The Furnace of Blazing Fire

⁸ Some Chaldeans^(A) took this occasion to come forward and maliciously accuse^[a](B) the Jews. ⁹ They said to King Nebuchadnezzar, “May the king live forever. ¹⁰ You as king have issued a decree^(C) that everyone who hears the sound of the horn, flute, zither, lyre, harp, drum, and every kind of music must fall down and worship the gold statue. ¹¹ Whoever does not fall down and worship will be thrown into a furnace of blazing fire. ¹² There are some Jews you have appointed to manage the province of Babylon: Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego.^(D) These men have ignored you,^(E) the king; they do not serve your gods or worship the gold statue you have set up.”

¹⁹ When her owners realized that their hope of profit was gone, they seized Paul and Silas^(A) and dragged them into the marketplace to the authorities. ²⁰ Bringing them before the chief magistrates, they said, “These men are seriously disturbing our city. They are Jews ²¹ and are promoting customs that are not legal for us as Romans to adopt or practice.”^(B)