The Martyrdom of Daniel and the Three Youths is a Christian legend based on canonical and apocryphal traditions about Daniel and his three companions. These texts share a unique and intriguing plot: Rather than dying in peace, these righteous men are persecuted by a wicked Persian king named Atticus and then beheaded in Babylon. After the resurrection of Jesus, they are raised to life along with five hundred Old Testament saints (combining the account of the risen saints at the death of Jesus in Matt 27:52–53 and the appearance of the risen Jesus to five hundred in 1 Cor 15:6). The most representative and probably the most ancient recensions of this legend are available in Greek and in a Church Slavonic translation, but neither has been translated into any European language or discussed in detail. The purpose of this book is to offer in English the published Greek and Slavonic recensions as well as their later adaptations. These sources are accompanied by a detailed introduction to the texts (treating their origins, history, structure, and theological ideas) and by exegetical and historical commentary. "In this volume, Alexey B. Somov draws meaningful attention to an intriguing legend that circulated widely and in different forms in eastern Christian circles during the medieval period. Beyond the excellent introduction and overview of the legend and issues surrounding its varying interpretations, Somov provides a clear and careful translation of the sources. As such, this volume is valuable for scholars, students, and a public interested in the Christian readings of Old Testament texts through the lens of biblical theology and of Eastern Church tradition." --Loren Stuckenbruck, Chair of New Testament Studies, Ludwig-Maximilians-Universität München "The world of Christian Apocrypha does not end at the borderlines of the second or third century CE; it does not only consist of what we usually call Gospels or Acts of the Apostles. In fact, Christian texts come in Jewish 'clothes'--playing and developing Jewish narratives into new contexts. Alexey B. Somov introduces a widely unknown pearl, offers the first translation of this text into English, and is a wonderful tour guide through its fascinating story world." --Tobias Nicklas, Professor of New Testament Studies, University of Regensburg "Alexey B. Somov introduces scholars to the little-known martyrdom of Daniel and the three youths. This apocryphal work reinterprets the biblical story about Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego in the fiery furnace (Dan 3) as a homiletic tale that reconfigures the three youths as Christian martyrs and confessors of the resurrection from the dead. Somov's book, which includes an introduction and English translations of two versions of the work, is highly recommended for any scholar of apocryphal literature as well as those interested in the reception of biblical figures and stories in later Christian milieus." --Lorenzo DiTommaso, Professor, Department of Religions and Cultures, Concordia University Alexey B. Somov is a junior research fellow at the research project Beyond Canon, hosted by the Center for Advanced Studies at the University of Regensburg, in Germany, and Associate Professor of Holy Scripture at St. Philaret's Institute, Moscow, Russia. He is the author of Representations of the Afterlife in Luke-Acts (2017) and of a number of scholarly articles on biblical exegesis and translation, Christian apocrypha, and the reception history of the Bible.