Daniel 3

1 King Nebuchadnezzar had a golden statue made, sixty cubits high and six cubits wide, which he set up in the plain of Dura in the province of Babylon.
2 He then ordered the satraps, prefects, and governors, the counselors, treasurers, judges, magistrates and all the officials of the provinces to be summoned to the dedication of the statue which he had set up.
3 The satraps, prefects, and governors, the counselors, treasurers, judges, and magistrates and all the officials of the provinces, all these came together for the dedication and stood before the statue which King Nebuchadnezzar had set up.
4 A herald cried out: Nations and peoples of every language, when you hear the sound of the trumpet, flute, lyre, harp, psaltery, bagpipe, and all the other musical instruments,
5 you are ordered to fall down and worship the golden statue which King Nebuchadnezzar has set up.
6 Whoever does not fall down and worship shall be instantly cast into a white-hot furnace.
7 Therefore, as soon as they heard the sound of the trumpet, flute, lyre, harp, psaltery, bagpipe, and all the other musical instruments, the nations and peoples of every language all fell down and worshiped the golden statue which King Nebuchadnezzar had set up.
8 At that point, some of the Chaldeans came and accused the Jews
9 to King Nebuchadnezzar: O king, live forever!
10 O king, you issued a decree that everyone who heard the sound of the trumpet, flute, lyre, harp, psaltery, bagpipe, and all the other musical instruments should fall down and worship the golden statue;
11 whoever did not was to be cast into a white-hot furnace.
12 There are certain Jews whom you have made administrators of the province of Babylon: Shadrach, Meshach, Abednego; these men, O king, have paid no attention to you; they will not serve your god or worship the golden statue which you set up.
13 Nebuchadnezzar flew into a rage and sent for Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, who were promptly brought before the king.
14 King Nebuchadnezzar questioned them: Is it true, Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, that you will not serve my god, or worship the golden statue that I set up?
15 Be ready now to fall down and worship the statue I had made, whenever you hear the sound of the trumpet, flute, lyre, harp, psaltery, bagpipe, and all the other musical instruments; otherwise, you shall be instantly cast into the white-hot furnace; and who is the God that can deliver you out of my hands?
16 Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego answered King Nebuchadnezzar, There is no need for us to defend ourselves before you in this matter.
17 If our God, whom we serve, can save us from the white-hot furnace and from your hands, O king, may he save us!
18 But even if he will not, 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 coats, hats, shoes 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 King Nebuchadnezzar rose in haste and asked his nobles, Did we not cast three men bound into the fire? Assuredly, O king, they answered.
25 But, he replied, I see four men unfettered and unhurt, walking in the fire, and the fourth looks like a son of God.
26 Then Nebuchadnezzar came to the opening of the white-hot furnace and called to Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego: Servants of the most high God, come out. Thereupon Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego came out of the fire.
27 When the satraps, prefects, governors, and nobles of the king came together, they saw that the fire had had no power over the bodies of these men; not a hair of their heads had been singed, nor were their garments altered; there was not even a smell of fire about them.
28 Nebuchadnezzar exclaimed, Blessed be the God of Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, who sent his angel to deliver the servants that trusted in him; they disobeyed the royal command and yielded their bodies rather than serve or worship any god except their own God.
29 Therefore I decree for nations and peoples of every language that whoever blasphemes the God of Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego shall be cut to pieces and his house destroyed. For there is no other God who can rescue like this.
30 Then the king promoted Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego in the province of Babylon.

Daniel 4

1 King Nebuchadnezzar to the nations and peoples of every language, wherever they dwell on earth: abundant peace!
2 It has seemed good to me to publish the signs and wonders which the most high God has accomplished in my regard.
3 How great are his signs, how mighty his wonders; his kingdom is an everlasting kingdom, and his dominion endures through all generations.
4 I, Nebuchadnezzar, was at home in my palace, content and prosperous.
5 I had a terrifying dream as I lay in bed, and the images and the visions of my mind frightened me.
6 So I issued a decree that all the wise men of Babylon should be brought before me to give the interpretation of the dream.
7 When the magicians, enchanters, Chaldeans, and astrologers had come in, I related the dream before them; but none of them could tell me its meaning.
8 Finally there came before me Daniel, whose name is Belteshazzar after the name of my god, and in whom is the spirit of the holy God. I repeated the dream to him:
9 Belteshazzar, chief of the magicians, I know that the spirit of the holy God is in you and no mystery is too difficult for you; tell me the meaning of the visions that I saw in my dream.
10 These were the visions I saw while in bed: I saw a tree of great height at the center of the world.
11 It was large and strong, with its top touching the heavens, and it could be seen to the ends of the earth.
12 Its leaves were beautiful and its fruit abundant, providing food for all. Under it the wild beasts found shade, in its branches the birds of the air nested; all men ate of it.
13 In the vision I saw while in bed, a holy sentinel came down from heaven,
14 and cried out: 'Cut down the tree and lop off its branches, strip off its leaves and scatter its fruit; let the beasts flee its shade, and the birds its branches.
15 But leave in the earth its stump and roots, fettered with iron and bronze, in the grass of the field. Let him be bathed with the dew of heaven; his lot be to eat, among beasts, the grass of the earth.
16 Let his mind be changed from the human; let him be given the sense of a beast, till seven years pass over him.
17 By decree of the sentinels is this decided, by order of the holy ones, this sentence; That all who live may know that the Most High rules over the kingdom of men: He can give it to whom he will, or set over it the lowliest of men.'
18 This is the dream that I, King Nebuchadnezzar, had. Now, Belteshazzar, tell me its meaning. Although none of the wise men in my kingdom can tell me the meaning, you can, because the spirit of the holy God is in you.
19 Then Daniel, whose name was Belteshazzar, was appalled for a while, terrified by his thoughts. Belteshazzar, the king said to him, let not the dream or its meaning terrify you.
20 My lord, Belteshazzar replied, this dream should be for your enemies, and its meaning for your foes. The large, strong tree that you saw, with its top touching the heavens, that could be seen by the whole earth,
21 which had beautiful foliage and abundant fruit, providing food for all, under which the wild beasts lived, and in whose branches the birds of the air dwelt--
22 you are that tree, O king, large and strong! Your majesty has become so great as to touch the heavens, and your rule extends over the whole earth.
23 this is its meaning, O king; this is the sentence which the Most High has passed upon my lord king:
24
25 You shall be cast out from among men and dwell with wild beasts; you shall be given grass to eat like an ox and be bathed with the dew of heaven; seven years shall pass over you, until you know that the Most High rules over the kingdom of men and gives it to whom he will.
26 The command that the stump and roots of the tree are to be left means that your kingdom shall be preserved for you, once you have learned it is heaven that rules.
27 Therefore, O king, take my advice; atone for your sins by good deeds, and for your misdeeds by kindness to the poor; then your prosperity will be long.
28 All this happened to King Nebuchadnezzar.
29 Twelve months later, as he was walking on the roof of the royal palace in Babylon,
30 the king said, Babylon the great! Was it not I, with my great strength, who built it as a royal residence for my splendor and majesty?
31 While these words were still on the king's lips, a voice spoke from heaven, It has been decreed for you, King Nebuchadnezzar, that your kingdom is taken from you!
32 You shall be cast out from among men, and shall dwell with wild beasts; you shall be given grass to eat like an ox, and seven years shall pass over you, until you learn that the Most High rules over the kingdom of men and gives it to whom he will.
33 At once this was fulfilled. Nebuchadnezzar was cast out from among men, he ate grass like an ox, and his body was bathed with the dew of heaven, until his hair grew like the feathers of an eagle, and his nails like the claws of a bird.
34 When this period was over, I, Nebuchadnezzar, raised my eyes to heaven; my reason was restored to me, and I blessed the Most High, I praised and glorified him who lives forever: His dominion is an everlasting dominion, and his kingdom endures through all generations.
35 All who live on the earth are counted as nothing; he does as he pleases with the powers of heaven as well as with those who live on the earth. There is no one who can stay his hand or say to him, What have you done?
36 At the same time my reason returned to me, and for the glory of my kingdom, my majesty and my splendor returned to me. My nobles and lords sought me out; I was restored to my kingdom, and became much greater than before.
37 Therefore, I, Nebuchadnezzar, now praise and exalt and glorify the King of heaven, because all his works are right and his ways just; and those who walk in pride he is able to humble.