Daniel 3

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.

1King Nebuchadnezzar made a tall statue out of gold. It was about ninety feet high and nine feet wide. He set it up on the flat land of Dura, in Babylon.

NoteThe old wording says "sixty cubits" high and "six cubits" wide. A cubit was about eighteen inches, the length of a man's arm from elbow to fingertips.

2Then 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.

2Then King Nebuchadnezzar sent word to gather all his leaders. He called rulers, army chiefs, judges, money keepers, advisers, lawmen, and every other leader. They were to come to the special day when the statue was shown to everyone.

3Then 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.

3So all those leaders came to that special day for the statue King Nebuchadnezzar had set up. They stood in front of it.

4Then an herald cried aloud, To you it is commanded, O people, nations, and languages,

4Then a herald, a man who shouted the king's messages, called out loudly. He said, "People from every nation, who speak every language, here is your order."

5That 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:

5"When you hear the horns, flutes, harps, and all kinds of music, you must bow down. You must bow to the gold statue that King Nebuchadnezzar has set up."

6And whoso falleth not down and worshippeth shall the same hour be cast into the midst of a burning fiery furnace.

6"Anyone who does not bow down and worship will be thrown into the burning furnace right away."

7Therefore 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.

7So when all the people heard the horns, flutes, harps, and all the music, they bowed. People from every nation and language bowed down to the gold statue the king had set up.

8Wherefore at that time certain Chaldeans came near, and accused the Jews.

8Just then some wise men of Babylon came forward. They told on the Jews and wanted them to get in trouble.

9They spake and said to the king Nebuchadnezzar, O king, live for ever.

9They said to King Nebuchadnezzar, "O king, may you live forever!"

10Thou, 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:

10"O king, you made a rule. When people hear the horns, flutes, harps, and all the music, they must bow down to the gold statue."

11And whoso falleth not down and worshippeth, that he should be cast into the midst of a burning fiery furnace.

11"And anyone who does not bow down and worship must be thrown into the burning furnace."

12There 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.

12"But some Jews you put in charge of Babylon have paid no attention to you, O king. Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego do not serve your gods. They do not bow to the gold statue you set up."

13Then Nebuchadnezzar in his rage and fury commanded to bring Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego. Then they brought these men before the king.

13Nebuchadnezzar was very angry. He ordered his men to bring Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego. So they were brought to the king.

14Nebuchadnezzar 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?

14Nebuchadnezzar said to them, "Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, is this true? Do you really refuse to serve my gods and bow to my gold statue?"

15Now 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?

15"When you hear the horns, flutes, harps, and all the music, get ready to bow to my statue. If you do, that is fine. If you will not bow, you will be thrown into the burning furnace right away. What god could save you from me then?"

16Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, answered and said to the king, O Nebuchadnezzar, we are not careful to answer thee in this matter.

16Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego answered the king. "O Nebuchadnezzar, we do not need to answer you about this."

NoteThe old wording, "we are not careful to answer thee," does not mean they were careless. It means they did not need to argue about it.

17If 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.

17"If we are thrown in, the God we serve can save us from the burning furnace. He can take us out of your hand, O king."

18But 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.

18"But even if he does not, you should know this, O king. We will not serve your gods. We will not bow to your gold statue."

19Then 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.

19Then Nebuchadnezzar was full of rage. His face turned hard toward Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego. He ordered his men to make the furnace seven times hotter than usual.

20And 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.

20He told the strongest soldiers in his army to tie up the three men. Then they were to throw them into the burning furnace.

21Then 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.

21So the men were tied up. They still wore their robes, pants, head coverings, and other clothes. Then they were thrown into the burning furnace.

22Therefore 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.

22The king's order was in a hurry, and the furnace was very hot. The flames killed the soldiers who carried Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego up to it.

23And these three men, Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, fell down bound into the midst of the burning fiery furnace.

23And the three men, Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, fell into the burning furnace. They were still tied up tight.

24Then 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.

24Then King Nebuchadnezzar was amazed. He jumped up and asked his advisers, "Didn't we throw three tied-up men into the fire?" They answered, "Yes, O king, we did."

25He 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.

25He said, "Look! I see four men walking around in the fire. They are not tied up, and they are not hurt. The fourth one looks like a son of the gods."

NoteThe old wording says the fourth one looked like "the Son of God." The king was a Babylonian, and his words mean "a son of the gods."

26Then 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.

26Then Nebuchadnezzar came close to the door of the burning furnace. He called, "Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, servants of the Most High God, come out!" So the three men came out of the fire.

27And 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.

27All the leaders and the king's advisers crowded around them and looked. The fire had not hurt their bodies at all. Not one hair was burned. Their clothes were fine, and they did not even smell like smoke.

28Then 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.

28Then Nebuchadnezzar said, "Praise the God of Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego! He sent his angel and saved his servants who trusted him. They disobeyed my order and were willing to die. They would not serve or bow to any god but their own God."

29Therefore 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.

29"So I make this rule. If anyone from any nation or language says anything bad against the God of Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, that person will be cut in pieces. Their house will be knocked down into a pile of trash. No other god can save people the way this God does."

30Then the king promoted Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, in the province of Babylon.

30Then the king gave Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego better jobs in Babylon.