16. Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego answered King Nebuchadnezzar, “We don’t need to answer your last question.
17. If our God, whom we honor, can save us from a blazing furnace and from your power, he will, Your Majesty.
18. But if he doesn’t, you should know, Your Majesty, we’ll never honor your gods or worship the gold statue that you set up.”
19. Nebuchadnezzar was so filled with anger toward Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego that his face turned red. He ordered that the furnace should be heated seven times hotter than normal.
20. He told some soldiers from his army to tie up Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego so that they could be thrown into the blazing furnace.
21. Then the three men were thrown into the blazing furnace. They were wearing their clothes, hats, and other clothing.
22. The king’s order was so urgent and the furnace was so extremely hot that the men who carried Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego were killed by the flames from the fire.
23. So these three men—Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego—fell into the blazing furnace. They were still tied up.
24. Then Nebuchadnezzar was startled. He sprang to his feet. He asked his advisers, “Didn’t we throw three men into the fire?”“That’s true, Your Majesty,” they answered.
25. The king replied, “But look, I see four men. They’re untied, walking in the middle of the fire, and unharmed. The fourth one looks like a son of the gods.”