Daniel 3:16-30

Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego answered King Nebuchadnezzar: “We have no need to offer you a defense in this matter. If the God we serve truly exists, then he will save us from death at your hand, O king. So, if you throw us into the fiery furnace, our God is able to save us. But even if he does not save us, you can be sure, O king, that we would not serve your gods or worship the golden statue you have erected.” Upon hearing this, Nebuchadnezzar was filled with anger, and his face was distorted with rage against Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego. He ordered his men to heat the fiery furnace seven times hotter than it usually was. He also commanded some of his mighty men to bind Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego and throw them into the white-hot furnace. Immediately, they tied up the three men while they still had on all their clothes—their trousers, shirts, and turbans—and then threw them into the white-hot furnace. But because the king’s command was so urgent and the furnace so overheated, the raging flames burned up the men who carried Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego into the fire. And the three men, Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, tied and bound, fell inside the blazing, white-hot furnace. Suddenly King Nebuchadnezzar jumped up in amazement and asked his officials, “Didn’t we throw three men, bound in fetters, into the fire?” “That is correct, Your Majesty,” they answered him. “But look,” he shouted, “I see four men walking about freely in the fire. They’re all unharmed! And the fourth man has the appearance of a son of the gods!” Then Nebuchadnezzar cautiously approached the opening of the white-hot blazing furnace and shouted, “Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, servants of the Great God, come out here now!” So out of the midst of the fire walked Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego completely unharmed. When all the kings’ officials had assembled, along with the princes, magistrates, and governors, they discovered that the fire had not harmed these three men. Their hair was not singed, their clothes were not scorched, and they didn’t even smell like smoke. King Nebuchadnezzar said, “Praise be to the God of Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego! For he sent his divine messenger to rescue his servants who trusted in him. They disobeyed my orders and laid their lives on the line rather than serve or worship any god but their own. So I hereby make this decree: Any person from any nation or language who says anything against the God of Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego will be torn limb from limb, and his house will be destroyed, because there is no other god who is able to rescue so miraculously!” Then the king promoted Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego in the province of Babylon.

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