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.
He also said,"Blessedbe the LORD,The Godof Shem;And let Canaanbe his servant.
They were helpedagainstthem, and the Hagritesand allwho [were] with them were giveninto their hand;for they criedout to Godin the battle,and He answeredtheir prayersbecausethey trustedin Him.
They roseearlyin the morningand wentout to the wildernessof Tekoa;and when they wentout, Jehoshaphatstoodand said,"Listento me, O Judahand inhabitantsof Jerusalem,putyour trustin the LORDyour Godand you will be established.Putyour trustin His prophetsand succeed."
And the LORDsentan angelwho destroyedeverymightywarrior,commanderand officerin the campof the kingof Assyria.So he returnedin shameto his own land.And when he had enteredthe templeof his god,someof his ownchildrenkilledhim therewith the sword.
Whoeverthere is among you of allHis people,may his Godbe with him! Let him goup to Jerusalemwhichis in Judahand rebuildthe houseof the LORD,the Godof Israel;He is the Godwhois in Jerusalem.
"And I issueda decreethat anymanwhoviolatesthisedict,a timbershall be drawnfrom his houseand he shall be impaledon it and his houseshall be madea refuseheapon accountof this.
Blessthe LORD,you His angels,Mightyin strength,who performHis word,Obeyingthe voiceof His word!
The LORDfavorsthose who fearHim, Those who waitfor His lovingkindness.
Behold,the eyeof the LORDis on those who fearHim, On those who hopefor His lovingkindness,
For our heartrejoicesin Him, Becausewe trustin His holyname.
The LORDredeemsthe soulof His servants,And noneof those who takerefugein Him will be condemned.
Trustin Him at alltimes,O people;Pourout your heartbeforeHim; Godis a refugefor us. Selah.
"You shall not worshipthem or servethem; for I, the LORDyour God,am a jealousGod,visitingthe iniquityof the fatherson the children,on the thirdand the fourthgenerations of those who hateMe,
"Behold,Godis my salvation,I will trustand not be afraid;For the LORDGODis my strengthand song,And He has becomemy salvation."
Then the angelof the LORDwentout and struck185000in the campof the Assyrians;and when men aroseearlyin the morning,behold,allof these were dead.
Whois among you that fearsthe LORD,That obeysthe voiceof His servant,That walksin darknessand hasnolight?Let him trustin the nameof the LORDand relyon his God.
The kingansweredDanieland said,"Surelyyour Godis a Godof godsand a Lordof kingsand a revealerof mysteries,sinceyou have beenableto revealthismystery."
He said,"Look!I seefourmenloosed[and] walking[about] in the midstof the firewithoutharm,and the appearanceof the fourthis likea sonof [the] gods!"
"But at the endof that period,I, Nebuchadnezzar,raisedmy eyestoward heavenand my reasonreturnedto me, and I blessedthe MostHighand praisedand honoredHim wholivesforever;For His dominionis an everlastingdominion,And His kingdom[endures] from generationto generation.
Thenthe kinggaveorders,and Danielwas broughtin and castinto the lions'den.The kingspokeand saidto Daniel,"Your Godwhomyou constantlyservewill Himselfdeliveryou."
"I makea decreethat in allthe dominionof my kingdommen are to fearand tremblebeforethe Godof Daniel;For He is the livingGodand enduringforever,And His kingdomis one whichwill not be destroyed,And His dominion[will be] forever.
ThenJesussaidto him, "Go,Satan!For it is written,YOU SHALL WORSHIPTHE LORDYOUR GOD,AND SERVEHIM ONLY.'"
But Peterand Johnansweredand saidto them, "Whetherit is rightin the sightof Godto give heedto you ratherthanto God,you be the judge;
But duringthe nightan angelof the Lordopenedthe gatesof the prison,and takingthem out he said,
ThereforeI urgeyou, brethren,by the merciesof God,to presentyour bodiesa livingand holysacrifice,acceptableto God,[which is] your spiritualservice of worship.
And ifI giveallmy possessionsto feed[the poor], and ifI surrendermy bodyto be burned,but do not havelove,it profitsme nothing.
accordingto my earnest expectationand hope,that I will not be put to shamein anything,but [that] with allboldness,Christwill evennow,as always,be exaltedin my body,whetherby lifeorby death.
Are they not allministeringspirits,sentout to render servicefor the sakeof thosewho willinheritsalvation?
They were stoned,they were sawn in two,they were tempted,they were put to deathwith the sword;they went aboutin sheepskins,in goatskins,being destitute,afflicted,ill-treated
who throughHim are believersin God,who raisedHim from the deadand gaveHim glory,sothat your faithand hopeare in God.
"And they overcamehim becauseof the bloodof the Lamband becauseof the wordof their testimony,and they did not lovetheir lifeeven whenfaced with death.
