Daniel 3:16

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.

Daniel 3:16 Meaning and Commentary

Daniel 3:16

Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, answered and said to the
king
In a mild and gentle manner, without affronting his majesty, or insulting his gods, and yet without the least degree of servile fear or fawning flattery: O Nebuchadnezzar, we are not careful to answer thee in this matter;
about worshipping the image; we are not solicitous about a choice of words, or in what manner to draw up our answer, it is ready in our mouths; we have no need to take time and consider of this matter, and think what to say, we are at a point about it: as thou art peremptory in thy will to have thine image worshipped, we are as resolute, as determined, never to worship it; so that there is no need to spend time in a debate about it; thou art come to a conclusion, and so are we: or in this matter, about the power of our God to deliver, we are not solicitous about an answer to that; we leave him to defend himself, and his own power, against such insults upon him.

Daniel 3:16 In-Context

14 And the king Nebuchadnezzar pronounced, and said to them, Whether verily Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, ye honour not my gods, and worship not the golden image which I made? (And King Nebuchadnezzar said to them, Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, do ye truly not honour my gods, and not worship the gold figure which I have made, or which I have raised up?)

15 Now therefore be ye ready, in whatever hour ye hear the sound of trump, of pipe, of harp, of sambuca, of psaltery, and of symphony, and of all kind of musics, bow ye down you, and worship the image which I made; that if ye worship not, in the same hour ye shall be sent into the furnace of fire burning; and who is God that shall deliver you from mine hand? (And so now be ye ready, at whatever hour ye hear the sound of the trumpet, and pipe, and harp, and zither, and lute, yea, of a symphony, and of all kinds of music, to bow ye yourselves down, and worship the figure which I have made; but if ye do not worship it, in that same hour ye shall be sent into the furnace of burning fire; and then what god shall rescue you, or shall save you, from my power?)

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.)