Daniel 3:16

Contemporary English Version

The three men replied, "Your Majesty, we don't need to defend ourselves.

Parallel Translations

Christian Standard Bible®
Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego replied to the king, “Nebuchadnezzar, we don’t need to give you an answer to this question.

Hebrew Names Version
Shadrakh, Meshakh, and `Aved-Nego answered the king, Nevukhadnetztzar, we have no need to answer you in this matter.

King James Version
Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, answered and said to the king, O Nebuchadnezzar, we are not careful to answer thee in this matter.

English Standard Version
Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego answered and said to the king, "O Nebuchadnezzar, we have no need to answer you in this matter.

New American Standard Bible
Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-nego replied to the king, "Nebuchadnezzar, we are not in need of an answer to give you concerning this matter.

New Century Version
Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego answered the king, saying, "Nebuchadnezzar, we do not need to defend ourselves to you.

Amplified Bible
Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-nego answered the king, "O Nebuchadnezzar, we do not need to answer you on this point.

Geneva Bible (1587)
Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego answered and said to the King, O Nebuchad-nezzar, we are not carefull to answere thee in this matter.

New American Standard Bible (1995)
Shadrach, Meshach and Abed-nego replied to the king, "O Nebuchadnezzar, we do not need to give you an answer concerning this matter.

Berean Standard Bible
Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego replied to the king, "O Nebuchadnezzar, we have no need to answer you in this matter.

Complete Jewish Bible
Shadrakh, Meishakh and ‘Aved-N'go answered the king, "Your question doesn't require an answer from us.

Darby Translation
Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-nego answered and said to the king, O Nebuchadnezzar, we have no need to answer thee in this matter.

Easy-to-Read Version
Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego answered the king, "Nebuchadnezzar, we don't need to explain these things to you.

George Lamsa Translation
Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego answered and said to King Nebuchadnezzar, There is no use to answer you concerning this matter;

Good News Translation
Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego answered, "Your Majesty, we will not try to defend ourselves.

Lexham English Bible
Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego answered and said to the king, Nebuchadnezzar, "We have no need on this matter to present a defense to you.

Literal Translation
Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego answered and said to the king, O Nebuchadnezzar, we have no need to return a word to you on this matter.

Miles Coverdale Bible (1535)
Sydrac, Misac and Abdenago answered the kynge, and sayde: O Nabuchodonosor, we ought not to cosente vnto ye in this matter, for why:

American Standard Version
Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-nego answered and said to the king, O Nebuchadnezzar, we have no need to answer thee in this matter.

Bible in Basic English
Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-nego, answering Nebuchadnezzar the king, said, There is no need for us to give you an answer to this question.

JPS Old Testament (1917)
Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-nego, answered and said to the king: 'O Nebuchadnezzar, we have no need to answer thee in this matter.

King James Version (1611)
Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego answered and said to the king; O Nebuchad-nezzar, we are not carefull to answere thee in this matter.

Bishop's Bible (1568)
Sidrach, Misach, and Abednego aunswered the king, and sayd: O Nabuchodonozor, we are not carefull to aunswere thee in this matter:

Brenton's Septuagint (LXX)
Then answered Sedrach, Misach and Abdenago and said to king Nabuchodonosor, We have no need to answer thee concerning this matter.

English Revised Version
Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-nego, answered and said to the king, O Nebuchadnezzar, we have no need to answer thee in this matter.

World English Bible
Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-nego answered the king, Nebuchadnezzar, we have no need to answer you in this matter.

Wycliffe Bible (1395)
Sidrac, Misaac, and Abdenago answeriden, and seiden to the king Nabugodonosor, It nedith not, that we answere of this thing to thee.

Update Bible Version
Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-nego answered and said to the king, O Nebuchadnezzar, we have no need to answer you in this matter.

Webster's Bible Translation
Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-nego, answered and said to the king, O Nebuchadnezzar, we [are] not careful to answer thee in this matter.

New English Translation
Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego replied to King Nebuchadnezzar, "We do not need to give you a reply concerning this.

New King James Version
Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-Nego answered and said to the king, "O Nebuchadnezzar, we have no need to answer you in this matter.

New Living Translation
Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego replied, "O Nebuchadnezzar, we do not need to defend ourselves before you.

New Life Bible
Shadrach, Meshach and Abed-nego answered and said to the king, "O Nebuchadnezzar, we do not need to give you an answer to this question.

New Revised Standard
Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego answered the king, "O Nebuchadnezzar, we have no need to present a defense to you in this matter.

J.B. Rotherham Emphasized Bible
Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-nego answered, and said to the king: O Nebuchadnezzar! we are not accounting it needful, concerning this, to answer thee.

Douay-Rheims Bible
Sidrach, Misach, and Abdenago, answered, and said to king Nabuchodonosor: We have no occasion to answer thee concerning this matter.

Revised Standard Version
Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed'nego answered the king, "O Nebuchadnez'zar, we have no need to answer you in this matter.

Young's Literal Translation
Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-Nego have answered, yea, they are saying to the king Nebuchadnezzar, `We have no need concerning this matter to answer thee.

THE MESSAGE
Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego answered King Nebuchadnezzar, "Your threat means nothing to us. If you throw us in the fire, the God we serve can rescue us from your roaring furnace and anything else you might cook up, O king. But even if he doesn't, it wouldn't make a bit of difference, O king. We still wouldn't serve your gods or worship the gold statue you set up."

Contextual Overview

⁸ Some Babylonians used this as a chance to accuse the Jews to King Nebuchadnezzar. ⁹ They said, "Your Majesty, we hope you live forever! ¹⁰ You commanded everyone to bow down and worship the gold statue when the music played. ¹¹ And you said that anyone who did not bow down and worship it would be thrown into a flaming furnace. ¹² Sir, you appointed three men to high positions in Babylon Province, but they have disobeyed you. Those Jews, Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, refuse to worship your gods and the statue you have set up." ¹³ King Nebuchadnezzar was furious. So he sent for the three young men and said, ¹⁴ "I hear that you refuse to worship my gods and the gold statue I have set up. ¹⁵ Now I am going to give you one more chance. If you bow down and worship the statue when you hear the music, everything will be all right. But if you don't, you will at once be thrown into a flaming furnace. No god can save you from me." ¹⁶ The three men replied, "Your Majesty, we don't need to defend ourselves. ¹⁷ The God we worship can save us from you and your flaming furnace.

Bible Verse Review
  from Treasury of Scripure Knowledge

Reciprocal: Exodus 1:17 - feared God Esther 3:4 - he had told Esther 5:9 - he was full Job 36:21 - this Psalms 112:7 - heart Psalms 119:46 - speak Proverbs 28:1 - the righteous Ecclesiastes 4:12 - and a Isaiah 44:8 - ye are Isaiah 51:12 - that thou Jeremiah 26:14 - As for Daniel 3:28 - serve Matthew 10:19 - it shall Matthew 22:21 - and Matthew 26:63 - Jesus Mark 13:11 - take Luke 12:4 - Be Acts 8:1 - except 1 Corinthians 13:3 - though I give Philippians 4:6 - careful Hebrews 11:23 - and they Hebrews 13:6 - I will 1 Peter 3:6 - and 1 Peter 3:15 - and be 1 Peter 4:19 - in Revelation 2:10 - shalt

Cross-References

Genesis 3:1
The snake was sneakier than any of the other wild animals that the Lord God had made. One day it came to the woman and asked, "Did God tell you not to eat fruit from any tree in the garden?"

Genesis 3:6
The woman stared at the fruit. It looked beautiful and tasty. She wanted the wisdom that it would give her, and she ate some of the fruit. Her husband was there with her, so she gave some to him, and he ate it too.

Genesis 3:7
Right away they saw what they had done, and they realized they were naked. Then they sewed fig leaves together to make something to cover themselves.

Genesis 3:8
Late in the afternoon a breeze began to blow, and the man and woman heard the Lord God walking in the garden. They were frightened and hid behind some trees.

Genesis 3:9
The Lord called out to the man and asked, "Where are you?"

Genesis 3:10
The man answered, "I was naked, and when I heard you walking through the garden, I was frightened and hid!"

Genesis 3:11
"How did you know you were naked?" God asked. "Did you eat any fruit from that tree in the middle of the garden?"

Genesis 3:12
"It was the woman you put here with me," the man said. "She gave me some of the fruit, and I ate it."

Genesis 3:16
Then the Lord said to the woman, "You will suffer terribly when you give birth. But you will still desire your husband, and he will rule over you."

Genesis 3:17
The Lord said to the man, "You listened to your wife and ate fruit from that tree. And so, the ground will be under a curse because of what you did. As long as you live, you will have to struggle to grow enough food.

Gill's Notes on the Bible

Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, answered and said to the king,.... In a mild and gentle manner, without affronting his majesty, or insulting his gods, and yet without the least degree of servile fear or fawning flattery:

O Nebuchadnezzar, we are not careful to answer thee in this matter; about worshipping the image; we are not solicitous about a choice of words, or in what manner to draw up our answer, it is ready in our mouths; we have no need to take time and consider of this matter, and think what to say, we are at a point about it: as thou art peremptory in thy will to have thine image worshipped, we are as resolute, as determined, never to worship it; so that there is no need to spend time in a debate about it; thou art come to a conclusion, and so are we: or in this matter, about the power of our God to deliver, we are not solicitous about an answer to that; we leave him to defend himself, and his own power, against such insults upon him.

Barnes' Notes on the Bible

Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-nego answered and said to the king - They appear to have answered promptly, and without hesitation, showing that they had carefully considered the subject, and that with them it was a matter of settled and intelligent principle. But they did it in a respectful manner, though they were firm. They neither reviled the monarch nor his gods. They used no reproachful words respecting the image which he had set up, or any of the idols which he worshipped. Nor did they complain of his injustice or severity. They calmly looked at their own duty, and resolved to do it, leaving the consequences with the God whom they worshipped.

We are not careful to answer thee in this matter - The word rendered “careful” (חשׁח chăshach) means, according to Gesenius, “to be needed” or “necessary;” then, “to have need.” The Vulgate renders it, “non oportet nos” - it does not behove us; it is not needful for us. So the Greek, ου ̓ χρείαν ἔχομεν ou chreian echomen - we have no need. So Luther, Es ist Nicht noth - there is no necessity. The meaning therefore is, that it was not “necessary” that they should reply to the king on that point; they would not give themselves trouble or solicitude to do it. They had made up their minds, and, whatever was the result, they could not worship the image which he had set up, or the gods whom he adored. They felt that there was no necessity for stating the reasons why they could not do this. Perhaps they thought that argument in their case was improper. It became them to do their duty, and to leave the event with God. They had no need to go into an extended vindication of their conduct, for it might be presumed that their principles of conduct were well known. The state of mind, therefore, which is indicated by this passage, is that their minds were made up; that their principles were settled and well understood; that they had come to the deliberate determination, as a matter of conscience, not to yield obedience to the command; that the result could not be modified by any statement which they could make, or by any argument in the case; and that, therefore, they were not anxious about the result, but calmly committed the whole cause to God.

Clarke's Notes on the Bible

Verse 16. We are not careful — We have no need to put thee to any farther trouble; we have made up our minds on this subject, and have our answer ready: Be it known unto thee, WE WILL NOT SERVE THY GODS. This was as honest as it was decisive.