Daniel (Greek) 3

1 In his eighteenth year Nebuchadnezzar the king made a golden image, its height was sixty cubits, its breadth six cubits: and he set it up in the plain of Dura, in the province of Babylon. 2 And he sent forth to gather the governors, and the captains, and the heads of provinces, chiefs, and princes, and those who were in authority, and all the rulers of districts, to come to the dedication of the image. 3 So the heads of provinces, the governors, the captains, the chiefs, the great princes, those who were in authority, and all the rulers of districts, were gathered to the dedication of the image which King Nebuchadnezzar had set up; and they stood before the image.

4 Then a herald cried aloud, To you it is commanded, ye peoples, tribes, and languages, 5 at what hour ye shall hear the sound of the trumpet, and pipe, and harp, and sackbut, and psaltery, and every kind of music, ye shall fall down and worship the golden image which King Nebuchadnezzar has set up. 6 And whosoever shall not fall down and worship, in the same hour he shall be cast into the burning fiery furnace. 7 And it came to pass when the nations heard the sound of the trumpet, and pipe, and harp, and sackbut, and psaltery, and all kinds of music, all the nations, tribes, and languages, fell down and worshiped the golden image which King Nebuchadnezzar had set up.

8 Then came near certain Chaldeans, and accused the Jews to the king, saying, 9 O king, live forever. 10 Thou, O king, hast made a decree, that every man who shall hear the sound of the trumpet, and pipe, and harp, sackbut, and psaltery, and all kinds of music, 11 and shall not fall down and worship the golden image, shall be cast into the burning fiery furnace. 12 There are certain Jews whom thou hast appointed over the affairs of the province of Babylon, Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, who have not obeyed thy decree, O king: they serve not thy gods, and worship not the golden image which thou hast set up.

13 Then Nebuchadnezzar in wrath and anger commanded to bring Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego: and they were brought before the king. 14 And Nebuchadnezzar answered and said to them, Is it true, Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, that ye serve not my gods, and worship not the golden image which I have set up? 15 Now then if ye be ready, whensoever ye shall hear the sound of the trumpet, and pipe, and harp, and sackbut, and psaltery, and harmony, and every kind of music, to fall down and worship the golden image which I have made; well: but if ye worship not, in the same hour ye shall be cast into the burning fiery furnace; and who is the God that shall deliver you out of my hand?

16 Then answered Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, and said to King Nebuchadnezzar, We have no need to answer thee concerning this matter. 17 For our God whom we serve is in the heavens, able to deliver us from the burning fiery furnace, and he will rescue us from thy hands, O king. 18 But if not, be it known to thee, O king, that we will not serve thy gods, nor worship the image which thou hast set up.

19 Then Nebuchadnezzar was filled with wrath, and the form of his countenance was changed toward Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego: and he gave orders to heat the furnace seven times more than usual, until it should burn to the uttermost. 20 And he commanded mighty men to bind Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, and to cast them into the burning fiery furnace. 21 Then those men were bound with their coats, and caps, and hose, and were cast into the midst of the burning fiery furnace, 22 forasmuch as the king’s word prevailed; and the furnace was made exceeding hot. 23 Then these three men, Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, fell bound into the midst of the burning furnace, 24 and walked in the midst of the flame, singing praise to God, and blessing the Lord.

25 Then Azariah stood up, and prayed on this manner; and opening his mouth in the midst of the fire said,

26 Blessed art thou, O Lord God of our fathers:

Thy name is worthy to be praised and glorified for evermore:

27 For thou art righteous in all the things that thou hast done to us:

Yea, true are all thy works, thy ways are right,

And all thy judgments truth.

28 In all the things that thou hast brought upon us,

And upon the holy city of our fathers, even Jerusalem,

Thou hast executed true judgment:

For according to truth and judgment didst thou bring all these things upon us because of our sins.

29 For we have sinned and committed iniquity, departing from thee.

In all things have we trespassed, and not obeyed thy commandments,

30 Nor kept them, neither done as thou hast commanded us,

That it might go well with us.

31 Wherefore all that thou hast brought upon us, and everything that thou hast done to us,

Thou hast done in true judgment.

32 And thou didst deliver us into the hands of lawless enemies, most hateful forsakers of God,

And to an unjust king, and the most wicked in all the world.

33 And now we cannot open our mouths,

We are become a shame and reproach to thy servants, and to them that worship thee.

34 Yet deliver us not up wholly, for thy name’s sake,

Neither disannul thou thy covenant:

35 And cause not thy mercy to depart from us,

For thy beloved Abraham’s sake,

For thy servant Isaac’s sake,

And for thy holy Israel’s sake;

36 To whom thou hast spoken and promised,

That thou wouldest multiply their seed as the stars of heaven,

And as the sand that lieth upon the seashore.

37 For we, O Lord, are become less than any nation,

And be kept under this day in all the world because of our sins.

38 Neither is there at this time prince, or prophet, or leader,

Or burnt offering, or sacrifice, or oblation, or incense,

Or place to sacrifice before thee, and to find mercy.

39 Nevertheless in a contrite heart and a humble spirit let us be accepted.

Like as in the burnt offerings of rams and bullocks,

And like as in ten thousands of fat lambs:

40 So let our sacrifice be in thy sight this day,

And grant that we may wholly go after thee:

For they shall not be confounded that put their trust in thee.

41 And now we follow thee with all our heart,

We fear thee, and seek thy face.

Put us not to shame:

42 But deal with us after thy lovingkindness,

And according to the multitude of thy mercies.

43 Deliver us also according to thy marvelous works,

And give glory to thy name, O Lord:

44 And let all them that do thy servants hurt be ashamed;

And let them be confounded in all their power and might,

And let their strength be broken;

45 And let them know that thou art Lord, the only God,

And glorious over the whole world.

46 And the king’s servants, that put them in, ceased not to make the oven hot with rosin, pitch, tow, and small wood; 47 so that the flame streamed forth above the furnace forty and nine cubits. 48 And it passed through, and burned those Chaldeans it found about the furnace.

49 But the angel of the Lord came down into the oven together with Azariah and his fellows, and smote the flame of the fire out of the oven; 50 and made the midst of the furnace as it had been a moist whistling wind, so that the fire touched them not at all, neither hurt nor troubled them.

51 Then the three, as out of one mouth, praised, glorified, and blessed, God in the furnace, saying,

52 Blessed art thou, O Lord God of our fathers:

And to be praised and exalted above all forever.

And blessed is thy glorious and holy name:

And to be praised and exalted above all forever.

53 Blessed art thou in the temple of thy holy glory:

And to be praised and glorified above all forever.

54 Blessed art thou that beholdest the depths, and sittest upon the cherubim:

And to be praised and exalted above all forever.

55 Blessed art thou on the glorious throne of thy kingdom:

And to be praised and glorified above all forever.

56 Blessed art thou in the firmament of heaven: and above all to be praised and glorified forever.

57 O all ye works of the Lord, bless ye the Lord: