The prince of the eunuchs gave names to them: to Daniel he gave the name Belteshazzar; to Hananiah, Shadrach; to Mishael, MESHACH; and to Azariah, Abednego.

Daniel requested of the king, and he appointed Shadrach, MESHACH, and Abednego over the affairs of the province of Babylon; but Daniel was in the king's gate.

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 rage and fury commanded that Shadrach, MESHACH, and Abednego be brought. Then these men were brought before the king.

14. Nebuchadnezzar answered them, "Is it on purpose, Shadrach, MESHACH, and Abednego, that you don't serve my god, nor worship the golden image which I have set up?

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 that will deliver you out of my hands?"

16. Shadrach, MESHACH, and Abednego answered the king, "Nebuchadnezzar, we have no need to answer you in this matter.

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, 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 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. 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 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 killed those men who took up Shadrach, MESHACH, and Abednego.

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 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, "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. 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. The satraps, 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. 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 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 Abednego in the province of Babylon.