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. 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. 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. 4 Then an herald cried aloud, To you it is commanded, O people, 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: 6 And whoso falleth not down and worshippeth shall the same hour be cast into the midst of a burning fiery furnace. 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.

8 Wherefore at that time certain Chaldeans came near, and accused the Jews. 9 They spake and said to the king Nebuchadnezzar, 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: 11 And whoso falleth not down and worshippeth, that he should be cast into the midst 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.

13 Then Nebuchadnezzar in his rage and fury commanded to bring Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-nego. Then they brought these men 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? 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? 16 Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-nego, answered and said to the king, O Nebuchadnezzar, we are not careful to answer thee 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. 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.

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. 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. 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. 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. 23 And these three men, Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-nego, fell down bound into the midst 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. 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.

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. 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.

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. 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. 30 Then the king promoted Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-nego, in the province of Babylon.

1 Kuningas Nebukadnessar teetti kultaisen kuvapatsaan. Sen korkeus oli kuusikymmentä kyynärää ja leveys kuusi kyynärää. Hän pystytti sen Duran tasangolle Babylonin maakuntaan.

2 Ja kuningas Nebukadnessar käski kutsua satraapit, käskynhaltijat ja maaherrat, neuvonantajat, rahavarainhoitajat, tuomarit ja poliisipäälliköt ja kaikki maakuntien korkeat virkamiehet patsaan vihkimisjuhlaan.

3 Niin tulivat satraapit, käskynhaltijat ja maaherrat, neuvonantajat, rahavarainhoitajat, tuomarit, poliisipäälliköt ja kaikki maakuntien korkeat virkamiehet kuningas Nebukadnessarin pystyttämän patsaan vihkimisjuhlaan, ja he asettuivat patsaan eteen.

5 Heti kun te kuulette torven, huilun, sitran, harpun, luutun, säkkipillin ja koko juhlamusiikin soivan, teidän tulee heittäytyä maahan ja kumartaa tätä kultaista patsasta, jonka kuningas Nebukadnessar on pystyttänyt.

7 Kuullessaan torven, huilun, sitran, harpun, luutun ja koko juhlamusiikin soivan kaikki, mitä kansaa ja kansakuntaa he olivatkin, heittäytyivät oitis maahan ja kumarsivat kultaista patsasta, jonka kuningas Nebukadnessar oli pystyttänyt.

8 Silloin astui esiin muutamia kaldealaisia miehiä, jotka alkoivat syyttää juutalaisia.

10 Sinä, kuningas, olet antanut määräyksen, että jokaisen, joka kuulee torven, huilun, sitran, harpun, luutun, säkkipillin ja koko juhlamusiikin soivan, tulee heittäytyä maahan ja kumartaa kultaista patsasta

11 ja että se, joka ei heittäydy maahan ja kumarra, heitetään tuliseen uuniin.

13 Silloin Nebukadnessar raivoisan vihan vallassa käski noutaa Sadrakin, Mesakin ja Abed-Negon. Kun miehet tuotiin kuninkaan eteen,

17 Jumala, jota me palvelemme, pystyy pelastamaan meidät tulisesta uunista, ja hän voi pelastaa meidät myös sinun käsistäsi, kuningas.

19 Silloin Nebukadnessar tuli täyteen vihaa Sadrakia, Mesakia ja Abed-Negoa kohtaan, ja hänen kasvonsa vääristyivät. Hän käski heti kuumentaa uunin seitsemän kertaa kuumemmaksi kuin tavallisesti,

20 ja hän käski muutamien vahvojen sotilaittensa sitoa Sadrakin, Mesakin ja Abed-Negon ja heittää heidät uuniin.

21 Niin nämä miehet sidottiin ja heitettiin uuniin täysissä vaatteissaan, takki ja housut yllä ja päähine päässä.

22 Koska uunia oli kuninkaan ankaran käskyn mukaan kovin kuumennettu, tulen lieska surmasi ne miehet, jotka veivät Sadrakin, Mesakin ja Abed-Negon uunin suulle.

23 Ja nämä kolme miestä, Sadrak, Mesak ja Abed-Nego, putosivat sidottuina tuliseen pätsiin.

27 Satraapit, käskynhaltijat, maaherrat ja kuninkaan hovimiehet kerääntyivät paikalle katsomaan miehiä ja havaitsivat, että tuli ei ollut pystynyt heihin: heidän partansa ja hiuksensa eivät olleet kärventyneet, heidän vaatteensa eivät olleet lainkaan vahingoittuneet, eikä heistä edes lähtenyt savun hajua.

30 Ja kuningas antoi Sadrakille, Mesakille ja Abed-Negolle Babylonin maakunnassa entistä suuremman vallan.