Daniel 3:18

“But if not, be it known unto thee, O king, that we will not serve thy gods, nor worship the golden image which thou hast set up.”
King James Version (KJV)

Other Translations of Daniel 3:18

But if not, bee it knowen vnto thee, O king, that we will not serue thy gods, nor worship thy golden image, which thou hast set vp.
- King James Version (1611) - Compare to scan of original Daniel chapter 3

"But {even} if {He does} not, let it be known to you, O king, that we are not going to serve your gods or worship the golden image that you have set up."
- New American Standard Version (1995)

But if not, be it known unto thee, O king, that we will not serve thy gods, nor worship the golden image which thou hast set up.
- American Standard Version (1901)

But if not, be certain, O King, that we will not be the servants of your gods, or give worship to the image of gold which you have put up.
- Basic English Bible

But if not, be it known unto thee, O king, that we will not serve thy gods, nor worship the golden image that thou hast set up.
- Darby Bible

But if he will not, be it known to thee, O king, that we will not worship thy gods, nor adore the golden statue which thou hast set up.
- Douay Rheims Bible

But if not, be it known to thee, O king, that we will not serve thy gods, nor worship the golden image which thou hast set up.
- Webster's Bible

But if not, be it known to you, O king, that we will not serve your gods, nor worship the golden image which you have set up.
- World English Bible

And lo -- not! be it known to thee, O king, that thy gods we are not serving, and to the golden image thou hast raised up we do no obeisance.'
- Youngs Literal Bible

But if not, be it known unto thee, O king, that we will not serve thy gods, nor worship the golden image which thou hast set up.'
- Jewish Publication Society Bible

ijey's comment on 2014-05-25 10:05:36:

The jew men I believe have faith in God 's ability to save them. They know that God is well able to deliver them from the king 's wrath. The following clause "if not " I believe is to buttress the degree of their stand in God. This is to say that in this God, His commandments, instructions not to bow before other gods they will abide be it in pains, life or death. No matter what happens. Its more like a mind that is completely made up to follow the precepts of God.

Ben Weaver's comment on 2010-11-20 10:33:08:

Does this negative phrase "But if not" refer to "If it be so" at the beginning of their faith statement or to "and he (God) will deliver us out of your hand". I tend to question the traditional interpretation i.e. but if God dosn't deliver us". For one reason, it seems unreasonable to declare that their ashes would still refuse to worship his image. Also, that interpretation destroys the validity of the beautiful faith statement they just declared. They didn't say Our God might be able and maybe he will and maybe he won't. To me, it seems more practical to assume that they meant to say, "If it be so (that we are cast into the furnace)...but if not... I believe that whenever Almighty God is openly defied, there is an open door to make a faith statement based on a Biblical fact and to witness a miracle. There is much scripture overlooked about the power of the tongue.

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