March 24, 2021

Daniel 3: 14- 20, 91- 92, 95

3:14And king Nebuchadnezzar addressed them and said, “Is it true, Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, that you do not worship my gods, nor adore the gold statue, which I have set up?
3:15Therefore, if you are prepared now, whenever you hear the sound of the trumpet, pipe, lute, harp and psaltery, and of the symphony and every kind of music, prostrate yourselves and adore the statue which I have made. But if you will not adore, in the same hour you will be cast into the furnace of burning fire. And who is the God that will rescue you from my hand?”
3:16Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego answered and said to king Nebuchadnezzar, “It is not right for us to obey you in this matter.
3:17For behold our God, whom we worship, is able to rescue us from the oven of burning fire and to free us from your hands, O king.
3:18But even if he will not, let it be known to you, O king, that we will not worship your gods, nor adore the gold statue, which you have raised up.”
3:19Then Nebuchadnezzar was filled with fury and the appearance of his face was changed against Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, and he commanded that the furnace should be heated to seven times its usual fire.
3:20And he ordered the strongest men of his army to bind the feet of Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, and to cast them into the furnace of burning fire.
3:91Then king Nebuchadnezzar was astonished, and he quickly got up and said to his nobles: “Did we not cast three men shackled into the midst of the fire?” Answering the king, they said, “True, O king.”
3:92He answered and said, “Behold, I see four men unbound and walking in the midst of the fire, and no harm is in them, and the appearance of the fourth is like a son of God.”
3:95Then Nebuchadnezzar, bursting out, said, “Blessed is their God, the God of Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, who sent his angel and rescued his servants who believed in him. And they altered the verdict of the king, and they delivered up their bodies, so that they would not serve or adore any god except their God.

John 8: 31- 42

8:31Therefore, Jesus said to those Jews who believed in him: “If you will abide in my word, you will truly be my disciples.
8:32And you shall know the truth, and the truth shall set you free.”
8:33They answered him: “We are the offspring of Abraham, and we have never been a slave to anyone. How can you say, ‘You shall be set free?’ ”
8:34Jesus answered them: “Amen, amen, I say to you, that everyone who commits sin is a slave of sin.
8:35Now the slave does not abide in the house for eternity. Yet the Son does abide in eternity.
8:36Therefore, if the Son has set you free, then you will truly be free.
8:37I know that you are sons of Abraham. But you are seeking to kill me, because my word has not taken hold in you.
8:38I speak what I have seen with my Father. And you do what you have seen with your father.”
8:39They responded and said to him, “Abraham is our father.” Jesus said to them: “If you are the sons of Abraham, then do the works of Abraham.
8:40But now you are seeking to kill me, a man who has spoken the truth to you, which I have heard from God. This is not what Abraham did.
8:41You do the works of your father.” Therefore, they said to him: “We were not born out of fornication. We have one father: God.”
8:42Then Jesus said to them: “If God were your father, certainly you would love me. For I proceeded and came from God. For I did not come from myself, but he sent me.