Shadrach,Meshachand Abed-negorepliedto the king,"O Nebuchadnezzar,we do not needto giveyou an answerconcerningthismatter.
And ifonecan overpowerhim whois alone, twocan resisthim. A cordof three[strands] is not quicklytornapart.
Then the commanderof the officialsassigned[new] namesto them; and to Danielhe assigned[the name] Belteshazzar,to HananiahShadrach,to MishaelMeshachand to AzariahAbed-nego.
"Thereare certainJewswhomyou have appointedoverthe administrationof the provinceof Babylon,[namely] Shadrach,Meshachand Abed-nego.Thesemen,O king,have disregardedyou; they do not serveyour godsor worshipthe goldenimagewhichyou have setup."
Nebuchadnezzarrespondedand said,"Blessedbe the Godof Shadrach,Meshachand Abed-nego,whohas sentHis angeland deliveredHis servantswhoputtheir trustin Him, violatingthe king'scommand,and yieldedup their bodiessoas not to serveor worshipanygodexcepttheir own God.
