The “Prayer of the Three Holy Boys” from the Greek Septuagint is found after Daniel 3:23, but removed from modern-day Bibles. The “Prayer of the Three Holy Boys” is accepted as canonical scripture by Catholic and Eastern Orthodox Christians and is included in the 80-book Protestant Bibles in the section of the Apocrypha. Article VI of the Thirty-Nine Articles of the Church of England has it listed as non-canonical (but still, with the other Apocryphal texts, “the Church doth read for example of life and instruction of manners”). The Belgic Confession of the Reformed Churches teaches that “The church may certainly read these [Apocryphal] books and learn from them as far as they agree with the canonical books.”
Whether the accounts were originally composed in Hebrew (or Aramaic) or in Greek is uncertain, although many modern scholars conclude on the basis of textual evidence that there was probably an original Semitic edition.
The parts highlighted in red are how all traditional Jewish prayers begin along with parts of the Shema, the Jewish foundation of faith in Deuteronomy 6:4-10. The blue highlighted areas reveal Azariah’s knowledge of the Scriptures that God promises blessing for obedience and curses for disobedience. He admits the guilt of his people’s sin and that what is happening is justice: they not obeyed or kept the commandments of God in Torah. He prays for the sake of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob (Israel) quoting the promise of God to multiply Abraham’s seed. He also quotes King David from Psalm 51 about having a broken, contrite and humble heart before God. The part highlighted in orange describes what happened in the fiery furnace.
Daniel 3:24:
“AND they walked in the midst of the fire, praising God, and blessing the Lord. 2 Then Azarias stood, and prayed on this manner; and opening his mouth in the midst of the fire said, 3 Blessed are You, O Lord, God of our fathers, and worthy to be praised; and Your name is glorified for evermore: 4 For You are righteous in all the things that You have done: yea, true are all Your works, and Your ways are right, and all Your judgements truth. 5 In all the things that you have brought upon us, and upon the holy city of our fathers, even Jerusalem, You have executed true judgements: for according to truth and justice have You brought all these things upon us because of our sins. 6 For we have sinned and committed iniquity, in departing from You. 7 In all things have we trespassed, and not obeyed Your commandments, nor kept them, neither done as You have commanded us, that it might go well with us. 8 Wherefore all that You have brought upon us, and everything that You have done to us, You have done in true judgement. 9 And You didst deliver us into the hands of lawless enemies, and most hateful forsakers of God, and to an unjust king, and the most wicked in all the world. 10 And now we cannot open our mouth; shame and reproach have befallen Your servants, and them that worship You. 11 Deliver us not up utterly, for Your name’s sake, neither disannul Your covenant: 12 and cause not Your mercy to depart from us, for the sake of Abraham that is beloved of You, and for the sake of Isaac Your servant, and Israel Your holy one; 13 to whom You didst promise, that You wouldest multiply their seed as the stars of heaven, and as the sand that is upon the sea shore. 14 For we, O Lord, are become less than any nation, and be kept under this day in all the world because of our sins. 15 Neither is there at this time prince, or prophet, or leader, or burnt offering, or sacrifice, or oblation, or incense, or place to offer before You, and to find mercy. 16 Nevertheless in a contrite heart and a humble spirit let us be accepted; 17 like as in the burnt offerings of rams and bullocks, and like as in ten thousands of fat lambs; so let our sacrifice be in Your sight this day, and grant that we may wholly go after You, for they shall not be ashamed that put their trust in You. 18 And now we follow You with all our heart, we fear You, and seek Your face. 19 Put us not to shame: but deal with us after Your kindness, and according to the multitude of Your mercy. 20 Deliver us also according to Your marvellous works, and give glory to Your name, O Lord: and let all them that do Your servants hurt be confounded; 21 and let them be ashamed of all their power and might, and let their strength be broken; 22 and let them know that You are the Lord, the only God, and glorious over the whole world.”
23 And the king’s servants, that put them in, ceased not to make the furnace hot with naphtha, pitch, tow, and small wood; 24 so that the flame streamed forth above the furnace forty and nine cubits. 25 And it spread, and burned those Chaldeans whom it found about the furnace.
26 But the angel of the Lord came down into the furnace together with Azarias and his fellows, and he smote the flame of the fire out of the furnace; 27 and made the midst of the furnace as it had been a moist whistling wind, so that the fire touched them not at all, neither hurt nor troubled them.
28 Then the three, as out of one mouth, praised, and glorified, and blessed God in the furnace, saying,
29 Blessed are You, O Lord, You God of our fathers: and to be praised and exalted above all for ever. 30 And blessed is Your glorious and holy name: and to be praised and exalted above all for ever. 31 Blessed are You in the temple of thine holy glory: and to be praised and glorified above all for ever. 32 Blessed are You that behold the depths, and sit upon the cherubim: and to be praised and exalted above all for ever. 33 Blessed are You on the throne of Your kingdom: and to be praised and extolled above all for ever. 34 Blessed are You in the firmament of heaven: and to be praised and glorified for ever.
35 O all ye works of the Lord, bless ye the Lord: praise and exalt him above all for ever. 36 O ye heavens, bless ye the Lord: praise and exalt him above all for ever. 37 O ye angels of the Lord, bless ye the Lord: praise and exalt him above all for ever. 38 O all ye waters that be above the heaven, bless ye the Lord: praise and exalt him above all for ever. 39 O all ye powers of the Lord, bless ye the Lord: praise and exalt him above all for ever. 40 O ye sun and moon, bless ye the Lord: praise and exalt him above all for ever. 41 O ye stars of heaven, bless ye the Lord: praise and exalt him above all for ever. 42 O every shower and dew, bless ye the Lord: praise and exalt him above all for ever 43 O all ye winds, bless ye the Lord: praise and exalt him above all for ever. 44 O ye fire and heat, bless ye the Lord: praise and exalt him above all for ever. 45 (This verse is omitted by scholars). 47 O ye nights and days, bless ye the Lord: praise and exalt him above all for ever. 48 O ye light and darkness, bless ye the Lord: praise and exalt him above all for ever. O ye cold and heat, bless ye the Lord: praise and exalt him above all for ever. 50 O ye frost and snow, bless ye the Lord: praise and exalt him above all for ever. 51 O ye lightnings and clouds, bless ye the Lord: praise and exalt him above all for ever. 52 O let the earth bless the Lord: let it praise and exalt him above all for ever. 53 O ye mountains and hills, bless ye the Lord: praise and exalt him above all for ever. 54 O all ye things that grow on the earth, bless ye the Lord: praise and exalt him above all for ever. 55 O sea and rivers, bless ye the Lord: praise and exalt him above all for ever. 56 O ye fountains, bless ye the Lord: praise and exalt him above all for ever. 57 O ye whales, and all that move in the waters, bless ye the Lord: praise and exalt him above all for ever. 58 O all ye fowls of the air, bless ye the Lord: praise and exalt him above all for ever. 59 O all ye beasts and cattle, bless ye the Lord: praise and exalt him above all for ever. 60 O ye children of men, bless ye the Lord: praise and exalt him above all for ever. 61 O let Israel bless the Lord: praise and exalt him above all for ever. 62 O ye priests of the Lord, bless ye the Lord: praise and exalt him above all for ever. 63 O ye servants of the Lord, bless ye the Lord: praise and exalt him above all for ever. 64 O ye spirits and souls of the righteous, bless ye the Lord: praise and exalt him above all for ever. 65 O ye that are holy and humble of heart, bless ye the Lord: praise and exalt him above all for ever.
66 O Ananias, Azarias, and Misael, bless ye the Lord: praise and exalt him above all for ever: for he hath rescued us from Hades, and saved us from the hand of death: he hath delivered us out of the midst of the furnace and burning flame, even out of the midst of the fire hath he delivered us. 67 O give thanks unto the Lord, for he is good: for his mercy endures for ever. 68 O all ye that worship the Lord, bless the God of gods, praise him, and give him thanks: for his mercy endures forever.”