16. Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego answered, “Your Majesty, we will not try to defend ourselves.
17. If the God whom we serve is able to save us from the blazing furnace and from your power, then he will.
18. But even if he doesn't, Your Majesty may be sure that we will not worship your god, and we will not bow down to the gold statue that you have set up.”
19. Then Nebuchadnezzar lost his temper, and his face turned red with anger at Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego. So he ordered the furnace to be heated seven times hotter than usual.
20. And he commanded the strongest men in his army to tie the three men up and throw them into the blazing furnace.
21. So they tied them up, fully dressed — shirts, robes, caps, and all — and threw them into the blazing furnace.
22. Now because the king had given strict orders for the furnace to be made extremely hot, the flames burnt up the guards who took the men to the furnace.
23. Then Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, still tied up, fell into the heart of the blazing fire.
24. Suddenly Nebuchadnezzar leapt to his feet in amazement. He asked his officials, “Didn't we tie up three men and throw them into the blazing furnace?”They answered, “Yes, we did, Your Majesty.”
25. “Then why do I see four men walking about in the fire?” he asked. “They are not tied up, and they show no sign of being hurt — and the fourth one looks like an angel.”
26. So Nebuchadnezzar went up to the door of the blazing furnace and called out, “Shadrach! Meshach! Abednego! Servants of the Supreme God! Come out!” And they came out at once.
27. All the princes, governors, lieutenant-governors, and other officials of the king gathered to look at the three men, who had not been harmed by the fire. Their hair was not singed, their clothes were not burnt, and there was no smell of smoke on them.
28. The king said, “Praise the God of Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego! He sent his angel and rescued these men who serve and trust him. They disobeyed my orders and risked their lives rather than bow down and worship any god except their own.
29. “And now I command that if anyone of any nation, race, or language speaks disrespectfully of the God of Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, he is to be torn limb from limb, and his house is to be made a pile of ruins. There is no other god who can rescue like this.”
30. And the king promoted Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego to higher positions in the province of Babylon.