Daniel 3:18

18 That if he do not, be it known to thee, thou king, that we honour not thy gods, and we worship not the golden image which thou hast raised. (But even if he shall not do that, be it known to thee, O king, that we shall not honour thy gods, and we shall not worship the gold figure which thou hast raised up.)

Daniel 3:18 Meaning and Commentary

Daniel 3:18

But if not
If our God does not think fit to exert his power, and deliver us, which we are well assured he is able to do; if it is not his will, we are content, we are resigned unto it: be it known unto thee, O king, that we will not serve thy gods,
be it as it will, whether we are delivered or not; we are not sure of the one, but we are at a point as to the other: nor worship the golden image which thou hast set up;
come life, come death, we are ready; we had rather die than sin: they were all of one mind, and agreed in this matter; a noble instance of spiritual fortitude and courage!

Daniel 3:18 In-Context

16 Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego answered, and said to the king Nebuchadnezzar (and said to King Nebuchadnezzar), It needeth not, that we answer of this thing to thee.

17 For why our God, whom we worship, may ravish us from the chimney of fire burning, and may deliver from thine hands, thou king. (For our God, whom we worship, can rescue us from the furnace of burning fire, and can save us from thy hands, O king.)

18 That if he do not, be it known to thee, thou king, that we honour not thy gods, and we worship not the golden image which thou hast raised. (But even if he shall not do that, be it known to thee, O king, that we shall not honour thy gods, and we shall not worship the gold figure which thou hast raised up.)

19 Then Nebuchadnezzar was filled with strong vengeance, and the beholding of his face was changed on Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego. And he commanded that the furnace should be made hotter sevenfold than that it was wont to be made hot. (Then Nebuchadnezzar was filled with rage, and the look on his face was changed toward Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego. And he commanded that the furnace should be made seven times hotter than that it was wont to be made.)

20 And he commanded to the strongest men of his host that they should bind the feet of Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, and send them into the furnace of fire burning. (And he commanded to the strongest men of his army that they should bind together the feet of Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, and then send them into the furnace of burning fire.)