Daniel 3

Matthew(i) 1 Nabuchodonosor the kynge caused a golden Image to be made whiche was .lx. cubytes hye, & sixe cubytes thycke. This he made to be set vp in the feld of Dura in the lande of Babylon, 2 and sent out to gather together the dukes, lordes and nobles, the iudges and offycers, the debytes, & shreues, with all the rulers of the lande, that they mighte come to the dedicacyon of the Image whiche Nabuchodonosor the kynge had set vp. 3 So the dukes, lordes and nobles, the iudges and offycers, debytes and shreues with all the rulers of the land gathered them together, and came vnto the dedycatynge of the Image, that Nabuchodonosor the kynge had set vp. Now when they stode before the Image, whiche Nabuchodonosor set vp, 4 the bedel cryed out with al his might: O ye people, kynredes and tunges, to you be it sayde: 5 that when ye heare the noyse of the trompettes, whiche shalbe blowen, wyth the harpes, shawmes, Psalteryes, Symphonyes and all maner of Musick: ye fall doune and worshyp ye the golden Image, that Nabuchodonosor the kynge hath set vp. 6 Who so then falleth not downe & boweth hym selfe, shall euen the same houre be caste into an hote burnynge ouen. 7 Therfor when all the folcke hearde the noyse of the trompettes that were blowen, with the harpes, shawmes, Psalteryes, Simphonyes and all kynde of Melody: then all the people, kynredes and nacyons fell doune, and bowed them selues vnto the golden Image, that Nabuchodonosor the kynge had set vp. 8 Now were there certayne men of the Caldees, that wente euen then, and accused the Iewes, 9 and sayde vnto the kynge Nabuchodonosor: O kyng, God saue thy lyfe for euer. 10 Thou beynge kynge, haste geuen a commaundement, that all men when they heare noyse of the trompettes, harpes, shawmes, psalteryes, symphonyes and all the other melodyes: shall fall downe, and bowe them selues towarde the golden Image: 11 who so then fel not doune, and worshypped not, that he shulde be caste into an hote burnynge ouen. 12 Now are there certayne Iewes, whome thou haste set ouer the offyces of the lande of Babylon, namely, Sydrach, Mysach & Abednago. These men (O kynge) regarde not thy commaundement, yea they wyll not serue thy Goddes, nor bowe them selues to the golden Image, that thou haste set vp. 13 Then Nabuchodonosor in a cruell wrathe, and displeasur, commaunded that Sidrach, Misach and Abednago shulde be broughte vnto hym. So these men were broughte before the kynge. 14 Then Nabuchodonosor spake vnto them, and sayde: what? O Sidrach Misach and Abednago, wyll not ye serue my Goddes, nor bowe youre selues to the golden Image, that I haue set vp? 15 well, be readye here after, when ye heare the noyse of the trompettes blowe wyth the harpes, shawmes, psalteryes, symphonyes and all the other melodyes: that ye fall doune, and worshyppe the Image whiche I haue made. But yf ye worshyppe it not, ye shall be caste immedyatly into an hote burnynge ouen. Let se, what God is there, that maye delyuer you oute of my handes? 16 Sidrach, Misach and Abednago aunswered the kynge, and sayde: O Nabuchodonosor, we oughte not to consente vnto the in this matter, for why: 17 oure GOD whome we serue, is able to kepe vs from the hote burnynge ouen (O kynge) and can right well delyuer vs oute of thy handes. 18 And thoughe he wyll not, yet shalte thou knowe (O kynge) that we wil not serue thy Goddes, nor do reuerence to the Image, whiche thou haste set vp. 19 Then was Nabuchodonosor full of indignacyon, so that the countenaunce of hys face chaunged vpon Sidrach, Misach, and Abednago. Therfor he charged and commaunded, that the ouen shuld be made seuen tymes hoter, then it was wonte to be, 20 and spake vnto the strongeste worthyes that were in hys hoste, for to bynde Sidrach, Misach and Abednago, & to cast them into the hote burnynge ouen. 21 So these men were bounde in theyr cotes hosen, shues with theyr other garmentes, and caste into the hote burnynge ouen: 22 for the kynges commaundemente was so strate, and the ouen was exceadynge hote. As for the men that put in Sydrach, Mysach & Abednago, the flamme of the fyre destroyed them. 23 And these thre men Sidrach, Misah & Abednago fell doune in the hote burnynge ouen, beinge fast bound. 24 Then Nabuchodonosor the kyng marueyled, & stode vp in al haste: he spake vnto hys councell, and sayde: dyd not ye caste these thre men bounde into the fyre? They aunswered, and sayde vnto the kynge: Yea O kynge. 25 He aunswered and sayde: lo, for all that, yet do I se foure men goynge lowse in the myddeste of the fyre, and nothynge corrupte: and the fourthe is lyke an angell to loke vpon. 26 Vpon thys wente Nabuchodonosor vnto the mouth of the hote burnynge ouen: he spake also, and sayde: O Sydrach, Mysach & Abednago, ye seruauntes of the hye God: go forthe, & come hyther. And so Sydrach, Mysach, and Abednago wente oute of the fyre. 27 Then the dukes lordes and nobles, and the kynges councell came together to se these men, vpon whom the fyre had no maner of power in theyr bodyes: In so much that the very hearre of theyr head was not burnte, & theyr clothes vnchaunged: Yea there was no smel of fyre felt vpon them. 28 Then spake Nabuchodonosor, and sayde: Blessed be the God of Sidrach, Misach and Abednago, whiche hath sente his aungel, & defended hys seruauntes, that put their trust in him: that haue altered the kynges commaundement: and yeoparde theyr bodyes thervpon, rather then they wolde serue or worshyp any other God, excepte theyr owne God onelye. 29 Therfore I wyll, and commaund, that al people, kynredes and tunges, whiche speake any blasphemye agaynst the God of Sidrach, Misach and Abednago, shall dye, and theyr houses shalbe prysed: Because there is no God that maye saue, as thys. 30 So the kynge promoted Sidrach, Misach, and Abednago, in the land of Babylon.