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The
King's Golden Image |
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Daniel 3:1
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Nebuchadnezzar the king made an image of gold,
the height of which was sixty cubits and its width six cubits; he set it up on
the plain of Dura in the province of Babylon. |
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Daniel 3:2
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Then Nebuchadnezzar the king sent word to assemble
the satraps, the prefects and the governors, the counselors, the treasurers, the
judges, the magistrates and all the rulers of the provinces to come to the dedication
of the image that Nebuchadnezzar the king had set up. |
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Daniel 3:3
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Then the satraps, the prefects and the governors,
the counselors, the treasurers, the judges, the magistrates and all the rulers
of the provinces were assembled for the dedication of the image that Nebuchadnezzar
the king had set up; and they stood before the image that Nebuchadnezzar had set
up. |
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Daniel 3:4
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Then the herald loudly proclaimed: "To you the
command is given, O peoples, nations and men of every language, |
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Daniel 3:5
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that at the moment you hear the sound of the
horn, flute, lyre, trigon, psaltery, bagpipe and all kinds of music, you are to
fall down and worship the golden image that Nebuchadnezzar the king has set up. |
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Daniel 3:6
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"But whoever does not fall down and worship
shall immediately be cast into the midst of a furnace of blazing fire." |
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Daniel 3:7
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Therefore at that time, when all the peoples
heard the sound of the horn, flute, lyre, trigon, psaltery, bagpipe and all kinds
of music, all the peoples, nations and men of every language fell down and worshiped
the golden image that Nebuchadnezzar the king had set up. |
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Worship of the Image Refused |
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Daniel 3:8
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For this reason at that time certain Chaldeans
came forward and brought charges against the Jews. |
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Daniel 3:9
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They responded and said to Nebuchadnezzar the
king: "O king, live forever! |
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Daniel 3:10
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"You, O king, have made a decree that every
man who hears the sound of the horn, flute, lyre, trigon, psaltery, and bagpipe
and all kinds of music, is to fall down and worship the golden image. |
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Daniel 3:11
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"But whoever does not fall down and worship
shall be cast into the midst of a furnace of blazing fire. |
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Daniel 3:12
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"There are certain Jews whom you have appointed
over the administration of the province of Babylon, namely Shadrach, Meshach and
Abed-nego. These men, O king, have disregarded you; they do not serve your gods
or worship the golden image which you have set up." |
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Daniel 3:13
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Then Nebuchadnezzar in rage and anger gave orders
to bring Shadrach, Meshach and Abed-nego; then these men were brought before the
king. |
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Daniel 3:14
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Nebuchadnezzar responded and said to them, "Is
it true, Shadrach, Meshach and Abed-nego, that you do not serve my gods or worship
the golden image that I have set up? |
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Daniel 3:15
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"Now if you are ready, at the moment you hear
the sound of the horn, flute, lyre, trigon, psaltery and bagpipe and all kinds
of music, to fall down and worship the image that I have made, very well. But
if you do not worship, you will immediately be cast into the midst of a furnace
of blazing fire; and what god is there who can deliver you out of my hands?" |
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Daniel 3:16
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Shadrach, Meshach and Abed-nego replied to the
king, "O Nebuchadnezzar, we do not need to give you an answer concerning this
matter. |
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Daniel 3:17
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"If it be so, our God whom we serve is able
to deliver us from the furnace of blazing fire; and He will deliver us out of
your hand, O king. |
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Daniel 3:18
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"But even if He does not, let it be known to
you, O king, that we are not going to serve your gods or worship the golden image
that you have set up." |
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Daniel's Friends Protected |
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Daniel 3:19
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Then Nebuchadnezzar was filled with wrath, and
his facial expression was altered toward Shadrach, Meshach and Abed-nego. He answered
by giving orders to heat the furnace seven times more than it was usually heated.
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Daniel 3:20
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He commanded certain valiant warriors who were
in his army to tie up Shadrach, Meshach and Abed-nego in order to cast them into
the furnace of blazing fire. |
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Daniel 3:21
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Then these men were tied up in their trousers,
their coats, their caps and their other clothes, and were cast into the midst
of the furnace of blazing fire. |
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Daniel 3:22
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For this reason, because the king's command
was urgent and the furnace had been made extremely hot, the flame of the fire
slew those men who carried up Shadrach, Meshach and Abed-nego. |
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Daniel 3:23
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But these three men, Shadrach, Meshach and Abed-nego,
fell into the midst of the furnace of blazing fire still tied up. |
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Daniel 3:24
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Then Nebuchadnezzar the king was astounded and
stood up in haste; he said to his high officials, "Was it not three men we cast
bound into the midst of the fire?" They replied to the king, "Certainly, O king."
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Daniel 3:25
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He said, "Look! I see four men loosed and walking
about in the midst of the fire without harm, and the appearance of the fourth
is like a son of the gods!" |
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Daniel 3:26
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Then Nebuchadnezzar came near to the door of
the furnace of blazing fire; he responded and said, "Shadrach, Meshach and Abed-nego,
come out, you servants of the Most High God, and come here!" Then Shadrach, Meshach
and Abed-nego came out of the midst of the fire. |
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Daniel 3:27
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The satraps, the prefects, the governors and
the king's high officials gathered around and saw in regard to these men that
the fire had no effect on the bodies of these men nor was the hair of their head
singed, nor were their trousers damaged, nor had the smell of fire even come upon
them. |
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Daniel 3:28
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Nebuchadnezzar responded and said, "Blessed
be the God of Shadrach, Meshach and Abed-nego, who has sent His angel and delivered
His servants who put their trust in Him, violating the king's command, and yielded
up their bodies so as not to serve or worship any god except their own God. |
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Daniel 3:29
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"Therefore I make a decree that any people,
nation or tongue that speaks anything offensive against the God of Shadrach, Meshach
and Abed-nego shall be torn limb from limb and their houses reduced to a rubbish
heap, inasmuch as there is no other god who is able to deliver in this way." |
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Daniel 3:30
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Then the king caused Shadrach, Meshach and Abed-nego
to prosper in the province of Babylon. |
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