Nebuchadnezzar’s Golden Statue 1 ULT King Nebuchadnezzar made a statue of gold. Its height{ was} sixty cubits. Its width{ was} six cubits. He set it up on the Plain of Dura in the province of Babylon. BSB BSB: 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.
2 ULT And King Nebuchadnezzar sent to assemble the satraps, the prefects, and the governors, the counselors, the treasurers, the judges, the magistrates, and all of the rulers of the provinces to come to the dedication of the statue that King Nebuchadnezzar had set up. BSB BSB: 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.
3 ULT Then the satraps, the prefects, and the governors, the counselors, the treasurers, the judges, the magistrates, and all of the rulers of the provinces were assembling themselves for the dedication of the statue that King Nebuchadnezzar had set up. And they were standing before the statue that Nebuchadnezzar had set up. BSB BSB: 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.
4 ULT And a herald called out in strength,“One is commanding you, peoples, nations, and languages, BSB BSB: Then the herald loudly proclaimed, “O people of every nation and language, this is what you are commanded:
5 ULT at the time when you hear the sound of the horn, pipe, lyre, trigon, harp, bagpipe, and all kinds of music, you shall fall down and worship the statue of gold that King Nebuchadnezzar has set up. BSB BSB: 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. 6 ULT But who that does not fall down and worship, in that moment he will be thrown into the midst of a furnace of blazing fire.” BSB BSB: And whoever does not fall down and worship will immediately be thrown into the blazing fiery furnace.”
7 ULT All before this, at that time in which all of the peoples heard the sound of the horn, pipe, lyre, trigon, harp and all kinds of music, all of the peoples, nations, and languages, falling down, were worshiping the golden statue that King Nebuchadnezzar had set up. BSB BSB: 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.
Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego Accused 8 ULT All before this, at that time men, Chaldeans, approached and ate the pieces of the Jews. BSB BSB: At this time some astrologers came forward and maliciously accused the Jews,
9 ULT They answered and were saying to King Nebuchadnezzar,“O king, live to eternities! BSB BSB: saying to King Nebuchadnezzar, “O king, may you live forever!
10 ULT You, O king, have set a decree that every man who hears the sound of the horn, pipe, lyre, trigon, harp, and bagpipe and all kinds of music shall fall down and worship the golden statue BSB BSB: 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,
11 ULT and who that does not fall down and worship will be thrown into the midst of a furnace of blazing fire. BSB BSB: and that whoever does not fall down and worship will be thrown into the blazing fiery furnace.
12 ULT There are men, Jews, whom you have appointed them over the work of the province of Babylon, Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego. These men do not set regard on you, O king. They are not serving your gods, and they are not worshiping the golden statue that you have set up.” BSB BSB: 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.”
13 ULT Then Nebuchadnezzar in rage and heat said to bring Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego. Then they brought these men before the king. BSB BSB: Then Nebuchadnezzar, furious with rage, summoned Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego. So these men were brought before the king,
14 ULT Nebuchadnezzar answered and was saying to them,“{ Is it} true, Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, you are not serving my gods and not worshiping the golden statue that I have set up? BSB BSB: 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?
15 ULT Now if you are ready, that at the moment when you hear the sound of the horn, pipe, lyre, trigon, harp, and bagpipe and all kinds of music, you fall down and worship the statue that I have made; but if you do not worship, in that moment you will be thrown into the midst of a furnace of blazing fire. And who is the god who will deliver you from my hand?” BSB BSB: 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?”
16 ULT Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego answered and were saying to the king,“Nebuchadnezzar, we are not needing to answer you about this matter. BSB BSB: Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego replied to the king, “O Nebuchadnezzar, we have no need to answer you in this matter.
17 ULT If it is, our God whom we are serving is able to deliver us from the furnace of blazing fire, and he will deliver us from your hand, O king. BSB BSB: 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.
18 ULT But if not, may it be known to you, O king, that we will not be serving your gods, and we will not worship the golden image that you have set up.” BSB BSB: 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.”
The Fiery Furnace 19 ULT Then Nebuchadnezzar was filled{ with} heat, and the image of his face was changed against Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego. He answered and was saying to heat the furnace one seven more than had been seen to heat it. BSB BSB: 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,
20 ULT And he told men, men of valor who{ were} in his army, to bind Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego to throw{ them} into the furnace of blazing fire. BSB BSB: 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.
21 ULT Then they bound these men in their cloaks, their tunics, their turbans, and their garments, and they threw{ them} into the midst of the furnace of blazing fire. BSB BSB: So they were tied up, wearing robes, trousers, turbans, and other clothes, and they were thrown into the blazing fiery furnace.
22 ULT All before this, from that the word of the king was being urgent and the furnace was extremely heated, those men who brought up Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, the flame of the fire killed them. BSB BSB: 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.
23 ULT And these three men, Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, fell into the midst of the furnace of blazing fire bound. BSB BSB: And these three men, Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, firmly bound, fell into the blazing fiery furnace.
24 ULT Then King Nebuchadnezzar marveled, and he stood up in hastening himself. He answered and was saying to his counselors,“Did we not throw three men into the midst of the fire bound?” They answered and were saying to the king,“True, O king.” BSB BSB: 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.
25 ULT He answered and was saying,“Behold, I am seeing four men loosened walking about in the midst of the fire, and harm is not upon them. And the appearance of the fourth resembles a son of the gods.” BSB BSB: “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!”
26 ULT Then Nebuchadnezzar approached to the door of the furnace of blazing fire. He answered and was saying,“Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, his servants of the Most High God, come out and come{ here}!” Then Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego were coming out from the midst of the fire. BSB BSB: 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,
27 ULT And assembling themselves, the satraps, the prefects, the governors, and the counselors of the king were seeing these men, that the fire had not ruled over their bodies. For the hair of their heads was not singed and their cloaks had not changed and the smell of fire had not passed onto them. BSB BSB: 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.
28 ULT Nebuchadnezzar answered and was saying,“Blessed{ be} the God of Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, who sent his angel and delivered his servants who entrusted themselves to him and changed the word of the king and gave up their bodies that they might not serve and not worship any god except their God. BSB BSB: 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.
29 ULT And from me a decree is set that any people, nation, or language that says anything against the God of Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego will be made{ into} limbs and its house be made a rubbish heap, all before that there is not another god that is able to rescue like this.” BSB BSB: 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.”
30 ULT Then the king promoted Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego in the province of Babylon. BSB BSB: Then the king promoted Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego in the province of Babylon.
Select verses for actions: Enter goes to them and Escape comes back.