Daniel 9:16-24

English Standard Version

¹⁶“O Lord, ^(A)according to all your righteous acts, let your anger and your wrath turn away from your city Jerusalem, ^(B)your holy hill, ^(C)because for our sins, and for ^(D)the iniquities of our fathers, ^(E)Jerusalem and your people have become ^(F)a byword among all who are around us. ¹⁷Now therefore, O our God, listen to the prayer of your servant and to his pleas for mercy, and for your own sake, O Lord,^[a] ^(G)make your face to shine upon ^(H)your sanctuary, which is desolate. ¹⁸^(I)O my God, incline your ear and hear. Open your eyes and see ^(J)our desolations, and ^(K)the city that is called by your name. For we do not present our pleas before you because of our righteousness, but because of your great mercy. ¹⁹O Lord, hear; O Lord, forgive. O Lord, pay attention and act. ^(L)Delay not, ^(M)for your own sake, O my God, because ^(N)your city and ^(O)your people are called by your name.”

Gabriel Brings an Answer

²⁰^(P)While I was speaking and praying, confessing my sin and the sin of my people Israel, and presenting my plea before the Lord my God for ^(Q)the holy hill of my God, ²¹while I was speaking in prayer, the man ^(R)Gabriel, whom I had seen in the vision at the first, ^(S)came to me in swift flight at ^(T)the time of the evening sacrifice. ²²^(U)He made me understand, speaking with me and saying, “O Daniel, I have now come out to give you ^(V)insight and understanding. ²³^(W)At the beginning of your pleas for mercy a word went out, ^(X)and I have come to tell it to you, for ^(Y)you are greatly loved. Therefore consider the word ^(Z)and understand the vision.

The Seventy Weeks

²⁴^(AA)“Seventy weeks^[b] are decreed about your people and ^(AB)your holy city, to finish ^(AC)the transgression, to put an end to sin, ^(AD)and to atone for iniquity, ^(AE)to bring in everlasting righteousness, to seal both vision and prophet, and ^(AF)to anoint a most holy place.^[c]