Prayer of Azariah and the Song of the Three Jews 1 (NRSV)

Cymraeg (Welsh)

beibl.net (BNET)Beibl Cymraeg Newydd Diwygiedig (BCND)Beibl William Morgan (BWM)

Kernewek (Cornish)

An Bibel Kernewek 2020 (ABK)

Gaelg (Manx)

Yn Vible Casherick 1819 (BIB1819)

View themes in this chapter

No themes applied yet

View all themes Clear highlights

(Additions to Daniel, inserted between 3.23 and 3.24)

The Prayer of Azariah in the Furnace

1They1.1 That is, Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah (Dan 2.17), the original names of Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego (Dan 1.6–7) walked around in the midst of the flames, singing hymns to God and blessing the Lord. 2Then Azariah stood still in the fire and prayed aloud:

3‘Blessed are you, O Lord, God of our ancestors, and worthy of praise;

and glorious is your name for ever!

4For you are just in all you have done;

all your works are true and your ways right,

and all your judgements are true.

5You have executed true judgements in all you have brought upon us

and upon Jerusalem, the holy city of our ancestors;

by a true judgement you have brought all this upon us because of our sins.

6For we have sinned and broken your law in turning away from you;

in all matters we have sinned grievously.

7We have not obeyed your commandments,

we have not kept them or done what you have commanded us for our own good.

8So all that you have brought upon us,

and all that you have done to us,

you have done by a true judgement.

9You have handed us over to our enemies, lawless and hateful rebels,

and to an unjust king, the most wicked in all the world.

10And now we cannot open our mouths;

we, your servants who worship you, have become a shame and a reproach.

11For your name's sake do not give us up for ever,

and do not annul your covenant.

12Do not withdraw your mercy from us,

for the sake of Abraham your beloved

and for the sake of your servant Isaac

and Israel your holy one,

13to whom you promised

to multiply their descendants like the stars of heaven

and like the sand on the shore of the sea.

14For we, O Lord, have become fewer than any other nation,

and are brought low this day in all the world because of our sins.

15In our day we have no ruler, or prophet, or leader,

no burnt-offering, or sacrifice, or oblation, or incense,

no place to make an offering before you and to find mercy.

16Yet with a contrite heart and a humble spirit may we be accepted,

17as though it were with burnt-offerings of rams and bulls,

or with tens of thousands of fat lambs;

such may our sacrifice be in your sight today,

and may we unreservedly follow you,1.17 Meaning of Gk uncertain

for no shame will come to those who trust in you.

18And now with all our heart we follow you;

we fear you and seek your presence.

19Do not put us to shame,

but deal with us in your patience

and in your abundant mercy.

20Deliver us in accordance with your marvellous works,

and bring glory to your name, O Lord.

21Let all who do harm to your servants be put to shame;

let them be disgraced and deprived of all power,

and let their strength be broken.

22Let them know that you alone are the Lord God,

glorious over the whole world.’

The Song of the Three Jews

23Now the king's servants who threw them in kept stoking the furnace with naphtha, pitch, tow, and brushwood. 24And the flames poured out above the furnace forty-nine cubits, 25and spread out and burned those Chaldeans who were caught near the furnace. 26But the angel of the Lord came down into the furnace to be with Azariah and his companions, and drove the fiery flame out of the furnace, 27and made the inside of the furnace as though a moist wind were whistling through it. The fire did not touch them at all and caused them no pain or distress.

28Then the three with one voice praised and glorified and blessed God in the furnace:

29‘Blessed are you, O Lord, God of our ancestors,

and to be praised and highly exalted for ever;

30And blessed is your glorious, holy name,

and to be highly praised and highly exalted for ever.

31Blessed are you in the temple of your holy glory,

and to be extolled and highly glorified for ever.

32Blessed are you who look into the depths from your throne on the cherubim,

and to be praised and highly exalted for ever.

33Blessed are you on the throne of your kingdom,

and to be extolled and highly exalted for ever.

34Blessed are you in the firmament of heaven,

and to be sung and glorified for ever.

35‘Bless the Lord, all you works of the Lord;