Book 2
Concerning the image which king Nebuchadnezzar set up
Chapter 21
1. You see how the Spirit of the Father cares for martyrs, he teaches, while urging and encouraging them, to despise this death and to hasten to what is better.
2. For if anyone is apart from the Holy Spirit, this one cowers7 in agony agony and is afraid, and he hides and avoids8 the temporary death and cringes before the sword and does not submit to retribution. He holds this world before his eyes, the cares of life, and he prefers his wife and he loves9 his own children and seeks the riches of property. Such a one does not procure heavenly power and is recklessly destroyed.
3. And so it is necessary for every man who accepts the Word, to listen to what the heavenly king and master prescribes, “Whoever does not take up his cross and follow after me, is not worthy of me,”1 and “He who does not renounce all his belongings2 is not able to be my disciple.”3
7 Lit: being cowardly
8 Lit: is wary
9 ἀγαπᾷ1 Or: patrimonial
1 Matthew 10:38
2 Lit: belongings to him
3 Luke 14:33
Chapter 22
1. And so even then, in this way the three boys, who were disciples of faith in Babylon, answered the king saying, “We have no need to answer you concerning this matter.”4
2. Daniel, having heard these words, approved.5
3. But again they said, “There is a God whom we serve, he is able to deliver us from the burning furnace of fire and from your hands, O king.”6
4. The Blessed Daniel, being a prophet and foreseeing what is to come, approved as being true what was spoken by them. And the boys, so that they may exhibit to the king their unsurpassable faith7, added
saying, “And if not, let it be known to you, O king, that we will not8 serve your gods and we will not9
serve the golden image which you set up.”10
5. Whom again the blessed Daniel, having heard their voice a third time, and having been amazed, crowned them in faith as speaking beautiful truths.11
4 Daniel 3:16 5 Or: having heard, approved these things 6 Daniel 3:17 7 Lit: the unsurpassability of their faith 8 Lit: we do not 9 Lit: we do not
10 Daniel 3:18 11 πάλιν ἀκούσας ὁ µακάριος ∆ανιὴλ τὴν τρίτην φωνήν, θαυµάσας τούτους ὡς καλοὺς ἀθλητὰς τῇ πίστει ἐστεφάνωσεν
Chapter 23
1. You see the assurance of the words which were spoken through one mouth, so that in no word may they stumble.
2. For after the king threatened them and said, “Why do you not serve my gods and not worship the golden image which I set up?”12 They answered, “We have no need to answer you concerning this matter,”1 not regarding him worthy of a defense of such a statement.
3. Then, after the king said, “You shall be cast into the burning furnace of fire, and what god is there who shall take you out of my hands?”2 They added to the word which was spoken by the king and said, “There is a God whom we serve, he is able to deliver us from the burning furnace of fire and from your hands, O king.”
4. After the king again said, “And so, now if you are prepared3, when you should hear the sound of the trumpet, pipes and lyres, harp and psaltery and all the family of musical instruments, fall down and worship the golden image.”4 They said to him, “Let it be known to you O king that we will not5
serve your gods and we will not6 worship the golden image which you set up.”7
12 Daniel 3:14
1 Daniel 3:16
2 Daniel 3:15
3 Lit: If you readily hold fast
4 Daniel 3:17
5 Lit: we do not
6 Lit: we do not
7 Daniel 3:18
Chapter 24
1. For the king set before them three matters through one word, like those who contend for three prizes in a contest, so that even in one matter, having laid a trap, he might trip these boys up.
2. But they, wishing to be defeated in nothing, genuinely answered in three statements.
3. For they set at naught the first matter of the king, showing that the idol which was worshiped by him was not worthy of any account.
4. Secondly, they taught the king that it is necessary to fear and worship a certain king8, saying, “There is a God whom we serve, he is able to deliver us from the burning furnace of fire.”9
5. Then thirdly, wishing to demonstrate their faith, they said, “And if not, let it be known to you, O king, that we will not1 serve your gods and we will not2 worship the golden image which you set up.”3
6. For in this, they fortified themselves through speech, lest, after they were cast into the furnace, they would also be incinerated and the Chaldeans would have boasted and deceived the king saying, “Do not be vexed, O king, you prevailed and you took the prize from them. For they, shrieking and burning in the fire, were saying, ‘We beg you, Lord and king, we will do what is commanded by you, we will worship the image.’”
7. Therefore4 after death believers, who did not wish to give a place of pretext to the devil, are called martyrs, according to every way they fortified themselves.
8. For they who believe have carried up all authority and glory to God, because he is able to deliver us, but if not we would rather gladly die than to do what is prescribed by you, Nebuchadnezzar!
8 Or: worship someone
9 Daniel 3:17
1 Lit: we do not
2 Lit: we do not
3 Daniel 3:18
4 Lit: Therefore so that also
Chapter 25
1. “Then Nebuchadnezzar was full of wrath and the countenance of his face was changed before Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, and he said, ‘Heat the furnace seven times hotter until it has been kindled to the limit.’ And he commanded5 strongmen, after binding them in strength, to
cast them into the burning furnace of fire. Then those men were bound with their garments and cloaks …6 and were cast into the burning furnace of fire according to the word of the king.”7
2. And so indeed they prevailed, if it is necessary to speak the truth, the boys…1 For as strong as the word of the boys was, so was the king wrathful and he said, “Heat the furnace seven times hotter,” who was, as always, already defeated by them.
3. For the king prevailed in terrestrial matters, but the three boys prevailed in faith towards God.
4. But someone will say, “And so was not Daniel, being a friend of the king, able to intercede2 on their behalf and pardon the three boys?” He was able, but it happened in this way so that the great works of God may be shown and the Babylonians may learn to fear God, and on account of this find rest, so that also their faith may be shown and God may be glorified in them.
5. For if this had not happened the Babylonians would be able to say3, “If Daniel did not intercede4 with the king on their behalf, these boys would today be destroyed in fire,” and reckon grace to be human rather than the power of God.
5 Lit: said
6 Lacuna
7 Daniel 3:19-21
1 Lacuna
2 Lit: entreat
3 ἀλλ’ ἵνα ἤµελλον ἂν λέγειν οἱ Βαβυλώνιοι
4 Lit: entreat
Chapter 26
1. But why was the king not sorely pricked, having actually seen Daniel, who was a Jew, and why did he not say to him, “Why do you not worship the image?” He no doubt would have said to the king, “Because I do not worship works made with hands, but the living God who made heaven and earth and has lordship over all flesh.”5 Just as he answered Cyrus in the presence of Bel. The king, having been stunned6, said to him…
2.…7 Bel, except according to the thoughts of the satraps. “For thirty days if one should ask any God or man but from you, he shall be cast into the den of lions.”1
3. So it was necessary for the three boys alone to be glorified in the furnace, but before Bel and the reigning Cyrus, it was necessary for Daniel alone to be cast into the den of lions, each of them arranging their own part and observing their own season, so that even Nebuchadnezzar the king of the Babylonians, who saw that the three boys were not destroyed by fire, may glorify God, and Cyrus the Persian, who saw that Daniel was not swallowed by the lions, may be taught that God alone is the God of heaven.
4. And so in this way in due time God administers the affairs of men through his slaves the prophets and persuades all men to come to knowledge of himself.2
5 Bel and the Dragon 4-5
6 Lit: seized
7 Lacuna
1 Daniel 6:7 or 6:12
2 1 Timothy 2:4 2; Timothy 3:7
IChapter 27
1. And so, “Then the boys, after being bound with their garments and cloaks, were cast into the burning furnace of fire according to the proclamation of the king.”3
2. Tell me, Nebuchadnezzar, on what account do you order these boys to be bound and cast into the fire? Lest they flee? Or being released they quench the fire with their feet? But you are not the one who does these things, but another in you, who works these things.
3. And on account of this Scripture says, “Then the form of the king was changed.”4 For there was another person there and Nebuchadnezzar5 became another person. For the king was a man who in the beginning feared God. Then, having been lifted up against God6 he changed, mimicking the works of the devil.
4. And on account of this Scripture beautifully predicts, saying, “I am God and I will not change,”1 so that God may be shown as being unmoved and unchangeable. The form of the king was changed so that he may be easily perceived as being a man and so that the deceiver who recklessly operates in him, may be recognized, who at all times mimics the works of God and wishes to beguile man in various ways.
5. For Scripture says, “In the eighteenth year, Nebuchadnezzar the king made a golden image, its height was sixty cubits, and its breadth was six cubits, and he set it in the plain of Deira in the country of Babylon.”2
6. And so through3 eighteen years he imitated Jesus the son of God, who was present in the world, who also raised his own human image from the dead and showed this image, which was pure and blameless as gold, to his disciples.
7. Through the height of sixty cubits, there are sixty patriarchs, through whom the image of God according to the flesh, that is the Word, is molded and fashioned and is exulted on behalf of all the patriarchs.
8. Through the breadth of six cubits this recalls the six days of creation4. For on the sixth day man, having been molded from dust, came to be.
9. And so the gold which Nebuchadnezzar molded into the representative5 image which he made, he set it up on the plain of Deira, in the country of Babylon, indicating the plain to be the world, and Babylon the great city.
10. And at that time Nebuchadnezzar made only one image, but now the deceiver devises6 greater7
things in the world, so that through the many spectacles he may delude8 all all men, some being carried about in one direction or another1, some worshiping golden idols, others silver, others bronze, some that which is composed from ivory2, many revering clay and stone. They all, abandoning the heavenly God, submit to empty and lifeless and useless idols, not wishing to look up to the height of heaven, nor wishing to apprehend the beauty of heaven, so that they, who do not recognize the God of this heaven, are not able to be saved.
11. These things are the handiwork of the devil. He worked not only long ago in Babylon, but also now he does the same things and endeavors more reckless3 things against the the slaves of God. Having prepared the furnace of fire beforehand, so that through it he might frighten men, who do not see the eternal punishment through fire which is prepared for the devil4 by God.
3 Daniel 3:21
4 Daniel 3:19
5 Lit: he
6 Lit: him
1 Malachi 3:6
2 Daniel 3:1
3 Or: after, in
4 Lit: hexameron
5 ἀντίµωµον
6 Lit: was devising
7 Or: worse
8 διοδεύσῃ
1 ἀλλαχοῦ
2 Lit: an elephant
3 Lit: worse reckless things
4 Lit: him
Chapter 28
1. Accordingly, after these things happened, Scripture says, “And these three men, Shadrach, Meshach Abednego, fell into the midst of the furnace while bound and that they were walking in the midst of the flame, hymning to God and blessing the Lord.”5
2. And so the bonds which the king put around them, these the fire consumed immediately, yet it did not singe their garments and cloaks so that even in this event the great work of God may be shown.
3. For since the garments were clad around the bodies of the boys, these also with them were made holy and were not consumed by the fire, so that God6, with the boys7, may be honored in their witness.
4. Let the arch-heretics, who deny the resurrection of themselves, tell me, how do they say there is no resurrection of the flesh, when the perishable garments and sandals, which came from the death of living creatures, are not destroyed by fire on account of the holiness which clothes their bodies? How also does the flesh, which is perishable and which clothes the holy soul, not also1 with the soul2 be made holy and be changed into incorruptible?
5. For if what is corruptible in nature did not receive corruption, how does what is incorruptible in nature, but has died through disobedience, again having been made alive by the power of God, not actually be made alive?
6. So that the Scripture persuades us in every way to believe in God from a whole heart, in which way those who are perfect, who have believed, may be preserved from the furnace of fire as perfect along with their garb and cloaks.
7. For if then the fire did not tame them, how is the eternal fire able to master the saints and they who similarly believe?
5 Daniel 3:23; Song of the Three Children 1
6 Or: it, he
7 Lit: them
1 Lit: the flesh not also
2 Lit: it
The song of Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego
Chapter 29
1. And so then, Azariah, having stood up together with the rest, praised God through a hymn and a prayer in the midst of the furnace.
2. And then they confessed the former sins of themselves and their fathers, giving glory to God as captives worthily and righteously suffering3 these things in a strange land, even though they were handed over to the most lawless and knavish king in all the earth, instead of their fathers who did not keep the law of their Lord God.
3. Then, addressing all creation as through one mouth, they hymned and glorified and blessed God saying, “Blessed are you Lord God of our fathers, praiseworthy are you and exalted unto the ages.”4
4. And so, having begun from the name of the holy and notable and magnificent, they came upon the works of the Lord, first naming the heavenly things, and they glorified him saying, “Bless the Lord all you works of the Lord, hymn and exalt him forever.”1
5. Next they addressed all things successively: the seven heavens and the authorities and powers in them, and the water which is above heaven, and they came to the firmament and, having named the lights in it, the sun and the moon and the stars, they were saying, “All you planets which move in heaven, bless, praise, and exalt him forever.”2
6. Then they moved on to the direction of the air and the winds, which are in the midst of creation, which become windstorms3 and snows, cold and heat, light and darkness, both day and night and those things similar to them. Next they came to the foundation of the earth.
7. They began first from the glory of God itself and were glorifying him. Then what is above heaven, what is called super mundane. Next they named the firmament with the lights. Next what is in the midst of the firmament.
8. Next they moved to the earth saying, “Bless the Lord you earth, hymn and exalt him forever.”4 Then the mountains and hills. Next all things which grow upon the earth.
9. Then they moved to the waters, rivers, both springs and seas. Next those which move in the waters both sea monsters and fish. Then the birds of heaven and both domestic and wild beasts.
10. Then they moved to the sons of men, bringing them up according to the orderly hymn.
11. Then they named the things in the depths5, the spirits of the angels who control Tartarus and the souls of the righteous so that they may also hymn to God along with the three boys.1
12. And at the end of all this they named themselves as last and least and lowly, “Bless the Lord, Ananiah, Azariah, and Misahl, hymn and exalt him forever, because he took us from Hades and saved us from the hand of death and rescued us from the midst of burning flame and from the midst of fire he rescued us. We give thanks to the Lord because he is gracious, because his mercy is forever.”2
3 Or: worthy and righteous to suffer
4 Song of the Three Children 29
1 Song of the Three Children 35
2 Song of the Three Children 39
3 Or: become wind and rains
4 Song of the Three Children 51
5 Lit: named the subterranean things
1 Lit: them
2 Song of the Three Children 65
Chapter 30
1. Tell me, you three boys, remember me, I entreat you, that I also may obtain the same lot of martyrdom with you, who was the fourth person with you who was walking in the midst of the furnace and who was hymning to God with you as from one mouth? Describe to us his form and beauty so that we also, seeing him in the flesh3, may recognize him.
2. Who was he who in this way orderly described all creation through your mouth, so that you omitted nothing of which is and has been?
3. Having done this for one hour in the furnace, you taught the workmanship of creation. For the Word was with you and was speaking4 through you, the Word who understands the workmanship of creation.
4. For it is wonderful, beloved, what was spoken through hymns by the three boys in the furnace. How they left nothing out of what has been created, so that it may not be considered that they did this by some independence or by their own power, but embracing and naming all things, both heavenly and earthly and subterranean, they showed all things to be slaves of God who created all things through the Word, so that no one may boast as being something unborn1 or created without headship.
5. Accordingly, let the doctrines according to the arch-heretics cease, which name powers and ages and originators, they invent empty tales2, so that through strange words they, having deceived, might easily kill men and compel them to worship things that are not as though they were, others again fashion images in the hearts of men just like Nebuchadnezzar did.
6. For Scripture encompasses all things, whether rulers or authorities or powers or thrones or dominions or every name which is named3 it subordinates and enslaves all things to God, to praise and to bless and glorify him as Lord and Master who made all things.
7. And on account of this Ananiah, Azariah, Misahl, after declaring all things that exist, they added saying, “All you pious, bless and hymn and praise the Lord God of gods because his mercy is forever.”4
3 Or: incarnate
4 Or: uttering
1 Or: unbegotten
2 Lit: empty marvelous tales
3 Ephesians 1:21
4 Song of the Three Children 67
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