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Daniel 3

¹King Nebuchadnezzar made an image of gold, 60 cubits high and 6 cubits wide. He erected it on the plain of Dura, in the province of Babylon. ²Then King Nebuchadnezzar gathered together the satraps, governors, administrators, judges, treasurers, counselors, the officers, and all the rulers of the provinces, to attend the dedication of the image that he, Nebuchadnezzar the king, had erected. ³Then the satraps, governors, administrators, judges, treasurers, counselors, officers, and all the rulers of the provinces, were gathered together, attending the dedication of the image that King Nebuchadnezzar had erected. They stood in front of the image that Nebuchadnezzar had erected. ⁴Then the herald proclaimed, "Peoples, nations, and languages, you are commanded ⁵that at whatever time you hear the sound of the horn, flute, harp, triangle, psaltery, dulcimer, and all kinds of music, you will fall down and worship the golden image that Nebuchadnezzar the king has erected. ⁶and whoever does not fall down and worship will be thrown into the burning fiery furnace in that same hour."

⁷So when all the peoples heard the sound of the horn, flute, harp, triangle, psaltery, and all kinds of music, all the peoples, the nations, and the languages fell down and worshipped the golden image that King Nebuchadnezzar had erected.

⁸So at that time certain astrologers approached and accused the Jews. ⁹They said to King Nebuchadnezzar, "O king, live for ever! ¹⁰You have made a decree, O king, that everyone that hears the sound of the horn, flute, harp, triangle, psaltery and dulcimer, and all types of music, will fall down and worship the golden image. ¹¹Whoever does not fall down and worship will be thrown into the interior of the burning fiery furnace. ¹²There are certain Jews that you have put in charge of the affairs of the province of Babylon, Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-nego. These men, O king, have not shown you respect. They don't serve your gods, and they don't worship the golden image that you erected."

¹³Then Nebuchadnezzar, furiously enraged, commanded them to bring Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-nego. So they brought these men to the king. ¹⁴Nebuchadnezzar said to them, "Is it true, Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-nego, that you don't worship my god, nor the golden image that I erected?" ¹⁵Now if you're ready to fall down and worship the image that I have made when you hear the sound of the horn, flute, harp, triangle, psaltery, and dulcimer, and all kinds of music, OK! But if you will not worship, then you will be cast into the interior of the burning fiery furnace within the same hour. And who is the god who will deliver you from my hands?

¹⁶Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-nego answered the king, "O Nebuchadnezzar, we need to give you an answer about this matter. ¹⁷If our God is a God who can deliver us from the burning fiery furnace, then he will deliver us out of your hand, O king. ¹⁸But if not, you should know, O king, that we will not serve your gods, nor worship the golden image that you have erected."

¹⁹Then Nebuchadnezzar was so full of anger against Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-nego that his appearance changed. He commanded that they heat the furnace seven times more than it was normally heated. ²⁰And he commanded certain mighty men from his army to bind Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-nego, and throw them into the burning fiery furnace. ²¹Then these men were bound in their pants, shirts, headgear, and cloaks,and were thrown into the interior of the burning fiery furnace. ²²So because the king's commandment was urgent, and the furnace was very, very hot, the flames killed those men carried Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-nego. ²³And the three men, Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-nego, fell bound into the interior of the burning fiery furnace. ²⁴Then King Nebuchadnezzar was astonished, and got up quickly. He said to his counsellors, "Did we not throw three men bound into the center of the fire?" They answered the king, "That's true, O king!" ²⁵He answered, Look! I see four men loose, walking in the middle of the fire, and they are uninjured. And the fourth looks like a god! ²⁶Then Nebuchadnezzar approached the mouth of the burning fiery furnace. He said, Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-nego, servants of the Most High God, come out and come here! Then Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-nego came out of the middle of the fire.

²⁷And the satraps, the governors, and the administrators, and the king's counselors, saw these men since they were gathered together. The saw that the fire had no power over their bodies, nor was their hair singed, nor were their trousers changed, nor did they smell like fire. ²⁸Nebuchadnezzar spoke, "Blessed be the God of Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-nego, who has sent his angel, and delivered his servants who put their trust in him. They did not obey the king's word, and handed over their bodies so that they could worship no god except their own God. ²⁹So I issue a decree, that any people, nation, and language, that speak anything wrong against the God of Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-nego, shall be cut in pieces, and their houses shall be reduced to rubble, because there is no other god who is able to deliver like this. ³⁰Then the king promoted Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-nego in the province of Babylon.

Average revision: 3 (Draft # 1 by individual translator)