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,

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. ¹⁴ He was given authority,^(AG) glory and sovereign power; all nations and peoples of every language worshiped him.^(AH) His dominion is an everlasting dominion that will not pass away, and his kingdom^(AI) is one that will never be destroyed.^(AJ)

The Interpretation of the Dream

¹⁵ “I, Daniel, was troubled in spirit, and the visions that passed through my mind disturbed me.^{(AK) 16} I approached one of those standing there and asked him the meaning of all this.

“So he told me and gave me the interpretation^(AL) of these things: ¹⁷ ‘The four great beasts are four kings that will rise from the earth. ¹⁸ But the holy people^(AM) of the Most High will receive the kingdom^(AN) and will possess it forever—yes, for ever and ever.’^(AO)

¹¹ In him we were also chosen,^[a] having been predestined^(A) according to the plan of him who works out everything in conformity with the purpose^(B) of his will, ¹² in order that we, who were the first to put our hope in Christ, might be for the praise of his glory.^{(C) 13} And you also were included in Christ^(D) when you heard the message of truth,^(E) the gospel of your salvation. When you believed, you were marked in him with a seal,^(F) the promised Holy Spirit,^{(G) 14} who is a deposit guaranteeing our inheritance^(H) until the redemption^(I) of those who are God’s possession—to the praise of his glory.^(J)

Thanksgiving and Prayer

¹⁵ For this reason, ever since I heard about your faith in the Lord Jesus^(K) and your love for all God’s people,^{(L) 16} I have not stopped giving thanks for you,^(M) remembering you in my prayers.^{(N) 17} I keep asking that the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the glorious Father,^(O) may give you the Spirit^[b] of wisdom^(P) and revelation, so that you may know him better. ¹⁸ I pray that the eyes of your heart may be enlightened^(Q) in order that you may know the hope to which he has called^(R) you, the riches^(S) of his glorious inheritance^(T) in his holy people,^{(U) 19} and his incomparably great power for us who believe. That power^(V) is the same as the mighty strength^{(W) 20} he exerted when he raised Christ from the dead^(X) and seated him at his right hand^(Y) in the heavenly realms,^{(Z) 21} far above all rule and authority, power and dominion,^(AA) and every name^(AB) that is invoked, not only in the present age but also in the one to come.^{(AC) 22} And God placed all things under his feet^(AD) and appointed him to be head^(AE) over everything for the church, ²³ which is his body,^(AF) the fullness of him^(AG) who fills everything in every way.^(AH)