¹³ Furious^(A) with rage, Nebuchadnezzar summoned Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego. So these men were brought before the king, ¹⁴ and Nebuchadnezzar said to them, “Is it true, Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego, that you do not serve my gods^(B) or worship the image^(C) of gold I have set up? ¹⁵ Now when you hear the sound of the horn, flute, zither, lyre, harp, pipe and all kinds of music, if you are ready to fall down and worship the image I made, very good. But if you do not worship it, you will be thrown immediately into a blazing furnace. Then what god^(D) will be able to rescue^(E) you from my hand?”

¹⁶ Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego^(F) replied to him, “King Nebuchadnezzar, we do not need to defend ourselves before you in this matter. ¹⁷ If we are thrown into the blazing furnace, the God we serve is able to deliver^(G) us from it, and he will deliver^(H) us^[a] from Your Majesty’s hand. ¹⁸ But even if he does not, we want you to know, Your Majesty, that we will not serve your gods or worship the image of gold you have set up.^(I)”

¹⁹ Then Nebuchadnezzar was furious with Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego, and his attitude toward them changed. He ordered the furnace heated seven^(J) times hotter than usual ²⁰ and commanded some of the strongest soldiers in his army to tie up Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego^(K) and throw them into the blazing furnace. ²¹ So these men, wearing their robes, trousers, turbans and other clothes, were bound and thrown into the blazing furnace. ²² The king’s command was so urgent and the furnace so hot that the flames of the fire killed the soldiers who took up Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego,^{(L) 23} and these three men, firmly tied, fell into the blazing furnace.

²⁴ Then King Nebuchadnezzar leaped to his feet in amazement and asked his advisers, “Weren’t there three men that we tied up and threw into the fire?”

They replied, “Certainly, Your Majesty.”

²⁵ He said, “Look! I see four men walking around in the fire, unbound and unharmed, and the fourth looks like a son of the gods.”

²⁶ Nebuchadnezzar then approached the opening of the blazing furnace and shouted, “Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego, servants of the Most High God,^(M) come out! Come here!”

So Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego came out of the fire, ²⁷ and the satraps, prefects, governors and royal advisers^(N) crowded around them.^(O) They saw that the fire^(P) had not harmed their bodies, nor was a hair of their heads singed; their robes were not scorched, and there was no smell of fire on them.

²⁸ Then Nebuchadnezzar said, “Praise be to the God of Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego, who has sent his angel^(Q) and rescued^(R) his servants! They trusted^(S) in him and defied the king’s command and were willing to give up their lives rather than serve or worship any god except their own God.^{(T) 29} Therefore I decree^(U) that the people of any nation or language who say anything against the God of Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego be cut into pieces and their houses be turned into piles of rubble,^(V) for no other god can save^(W) in this way.”

³⁰ Then the king promoted Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego in the province of Babylon.^(X)

³ Now Daniel so distinguished himself among the administrators and the satraps by his exceptional qualities that the king planned to set him over the whole kingdom.^{(A) 4} At this, the administrators and the satraps tried to find grounds for charges^(B) against Daniel in his conduct of government affairs, but they were unable to do so. They could find no corruption in him, because he was trustworthy and neither corrupt nor negligent. ⁵ Finally these men said, “We will never find any basis for charges against this man Daniel unless it has something to do with the law of his God.”^(C)

⁶ So these administrators and satraps went as a group to the king and said: “May King Darius live forever!^{(D) 7} The royal administrators, prefects, satraps, advisers and governors^(E) have all agreed that the king should issue an edict and enforce the decree that anyone who prays to any god or human being during the next thirty days, except to you, Your Majesty, shall be thrown into the lions’ den.^{(F) 8} Now, Your Majesty, issue the decree and put it in writing so that it cannot be altered—in accordance with the law of the Medes and Persians, which cannot be repealed.”^{(G) 9} So King Darius put the decree in writing.

¹⁰ Now when Daniel learned that the decree had been published, he went home to his upstairs room where the windows opened toward^(H) Jerusalem. Three times a day he got down on his knees^(I) and prayed, giving thanks to his God, just as he had done before.^{(J) 11} Then these men went as a group and found Daniel praying and asking God for help.^{(K) 12} So they went to the king and spoke to him about his royal decree: “Did you not publish a decree that during the next thirty days anyone who prays to any god or human being except to you, Your Majesty, would be thrown into the lions’ den?”

The king answered, “The decree stands—in accordance with the law of the Medes and Persians, which cannot be repealed.”^(L)

¹³ Then they said to the king, “Daniel, who is one of the exiles from Judah,^(M) pays no attention^(N) to you, Your Majesty, or to the decree you put in writing. He still prays three times a day.” ¹⁴ When the king heard this, he was greatly distressed;^(O) he was determined to rescue Daniel and made every effort until sundown to save him.

¹⁵ Then the men went as a group to King Darius and said to him, “Remember, Your Majesty, that according to the law of the Medes and Persians no decree or edict that the king issues can be changed.”^(P)

¹⁶ So the king gave the order, and they brought Daniel and threw him into the lions’ den.^(Q) The king said to Daniel, “May your God, whom you serve continually, rescue^(R) you!”

¹⁷ A stone was brought and placed over the mouth of the den, and the king sealed^(S) it with his own signet ring and with the rings of his nobles, so that Daniel’s situation might not be changed. ¹⁸ Then the king returned to his palace and spent the night without eating^(T) and without any entertainment being brought to him. And he could not sleep.^(U)

¹⁹ At the first light of dawn, the king got up and hurried to the lions’ den. ²⁰ When he came near the den, he called to Daniel in an anguished voice, “Daniel, servant of the living God, has your God, whom you serve continually, been able to rescue you from the lions?”^(V)

²¹ Daniel answered, “May the king live forever!^{(W) 22} My God sent his angel,^(X) and he shut the mouths of the lions.^(Y) They have not hurt me, because I was found innocent in his sight.^(Z) Nor have I ever done any wrong before you, Your Majesty.”

²³ The king was overjoyed and gave orders to lift Daniel out of the den. And when Daniel was lifted from the den, no wound^(AA) was found on him, because he had trusted^(AB) in his God.

²⁴ At the king’s command, the men who had falsely accused Daniel were brought in and thrown into the lions’ den,^(AC) along with their wives and children.^(AD) And before they reached the floor of the den, the lions overpowered them and crushed all their bones.^(AE)

²⁵ Then King Darius wrote to all the nations and peoples of every language^(AF) in all the earth:

²⁸ So Daniel prospered during the reign of Darius and the reign of Cyrus^[a](AP) the Persian.^(AQ)