²² He explained to me, “Daniel, I have come here to give you insight and understanding.

²⁴ “A period of seventy sets of seven^[a] has been decreed for your people and your holy city to finish their rebellion, to put an end to their sin, to atone for their guilt, to bring in everlasting righteousness, to confirm the prophetic vision, and to anoint the Most Holy Place.^{[b] 25} Now listen and understand! Seven sets of seven plus sixty-two sets of seven^[c] will pass from the time the command is given to rebuild Jerusalem until a ruler—the Anointed One^[d]—comes. Jerusalem will be rebuilt with streets and strong defenses,^[e] despite the perilous times.

²⁶ “After this period of sixty-two sets of seven,^[f] the Anointed One will be killed, appearing to have accomplished nothing, and a ruler will arise whose armies will destroy the city and the Temple. The end will come with a flood, and war and its miseries are decreed from that time to the very end. ²⁷ The ruler will make a treaty with the people for a period of one set of seven,^[g] but after half this time, he will put an end to the sacrifices and offerings. And as a climax to all his terrible deeds,^[h] he will set up a sacrilegious object that causes desecration,^[i] until the fate decreed for this defiler is finally poured out on him.”

²¹ Meanwhile, I will tell you what is written in the Book of Truth. (No one helps me against these spirit princes except Michael, your spirit prince.^[a]

¹⁶ And I heard a human voice calling out from the Ulai River, “Gabriel, tell this man the meaning of his vision.”

⁹ I asked the angel who was talking with me, “My lord, what do these horses mean?”

“I will show you,” the angel replied.

Worship in Heaven

4 Then as I looked, I saw a door standing open in heaven, and the same voice I had heard before spoke to me like a trumpet blast. The voice said, “Come up here, and I will show you what must happen after this.”

⁴ “And what are these, my lord?” I asked the angel who was talking with me.

⁵ The angel replied, “These are the four spirits^[a] of heaven who stand before the Lord of all the earth. They are going out to do his work.

¹⁴ Then the angel said to me, “Shout this message for all to hear: ‘This is what the Lord of Heaven’s Armies says: My love for Jerusalem and Mount Zion is passionate and strong.