3:1King Nebuchadnezzar made a golden statue, sixty cubits in height, six cubits in breadth, and set it up in the plain of Dura, of the province of Babylon. 3:2And so King Nebuchadnezzar sent to gather the satraps, magistrates, and judges, generals, and princes, and prefects, and all the chiefs of the regions, so that they should come together to the dedication of the statue which King Nebuchadnezzar had raised. 3:3Then were gathered the satraps, magistrates, and judges, generals, and princes, and nobles, who had been set in positions of power, and all the chiefs of the regions, so that they should come together to the dedication of the statue which King Nebuchadnezzar had raised.
3:3And they were standing in the sight of the statue which King Nebuchadnezzar had set up: and a herald was crying out mightily: "It is said to you, peoples, tribes, and tongues: in the hour in which you hear the sound of the trumpet, and of the pipe, and of the lyre, of the sambuca, and of the psaltery, and of the symphonia, and of every kind of musical instrument, falling down, worship the golden statue which King Nebuchadnezzar has set up. 3:6But if anyone does not prostrate himself and worship, in the same hour he will be sent into the furnace of burning fire." 3:7After these things therefore, as soon as all the peoples heard the sound of the trumpet, the pipe, and the lyre, the sambuca, and the psaltery, and the symphonia, and of every kind of musical instrument, falling down, all the peoples, tribes, and tongues worshipped the golden statue which King Nebuchadnezzar had set up.
3:8And at once, at that very time, approaching, Chaldean men accused the Jews: and they said to King Nebuchadnezzar: "King, live for ever! 3:10You, king, have laid down a decree, that every man who hears the sound of the trumpet, the pipe, and the lyre, the sambuca, and the psaltery, and the symphonia, and of every kind of musical instrument, should prostrate himself, and worship the golden statue: but if anyone does not fall down and worship, he should be sent into the furnace of burning fire. 3:12There are, then, Jewish men, whom you have appointed over the works of the region of Babylon, Sidrach, Misach, and Abdenago: these men have despised, king, your decree: your gods they do not worship, and the golden statue which you have raised they do not adore."
3:13Then Nebuchadnezzar, in fury and in anger, ordered that Sidrach, Misach, and Abdenago be brought: and they were straightaway brought into the sight of the king. 3:14And pronouncing, King Nebuchadnezzar said to them: "Is it true, Sidrach, Misach, and Abdenago, that you do not worship my gods, and do not adore the golden statue which I have set up? 3:15Now therefore, if you are ready, at whatever hour you hear the sound of the trumpet, the pipe, the lyre, the sambuca, and the psaltery, and the symphonia, and of every kind of musical instrument, prostrate yourselves, and adore the statue which I have made: but if you do not adore, in the same hour you will be sent into the furnace of burning fire: and who is the God who will snatch you from my hand?"
3:16Answering, Sidrach, Misach, and Abdenago said to King Nebuchadnezzar: "It is not needful for us to answer you about this matter. 3:17For look, our God, whom we worship, is able to snatch us from the furnace of burning fire, and to free us from your hands, O king. 3:18But if he will not, let it be known to you, king, that we do not worship your gods, and the golden statue which you have raised we do not adore." 3:19Then Nebuchadnezzar was filled with fury, and the look of his face was changed against Sidrach, Misach, and Abdenago: and he ordered that the furnace be heated sevenfold more than it had been accustomed to be heated.
3:20And he ordered the strongest men of his army that, the feet of Sidrach, Misach, and Abdenago having been bound, they should send them into the furnace of burning fire. 3:21And straightaway those men, bound, with their trousers, and turbans, and shoes, and clothes, were sent into the middle of the furnace of burning fire: for the order of the king was pressing. 3:22But the furnace had been heated exceedingly: and those men who had sent Sidrach, Misach, and Abdenago in, the flame of the fire killed. 3:23But these three men, that is, Sidrach, Misach, and Abdenago, fell into the middle of the furnace of burning fire, bound together. 3:24And they were walking in the middle of the flame, praising God, and blessing the Lord.
3:25And Azarias, standing, prayed thus, and opening his mouth in the middle of the fire, said: ["Blessed are you, Lord God of our fathers, and praiseworthy and glorious is your name for ever: because you are just in all things which you have done to us, and all your works true, and your ways right, and all your judgements true. 3:28For you have made true judgements according to all things which you have brought upon us, and upon the holy city of our fathers, Jerusalem: because in truth and in judgement you have brought all these things on account of our sins. 3:29For we have sinned, and acted wickedly, departing from you, and we have offended in all things: and your commandments we have not heard, nor kept, nor done as you had commanded us, so that it might be well with us.
3:31All things therefore which you have brought upon us, and everything which you have done to us, you have done in true judgement; 3:32and you have handed us over into the hands of our enemies, wicked, and most evil, and transgressors, and to a king unjust, and most evil beyond all the earth. 3:33And now we cannot open our mouth: we have become a confusion, and a reproach to your servants, and to those who worship you. 3:34Do not, we beseech you, hand us over for ever, for the sake of your name, and do not scatter your covenant: nor take away your mercy from us, for the sake of Abraham, your beloved, and Isaac, your servant, and Israel, your holy one, to whom you spoke, promising that you would multiply their seed like the stars of heaven, and like the sand which is on the shore of the sea; 3:37because, Lord, we have been diminished more than all the nations, and we are low in the whole earth today on account of our sins.
3:38And there is not at this time prince, and leader, and prophet, nor holocaust, nor sacrifice, nor offering, nor incense, nor place of first-fruits before you, so that we may be able to find your mercy, but in a contrite soul, and a spirit of humility, may we be received. 3:40As in a holocaust of rams, and of bulls, and as in thousands of fat lambs, so may our sacrifice be in your sight today, so that it may please you, since there is no confusion for those trusting in you. 3:41And now we follow you with our whole heart; 3:41and we fear you, and seek your face. 3:42Do not confound us, but deal with us according to your gentleness, and according to the multitude of your mercy.
3:43And rescue us by your wonders, and give glory to your name, Lord; 3:44and let all be confounded who show evils to your servants: let them be confounded in all your power, and let their strength be crushed: and let them know that you are the Lord God alone, and glorious over the circle of the lands."] And the king's servants who had sent them in did not cease to heat the furnace with naphtha, and tow, and pitch, and brushwood, and the flame was pouring out above the furnace by forty-nine cubits: and it broke out, and burnt those of the Chaldeans whom it found beside the furnace. 3:49But the angel of the Lord came down with Azarias and his companions into the furnace: and he shook the flame of the fire out of the furnace, and made the middle of the furnace like a wind of dew blowing, and the fire did not touch them at all, nor grieve them, nor bring them any trouble.
3:51Then these three, as if from one mouth, were praising, and glorifying, and blessing God in the furnace, saying: ["Blessed are you, Lord God of our fathers: and praiseworthy, and glorious, and exalted above all for ever. 3:52And blessed is the holy name of your glory: and praiseworthy, and exalted above all in all ages. 3:53Blessed are you in the holy temple of your glory: and praiseworthy above all, and glorious above all for ever. 3:54Blessed are you on the throne of your kingdom: and praiseworthy above all, and exalted above all for ever. 3:55Blessed are you, who look into the depths, and sit upon the cherubim: and praiseworthy, and exalted above all for ever.
3:56Blessed are you in the firmament of heaven: and praiseworthy and glorious for ever. 3:57Bless the Lord, all works of the Lord: praise and exalt him above all for ever. 3:58Bless the Lord, angels of the Lord: praise and exalt him above all for ever. 3:59Bless the Lord, heavens: praise and exalt him above all for ever. 3:60Bless the Lord, all waters which are above the heavens: praise and exalt him above all for ever. 3:61Bless the Lord, all powers of the Lord: praise and exalt him above all for ever. 3:62Bless the Lord, sun and moon: praise and exalt him above all for ever. 3:63Bless the Lord, stars of heaven: praise and exalt him above all for ever.
3:64Bless the Lord, every shower and dew: praise and exalt him above all for ever. 3:65Bless the Lord, all spirits of God: praise and exalt him above all for ever. 3:66Bless the Lord, fire and heat: praise and exalt him above all for ever. 3:67Bless the Lord, cold and heat: praise and exalt him above all for ever. 3:68Bless the Lord, dews and hoar-frost: praise and exalt him above all for ever. 3:69Bless the Lord, frost and cold: praise and exalt him above all for ever. 3:70Bless the Lord, ice and snows: praise and exalt him above all for ever. 3:71Bless the Lord, nights and days: praise and exalt him above all for ever.
3:72Bless the Lord, light and darkness: praise and exalt him above all for ever. 3:73Bless the Lord, lightnings and clouds: praise and exalt him above all for ever. 3:74Let the earth bless the Lord: let it praise and exalt him above all for ever. 3:75Bless the Lord, mountains and hills: praise and exalt him above all for ever. 3:76Bless the Lord, all things that spring up on the earth: praise and exalt him above all for ever. 3:77Bless the Lord, springs: praise and exalt him above all for ever. 3:78Bless the Lord, seas and rivers: praise and exalt him above all for ever. 3:79Bless the Lord, whales, and all things which move in the waters: praise and exalt him above all for ever.
3:80Bless the Lord, all birds of heaven: praise and exalt him above all for ever. 3:81Bless the Lord, all beasts and cattle: praise and exalt him above all for ever. 3:82Bless the Lord, sons of men: praise and exalt him above all for ever. 3:83Let Israel bless the Lord: let it praise and exalt him above all for ever. 3:84Bless the Lord, priests of the Lord: praise and exalt him above all for ever. 3:85Bless the Lord, servants of the Lord: praise and exalt him above all for ever. 3:86Bless the Lord, spirits and souls of the just: praise and exalt him above all for ever. 3:87Bless the Lord, holy and humble of heart: praise and exalt him above all for ever.
3:88Bless the Lord, Ananias, Azarias, Misael: praise and exalt him above all for ever: because he has rescued us from the underworld, and made us safe from the hand of death: and he has freed us from the middle of the burning flame, and from the middle of the fire he has rescued us. 3:89Give thanks to the Lord, because he is good: because his mercy is for ever. 3:90Bless, all you devout, the Lord, God of gods: praise him and give thanks to him, because his mercy is for all ages."] Then King Nebuchadnezzar was astounded, and rose in haste, and said to his nobles: "Did we not send three men, fettered, into the middle of the fire?"
3:91And they, answering the king, said: "Truly, king." 3:92He answered, and said: "Look, I see four men loosed, and walking in the middle of the fire, and there is nothing of corruption in them, and the appearance of the fourth is like a son of God." 3:93Then Nebuchadnezzar approached the door of the furnace of burning fire, and said: "Sidrach, Misach, and Abdenago, servants of the most high God, come out, and come here." 3:93And at once Sidrach, Misach, and Abdenago came out from the middle of the fire. 3:94And the satraps, and magistrates, and judges, and the powerful men of the king, having gathered, were gazing at those men, because the fire had had no power over their bodies, and the hair of their head had not been scorched, and their trousers had not been changed, and the smell of fire had not passed through them.
3:95And bursting out, Nebuchadnezzar said: "Blessed be their God, that is, of Sidrach, Misach, and Abdenago: who has sent his angel, and rescued his servants, who believed in him: and they changed the word of the king, and handed over their bodies so that they might not serve, and might not worship any god, except their own God. 3:96By me therefore this decree has been laid down: that every people, tribe, and tongue, whichever shall have spoken blasphemy against the God of Sidrach, Misach, and Abdenago, shall perish, and its house shall be laid waste: for neither is there another god who can save in this way." 3:97Then the king promoted Sidrach, Misach, and Abdenago in the province of Babylon.
3:98King Nebuchadnezzar, to all peoples, nations, and tongues, who dwell in the whole earth: may peace be multiplied for you. 3:99Signs and wonders has the most high God done with me. 3:99It has pleased me therefore to proclaim his signs, because they are great: and his wonders, because they are mighty: and his kingdom is an everlasting kingdom, and his power from generation to generation.