18. But even if he will not, you should know, O king, that we will not serve your god or worship the golden statue which you set up.”
19. Nebuchadnezzar’s face became livid with utter rage against Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego. He ordered the furnace to be heated seven times more than usual
20. and had some of the strongest men in his army bind Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego and cast them into the white-hot furnace.
21. They were bound and cast into the white-hot furnace with their trousers, shirts, hats and other garments,
22. for the king’s order was urgent. So huge a fire was kindled in the furnace that the flames devoured the men who threw Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego into it.
23. But these three fell, bound, into the midst of the white-hot furnace.
24. They walked about in the flames, singing to God and blessing the Lord.
25. Azariah stood up in the midst of the fire and prayed aloud:
26. “Blessed are you, and praiseworthy,O Lord, the God of our ancestors,and glorious forever is your name.
27. For you are just in all you have done;all your deeds are faultless, all your ways right,and all your judgments proper.
28. You have executed proper judgmentsin all that you have brought upon usand upon Jerusalem, the holy city of our ancestors.By a proper judgment you have done all thisbecause of our sins;
29. For we have sinned and transgressedby departing from you,and we have done every kind of evil.
30. Your commandments we have not heeded or observed,nor have we done as you ordered us for our good.