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Daniel 10-12
New Living Translation

Daniel’s Vision of a Messenger

10 In the third year of the reign of King Cyrus of Persia,[a] Daniel (also known as Belteshazzar) had another vision. He understood that the vision concerned events certain to happen in the future—times of war and great hardship.

2 When this vision came to me, I, Daniel, had been in mourning for three whole weeks. 3 All that time I had eaten no rich food. No meat or wine crossed my lips, and I used no fragrant lotions until those three weeks had passed.

4 On April 23,[b] as I was standing on the bank of the great Tigris River, 5 I looked up and saw a man dressed in linen clothing, with a belt of pure gold around his waist. 6 His body looked like a precious gem. His face flashed like lightning, and his eyes flamed like torches. His arms and feet shone like polished bronze, and his voice roared like a vast multitude of people.

7 Only I, Daniel, saw this vision. The men with me saw nothing, but they were suddenly terrified and ran away to hide. 8 So I was left there all alone to see this amazing vision. My strength left me, my face grew deathly pale, and I felt very weak. 9 Then I heard the man speak, and when I heard the sound of his voice, I fainted and lay there with my face to the ground.

10 Just then a hand touched me and lifted me, still trembling, to my hands and knees. 11 And the man said to me, “Daniel, you are very precious to God, so listen carefully to what I have to say to you. Stand up, for I have been sent to you.” When he said this to me, I stood up, still trembling.

12 Then he said, “Don’t be afraid, Daniel. Since the first day you began to pray for understanding and to humble yourself before your God, your request has been heard in heaven. I have come in answer to your prayer. 13 But for twenty-one days the spirit prince[c] of the kingdom of Persia blocked my way. Then Michael, one of the archangels,[d] came to help me, and I left him there with the spirit prince of the kingdom of Persia.[e] 14 Now I am here to explain what will happen to your people in the future, for this vision concerns a time yet to come.”

15 While he was speaking to me, I looked down at the ground, unable to say a word. 16 Then the one who looked like a man[f] touched my lips, and I opened my mouth and began to speak. I said to the one standing in front of me, “I am filled with anguish because of the vision I have seen, my lord, and I am very weak. 17 How can someone like me, your servant, talk to you, my lord? My strength is gone, and I can hardly breathe.”

18 Then the one who looked like a man touched me again, and I felt my strength returning. 19 “Don’t be afraid,” he said, “for you are very precious to God. Peace! Be encouraged! Be strong!”

As he spoke these words to me, I suddenly felt stronger and said to him, “Please speak to me, my lord, for you have strengthened me.”

20 He replied, “Do you know why I have come? Soon I must return to fight against the spirit prince of the kingdom of Persia, and after that the spirit prince of the kingdom of Greece[g] will come. 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.[h] 11 1 I have been standing beside Michael[i] to support and strengthen him since the first year of the reign of Darius the Mede.)

Kings of the South and North

2 “Now then, I will reveal the truth to you. Three more Persian kings will reign, to be succeeded by a fourth, far richer than the others. He will use his wealth to stir up everyone to fight against the kingdom of Greece.[j]

3 “Then a mighty king will rise to power who will rule with great authority and accomplish everything he sets out to do. 4 But at the height of his power, his kingdom will be broken apart and divided into four parts. It will not be ruled by the king’s descendants, nor will the kingdom hold the authority it once had. For his empire will be uprooted and given to others.

5 “The king of the south will increase in power, but one of his own officials will become more powerful than he and will rule his kingdom with great strength.

6 “Some years later an alliance will be formed between the king of the north and the king of the south. The daughter of the king of the south will be given in marriage to the king of the north to secure the alliance, but she will lose her influence over him, and so will her father. She will be abandoned along with her supporters. 7 But when one of her relatives[k] becomes king of the south, he will raise an army and enter the fortress of the king of the north and defeat him. 8 When he returns to Egypt, he will carry back their idols with him, along with priceless articles of gold and silver. For some years afterward he will leave the king of the north alone.

9 “Later the king of the north will invade the realm of the king of the south but will soon return to his own land. 10 However, the sons of the king of the north will assemble a mighty army that will advance like a flood and carry the battle as far as the enemy’s fortress.

11 “Then, in a rage, the king of the south will rally against the vast forces assembled by the king of the north and will defeat them. 12 After the enemy army is swept away, the king of the south will be filled with pride and will execute many thousands of his enemies. But his success will be short lived.

13 “A few years later the king of the north will return with a fully equipped army far greater than before. 14 At that time there will be a general uprising against the king of the south. Violent men among your own people will join them in fulfillment of this vision, but they will not succeed. 15 Then the king of the north will come and lay siege to a fortified city and capture it. The best troops of the south will not be able to stand in the face of the onslaught.

16 “The king of the north will march onward unopposed; none will be able to stop him. He will pause in the glorious land of Israel,[l] intent on destroying it. 17 He will make plans to come with the might of his entire kingdom and will form an alliance with the king of the south. He will give him a daughter in marriage in order to overthrow the kingdom from within, but his plan will fail.

18 “After this, he will turn his attention to the coastland and conquer many cities. But a commander from another land will put an end to his insolence and cause him to retreat in shame. 19 He will take refuge in his own fortresses but will stumble and fall and be seen no more.

20 “His successor will send out a tax collector to maintain the royal splendor. But after a very brief reign, he will die, though not from anger or in battle.

21 “The next to come to power will be a despicable man who is not in line for royal succession. He will slip in when least expected and take over the kingdom by flattery and intrigue. 22 Before him great armies will be swept away, including a covenant prince. 23 With deceitful promises, he will make various alliances. He will become strong despite having only a handful of followers. 24 Without warning he will enter the richest areas of the land. Then he will distribute among his followers the plunder and wealth of the rich—something his predecessors had never done. He will plot the overthrow of strongholds, but this will last for only a short while.

25 “Then he will stir up his courage and raise a great army against the king of the south. The king of the south will go to battle with a mighty army, but to no avail, for there will be plots against him. 26 His own household will cause his downfall. His army will be swept away, and many will be killed. 27 Seeking nothing but each other’s harm, these kings will plot against each other at the conference table, attempting to deceive each other. But it will make no difference, for the end will come at the appointed time.

28 “The king of the north will then return home with great riches. On the way he will set himself against the people of the holy covenant, doing much damage before continuing his journey.

29 “Then at the appointed time he will once again invade the south, but this time the result will be different. 30 For warships from western coastlands[m] will scare him off, and he will withdraw and return home. But he will vent his anger against the people of the holy covenant and reward those who forsake the covenant.

31 “His army will take over the Temple fortress, pollute the sanctuary, put a stop to the daily sacrifices, and set up the sacrilegious object that causes desecration.[n] 32 He will flatter and win over those who have violated the covenant. But the people who know their God will be strong and will resist him.

33 “Wise leaders will give instruction to many, but these teachers will die by fire and sword, or they will be jailed and robbed. 34 During these persecutions, little help will arrive, and many who join them will not be sincere. 35 And some of the wise will fall victim to persecution. In this way, they will be refined and cleansed and made pure until the time of the end, for the appointed time is still to come.

36 “The king will do as he pleases, exalting himself and claiming to be greater than every god, even blaspheming the God of gods. He will succeed, but only until the time of wrath is completed. For what has been determined will surely take place. 37 He will have no respect for the gods of his ancestors, or for the god loved by women, or for any other god, for he will boast that he is greater than them all. 38 Instead of these, he will worship the god of fortresses—a god his ancestors never knew—and lavish on him gold, silver, precious stones, and expensive gifts. 39 Claiming this foreign god’s help, he will attack the strongest fortresses. He will honor those who submit to him, appointing them to positions of authority and dividing the land among them as their reward.[o]

40 “Then at the time of the end, the king of the south will attack the king of the north. The king of the north will storm out with chariots, charioteers, and a vast navy. He will invade various lands and sweep through them like a flood. 41 He will enter the glorious land of Israel,[p] and many nations will fall, but Moab, Edom, and the best part of Ammon will escape. 42 He will conquer many countries, and even Egypt will not escape. 43 He will gain control over the gold, silver, and treasures of Egypt, and the Libyans and Ethiopians[q] will be his servants.

44 “But then news from the east and the north will alarm him, and he will set out in great anger to destroy and obliterate many. 45 He will stop between the glorious holy mountain and the sea and will pitch his royal tents. But while he is there, his time will suddenly run out, and no one will help him.

The Time of the End

12 “At that time Michael, the archangel[r] who stands guard over your nation, will arise. Then there will be a time of anguish greater than any since nations first came into existence. But at that time every one of your people whose name is written in the book will be rescued. 2 Many of those whose bodies lie dead and buried will rise up, some to everlasting life and some to shame and everlasting disgrace. 3 Those who are wise will shine as bright as the sky, and those who lead many to righteousness will shine like the stars forever. 4 But you, Daniel, keep this prophecy a secret; seal up the book until the time of the end, when many will rush here and there, and knowledge will increase.”

5 Then I, Daniel, looked and saw two others standing on opposite banks of the river. 6 One of them asked the man dressed in linen, who was now standing above the river, “How long will it be until these shocking events are over?”

7 The man dressed in linen, who was standing above the river, raised both his hands toward heaven and took a solemn oath by the One who lives forever, saying, “It will go on for a time, times, and half a time. When the shattering of the holy people has finally come to an end, all these things will have happened.”

8 I heard what he said, but I did not understand what he meant. So I asked, “How will all this finally end, my lord?”

9 But he said, “Go now, Daniel, for what I have said is kept secret and sealed until the time of the end. 10 Many will be purified, cleansed, and refined by these trials. But the wicked will continue in their wickedness, and none of them will understand. Only those who are wise will know what it means.

11 “From the time the daily sacrifice is stopped and the sacrilegious object that causes desecration[s] is set up to be worshiped, there will be 1,290 days. 12 And blessed are those who wait and remain until the end of the 1,335 days!

13 “As for you, go your way until the end. You will rest, and then at the end of the days, you will rise again to receive the inheritance set aside for you.”

Footnotes

  1. 10:1 The third year of Cyrus’s reign was 536 B.c.
  2. 10:4 Hebrew On the twenty-fourth day of the first month, of the ancient Hebrew lunar calendar. This date in the book of Daniel can be cross-checked with dates in surviving Persian records and can be related accurately to our modern calendar. This event occurred on April 23, 536 B.c.
  3. 10:13a Hebrew the prince; also in 10:13c, 20.
  4. 10:13b Hebrew the chief princes.
  5. 10:13c As in one Greek version; Hebrew reads and I was left there with the kings of Persia. The meaning of the Hebrew is uncertain.
  6. 10:16 As in most manuscripts of the Masoretic Text; one manuscript of the Masoretic Text and one Greek version read Then something that looked like a human hand.
  7. 10:20 Hebrew of Javan.
  8. 10:21 Hebrew against these except Michael, your prince.
  9. 11:1 Hebrew him.
  10. 11:2 Hebrew of Javan.
  11. 11:7 Hebrew a branch from her roots.
  12. 11:16 Hebrew the glorious land.
  13. 11:30 Hebrew from Kittim.
  14. 11:31 Hebrew the abomination of desolation.
  15. 11:39 Or at a price.
  16. 11:41 Hebrew the glorious land.
  17. 11:43 Hebrew Cushites.
  18. 12:1 Hebrew the great prince.
  19. 12:11 Hebrew the abomination of desolation.
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Daniel 10-12
Christian Standard Bible

Vision of a Glorious One

10 In the third year of King Cyrus of Persia,(A) a message was revealed to Daniel, who was named Belteshazzar.(B) The message was true and was about a great conflict. He understood the message and had understanding of the vision.(C)

2 In those days I, Daniel, was mourning for three full weeks.(D) 3 I didn’t eat any rich food,(E) no meat or wine entered my mouth, and I didn’t put any oil on my body until the three weeks were over. 4 On the twenty-fourth day of the first month,[a] as I was standing on the bank of the great river,(F) the Tigris, 5 I looked up, and there was a man dressed in linen,(G) with a belt of gold(H) from Uphaz[b](I) around his waist. 6 His body was like beryl,[c] his face like the brilliance of lightning, his eyes like flaming torches,(J) his arms and feet like the gleam of polished bronze, and the sound of his words like the sound of a multitude.(K)

7 Only I, Daniel, saw the vision.(L) The men who were with me did not see it,(M) but a great terror fell on them,(N) and they ran and hid. 8 I was left alone, looking at this great vision.(O) No strength was left in me; my face grew deathly pale,[d](P) and I was powerless. 9 I heard the words he said, and when I heard them I fell into a deep sleep,[e](Q) with my face to the ground.

Angelic Conflict

10 Suddenly, a hand touched me and set me shaking on my hands and knees. 11 He said to me, “Daniel, you are a man treasured by God.[f](R) Understand the words that I’m saying to you. Stand on your feet,(S) for I have now been sent to you.”(T) After he said this to me, I stood trembling.

12 “Don’t be afraid,(U) Daniel,” he said to me, “for from the first day that you purposed to understand and to humble yourself before your God,(V) your prayers were heard. I have come because of your prayers.(W) 13 But the prince of the kingdom of Persia opposed me for twenty-one days. Then Michael,(X) one of the chief princes, came to help me after I had been left there with the kings of Persia.(Y) 14 Now I have come to help you understand what will happen to your people in the last days,(Z) for the vision refers to those days.”(AA)

15 While he was saying these words to me, I turned my face toward the ground and was speechless.(AB) 16 Suddenly one with human likeness(AC) touched my lips.(AD) I opened my mouth and said to the one standing in front of me, “My lord, because of the vision, anguish overwhelms me and I am powerless.(AE) 17 How can someone like me,(AF) your servant,[g] speak with someone like you, my lord? Now I have no strength, and there is no breath in me.”

18 Then the one with a human appearance touched me again and strengthened me.(AG) 19 He said, “Don’t be afraid,(AH) you who are[h] treasured by God.(AI) Peace to you; be very strong!” (AJ)

As he spoke to me, I was strengthened and said, “Let my lord speak, for you have strengthened me.”(AK)

20 He said, “Do you know why I’ve come to you? I must return at once to fight against the prince of Persia, and when I leave, the prince of Greece will come.(AL) 21 However, I will tell you what is recorded in the book of truth. (No one has the courage to support me against those princes except Michael,(AM) your prince.

11 In the first year of Darius the Mede,(AN) I stood up to strengthen and protect him.) 2 Now I will tell you the truth.(AO)

Prophecies about Persia and Greece

“Three more kings will arise in Persia, and the fourth will be far richer than the others. By the power he gains through his riches, he will stir up everyone against the kingdom of Greece.(AP) 3 Then a warrior king will arise; he will rule a vast realm and do whatever he wants.(AQ) 4 But as soon as he is established, his kingdom will be broken up and divided to the four winds of heaven,(AR) but not to his descendants; it will not be the same kingdom that he ruled, because his kingdom will be uprooted and will go to others besides them.(AS)

Kings of the South and the North

5 “The king of the South(AT) will grow powerful, but one of his commanders will grow more powerful and will rule a kingdom greater than his. 6 After some years they will form an alliance, and the daughter of the king of the South will go to the king of the North(AU) to seal the agreement. She will not retain power, and his strength will not endure. She will be given up, together with her entourage, her father,[i] and the one who supported her during those times. 7 In the place of the king of the South, one from her family[j] will rise up, come against the army, and enter the fortress of the king of the North. He will take action against them and triumph. 8 He will take even their gods captive to Egypt, with their metal images and their precious articles of silver and gold.(AV) For some years he will stay away from the king of the North, 9 who will enter the kingdom of the king of the South and then return to his own land.

10 “His sons will mobilize for war and assemble a large number of armed forces. They will advance, sweeping through like a flood,[k](AW) and will again wage war as far as his fortress. 11 Infuriated, the king of the South will march out to fight with the king of the North, who will raise a large army, but they will be handed over to his enemy. 12 When the army is carried off, he will become arrogant and cause tens of thousands to fall, but he will not triumph. 13 The king of the North will again raise a multitude larger than the first. After some years[l](AX) he will advance with a great army and many supplies.

14 “In those times many will rise up against the king of the South. Violent ones among your own people will assert themselves to fulfill a vision, but they will fail. 15 Then the king of the North will come, build up a siege ramp,(AY) and capture a well-fortified city. The forces of the South will not stand; even their select troops will not be able to resist. 16 The king of the North who comes against him will do whatever he wants,(AZ) and no one can oppose him. He will establish himself in the beautiful land[m](BA) with total destruction in his hand. 17 He will resolve(BB) to come with the force of his whole kingdom and will reach an agreement with him.[n] He will give him a daughter in marriage[o] to destroy it,[p] but she will not stand with him or support him. 18 Then he will turn his attention to the coasts and islands[q](BC) and capture many. But a commander will put an end to his taunting; instead, he will turn his taunts against him.(BD) 19 He will turn his attention back to the fortresses of his own land, but he will stumble, fall,(BE) and be no more.(BF)

20 “In his place one will arise who will send out a tax collector(BG) for the glory of the kingdom; but within a few days he will be broken, though not in anger[r] or in battle.

21 “In his place a despised(BH) person will arise; royal honors will not be given to him, but he will come during a time of peace[s](BI) and seize the kingdom by intrigue. 22 A flood of forces will be swept away before him; they will be broken, as well as the covenant prince. 23 After an alliance is made with him, he will act deceitfully. He will rise to power with a small nation.[t] 24 During a time of peace,[u] he will come into the richest parts of the province(BJ) and do what his fathers and predecessors never did. He will lavish plunder, loot, and wealth on his followers, and he will make plans against fortified cities, but only for a time.

25 “With a large army he will stir up his power and his courage against the king of the South. The king of the South will prepare for battle with an extremely large and powerful army, but he will not succeed, because plots will be made against him. 26 Those who eat his provisions(BK) will destroy him; his army will be swept away, and many will fall slain. 27 The two kings, whose hearts are bent on evil, will speak lies(BL) at the same table but to no avail, for still the end will come at the appointed time.(BM) 28 The king of the North will return to his land with great wealth, but his heart will be set against the holy covenant;[v] he will take action, then return to his own land.

29 “At the appointed time he will come again to the South, but this time[w] will not be like the first. 30 Ships of Kittim[x](BN) will come against him, and being intimidated, he will withdraw. Then he will rage against the holy covenant and take action. On his return, he will favor those who abandon the holy covenant. 31 His forces will rise up and desecrate the temple fortress. They will abolish the regular sacrifice(BO) and set up the abomination of desolation.(BP) 32 With flattery he will corrupt those who act wickedly toward the covenant, but the people who know their God will be strong and take action.(BQ) 33 Those who have insight among the people(BR) will give understanding to many, yet they will fall by the sword and flame,(BS) and they will be captured and plundered for a time. 34 When they fall, they will be helped by some, but many others will join them insincerely.(BT) 35 Some of those who have insight will fall so that they may be refined,(BU) purified, and cleansed(BV) until the time of the end, for it will still come at the appointed time.

36 “Then the king will do whatever he wants.(BW) He will exalt and magnify himself above every god,(BX) and he will say outrageous things against the God of gods.(BY) He will be successful until the time of wrath is completed,(BZ) because what has been decreed will be accomplished. 37 He will not show regard for the gods[y] of his ancestors, the god desired by women, or for any other god,(CA) because he will magnify himself above all. 38 Instead, he will honor a god of fortresses—a god his ancestors did not know—with gold, silver, precious stones, and riches. 39 He will deal with the strongest fortresses with the help of a foreign god. He will greatly honor those who acknowledge him,[z] making them rulers over many and distributing land as a reward.

40 “At the time of the end, the king of the South will engage him in battle, but the king of the North will storm against him(CB) with chariots, horsemen, and many ships. He will invade countries and sweep through them like a flood.(CC) 41 He will also invade the beautiful land,(CD) and many will fall. But these will escape from his power: Edom, Moab, and the prominent people[aa] of the Ammonites.(CE) 42 He will extend his power against the countries, and not even the land of Egypt will escape. 43 He will get control over the hidden treasures of gold and silver and over all the riches of Egypt. The Libyans and Cushites will also be in submission.[ab](CF) 44 But reports from the east(CG) and the north will terrify him, and he will go out with great fury to annihilate and completely destroy many. 45 He will pitch his royal tents between the sea and[ac] the beautiful holy mountain,(CH) but he will meet his end with no one to help him.

12 At that time
Michael,(CI) the great prince
who stands watch over your people, will rise up.
There will be a time of distress(CJ)
such as never has occurred(CK)
since nations came into being until that time.(CL)
But at that time all your people
who are found written in the book(CM) will escape.(CN)
2 Many who sleep in the dust(CO)
of the earth will awake,
some to eternal life,(CP)
and some to disgrace and eternal contempt.(CQ)
3 Those who have insight will shine
like the bright expanse of the heavens,(CR)
and those who lead many to righteousness,(CS)
like the stars forever and ever.

4 “But you, Daniel, keep these words secret(CT) and seal the book(CU) until the time of the end.(CV) Many will roam about,(CW) and knowledge will increase.”[ad]

5 Then I, Daniel, looked, and two others were standing there, one on this bank of the river and one on the other. 6 One of them said to the man dressed in linen,(CX) who was above the water of the river,(CY) “How long until the end(CZ) of these wondrous things?” 7 Then I heard the man dressed in linen, who was above the water of the river. He raised both his hands[ae](DA) toward heaven and swore by him who lives eternally(DB) that it would be for a time, times, and half a time.(DC) When the power of the holy people is shattered, all these things will be completed.

8 I heard but did not understand. So I asked, “My lord, what will be the outcome of these things?” (DD)

9 He said, “Go on your way, Daniel, for the words are secret(DE) and sealed until the time of the end.(DF) 10 Many will be purified,(DG) cleansed, and refined,(DH) but the wicked will act wickedly;(DI) none of the wicked will understand, but those who have insight will understand.(DJ) 11 From the time the daily sacrifice is abolished and the abomination of desolation(DK) is set up,(DL) there will be 1,290 days. 12 Happy is the one who waits(DM) for and reaches 1,335 days. 13 But as for you, go on your way to the end;[af] you will rest, and then you will rise[ag] to receive(DN) your allotted inheritance at the end of the days.”

Footnotes

  1. 10:4 = Nisan (March–April)
  2. 10:5 Some Hb mss read Ophir
  3. 10:6 The identity of this stone is uncertain.
  4. 10:8 Lit my splendor was turned on me to ruin
  5. 10:9 Lit a sleep on my face
  6. 10:11 by God added for clarity, also in v. 19
  7. 10:17 Lit Can I, a servant of my lord
  8. 10:19 Lit afraid, man
  9. 11:6 Some Hb mss, Theod read the child; Syr, Vg read her children
  10. 11:7 Lit from the shoot of her roots
  11. 11:10 Lit advance and overflow and pass through
  12. 11:13 Lit At the end of the times
  13. 11:16 = Israel
  14. 11:17 = the king of the South
  15. 11:17 Lit him the daughter of women
  16. 11:17 Perhaps the kingdom
  17. 11:18 of the Mediterranean
  18. 11:20 Or not openly
  19. 11:21 Or come without warning
  20. 11:23 Or a few people
  21. 11:24 Or Without warning
  22. 11:28 Or the Jewish people and religion
  23. 11:29 Lit but the last
  24. 11:30 = the Romans
  25. 11:37 Or God
  26. 11:39 Or those he acknowledges
  27. 11:41 Lit the first
  28. 11:43 Lit Cushites at his steps
  29. 11:45 Or the seas at
  30. 12:4 LXX reads and the earth will be filled with unrighteousness
  31. 12:7 Lit raised his right and his left
  32. 12:13 LXX omits to the end
  33. 12:13 Or stand
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Daniel 10-12
New International Version

Daniel’s Vision of a Man

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

2 At that time I, Daniel, mourned(D) for three weeks. 3 I ate no choice food; no meat or wine touched my lips;(E) 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(F) of the great river, the Tigris,(G) 5 I looked up(H) and there before me was a man dressed in linen,(I) with a belt of fine gold(J) from Uphaz around his waist. 6 His body was like topaz,(K) his face like lightning,(L) his eyes like flaming torches,(M) his arms and legs like the gleam of burnished bronze,(N) and his voice(O) 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,(P) but such terror overwhelmed them that they fled and hid themselves. 8 So I was left alone,(Q) gazing at this great vision; I had no strength left,(R) my face turned deathly pale(S) and I was helpless.(T) 9 Then I heard him speaking, and as I listened to him, I fell into a deep sleep, my face to the ground.(U)

10 A hand touched me(V) and set me trembling on my hands and knees.(W) 11 He said, “Daniel, you who are highly esteemed,(X) consider carefully the words I am about to speak to you, and stand up,(Y) 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,(Z) Daniel. Since the first day that you set your mind to gain understanding and to humble(AA) yourself before your God, your words(AB) were heard, and I have come in response to them.(AC) 13 But the prince(AD) of the Persian kingdom resisted me twenty-one days. Then Michael,(AE) one of the chief princes, came to help me, because I was detained there with the king of Persia. 14 Now I have come to explain(AF) to you what will happen to your people in the future,(AG) for the vision concerns a time yet to come.(AH)”

15 While he was saying this to me, I bowed with my face toward the ground and was speechless.(AI) 16 Then one who looked like a man[b] touched my lips, and I opened my mouth and began to speak.(AJ) I said to the one standing before me, “I am overcome with anguish(AK) because of the vision, my lord, and I feel very weak. 17 How can I, your servant, talk with you, my lord? My strength is gone and I can hardly breathe.”(AL)

18 Again the one who looked like a man touched(AM) me and gave me strength.(AN) 19 “Do not be afraid, you who are highly esteemed,”(AO) he said. “Peace!(AP) Be strong now; be strong.”(AQ)

When he spoke to me, I was strengthened and said, “Speak, my lord, since you have given me strength.”(AR)

20 So he said, “Do you know why I have come to you? Soon I will return to fight against the prince of Persia, and when I go, the prince of Greece(AS) will come; 21 but first I will tell you what is written in the Book of Truth.(AT) (No one supports me against them except Michael,(AU) your prince. 11 1 And in the first year of Darius(AV) the Mede, I took my stand to support and protect him.)

The Kings of the South and the North

2 “Now then, I tell you the truth:(AW) Three more kings will arise in Persia, and then a fourth, who will be far richer than all the others. When he has gained power by his wealth, he will stir up everyone against the kingdom of Greece.(AX) 3 Then a mighty king will arise, who will rule with great power and do as he pleases.(AY) 4 After he has arisen, his empire will be broken up and parceled out toward the four winds of heaven.(AZ) It will not go to his descendants, nor will it have the power he exercised, because his empire will be uprooted(BA) and given to others.

5 “The king of the South will become strong, but one of his commanders will become even stronger than he and will rule his own kingdom with great power. 6 After some years, they will become allies. The daughter of the king of the South will go to the king of the North to make an alliance, but she will not retain her power, and he and his power[c] will not last. In those days she will be betrayed, together with her royal escort and her father[d] and the one who supported her.

7 “One from her family line will arise to take her place. He will attack the forces of the king of the North(BB) and enter his fortress; he will fight against them and be victorious. 8 He will also seize their gods,(BC) their metal images and their valuable articles of silver and gold and carry them off to Egypt.(BD) For some years he will leave the king of the North alone. 9 Then the king of the North will invade the realm of the king of the South but will retreat to his own country. 10 His sons will prepare for war and assemble a great army, which will sweep on like an irresistible flood(BE) and carry the battle as far as his fortress.

11 “Then the king of the South will march out in a rage and fight against the king of the North, who will raise a large army, but it will be defeated.(BF) 12 When the army is carried off, the king of the South will be filled with pride and will slaughter many thousands, yet he will not remain triumphant. 13 For the king of the North will muster another army, larger than the first; and after several years, he will advance with a huge army fully equipped.

14 “In those times many will rise against the king of the South. Those who are violent among your own people will rebel in fulfillment of the vision, but without success. 15 Then the king of the North will come and build up siege ramps(BG) and will capture a fortified city. The forces of the South will be powerless to resist; even their best troops will not have the strength to stand. 16 The invader will do as he pleases;(BH) no one will be able to stand against him.(BI) He will establish himself in the Beautiful Land and will have the power to destroy it.(BJ) 17 He will determine to come with the might of his entire kingdom and will make an alliance with the king of the South. And he will give him a daughter in marriage in order to overthrow the kingdom, but his plans[e] will not succeed(BK) or help him. 18 Then he will turn his attention to the coastlands(BL) and will take many of them, but a commander will put an end to his insolence and will turn his insolence back on him.(BM) 19 After this, he will turn back toward the fortresses of his own country but will stumble and fall,(BN) to be seen no more.(BO)

20 “His successor will send out a tax collector to maintain the royal splendor.(BP) In a few years, however, he will be destroyed, yet not in anger or in battle.

21 “He will be succeeded by a contemptible(BQ) person who has not been given the honor of royalty.(BR) He will invade the kingdom when its people feel secure, and he will seize it through intrigue. 22 Then an overwhelming army will be swept away(BS) before him; both it and a prince of the covenant will be destroyed.(BT) 23 After coming to an agreement with him, he will act deceitfully,(BU) and with only a few people he will rise to power. 24 When the richest provinces feel secure, he will invade them and will achieve what neither his fathers nor his forefathers did. He will distribute plunder, loot and wealth among his followers.(BV) He will plot the overthrow of fortresses—but only for a time.

25 “With a large army he will stir up his strength and courage against the king of the South. The king of the South will wage war with a large and very powerful army, but he will not be able to stand because of the plots devised against him. 26 Those who eat from the king’s provisions will try to destroy him; his army will be swept away, and many will fall in battle. 27 The two kings, with their hearts bent on evil,(BW) will sit at the same table and lie(BX) to each other, but to no avail, because an end will still come at the appointed time.(BY) 28 The king of the North will return to his own country with great wealth, but his heart will be set against the holy covenant. He will take action against it and then return to his own country.

29 “At the appointed time he will invade the South again, but this time the outcome will be different from what it was before. 30 Ships of the western coastlands(BZ) will oppose him, and he will lose heart.(CA) Then he will turn back and vent his fury(CB) against the holy covenant. He will return and show favor to those who forsake the holy covenant.

31 “His armed forces will rise up to desecrate the temple fortress and will abolish the daily sacrifice.(CC) Then they will set up the abomination that causes desolation.(CD) 32 With flattery he will corrupt those who have violated the covenant, but the people who know their God will firmly resist(CE) him.

33 “Those who are wise will instruct(CF) many, though for a time they will fall by the sword or be burned or captured or plundered.(CG) 34 When they fall, they will receive a little help, and many who are not sincere(CH) will join them. 35 Some of the wise will stumble, so that they may be refined,(CI) purified and made spotless until the time of the end, for it will still come at the appointed time.

The King Who Exalts Himself

36 “The king will do as he pleases. He will exalt and magnify himself(CJ) above every god and will say unheard-of things(CK) against the God of gods.(CL) He will be successful until the time of wrath(CM) is completed, for what has been determined must take place.(CN) 37 He will show no regard for the gods of his ancestors or for the one desired by women, nor will he regard any god, but will exalt himself above them all. 38 Instead of them, he will honor a god of fortresses; a god unknown to his ancestors he will honor with gold and silver, with precious stones and costly gifts. 39 He will attack the mightiest fortresses with the help of a foreign god and will greatly honor those who acknowledge him. He will make them rulers over many people and will distribute the land at a price.[f]

40 “At the time of the end the king of the South(CO) will engage him in battle, and the king of the North will storm(CP) out against him with chariots and cavalry and a great fleet of ships. He will invade many countries and sweep through them like a flood.(CQ) 41 He will also invade the Beautiful Land.(CR) Many countries will fall, but Edom,(CS) Moab(CT) and the leaders of Ammon will be delivered from his hand. 42 He will extend his power over many countries; Egypt will not escape. 43 He will gain control of the treasures of gold and silver and all the riches of Egypt,(CU) with the Libyans(CV) and Cushites[g] in submission. 44 But reports from the east and the north will alarm him, and he will set out in a great rage to destroy and annihilate many. 45 He will pitch his royal tents between the seas at[h] the beautiful holy mountain.(CW) Yet he will come to his end, and no one will help him.

The End Times

12 “At that time Michael,(CX) the great prince who protects your people, will arise. There will be a time of distress(CY) such as has not happened from the beginning of nations until then. But at that time your people—everyone whose name is found written in the book(CZ)—will be delivered.(DA) 2 Multitudes who sleep in the dust of the earth will awake:(DB) some to everlasting life, others to shame and everlasting contempt.(DC) 3 Those who are wise[i](DD) will shine(DE) like the brightness of the heavens, and those who lead many to righteousness,(DF) like the stars for ever and ever.(DG) 4 But you, Daniel, roll up and seal(DH) the words of the scroll until the time of the end.(DI) Many will go here and there(DJ) to increase knowledge.”

5 Then I, Daniel, looked, and there before me stood two others, one on this bank of the river and one on the opposite bank.(DK) 6 One of them said to the man clothed in linen,(DL) who was above the waters of the river, “How long will it be before these astonishing things are fulfilled?”(DM)

7 The man clothed in linen, who was above the waters of the river, lifted his right hand(DN) and his left hand toward heaven, and I heard him swear by him who lives forever,(DO) saying, “It will be for a time, times and half a time.[j](DP) When the power of the holy people(DQ) has been finally broken, all these things will be completed.(DR)”

8 I heard, but I did not understand. So I asked, “My lord, what will the outcome of all this be?”

9 He replied, “Go your way, Daniel, because the words are rolled up and sealed(DS) until the time of the end.(DT) 10 Many will be purified, made spotless and refined,(DU) but the wicked will continue to be wicked.(DV) None of the wicked will understand, but those who are wise will understand.(DW)

11 “From the time that the daily sacrifice(DX) is abolished and the abomination that causes desolation(DY) is set up, there will be 1,290 days.(DZ) 12 Blessed is the one who waits(EA) for and reaches the end of the 1,335 days.(EB)

13 “As for you, go your way till the end.(EC) You will rest,(ED) and then at the end of the days you will rise to receive your allotted inheritance.(EE)”

Footnotes

  1. Daniel 10:1 Or true and burdensome
  2. Daniel 10:16 Most manuscripts of the Masoretic Text; one manuscript of the Masoretic Text, Dead Sea Scrolls and Septuagint Then something that looked like a human hand
  3. Daniel 11:6 Or offspring
  4. Daniel 11:6 Or child (see Vulgate and Syriac)
  5. Daniel 11:17 Or but she
  6. Daniel 11:39 Or land for a reward
  7. Daniel 11:43 That is, people from the upper Nile region
  8. Daniel 11:45 Or the sea and
  9. Daniel 12:3 Or who impart wisdom
  10. Daniel 12:7 Or a year, two years and half a year
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