14
Nebuchadnezzarresponded and said to them, "Is it true, Shadrach, Meshach and Abed-nego, that you do not serve my gods or worship the goldenimage that I have set up?
15
"Nowif you are ready, at the moment you hear the sound of the horn, flute, lyre, trigon, psaltery and bagpipe and allkinds of music, to falldown and worship the image that I have made, very well. But if you do not worship, you will immediately be cast into the midst of a furnace of blazingfire; and whatgod is there who can deliver you out of my hands?"
18
"But even if He does not, let it be known to you, O king, that we are not going to serve your gods or worship the goldenimage that you have set up."
19
ThenNebuchadnezzar was filled with wrath, and his facialexpression was alteredtowardShadrach, Meshach and Abed-nego. He answered by givingorders to heat the furnaceseventimesmorethan* it was usuallyheated.
20
He commandedcertainvaliantwarriorswho were in his army to tie up Shadrach, Meshach and Abed-nego in order to cast them into the furnace of blazingfire.
21
Thenthesemen were tied up in their trousers, their coats, their caps and their other clothes, and were cast into the midst of the furnace of blazingfire.
22
For thisreason*, because* the king'scommand was urgent and the furnace had been madeextremelyhot, the flame of the fireslewthosemenwhocarried up Shadrach, Meshach and Abed-nego.
24
ThenNebuchadnezzar the king was astounded and stood up in haste; he said to his highofficials, "Was it not threemen we castbound into the midst of the fire?" They replied to the king, "Certainly, O king."
25
He said, "Look! I seefourmenloosed and walking about in the midst of the firewithoutharm, and the appearance of the fourth is like a son of the gods!"
26
ThenNebuchadnezzarcamenear to the door of the furnace of blazingfire; he responded and said, "Shadrach, Meshach and Abed-nego, come out, you servants of the MostHighGod, and comehere!" ThenShadrach, Meshach and Abed-negocame out of the midst of the fire.
27
The satraps, the prefects, the governors and the king'shighofficialsgatheredaround and saw in regard to thesemen that the firehadnoeffect on the bodies of these men nor was the hair of their headsinged, nor were their trousersdamaged, nor had the smell of fire even come upon them.
28
Nebuchadnezzarresponded and said, "Blessed be the God of Shadrach, Meshach and Abed-nego, who has sent His angel and delivered His servantswhoput their trust in Him, violating the king'scommand, and yielded up their bodiesso as not to serve or worshipanygodexcept their own God.
29
"Therefore I make a decree that anypeople, nation or tongue that speaks anything offensiveagainst the God of Shadrach, Meshach and Abed-nego shall be tornlimb from limb and their housesreduced to a rubbishheap, inasmuch** as there is noothergodwho is able to deliver in this way."