September 25
Daniel 3:1 — 4:37 

3 Nebuchadnezzar the king made an image of gold, the height of which was sixty cubits [and] the breadth of which was six cubits. He set it up in the plain of Dura in the jurisdictional district of Babylon. 2 And Nebuchadnezzar himself as king sent to assemble the satraps, the prefects and the governors, the counselors, the treasurers, the judges, the police magistrates and all the administrators of the jurisdictional districts to come to the inauguration of the image that Nebuchadnezzar the king had set up.

3 At that time the satraps, the prefects and the governors, the counselors, the treasurers, the judges, the police magistrates and all the administrators of the jurisdictional districts were assembling themselves for the inauguration of the image that Nebuchadnezzar the king had set up, and they were standing in front of the image that Nebuchadnezzar had set up. 4 And the herald was crying out loudly: “To YOU it is being said, O peoples, national groups and languages, 5 that at the time that YOU hear the sound of the horn, the pipe, the zither, the triangular harp, the stringed instrument, the bagpipe and all sorts of musical instruments, YOU fall down and worship the image of gold that Nebuchadnezzar the king has set up. 6 And whoever does not fall down and worship will at the same moment be thrown into the burning fiery furnace.” 7 Because of this, at the same time as all the peoples were hearing the sound of the horn, the pipe, the zither, the triangular harp, the stringed instrument and all sorts of musical instruments, all the peoples, national groups and languages were falling down [and] worshiping the image of gold that Nebuchadnezzar the king had set up.

8 Because of this, at that same time certain Chaldeans approached and accused the Jews. 9 They answered, and they were saying to Nebuchadnezzar the king: “O king, live on even for times indefinite. 10 You yourself, O king, set forth the command that every man that hears the sound of the horn, the pipe, the zither, the triangular harp, the stringed instrument, and the bagpipe and all sorts of musical instruments, should fall down and worship the image of gold; 11 and that whoever would not fall down and worship should be thrown into the burning fiery furnace. 12 There exist certain Jews whom you appointed over the administration of the jurisdictional district of Babylon, Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego; these able-bodied men have paid no regard to you, O king, they are not serving your own gods, and the image of gold that you have set up they are not worshiping.”

13 At that time Nebuchadnezzar, in a rage and fury, said to bring in Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego. Consequently these able-bodied men were brought in before the king. 14 Nebuchadnezzar was answering and saying to them: “Is it really so, O Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego, that YOU are not serving my own gods, and the image of gold that I have set up YOU are not worshiping? 15 Now if YOU are ready so that when YOU hear the sound of the horn, the pipe, the zither, the triangular harp, the stringed instrument, and the bagpipe and all sorts of musical instruments, YOU fall down and worship the image that I have made, [all right]. But if YOU do not worship, at that same moment YOU will be thrown into the burning fiery furnace. And who is that god that can rescue YOU out of my hands?”

16 Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego answered, and they were saying to the king: “O Nebuchadnezzar, we are under no necessity in this regard to say back a word to you. 17 If it is to be, our God whom we are serving is able to rescue us. Out of the burning fiery furnace and out of your hand, O king, he will rescue [us]. 18 But if not, let it become known to you, O king, that your gods are not the ones we are serving, and the image of gold that you have set up we will not worship.”

19 Then it was that Nebuchadnezzar himself got filled with fury, and the very expression of his face was changed toward Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego. He was answering and saying to heat up the furnace seven times more than it was customary to heat it up. 20 And to certain able-bodied men of vital energy who were in his military force he said to bind Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego, in order to throw [them] into the burning fiery furnace.

21 Then it was that these able-bodied men were bound in their mantles, their garments and their caps and their other clothing and were thrown into the burning fiery furnace. 22 Just because the king’s word was harsh and the furnace was heated to excess, these able-bodied men that took up Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego were the ones that the fiery flame killed. 23 But these [other] able-bodied men, the three of them, Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego, fell down bound in the midst of the burning fiery furnace.

24 At that time Nebuchadnezzar the king himself became frightened and he rose up in a hurry. He was answering and saying to his high royal officials: “Was it not three able-bodied men that we threw bound into the midst of the fire?” They were answering and saying to the king: “Yes, O king.” 25 He was answering and saying: “Look! I am beholding four able-bodied men walking about free in the midst of the fire, and there is no hurt to them, and the appearance of the fourth one is resembling a son of the gods.”

26 Then it was that Nebuchadnezzar approached the door of the burning fiery furnace. He was answering and saying: “Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego, YOU servants of the Most High God, step out and come here!” At that time Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego were stepping out from the midst of the fire. 27 And the satraps, the prefects and the governors and the high officials of the king that were assembled were beholding these able-bodied men, that the fire had had no power over their bodies, and not a hair of their head had been singed, and even their mantles had not been changed and the smell of fire itself had not come onto them.

28 Nebuchadnezzar was answering and saying: “Blessed be the God of Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego, who sent his angel and rescued his servants that trusted in him and that changed the very word of the king and gave over their bodies, because they would not serve and would not worship any god at all except their own God. 29 And from me an order is being put through, that any people, national group or language that says anything wrong against the God of Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego should be dismembered, and its house should be turned into a public privy; forasmuch as there does not exist another god that is able to deliver like this one.”

30 At that time the king himself caused Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego to prosper in the jurisdictional district of Babylon.


4 “Nebuchadnezzar the king, to all the peoples, national groups and languages that are dwelling in all the earth: May YOUR peace grow great. 2 The signs and wonders that the Most High God has performed with me, it has seemed good to me to declare. 3 How grand his signs are, and how mighty his wonders are! His kingdom is a kingdom to time indefinite, and his rulership is for generation after generation.

4 “I, Nebuchadnezzar, happened to be at ease in my house and flourishing in my palace. 5 There was a dream that I beheld, and it began to make me afraid. And there were mental images upon my bed and visions of my head that began to frighten me. 6 And from me an order was being put through to bring in before me all the wise men of Babylon, that they might make known to me the very interpretation of the dream.

7 “At that time the magic-practicing priests, the conjurers, the Chaldeans and the astrologers were entering; and I was saying before them what the dream was, but its interpretation they were not making known to me. 8 And at last there came in before me Daniel, whose name is Belteshazzar according to the name of my god and in whom there is the spirit of the holy gods; and before him I said what the dream was:

9 “‘O Belteshazzar the chief of the magic-practicing priests, because I myself well know that the spirit of the holy gods is in you and that there is no secret at all that is troubling you, tell [me] the visions of my dream that I have beheld and its interpretation.

10 “‘Now the visions of my head upon my bed I happened to be beholding, and, look! a tree in the midst of the earth, the height of which was immense. 11 The tree grew up and became strong, and its very height finally reached the heavens, and it was visible to the extremity of the whole earth. 12 Its foliage was fair, and its fruit was abundant, and there was food for all on it. Under it the beast of the field would seek shade, and on its boughs the birds of the heavens would dwell, and from it all flesh would feed itself.

13 “‘I continued beholding in the visions of my head upon my bed, and, look! a watcher, even a holy one, coming down from the heavens themselves. 14 He was calling out loudly, and this is what he was saying: “CHOP the tree down, and cut off its boughs. SHAKE off its foliage, and scatter its fruitage. Let the beast flee from under it, and the birds from its boughs. 15 However, LEAVE its rootstock itself in the earth, even with a banding of iron and of copper, among the grass of the field; and with the dew of the heavens let it be wet, and with the beast let its portion be among the vegetation of the earth. 16 Let its heart be changed from that of mankind, and let the heart of a beast be given to it, and let seven times pass over it. 17 By the decree of watchers the thing is, and [by] the saying of holy ones the request is, to the intent that people living may know that the Most High is Ruler in the kingdom of mankind and that to the one whom he wants to, he gives it and he sets up over it even the lowliest one of mankind.”

18 “‘This was the dream that I myself, King Nebuchadnezzar, beheld; and you yourself, O Belteshazzar, say what the interpretation is, forasmuch as all the [other] wise men of my kingdom are unable to make known to me the interpretation itself. But you are competent, because the spirit of holy gods is in you.’
      19 “At that time Daniel himself, whose name is Belteshazzar, was astonished for a moment, and his very thoughts began to frighten him.
      “The king was answering and saying, ‘O Belteshazzar, do not let the dream and the interpretation themselves frighten you.’
      “Belteshazzar was answering and saying, ‘O my lord, may the dream [apply] to those hating you, and its interpretation to your adversaries.

20 “‘The tree that you beheld, that grew great and became strong and the height of which finally reached the heavens and which was visible to all the earth, 21 and the foliage of which was fair, and the fruit of which was abundant, and on which there was food for all; under which the beasts of the field would dwell, and on the boughs of which the birds of the heavens would reside, 22 it is you, O king, because you have grown great and become strong, and your grandeur has grown great and reached to the heavens, and your rulership to the extremity of the earth.

23 “‘And because the king beheld a watcher, even a holy one, coming down from the heavens, who was also saying: “CHOP the tree down, and RUIN it. However, LEAVE its rootstock itself in the earth, but with a banding of iron and of copper, among the grass of the field, and with the dew of the heavens let it become wet, and with the beasts of the field let its portion be until seven times themselves pass over it,” 24 this is the interpretation, O king, and the decree of the Most High is that which must befall my lord the king. 25 And you they will be driving away from men, and with the beasts of the field your dwelling will come to be, and the vegetation is what they will give even to you to eat just like bulls; and with the dew of the heavens you yourself will be getting wet, and seven times themselves will pass over you, until you know that the Most High is Ruler in the kingdom of mankind, and that to the one whom he wants to he gives it.

26 “‘And because they said to leave the rootstock of the tree, your kingdom will be sure to you after you know that the heavens are ruling. 27 Therefore, O king, may my counsel seem good to you, and remove your own sins by righteousness, and your iniquity by showing mercy to the poor ones. Maybe there will occur a lengthening of your prosperity.’”
      28 All this befell Nebuchadnezzar the king.

29 At the end of twelve lunar months he happened to be walking upon the royal palace of Babylon. 30 The king was answering and saying: “Is not this Babylon the Great, that I myself have built for the royal house with the strength of my might and for the dignity of my majesty?”

31 While the word was yet in the king’s mouth, there was a voice that fell from the heavens: “To you it is being said, O Nebuchadnezzar the king, ‘The kingdom itself has gone away from you, 32 and from mankind they are driving even you away, and with the beasts of the field your dwelling will be. Vegetation they will give even to you to eat just like bulls, and seven times themselves will pass over you, until you know that the Most High is Ruler in the kingdom of mankind, and that to the one whom he wants to he gives it.’”

33 At that moment the word itself was fulfilled upon Nebuchadnezzar, and from mankind he was being driven away, and vegetation he began to eat just like bulls, and with the dew of the heavens his own body got to be wet, until his very hair grew long just like eagles’ [feathers] and his nails like birds’ [claws].

34 “And at the end of the days I, Nebuchadnezzar, lifted up to the heavens my eyes, and my own understanding began to return to me; and I blessed the Most High himself, and the One living to time indefinite I praised and glorified, because his rulership is a rulership to time indefinite and his kingdom is for generation after generation. 35 And all the inhabitants of the earth are being considered as merely nothing, and he is doing according to his own will among the army of the heavens and the inhabitants of the earth. And there exists no one that can check his hand or that can say to him, ‘What have you been doing?’

36 “At the same time my understanding itself began to return to me, and for the dignity of my kingdom my majesty and my brightness themselves began to return to me; and for me even my high royal officers and my grandees began eagerly searching, and I was reestablished upon my own kingdom, and greatness extraordinary was added to me.

37 “Now I, Nebuchadnezzar, am praising and exalting and glorifying the King of the heavens, because all his works are truth and his ways are justice, and because those who are walking in pride he is able to humiliate.”