18. But even if he will not, let it be known to you, O king, that we will not worship your gods, nor adore the gold statue, which you have raised up."
19. Then Nebuchadnezzar was filled with fury and the appearance of his face was changed against Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, and he commanded that the furnace should be heated to seven times its usual fire.
20. And he ordered the strongest men of his army to bind the feet of Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, and to cast them into the furnace of burning fire.
21. And immediately these men were bound, and along with their coats, and their hats, and their shoes, and their garments, were cast into the middle of the furnace of burning fire.
22. But the king's order was so urgent that the furnace was heated excessively. As a result, those men who had cast in Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, were killed by the flame of the fire.
23. But these three men, that is, Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, having been bound, fell down in the middle of the oven of burning fire.
24. And they were walking in the midst of the flame, praising God and blessing the Lord.
25. Then Azariah, while standing, prayed in this manner, and opening his mouth in the midst of the fire, he said:
26. "Blessed are you, O Lord, the God of our fathers, and your name is praiseworthy and glorious for all ages.
27. For you are just in all the things that you have accomplished for us, and all your works are true, and your ways are right, and all your judgments are true.
28. For you have made equally true judgments in all the things that you have brought upon us and upon Jerusalem, the holy city of our fathers. For in truth and in judgment, you have brought down all these things because of our sins.
29. For we have sinned, and we have committed iniquity in withdrawing from you, and we have offended in all things.
30. And we have not listened to your precepts, nor have we observed or done as you have ordered us, so that it might go well with us.
31. Therefore, everything that you have brought upon us, and all that you have done for us, you have done in true judgment.
32. And you have delivered us into the hands of our enemies: traitors, unjust and most wicked, and to a king, unjust and most wicked, even more so than all others on earth.
33. And now we are not able to open our mouths. We have become a shame and a disgrace to your servants and to those who worship you.