worship the image which I have made; well: but if ye worship not, ye shall be cast the same hour into the midst of a burning fiery furnace; and who is that God that shall deliver you out of my hands? | Now, if you are ready to fall down and worship the statue I made when you hear the music, very good. But if you do not worship it, you will be thrown immediately into a blazing furnace. Then 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 are not careful to answer thee in this matter. | Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego replied to the king, "O Nebuchadnezzar, we do not need to defend ourselves before you in this matter. |
| 17 | If it be so, our God whom we serve is able to deliver us from the burning fiery furnace, and he will deliver us out of thine hand, O king. | If we are thrown into the blazing furnace, the God we serve is able to deliver us from it, and He will rescue us from your hand, O king. |
| 18 | But if not, be it known unto thee, O king, that we will not serve thy gods, nor worship the golden image which thou hast set up. | But even if He does not, know this, O king: we will not serve your gods or worship the gold statue you have set up." |
| 19 | Then was Nebuchadnezzar full of fury, and the form of his visage was changed against Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego: therefore he spake, and commanded that they should heat the furnace one seven times more than it was wont to be heated. | Nebuchadnezzar was filled with rage, and the expression on his face changed toward Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego. He ordered the furnace heated seven times hotter than usual. |
| 20 | And he commanded the most mighty men that were in his army to bind Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, and to cast them into the burning fiery furnace. | He commanded some of the strongest soldiers in his army to tie up Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego and throw them into the blazing furnace. |
| 21 | Then these men were bound in their coats, their hosen, and their hats, and their other garments, and were cast into the midst of the burning fiery furnace. | So these men were bound in their robes, tunics, turbans, and other clothes, and thrown into the blazing furnace. |
| 22 | Therefore because the king's commandment was urgent, and the furnace exceeding hot, the flame of the fire slew those men that took up Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego. | Because the king's order was so urgent and the furnace so hot, the flames killed the soldiers who threw Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego into it. |
| 23 | And these three men, Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, fell down bound into the midst of the burning fiery furnace. | And the three men — Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego — fell, still tied up, into the blazing furnace. |
| 24 | Then Nebuchadnezzar the king was astonied, and rose up in haste, and spake, and said unto his counsellors, Did not we cast three men bound into the midst of the fire? They answered and said unto the king, True, O king. | King Nebuchadnezzar leaped to his feet in amazement and asked his advisers, "Didn't we throw three men into the fire?" They replied, "Certainly, O king." |
| 25 | He answered and said, Lo, I see four men loose, walking in the midst of the fire, and they have no hurt; and the form of the fourth is like the Son of God. | He said, "Look! I see four men walking around in the fire, unbound and unharmed, and the form of the fourth is like the Son of God." |
| 26 | Then Nebuchadnezzar came near to the mouth of the burning fiery furnace, and spake, and said, Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, ye servants of the most high God, come forth, and come hither. Then Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, came forth of the midst of the fire. | Nebuchadnezzar approached the opening of the blazing furnace and called, "Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, servants of the Most High God, come out! Come here!" So Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego came out of the fire. |
| 27 | And the princes, governors, and captains, and the king's counsellors, being gathered together, saw these men, upon whose bodies the fire had no power, nor was an hair of their head singed, neither were their coats changed, nor the smell of fire had passed on them. | The satraps, prefects, governors, and royal advisers crowded around and saw that the fire had not harmed them. Not a hair on their heads was singed, their robes were not scorched, and there was no smell of fire on them. |
| 28 | Then Nebuchadnezzar spake, and said, Blessed be the God of Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, who hath sent his angel, and delivered his servants that trusted in him, and have changed the king's word, and yielded their bodies, that they might not serve nor worship any god, except their own God. | Nebuchadnezzar said, "Praise be to the God of Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, who has sent His angel and rescued His servants! They trusted in him and defied the king's command. They chose to give up their bodies rather than serve or worship any god except their own God." |
| 29 | Therefore I make a decree, That every people, nation, and language, which speak any thing amiss against the God of Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, shall be cut in pieces, and their houses shall be made a dunghill: because there is no other God that can deliver after this sort. | 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 to pieces and their houses turned into rubble. No other god can save in this way. |
| 30 | Then the king promoted Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, in the province of Babylon. | Then the king promoted Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego in the province of Babylon. |