Daniel · King James Version (with Apocrypha)
Daniel 3 King James Version (with Apocrypha)
Audio: World English Bible (WEB), read by Winfred W. Henson · About the recordings
1 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.
1 Nebuchadnezzar the king made an image of gold, whose height was sixty cubits and its width six cubits. He set it up in the plain of Dura, in the province of Babylon.
2 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.
2 Then Nebuchadnezzar the king sent to gather together the local governors, the deputies, and the governors, the judges, the treasurers, the counselors, the sheriffs, and all the rulers of the provinces, to come to the dedication of the image which Nebuchadnezzar the king had set up.
3 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.
3 Then the local governors, the deputies, and the governors, the judges, the treasurers, the counselors, the sheriffs, and all the rulers of the provinces were gathered together to the dedication of the image that Nebuchadnezzar the king had set up; and they stood before the image that Nebuchadnezzar had set up.
4 Then an herald cried aloud, To you it is commanded, O people, nations, and languages,
4 Then the herald cried aloud, “To you it is commanded, peoples, nations, and languages,
5 [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:
5 that whenever you hear the sound of the horn, flute, zither, lyre, harp, pipe, and all kinds of music, you fall down and worship the golden image that Nebuchadnezzar the king has set up.
6 And whoso falleth not down and worshippeth shall the same hour be cast into the midst of a burning fiery furnace.
6 Whoever doesn’t fall down and worship shall be cast into the middle of a burning fiery furnace the same hour.”
7 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.
7 Therefore at that time, when all the peoples heard the sound of the horn, flute, zither, lyre, harp, pipe, and all kinds of music, all the peoples, the nations, and the languages fell down and worshiped the golden image that Nebuchadnezzar the king had set up.
8 ¶ Wherefore at that time certain Chaldeans came near, and accused the Jews.
8 Therefore at that time certain Chaldeans came near and brought accusation against the Jews.
9 They spake and said to the king Nebuchadnezzar, O king, live for ever.
9 They answered Nebuchadnezzar the king, “O king, live for ever!
10 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:
10 You, O king, have made a decree that every man who hears the sound of the horn, flute, zither, lyre, harp, pipe, and all kinds of music shall fall down and worship the golden image;
11 And whoso falleth not down and worshippeth, [that] he should be cast into the midst of a burning fiery furnace.
11 and whoever doesn’t fall down and worship shall be cast into the middle of a burning fiery furnace.
12 There are certain Jews whom thou hast set over the affairs of the province of Babylon, Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-nego; these men, O king, have not regarded thee: they serve not thy gods, nor worship the golden image which thou hast set up.
12 There are certain Jews whom you have appointed over the affairs of the province of Babylon: Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego. These men, O king, have not respected you. They don’t serve your gods, and don’t worship the golden image which you have set up.”
13 ¶ Then Nebuchadnezzar in [his] rage and fury commanded to bring Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-nego. Then they brought these men before the king.
13 Then Nebuchadnezzar in rage and fury commanded that Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego be brought. Then these men were brought before the king.
14 Nebuchadnezzar spake and said unto them, [Is it] true, O Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-nego, do not ye serve my gods, nor worship the golden image which I have set up?
14 Nebuchadnezzar answered them, “Is it true, Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, that you don’t serve my gods and you don’t worship the golden image which I have set up?
15 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?
15 Now if you are ready whenever you hear the sound of the horn, flute, zither, lyre, harp, pipe, and all kinds of music to fall down and worship the image which I have made, good; but if you don’t worship, you shall be cast the same hour into the middle of a burning fiery furnace. Who is that god who will deliver you out of my hands?”
16 Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-nego, answered and said to the king, O Nebuchadnezzar, we [are] not careful to answer thee in this matter.
16 Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego answered the king, “Nebuchadnezzar, we have no need to answer you in this matter.
17 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.
17 If it happens, our God whom we serve is able to deliver us from the burning fiery furnace; and he will deliver us out of your hand, O king.
18 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.
18 But if not, let it be known to you, O king, that we will not serve your gods or worship the golden image which you have set up.”
19 ¶ Then was Nebuchadnezzar full of fury, and the form of his visage was changed against Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-nego: [therefore] he spake, and commanded that they should heat the furnace one seven times more than it was wont to be heated.
19 Then Nebuchadnezzar was full of fury, and the form of his appearance was changed against Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego. He spoke, and commanded that they should heat the furnace seven times more than it was usually heated.
20 And he commanded the most mighty men that [were] in his army to bind Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-nego, [and] to cast [them] into the burning fiery furnace.
20 He commanded certain mighty men who were in his army to bind Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, and to cast them into the burning fiery furnace.
21 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.
21 Then these men were bound in their pants, their tunics, and their mantles, and their other clothes, and were cast into the middle of the burning fiery furnace.
22 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 Abed-nego.
22 Therefore because the king’s commandment was urgent and the furnace exceedingly hot, the flame of the fire killed those men who took up Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego.
23 And these three men, Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-nego, fell down bound into the midst of the burning fiery furnace.
23 These three men, Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, fell down bound into the middle of the burning fiery furnace.
24 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.
24 Then Nebuchadnezzar the king was astonished and rose up in haste. He spoke and said to his counselors, “Didn’t we cast three men bound into the middle of the fire?” They answered the king, “True, O king.”
25 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.
25 He answered, “Look, I see four men loose, walking in the middle of the fire, and they are unharmed. The appearance of the fourth is like a son of the gods.”
26 ¶ Then Nebuchadnezzar came near to the mouth of the burning fiery furnace, [and] spake, and said, Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-nego, ye servants of the most high God, come forth, and come [hither]. Then Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-nego, came forth of the midst of the fire.
26 Then Nebuchadnezzar came near to the mouth of the burning fiery furnace. He spoke and said, “Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, you servants of the Most High God, come out, and come here!” Then Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego came out of the middle of the fire.
27 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.
27 The local governors, the deputies, and the governors, and the king’s counselors, being gathered together, saw these men, that the fire had no power on their bodies. The hair of their head wasn’t singed. Their pants weren’t changed. The smell of fire wasn’t even on them.
28 [Then] Nebuchadnezzar spake, and said, Blessed [be] the God of Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-nego, 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.
28 Nebuchadnezzar spoke and said, “Blessed be the God of Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, who has sent his angel and delivered his servants who trusted in him, and have changed the king’s word, and have yielded their bodies, that they might not serve nor worship any god except their own God.
29 Therefore I make a decree, That every people, nation, and language, which speak any thing amiss against the God of Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-nego, 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.
29 Therefore I make a decree that every people, nation, and language which speak anything evil 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 who is able to deliver like this.”
30 Then the king promoted Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-nego, in the province of Babylon.
30 Then the king promoted Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego in the province of Babylon.
Cross references (28)
Related passages for each verse, from the Treasury of Scripture Knowledge as collected and ranked by readers at OpenBible.info.
- 1 Jeremiah 16:20; Habakkuk 2:19; Isaiah 46:6; Hosea 8:4; Acts 19:26
- 2 Daniel 3:27; Proverbs 29:12; Daniel 6:1–4; Exodus 32:4–6; Daniel 6:6–7
- 3 Revelation 17:17; Revelation 17:13; Revelation 13:13–16; Romans 1:21–28; Romans 3:11
- 4 Daniel 6:25; Daniel 4:1; Micah 6:16; Daniel 4:14; Hosea 5:11
- 5 Daniel 3:15; Daniel 3:10; Daniel 3:7
- 6 Matthew 13:50; Matthew 13:42; Jeremiah 29:22; Daniel 3:15; Daniel 3:11
- 7 1 John 5:19; Revelation 12:9; Revelation 13:8; Revelation 13:3; Revelation 17:8
- 8 Ezra 4:12–16; Daniel 6:12–13; Esther 3:8–9; Daniel 2:10; Acts 16:20–22
- 9 Daniel 5:10; Daniel 6:6; Daniel 6:21; Daniel 2:4; Daniel 3:4–5
- 10 Daniel 3:4–7; Esther 3:12–14; Daniel 6:12; Psalm 94:20; Exodus 1:22
- 12 Daniel 6:13; Daniel 2:49; Acts 17:7; Proverbs 27:4; 1 Samuel 18:7–11
- 13 Daniel 3:19; Daniel 2:12; Esther 3:5–6; 1 Samuel 20:30–33; Proverbs 17:12
- 14 Jeremiah 50:2; Daniel 3:1; Isaiah 46:1; Daniel 4:8; Exodus 21:13–14
- 15 Acts 5:29; 2 Chronicles 32:15–17; Daniel 3:17; Exodus 5:2; 2 Kings 18:35
- 16 Daniel 1:7; Daniel 3:12
- 17 Romans 8:31; Luke 1:37; Hebrews 7:25; Psalm 27:1–2; Isaiah 26:3–4
- 18 Acts 5:29–32; Matthew 10:39; Revelation 2:10–11; Matthew 10:32–33; Luke 12:3–9
- 19 Daniel 3:13; Leviticus 26:24; Leviticus 26:28; Proverbs 21:24; Acts 5:33
- 20 Acts 16:25; Daniel 3:15; Acts 16:23; Acts 12:4–5
- 22 Proverbs 11:8; Proverbs 21:18; Acts 12:19; Matthew 27:5; Daniel 6:24
- 23 Jeremiah 38:6; Daniel 6:16–17; Psalm 34:19; Psalm 124:1–5; Psalm 66:11–12
- 24 Daniel 6:22; Daniel 6:7; Acts 26:13; Daniel 3:17; Daniel 3:9–10
- 25 Isaiah 43:2; Acts 28:5; Mark 16:18; Psalm 91:3–9; Job 1:6
- 26 Daniel 3:17; Daniel 4:2; Revelation 19:5; Isaiah 52:12; Genesis 14:18
- 27 Isaiah 43:2; Hebrews 11:34; Isaiah 26:11; Psalm 83:18; Matthew 10:30
- 28 Romans 14:7–8; Psalm 34:7–8; Psalm 84:11–12; Exodus 20:5; Revelation 12:11
- 29 Daniel 2:5; Daniel 6:26–27; Psalm 76:10; Deuteronomy 32:31; Ezra 6:11
- 30 1 Samuel 2:30; Daniel 2:49; Daniel 3:12; Psalm 91:14; John 12:26
Cross references: OpenBible.info (CC BY), drawn mainly from the public-domain Treasury of Scripture Knowledge. · Sources & licences
What the Fathers said
Passages from the Church Fathers that expound or quote this chapter, verbatim from the public-domain Schaff edition (19th-century English translations).
How these were chosen
“Commentary” is the opening of a homily or exposition on this chapter (John Chrysostom’s homilies, Augustine’s tractates, sermons and expositions of the Psalms). “Quotes” are sentences where the edition’s own footnotes identify a quotation of a verse here, kept only when the wording matches the verse. Only works whose authorship is not in doubt are used. Psalms follow the Hebrew/English numbering (Augustine numbers them as the Septuagint does: his Psalm 50 is Psalm 51 here).
… seen with those who were around Ananias, Azarias, Mishael, as present with them in the furnace of fire, in the burning, and preserving them from [the effects of] fire: "And the appearance of the fourth," it is said, "was like to the Son of God." At another time [He is represented as] "a stone cut out of the mountain without …
Let us fear that death which the three men feared when they said to the king, "God is able to deliver us even from that flame; and if not," etc. There was there the fear of that death which the Lord now threatens, when they said, But also if He be not willing openly to deliver us, He can crown …
Read in context · Nicene and Post-Nicene Fathers, series 1, vol. 7 (1888)
… willing even to permit them to be burnt; lest, if this should come to pass, they might seem to be speaking falsehoods; they add this also and say, "If this happen not, be it known unto thee, O king, that we serve not thy gods." For had they said, "Sins are the cause of His not delivering us, should He …
Read in context · Nicene and Post-Nicene Fathers, series 1, vol. 10 (1888)
and, lo, I do see four walking in the midst of the fire, and the fourth is like the Son of God." Neither the nature of any created thing, therefore, nor the weakness of the flesh, can prevail against the will of God.
And who else save the three men Ananias, Azariah, and Mishael, ever walked about unharmed in flames that blazed and did not burn?
Read in context · Nicene and Post-Nicene Fathers, series 1, vol. 7 (1888)