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Daniel 7:1-13
New International Reader's Version
Daniel 7:1-13
New International Reader's Version
Daniel Has a Dream About Four Animals
7 It was the first year that Belshazzar was king of Babylon. Daniel had a dream. He was lying in bed. In his dream, visions passed through his mind. He wrote down what he saw.
2 Daniel said, “I had a vision at night. I looked up and saw the four winds of heaven. They were stirring up the Mediterranean Sea. 3 Four large animals came up out of the sea. Each one was different from the others.
4 “The first animal was like a lion. It had the wings of an eagle. I watched until its wings were torn off. Then it was lifted up from the ground. It stood on two feet like a human being. And the mind of a human being was given to it.
5 “I saw a second animal. It looked like a bear. It was raised up on one of its sides. And it had three ribs between its teeth. It was told, ‘Get up! Eat meat until you are full!’
6 “After that, I saw another animal. It looked like a leopard. On its back were four wings like the wings of a bird. The animal I saw had four heads. And it was given authority to rule.
7 “After that, in my vision I looked up and saw a fourth animal. It was terrifying and very powerful. It had large iron teeth. It crushed those it attacked and ate them up. It stomped on anything that was left. It was different from the other animals. And it had ten horns.
8 “I thought about the horns. Then I saw another horn. It was a little one. It grew up among the other horns. Three of the first horns were pulled up by their roots to make room for it. The little horn had eyes like the eyes of a human being. Its mouth was always bragging.
9 “As I watched,
“thrones were set in place.
The Eternal God took his seat.
His clothes were as white as snow.
The hair on his head was white like wool.
His throne was blazing with fire.
And flames were all around its wheels.
10 A river of fire was flowing.
It was coming out from in front of God.
Thousands and thousands of angels served him.
Millions of them stood in front of him.
The court was seated.
And the books were opened.
11 “Then I continued to watch because of the way the horn was bragging. I kept looking until the fourth animal was killed. I watched until its body was destroyed. It was thrown into the blazing fire. 12 The authority of the other animals had been stripped away from them. But they were allowed to live for a period of time.
13 “In my vision I saw one who looked like a son of man. He was coming with the clouds of heaven. He approached the Eternal God. He was led right up to him.
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Daniel 7:1-13
New International Version
Daniel 7:1-13
New International Version
Daniel’s Dream of Four Beasts
7 In the first year of Belshazzar(A) king of Babylon, Daniel had a dream, and visions(B) passed through his mind(C) as he was lying in bed.(D) He wrote(E) down the substance of his dream.
2 Daniel said: “In my vision at night I looked, and there before me were the four winds of heaven(F) churning up the great sea. 3 Four great beasts,(G) each different from the others, came up out of the sea.
4 “The first was like a lion,(H) and it had the wings of an eagle.(I) I watched until its wings were torn off and it was lifted from the ground so that it stood on two feet like a human being, and the mind of a human was given to it.
5 “And there before me was a second beast, which looked like a bear. It was raised up on one of its sides, and it had three ribs in its mouth between its teeth. It was told, ‘Get up and eat your fill of flesh!’(J)
6 “After that, I looked, and there before me was another beast, one that looked like a leopard.(K) And on its back it had four wings like those of a bird. This beast had four heads, and it was given authority to rule.
7 “After that, in my vision(L) at night I looked, and there before me was a fourth beast—terrifying and frightening and very powerful. It had large iron(M) teeth; it crushed and devoured its victims and trampled(N) underfoot whatever was left.(O) It was different from all the former beasts, and it had ten horns.(P)
8 “While I was thinking about the horns, there before me was another horn, a little(Q) one, which came up among them; and three of the first horns were uprooted before it. This horn had eyes like the eyes of a human being(R) and a mouth that spoke boastfully.(S)
9 “As I looked,
“thrones were set in place,
and the Ancient of Days(T) took his seat.(U)
His clothing was as white as snow;(V)
the hair of his head was white like wool.(W)
His throne was flaming with fire,
and its wheels(X) were all ablaze.
10 A river of fire(Y) was flowing,
coming out from before him.(Z)
Thousands upon thousands attended him;
ten thousand times ten thousand stood before him.
The court was seated,
and the books(AA) were opened.
11 “Then I continued to watch because of the boastful words the horn was speaking.(AB) I kept looking until the beast was slain and its body destroyed and thrown into the blazing fire.(AC) 12 (The other beasts had been stripped of their authority, but were allowed to live for a period of time.)
13 “In my vision at night I looked, and there before me was one like a son of man,[a](AD) coming(AE) with the clouds of heaven.(AF) He approached the Ancient of Days and was led into his presence.
Footnotes
- Daniel 7:13 The Aramaic phrase bar enash means human being. The phrase son of man is retained here because of its use in the New Testament as a title of Jesus, probably based largely on this verse.
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