3:1 ネブカドネツァル王は一つの金の像を造った。高さは六十アンマ、幅は六アンマで、これをバビロン州のドラという平野に建てた。 3:2 ネブカドネツァル王は人を遣わして、総督、執政官、地方長官、参議官、財務官、司法官、保安官、その他諸州の高官たちを集め、自分の建てた像の除幕式に参列させることにした。 3:3 総督、執政官、地方長官、参議官、財務官、司法官、保安官、その他諸州の高官たちはその王の建てた像の除幕式に集まり、像の前に立ち並んだ。 3:4 伝令は力を込めて叫んだ。「諸国、諸族、諸言語の人々よ、あなたたちに告げる。 3:5 角笛、横笛、六絃琴、竪琴、十三絃琴、風琴などあらゆる楽器による音楽が聞こえたなら、ネブカドネツァル王の建てられた金の像の前にひれ伏して拝め。 3:6 ひれ伏して拝まない者は、直ちに燃え盛る炉に投げ込まれる。」 3:7 それで、角笛、横笛、六絃琴、竪琴、十三絃琴の音楽が聞こえてくると、諸国、諸族、諸言語の人々は皆ひれ伏し、ネブカドネツァル王の建てた金の像を拝んだ。 3:8 さてこのとき、何人かのカルデア人がユダヤ人を中傷しようと進み出て、 3:9 ネブカドネツァル王にこう言った。「王様がとこしえまでも生き永らえられますように。 3:10 御命令によりますと、角笛、横笛、六絃琴、竪琴、十三絃琴、風琴などあらゆる楽器の音楽が聞こえたなら、だれでも金の像にひれ伏して拝め、ということでした。 3:11 そうしなければ、燃え盛る炉に投げ込まれるはずです。 3:12 バビロン州には、その行政をお任せになっているユダヤ人シャドラク、メシャク、アベド・ネゴの三人がおりますが、この人々は御命令を無視して、王様の神に仕えず、お建てになった金の像を拝もうとしません。」 3:13 これを聞いたネブカドネツァル王は怒りに燃え、シャドラク、メシャク、アベド・ネゴを連れて来るよう命じ、この三人は王の前に引き出された。 3:14 王は彼らに言った。「シャドラク、メシャク、アベド・ネゴ、お前たちがわたしの神に仕えず、わたしの建てた金の像を拝まないというのは本当か。 3:15 今、角笛、横笛、六絃琴、竪琴、十三絃琴、風琴などあらゆる楽器の音楽が聞こえると同時にひれ伏し、わたしの建てた金の像を拝むつもりでいるなら、それでよい。もしも拝まないなら、直ちに燃え盛る炉に投げ込ませる。お前たちをわたしの手から救い出す神があろうか。」 3:16 シャドラク、メシャク、アベド・ネゴはネブカドネツァル王に答えた。「このお定めにつきまして、お答えする必要はございません。 3:17 わたしたちのお仕えする神は、その燃え盛る炉や王様の手からわたしたちを救うことができますし、必ず救ってくださいます。 3:18 そうでなくとも、御承知ください。わたしたちは王様の神々に仕えることも、お建てになった金の像を拝むことも、決していたしません。」 3:19 ネブカドネツァル王はシャドラク、メシャク、アベド・ネゴに対して血相を変えて怒り、炉をいつもの七倍も熱く燃やすように命じた。 3:20 そして兵士の中でも特に強い者に命じて、シャドラク、メシャク、アベド・ネゴを縛り上げ、燃え盛る炉に投げ込ませた。 3:21 彼らは上着、下着、帽子、その他の衣服を着けたまま縛られ、燃え盛る炉に投げ込まれた。 3:22 王の命令は厳しく、炉は激しく燃え上がっていたので、噴き出る炎はシャドラク、メシャク、アベド・ネゴを引いて行った男たちをさえ焼き殺した。 3:23 シャドラク、メシャク、アベド・ネゴの三人は縛られたまま燃え盛る炉の中に落ち込んで行った。 3:24 間もなく王は驚きの色を見せ、急に立ち上がり、側近たちに尋ねた。「あの三人の男は、縛ったまま炉に投げ込んだはずではなかったか。」彼らは答えた。「王様、そのとおりでございます。」 3:25 王は言った。「だが、わたしには四人の者が火の中を自由に歩いているのが見える。そして何の害も受けていない。それに四人目の者は神の子のような姿をしている。」 3:26 ネブカドネツァル王は燃え盛る炉の口に近づいて呼びかけた。「シャドラク、メシャク、アベド・ネゴ、いと高き神に仕える人々よ、出て来なさい。」すると、シャドラク、メシャク、アベド・ネゴは炉の中から出て来た。 3:27 総督、執政官、地方長官、王の側近たちは集まって三人を調べたが、火はその体を損なわず、髪の毛も焦げてはおらず、上着も元のままで火のにおいすらなかった。 3:28 ネブカドネツァル王は言った。「シャドラク、メシャク、アベド・ネゴの神をたたえよ。彼らは王の命令に背き、体を犠牲にしても自分の神に依り頼み、自分の神以外にはいかなる神にも仕えず、拝もうともしなかったので、この僕たちを、神は御使いを送って救われた。 3:29 わたしは命令する。いかなる国、民族、言語に属する者も、シャドラク、メシャク、アベド・ネゴの神をののしる者があれば、その体は八つ裂きにされ、その家は破壊される。まことに人間をこのように救うことのできる神はほかにはない。」 3:30 こうして王は、シャドラク、メシャク、アベド・ネゴをバビロン州で高い位につけた。
3:31 ネブカドネツァル王は、全世界の諸国、諸族、諸言語の住民に、いっそうの繁栄を願って、挨拶を送る。 3:32 さて、わたしはいと高き神がわたしになさったしるしと不思議な御業を知らせる。 3:33 この神のしるしは、いかに偉大であり／不思議な御業は、いかに力あることか。その御国は永遠の御国であり、支配は代々に及ぶ。
3:1 Nebuchadnezzar the king made an image of gold, whose height was sixty cubits and its width six cubits. He set it up in the plain of Dura, in the province of Babylon. 3:2 And King Nebuchadnezzar sent word to gather together the satraps, the administrators, the governors, the counselors, the treasurers, the judges, the magistrates, and all the officials of the provinces, to come to the dedication of the image which King Nebuchadnezzar had set up. 3:3 So the satraps, the administrators, the governors, the counselors, the treasurers, the judges, the magistrates, and all the officials of the provinces gathered together for the dedication of the image that King Nebuchadnezzar had set up; and they stood before the image that Nebuchadnezzar had set up. 3:4 Then a herald cried aloud: "To you it is commanded, O peoples, nations, and languages, 3:5 "that at the time you hear the sound of the horn, flute, harp, lyre, and psaltery, in symphony with all kinds of music, you shall fall down and worship the gold image that King Nebuchadnezzar has set up; 3:6 "and whoever does not fall down and worship shall be cast immediately into the midst of a burning fiery furnace." 3:7 So at that time, when all the people heard the sound of the horn, flute, harp, and lyre, in symphony with all kinds of music, all the people, nations, and languages fell down and worshiped the gold image which King Nebuchadnezzar had set up. 3:8 Therefore at that time certain Chaldeans came forward and accused the Jews. 3:9 They spoke and said to King Nebuchadnezzar, "O king, live forever! 3:10 "You, O king, have made a decree that everyone who hears the sound of the horn, flute, harp, lyre, and psaltery, in symphony with all kinds of music, shall fall down and worship the gold image; 3:11 "and whoever does not fall down and worship shall be cast into the midst of a burning fiery furnace. 3:12 "There are certain Jews whom you have set over the affairs of the province of Babylon: Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-Nego; these men, O king, have not paid due regard to you. They do not serve your gods or worship the gold image which you have set up." 3:13 Then Nebuchadnezzar, in rage and fury, gave the command to bring Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-Nego. So they brought these men before the king. 3:14 Nebuchadnezzar spoke, saying to them, "Is it true, Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-Nego, that you do not serve my gods or worship the gold image which I have set up? 3:15 "Now if you are ready at the time you hear the sound of the horn, flute, harp, lyre, and psaltery, in symphony with all kinds of music, and you fall down and worship the image which I have made, good! But if you do not worship, you shall be cast immediately into the midst of a burning fiery furnace. And who is the god who will deliver you from my hands?" 3:16 Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-Nego answered and said to the king, "O Nebuchadnezzar, we have no need to answer you in this matter. 3:17 "If that is the case, our God whom we serve is able to deliver us from the burning fiery furnace, and He will deliver us from your hand, O king. 3:18 "But if not, let it be known to you, O king, that we do not serve your gods, nor will we worship the gold image which you have set up." 3:19 Then Nebuchadnezzar was full of fury, and the expression on his face changed toward Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-Nego. He spoke and commanded that they heat the furnace seven times more than it was usually heated. 3:20 And he commanded certain mighty men of valor who were in his army to bind Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-Nego, and cast them into the burning fiery furnace. 3:21 Then these men were bound in their coats, their trousers, their turbans, and their other garments, and were cast into the midst of the burning fiery furnace. 3:22 Therefore, because the king's command was urgent, and the furnace exceedingly hot, the flame of the fire killed those men who took up Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-Nego. 3:23 And these three men, Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-Nego, fell down bound into the midst of the burning fiery furnace. 3:24 Then King Nebuchadnezzar was astonished; and he rose in haste and spoke, saying to his counselors, "Did we not cast three men bound into the midst of the fire?" They answered and said to the king, "True, O king." 3:25 "Look!" he answered, "I see four men loose, walking in the midst of the fire; and they are not hurt, and the form of the fourth is like the Son of God." 3:26 Then Nebuchadnezzar went near the mouth of the burning fiery furnace and spoke, saying, "Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-Nego, servants of the Most High God, come out, and come here." Then Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-Nego came from the midst of the fire. 3:27 And the satraps, administrators, governors, and the king's counselors gathered together, and they saw these men on whose bodies the fire had no power; the hair of their head was not singed nor were their garments affected, and the smell of fire was not on them. 3:28 Nebuchadnezzar spoke, saying, "Blessed be the God of Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-Nego, who sent His Angel and delivered His servants who trusted in Him, and they have frustrated the king's word, and yielded their bodies, that they should not serve nor worship any god except their own God! 3:29 "Therefore I make a decree that any people, nation, or language which speaks anything amiss against the God of Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-Nego shall be cut in pieces, and their houses shall be made an ash heap; because there is no other God who can deliver like this." 3:30 Then the king promoted Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-Nego in the province of Babylon.
4:1 キリストは肉に苦しみをお受けになったのですから、あなたがたも同じ心構えで武装しなさい。肉に苦しみを受けた者は、罪とのかかわりを絶った者なのです。 4:2 それは、もはや人間の欲望にではなく神の御心に従って、肉における残りの生涯を生きるようになるためです。 4:3 かつてあなたがたは、異邦人が好むようなことを行い、好色、情欲、泥酔、酒宴、暴飲、律法で禁じられている偶像礼拝などにふけっていたのですが、もうそれで十分です。 4:4 あの者たちは、もはやあなたがたがそのようなひどい乱行に加わらなくなったので、不審に思い、そしるのです。 4:5 彼らは、生きている者と死んだ者とを裁こうとしておられる方に、申し開きをしなければなりません。 4:6 死んだ者にも福音が告げ知らされたのは、彼らが、人間の見方からすれば、肉において裁かれて死んだようでも、神との関係で、霊において生きるようになるためなのです。
4:1 Therefore, since Christ suffered for us in the flesh, arm yourselves also with the same mind, for he who has suffered in the flesh has ceased from sin, 4:2 that he no longer should live the rest of his time in the flesh for the lusts of men, but for the will of God. 4:3 For we have spent enough of our past lifetime in doing the will of the Gentiles-when we walked in lewdness, lusts, drunkenness, revelries, drinking parties, and abominable idolatries. 4:4 In regard to these, they think it strange that you do not run with them in the same flood of dissipation, speaking evil of you. 4:5 They will give an account to Him who is ready to judge the living and the dead. 4:6 For this reason the gospel was preached also to those who are dead, that they might be judged according to men in the flesh, but live according to God in the spirit. 4:7 But the end of all things is at hand; therefore be serious and watchful in your prayers. 4:8 And above all things have fervent love for one another, for "love will cover a multitude of sins." 4:9 Be hospitable to one another without grumbling. 4:10 As each one has received a gift, minister it to one another, as good stewards of the manifold grace of God. 4:11 If anyone speaks, let him speak as the oracles of God. If anyone ministers, let him do it as with the ability which God supplies, that in all things God may be glorified through Jesus Christ, to whom belong the glory and the dominion forever and ever. Amen. 4:12 Beloved, do not think it strange concerning the fiery trial which is to try you, as though some strange thing happened to you; 4:13 but rejoice to the extent that you partake of Christ's sufferings, that when His glory is revealed, you may also be glad with exceeding joy. 4:14 If you are reproached for the name of Christ, blessed are you, for the Spirit of glory and of God rests upon you. On their part He is blasphemed, but on your part He is glorified. 4:15 But let none of you suffer as a murderer, a thief, an evildoer, or as a busybody in other people's matters. 4:16 Yet if anyone suffers as a Christian, let him not be ashamed, but let him glorify God in this matter. 4:17 For the time has come for judgment to begin at the house of God; and if it begins with us first, what will be the end of those who do not obey the gospel of God? 4:18 Now"If the righteous one is scarcely saved,Where will the ungodly and the sinner appear?" 4:19 Therefore let those who suffer according to the will of God commit their souls to Him in doing good, as to a faithful Creator.