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.

Then 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.

Then 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.

Then an herald cried aloud, To you it is commanded, O people, nations, and languages, {aloud: Chaldee, with might} {it...: Chaldee, they command}

{That} 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: {dulcimer: or, singing: Chaldee, symphony}

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

Therefore 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.

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

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

Thou, 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: {dulcimer: or, singing: Chaldee, symphony}

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

There 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. {have...: Chaldee, have set no regard upon thee}

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

Nebuchadnezzar 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? {true: or, of purpose}

Now 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? {dulcimer: or, singing: Chaldee, symphony}

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

If 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.

But 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.

Then 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. {full: Chaldee, filled}

And 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. {most...: Chaldee, mighty of strength}

Then 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. {coats: or, mantles} {hats: or, turbans}

Therefore 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. {commandment: Chaldee, word} {flame: or, spark}

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

Then 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. {counsellors: or, governors}

He 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. {they...: Chaldee, there is no hurt in them}

Then 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. {mouth: Chaldee, door}

And 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.

{Then} 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.

Therefore 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. {I make...: Chaldee, a decree is made by me} {any...: Chaldee, error} {cut...: Chaldee, made pieces}

Then the king promoted Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, in the province of Babylon. {promoted: Chaldee, made to prosper}

Wherefore all that thou hast brought upon us, and every thing that thou hast done to us, thou hast done in true judgment:

And thou hast delivered us into the hands of our enemies that are unjust, and most wicked, and prevaricators, and to a king unjust, and most wicked beyond all that are upon the earth.

And now we cannot open our mouths: we are become a shame and reproach to thy servants, and to them that worship thee.

Deliver us not up for ever, we beseech thee, for thy name's sake, and abolish not thy covenant.

And take not away thy mercy from us for the sake of Abraham thy beloved, and Isaac thy servant, and Israel thy holy one:

To whom thou hast spoken, promising that thou wouldst multiply their seed as the stars of heaven, and as the sand that is on the sea shore.

For we, O Lord, are diminished more than any nation, and are brought low in all the earth this day for our sins.

Neither is there at this time prince, or leader, or prophet, or holocaust, or sacrifice, or oblation, or incense, or place of firstfruits before thee,

That we may find thy mercy: nevertheless in a contrite heart and humble spirit let us be accepted.

As in holocausts of rams, and bullocks, and as in thousands of fat lambs: so let our sacrifice be made in thy sight this day, that it may please thee: for there is no confusion to them that trust in thee.

And now we follow thee with all our heart, and we fear thee, and seek thy face.

Put us not to confusion, but deal. with us according to thy meekness, and according to the multitude of thy mercies.

And deliver us according to thy wonderful works, and give glory to thy name, O Lord:

And let all them be confounded that shew evils to thy servants, let them be confounded in all thy might, and let their strength be broken.

And let them know that thou art the Lord, the only God, and glorious over all the world.

Now the king's servants that had cast them in, ceased not to heat the furnace with brimstone, and tow, and pitch, and dry sticks,

And the flame mounted up above the furnace nine and forty cubits:

And it broke forth, and burnt such of the Chaldeans as it found near the furnace.

But the angel of the Lord went down with Azarias and his companions into the furnace: and he drove the flame of the fire out of the furnace,

And made the midst of the furnace like the blowing of a wind bringing dew, and the fire touched them not at all, nor troubled them, nor did them any harm.

Then these three as with one mouth praised, and glorified, and blessed God in the furnace, saying:

Blessed art thou, O Lord the God of our fathers: and worthy to be praised, and glorified, and exalted above all for ever: and blessed is the holy name of thy glory: and worthy to be praised, and exalted above all in all ages.

Blessed art thou in the holy temple of thy glory: and exceedingly to be praised, and exceeding glorious for ever.

Blessed art thou on the throne of thy kingdom, and exceedingly to be praised, and exalted above all for ever.

Blessed art thou, that beholdest the depths, and sittest upon the cherubims: and worthy to be praised and exalted above all for ever.

Blessed art thou in the firmament of heaven: and worthy of praise, and glorious for ever.

All ye works of the Lord, bless the Lord: praise and exalt him above all for ever.

O ye angels of the Lord, bless the Lord: praise and exalt him above all for ever.

O ye heavens, bless the Lord: praise and exalt him above all for ever.

O all ye waters that are above the heavens, bless the Lord; praise and exalt him above all for ever.

O all ye powers of the Lord, bless the Lord: praise and exalt him above all for ever.

O ye sun and moon, bless the Lord: praise and exalt him above all for ever.

O ye stars of heaven, bless the Lord: praise and exalt him above all for ever.

O every shower and dew, bless ye the Lord: praise and exalt him above all for ever.

O all ye spirits of God, bless the Lord: praise and exalt him above all for ever.

O ye fire and heat, bless the Lord: praise and exalt him above all for ever.

O ye cold and heat, bless the Lord: praise and exalt him above all for ever.

O ye dews and hoar frosts, bless the Lord: praise and exalt him above all for ever.

O ye frost and cold, bless the Lord: praise and exalt him above all for ever.

O ye ice and snow, bless the Lord: praise and exalt him above all for ever.

O ye nights and days, bless the Lord: praise and exalt him above all for ever.

O ye light and darkness, bless the Lord: praise and exalt him above all for ever.

O ye lightnings and clouds, bless the Lord: praise and exalt him above all for ever.

O let the earth bless the Lord: let it praise and exalt him above all for ever.

O ye mountains and hills, bless the Lord: praise and exalt him above all for ever.

O all ye things that spring up in the earth, bless the Lord: praise and exalt him above all for ever.

O ye fountains, bless the Lord: praise and exalt him above all for ever.

O ye seas and rivers, bless the Lord: praise and exalt him above all for ever.

O ye whales, and all that move in the waters, bless the Lord: praise and exalt him above all for ever.

O all ye fowls of the air, bless the Lord: praise and exalt him above all for ever.

O all ye beasts and cattle, bless the Lord: praise and exalt him above all for ever.

O ye sons of men, bless the Lord, praise and exalt him above all for ever.

O let Israel bless the Lord: let them praise and exalt him above all for ever.

O ye priests of the Lord, bless the Lord: praise and exalt him above all for ever.

O ye servants of the Lord, bless the Lord: praise and exalt him above all for ever.

O ye spirits and souls of the just, bless the Lord: praise and exalt him above all for ever.

O ye holy and humble of heart, bless the Lord: praise and exalt him above all for ever.

O Ananias, Azarias, and Misael, bless ye the Lord: praise and exalt him above all for ever. For he hath delivered us from hell, and saved us out of the hand of death, and delivered us out of the midst of the burning flame, and saved us out of the midst of the fire.

O give thanks to the Lord, because he is good: because his mercy endureth for ever and ever.

O all ye religious, bless the Lord the God of gods: praise him and give him thanks, because his mercy endureth for ever and ever.

Then Nabuchodonosor the king was astonished, and rose up in haste, and said to his nobles: Did we not cast three men bound into the midst of the fire? They answered the king, and said: True, O king.

He answered, and said: Behold I see four men loose, and walking in the midst of the fire, and there is no hurt in them, and the form of the fourth is like the Son of God.

Then Nabuchodonosor came to the door of the burning fiery furnace, and said: Sidrach, Misach, and Abdenago, ye servants of the most high God, go ye forth, and come. And immediately Sidrach, Misach, and Abdenago went out from the midst of the fire.

And the nobles, and the magistrates, and the judges, and the great men of the king being gathered together, considered these men, that the fire had no power on their bodies, and that not a hair of their head had been singed, nor their garments altered, nor the smell of the fire had passed on them.

Then Nabuchodonosor breaking forth, said: Blessed be the God of them, to wit, of Sidrach, Misach, and Abdenago, who hath sent his angel, and delivered his servants that believed in him: and they changed the king's word, and delivered up their bodies that they might not serve, nor adore any god, except their own God.

By me therefore this decree is made, that every people, tribe, and tongue, which shall speak blasphemy against the God of Sidrach, Misach, and Abdenago, shall be destroyed, and their houses laid waste: for there is no other God that can save in this manner.

Then the king promoted Sidrach, Misach, and Abdenago, in the province of Babylon.

Nabuchodonosor the king, to all peoples, nations, and tongues, that dwell in all the earth, peace be multiplied unto you.

The most high God hath wrought signs and wonders toward me. It hath seemed good to me therefore to publish

His signs, because they are great: and his wonders, because they are mighty: and his kingdom is an everlasting kingdom, I and his power to all generations.