²¹ while I was still in prayer, Gabriel,^(A) the man I had seen in the earlier vision, came to me in swift flight about the time of the evening sacrifice.^{(B) 22} He instructed me and said to me, “Daniel, I have now come to give you insight and understanding.^{(C) 23} As soon as you began to pray,^(D) a word went out, which I have come to tell you, for you are highly esteemed.^(E) Therefore, consider the word and understand the vision:^(F)

²⁴ “Seventy ‘sevens’^[a] are decreed for your people and your holy city^(G) to finish^[b] transgression, to put an end to sin, to atone^(H) for wickedness, to bring in everlasting righteousness,^(I) to seal up vision and prophecy and to anoint the Most Holy Place.^[c]

²⁵ “Know and understand this: From the time the word goes out to restore and rebuild^(J) Jerusalem until the Anointed One,^[d](K) the ruler,^(L) comes, there will be seven ‘sevens,’ and sixty-two ‘sevens.’ It will be rebuilt with streets and a trench, but in times of trouble.^{(M) 26} After the sixty-two ‘sevens,’ the Anointed One will be put to death^(N) and will have nothing.^[e] The people of the ruler who will come will destroy the city and the sanctuary. The end will come like a flood:^(O) War will continue until the end, and desolations^(P) have been decreed.^{(Q) 27} He will confirm a covenant with many for one ‘seven.’^[f] In the middle of the ‘seven’^[g] he will put an end to sacrifice and offering. And at the temple^[h] he will set up an abomination that causes desolation, until the end that is decreed^(R) is poured out on him.^[i]”^[j]

Daniel’s Vision of a Man

10 In the third year of Cyrus^(S) king of Persia, a revelation was given to Daniel (who was called Belteshazzar).^(T) Its message was true^(U) and it concerned a great war.^[k] The understanding of the message came to him in a vision.

² At that time I, Daniel, mourned^(V) for three weeks. ³ I ate no choice food; no meat or wine touched my lips;^(W) and I used no lotions at all until the three weeks were over.

⁴ On the twenty-fourth day of the first month, as I was standing on the bank^(X) of the great river, the Tigris,^{(Y) 5} I looked up^(Z) and there before me was a man dressed in linen,^(AA) with a belt of fine gold^(AB) from Uphaz around his waist. ⁶ His body was like topaz,^(AC) his face like lightning,^(AD) his eyes like flaming torches,^(AE) his arms and legs like the gleam of burnished bronze,^(AF) and his voice^(AG) like the sound of a multitude.

⁷ I, Daniel, was the only one who saw the vision; those who were with me did not see it,^(AH) but such terror overwhelmed them that they fled and hid themselves. ⁸ So I was left alone,^(AI) gazing at this great vision; I had no strength left,^(AJ) my face turned deathly pale^(AK) and I was helpless.^{(AL) 9} Then I heard him speaking, and as I listened to him, I fell into a deep sleep, my face to the ground.^(AM)

¹⁰ A hand touched me^(AN) and set me trembling on my hands and knees.^{(AO) 11} He said, “Daniel, you who are highly esteemed,^(AP) consider carefully the words I am about to speak to you, and stand up,^(AQ) for I have now been sent to you.” And when he said this to me, I stood up trembling.

¹² Then he continued, “Do not be afraid,^(AR) Daniel. Since the first day that you set your mind to gain understanding and to humble^(AS) yourself before your God, your words^(AT) were heard, and I have come in response to them.^{(AU) 13} But the prince^(AV) of the Persian kingdom resisted me twenty-one days. Then Michael,^(AW) one of the chief princes, came to help me, because I was detained there with the king of Persia.