A modern English translation drawn directly from the original Hebrew, Aramaic, and Greek texts. Translated word-for-word where possible, by a committee with scholarly oversight.
Uses the same source texts as the ESV, NASB, and most academic Bibles, including the Biblia Hebraica Stuttgartensia and the Nestle-Aland critical edition.
Daniel 3
Daniel 3 is the third chapter of the book of Daniel and contains one of the most famous narratives in the Bible: the story of Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego in the fiery furnace. The 30-verse chapter records what happens when three Jewish exiles refuse to bow down to a golden statue erected by King Nebuchadnezzar.
The chapter opens with Nebuchadnezzar making a gold statue ninety feet high and nine feet wide on the plain of Dura. He summons all the officials of his empire to its dedication. A herald announces that when the music plays, everyone must fall down and worship the statue. Anyone who refuses will be thrown into a blazing furnace.
The music plays and everyone falls down except three young Jewish men in positions of authority over the province of Babylon: Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego. Some Babylonian officials report them to the king.
Nebuchadnezzar, in a rage, summons the three. He offers them another chance. If they will fall down and worship the statue when the music plays again, he will overlook their disobedience. If they refuse, they will be thrown into the furnace.
Their reply contains the famous lines: "If the matter is so, our God whom we serve is able to deliver us from the furnace of blazing fire; and He will deliver us from your hand, O king. But even if He does not, let it be known to you, O king, that we will not serve your gods or worship the gold statue you have set up."
Nebuchadnezzar's face changes with fury. He orders the furnace heated seven times hotter than usual and commands his strongest soldiers to bind the three and throw them in. The furnace is so hot that the soldiers carrying them are killed by the flames.
Nebuchadnezzar then leaps to his feet in amazement. He says he sees four men, unbound and unharmed, walking around in the fire, and the fourth looks like a son of the gods.
He calls them out. The three come out untouched. Their hair is not singed, their clothes are not scorched, and no smell of fire is on them. Nebuchadnezzar praises their God, issues a decree protecting their religion, and promotes them.
Verse 1. King Nebuchadnezzar made a golden statue sixty cubits high and six cubits wide, and he set it up on the plain of Dura in the province of Babylon.
Verse 2. Then King Nebuchadnezzar sent word to assemble the satraps, prefects, governors, advisers, treasurers, judges, magistrates, and all the other officials of the provinces to attend the dedication of the statue he had set up.
Verse 3. So the satraps, prefects, governors, advisers, treasurers, judges, magistrates, and all the rulers of the provinces assembled for the dedication of the statue that King Nebuchadnezzar had set up, and they stood before it.
Verse 4. Then the herald loudly proclaimed, “O people of every nation and language, this is what you are commanded:
Verse 5. As soon as you hear the sound of the horn, flute, zither, lyre, harp, pipes, and all kinds of music, you must fall down and worship the golden statue that King Nebuchadnezzar has set up.
Verse 6. And whoever does not fall down and worship will immediately be thrown into the blazing fiery furnace.”
Verse 7. Therefore, as soon as all the people heard the sound of the horn, flute, zither, lyre, harp, and all kinds of music, the people of every nation and language would fall down and worship the golden statue that King Nebuchadnezzar had set up.
Verse 8. At this time some astrologers came forward and maliciously accused the Jews,
Verse 9. saying to King Nebuchadnezzar, “O king, may you live forever!
Verse 10. You, O king, have issued a decree that everyone who hears the sound of the horn, flute, zither, lyre, harp, pipes, and all kinds of music must fall down and worship the golden statue,
Verse 11. and that whoever does not fall down and worship will be thrown into the blazing fiery furnace.
Verse 12. But there are some Jews you have appointed to manage the province of Babylon—Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego—who have ignored you, O king, and have refused to serve your gods or worship the golden statue you have set up.”
Verse 13. Then Nebuchadnezzar, furious with rage, summoned Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego. So these men were brought before the king,
Verse 14. and Nebuchadnezzar said to them, “Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, is it true that you do not serve my gods or worship the golden statue I have set up?
Verse 15. Now when you hear the sound of the horn, flute, zither, lyre, harp, pipes, and all kinds of music, if you are ready to fall down and worship the statue I have made, very good. But if you refuse to worship, you will be thrown at once into the blazing fiery furnace. Then what god will be able to deliver you from my hands?”
Verse 16. Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego replied to the king, “O Nebuchadnezzar, we have no need to answer you in this matter.
Verse 17. If the God whom we serve exists, then He is able to deliver us from the blazing fiery furnace and from your hand, O king.
Verse 18. But even if He does not, let it be known to you, O king, that we will not serve your gods or worship the golden statue you have set up.”
Verse 19. At this, Nebuchadnezzar was filled with rage, and the expression on his face changed toward Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego. He gave orders to heat the furnace seven times hotter than usual,
Verse 20. and he commanded some mighty men of valor in his army to tie up Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego and throw them into the blazing fiery furnace.
Verse 21. So they were tied up, wearing robes, trousers, turbans, and other clothes, and they were thrown into the blazing fiery furnace.
Verse 22. The king’s command was so urgent and the furnace so hot that the fiery flames killed the men who carried up Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego.
Verse 23. And these three men, Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, firmly bound, fell into the blazing fiery furnace.
Verse 24. Suddenly King Nebuchadnezzar jumped up in amazement and asked his advisers, “Did we not throw three men, firmly bound, into the fire?” “Certainly, O king,” they replied.
Verse 25. “Look!” he exclaimed. “I see four men, unbound and unharmed, walking around in the fire—and the fourth looks like a son of the gods!”
Verse 26. Then Nebuchadnezzar approached the door of the blazing fiery furnace and called out, “Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, servants of the Most High God, come out!” So Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego came out of the fire,
Verse 27. and when the satraps, prefects, governors, and royal advisers had gathered around, they saw that the fire had no effect on the bodies of these men. Not a hair of their heads was singed, their robes were unaffected, and there was no smell of fire on them.
Verse 28. Nebuchadnezzar declared, “Blessed be the God of Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, who has sent His angel and delivered His servants who trusted in Him. They violated the king’s command and risked their lives rather than serve or worship any god except their own God.
Verse 29. Therefore I decree that the people of any nation or language who say anything offensive against the God of Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego will be cut into pieces and their houses reduced to rubble. For there is no other god who can deliver in this way.”
Verse 30. Then the king promoted Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego in the province of Babylon.
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