Daniel (Greek)

3

1 In his eighteenth year Nabuchodonosor the king made a golden image, its height was sixty cubits, its breadth six cubits: and he set it up in the plain of Deira, in the province of Babylon.

2 And he sent forth to gather the governors, and the captains, and the heads of provinces, chiefs, and princes, and those who were in authority, and all the rulers of districts, to come to the dedication of the image.

3 So the heads of provinces, the governors, the captains, the chiefs, the great princes, those who were in authority, and all the rulers of districts, were gathered to the dedication of the image which king Nabuchodonosor had set up; and they stood before the image.

4 Then a herald cried aloud, To you it is commanded, ye peoples, tribes, and languages,

5 at what hour ye shall hear the sound of the trumpet, and pipe, and harp, and sackbut, and psaltery, and every kind of music, ye shall fall down and worship the golden image which king Nabuchodonosor has set up.

6 And whosoever shall not fall down and worship, in the same hour he shall be cast into the burning fiery furnace.

7 And it came to pass when the nations heard the sound of the trumpet, and pipe, and harp, and sackbut, and psaltery, and all kinds of music, all the nations, tribes, and languages, fell down and worshipped the golden image which king Nabuchodonosor had set up.

8 Then came near certain Chaldeans, and accused the Jews to the king, saying,

9 O king, live for ever.

10 Thou, O king, hast made a decree, that every man who shall hear the sound of the trumpet, and pipe, and harp, sackbut, and psaltery, and all kinds of music,

11 and shall not fall down and worship the golden image, shall be cast into the burning fiery furnace.

12 There are certain Jews whom thou hast appointed over the affairs of the province of Babylon, Sedrach, Misach, and Abdenago, who have not obeyed thy decree, O king: they serve not thy gods, and worship not the golden image which thou hast set up.

13 Then Nabuchodonosor in wrath and anger commanded to bring Sedrach, Misach, and Abdenago: and they were brought before the king.

14 And Nabuchodonosor answered and said to them, Is it true, Sedrach, Misach, and Abdenago, that ye serve not my gods, and worship not the golden image which I have set up?

15 Now then if ye be ready, whensoever ye shall hear the sound of the trumpet, and pipe, and harp, and sackbut, and psaltery, and harmony, and every kind of music, to fall down and worship the golden image which I have made; well: but if ye worship not, in the same hour ye shall be cast into the burning fiery furnace; and who is the God that shall deliver you out of my hand?

16 Then answered Sedrach, Misach, and Abdenago, and said to king Nabuchodonosor, We have no need to answer thee concerning this matter.

17 For our God whom we serve is in the heavens, able to deliver us from the burning fiery furnace, and he will rescue us from thy hands, O king.

18 But if not, be it known to thee, O king, that we will not serve thy gods, nor worship the image which thou hast set up.

19 Then Nabuchodonosor was filled with wrath, and the form of his countenance was changed toward Sedrach, Misach, and Abdenago: and he gave orders to heat the furnace seven times more than usual, until it should burn to the uttermost.

20 And he commanded mighty men to bind Sedrach, Misach, and Abdenago, and to cast them into the burning fiery furnace.

21 Then those men were bound with their coats, and caps, and hose, and were cast into the midst of the burning fiery furnace,

22 forasmuch as the king's word prevailed; and the furnace was made exceeding hot.

23 Then these three men, Sedrach, Misach, and Abdenago, fell bound into the midst of the burning furnace,

24 and walked in the midst of the flame, singing praise to God, and blessing the Lord.

25 Then Azarias stood up, and prayed on this manner; and opening his mouth in the midst of the fire said,

26 Blessed art thou, O Lord God of our fathers: thy name is worthy to be praised and glorified for evermore:

27 for thou art righteous in all the things that thou hast done to us: yea, true are all thy works, thy ways are right, and all thy judgments truth.

28 In all the things that thou hast brought upon us, and upon the holy city of our fathers, even Jerusalem, thou hast executed true judgment: for according to truth and judgment didst thou bring all these things upon us because of our sins.

29 For we have sinned and committed iniquity, departing from thee. In all things have we trespassed, and not obeyed thy commandments,

30 nor kept them, neither done as thou hast commanded us, that it might go well with us.

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

32 And thou didst deliver us into the hands of lawless enemies, most hateful forsakers of God, and to an unjust king, and the most wicked in all the world.

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

34 Yet deliver us not up wholly, for thy name's sake, neither disannul thou thy covenant:

35 and cause not thy mercy to depart from us, for thy beloved Abraham's sake, for thy servant Isaac's sake, and for thy holy Israel's sake;

36 to whom thou hast spoken and promised, that thou wouldest multiply their seed as the stars of heaven, and as the sand that lieth upon the seashore.

37 For we, O Lord, are become less than any nation, and be kept under this day in all the world because of our sins.

38 Neither is there at this time prince, or prophet, or leader, or burnt offering, or sacrifice, or oblation, or incense, or place to sacrifice before thee, and to find mercy.

39 Nevertheless in a contrite heart and an humble spirit let us be accepted. Like as in the burnt offerings of rams and bullocks, and like as in ten thousands of fat lambs: