Daniel 10:1-11:13

English Standard Version

Daniel's Terrifying Vision of a Man

10 ^(A)In the third year of Cyrus king of Persia a word was revealed to Daniel, ^(B)who was named Belteshazzar. And ^(C)the word was true, and it was a great conflict.^[a] And ^(D)he understood the word and ^(E)had understanding of the vision.

² In those days I, Daniel, was mourning for ^(F)three weeks. ³ I ate no delicacies, no meat or wine entered my mouth, nor did I ^(G)anoint myself at all, for ^(H)the full three weeks. ⁴ On the twenty-fourth day of the first month, as I was standing ^(I)on the bank of the great river (^(J)that is, the Tigris) ^5 (K)I lifted up my eyes and looked, and behold, ^(L)a man clothed in linen, ^(M)with a belt of fine ^(N)gold from Uphaz around his waist. ⁶ His body was like ^(O)beryl, his face ^(P)like the appearance of lightning, ^(Q)his eyes like flaming torches, his arms and ^(R)legs like the gleam of burnished bronze, and ^(S)the sound of his words like the sound of a multitude. ^7 (T)And I, Daniel, alone saw the vision, for the men who were with me did not see the vision, but a great trembling fell upon them, and they fled to hide themselves. ⁸ So I was left alone and saw this great vision, and ^(U)no strength was left in me. My radiant appearance was fearfully changed,^{[b] (V)}and I retained no strength. ⁹ Then I heard the sound of his words, ^(W)and as I heard the sound of his words, I fell on my face in deep sleep ^(X)with my face to the ground.

¹⁰ And behold, ^(Y)a hand touched me and set me trembling on my hands and knees. ¹¹ And he said to me, “O Daniel, ^(Z)man greatly loved, ^(AA)understand the words that I speak to you, and ^(AB)stand upright, for ^(AC)now I have been sent to you.” And when he had spoken this word to me, I stood up trembling. ¹² Then he said to me, ^(AD)“Fear not, Daniel, for from the first day that you ^(AE)set your heart to understand and ^(AF)humbled yourself before your God, ^(AG)your words have been heard, ^(AH)and I have come because of your words. ^13 (AI)The prince of the kingdom of Persia withstood me ^(AJ)twenty-one days, but ^(AK)Michael, one of the chief princes, came to help me, for I was left there with the kings of Persia, ^14 (AL)and came to make you understand what is to happen to your people ^(AM)in the latter days. For ^(AN)the vision is for days yet to come.”

¹⁵ When he had spoken to me according to these words, ^(AO)I turned my face toward the ground ^(AP)and was mute. ¹⁶ And behold, ^(AQ)one in the likeness of the children of man ^(AR)touched my lips. Then I opened my mouth and spoke. I said to him who stood before me, “O my lord, by reason of the vision pains have come upon me, and ^(AS)I retain no strength. ¹⁷ How can my lord's servant talk with my lord? For now no strength remains in me, and no breath is left in me.”

¹⁸ Again ^(AT)one having the appearance of a man ^(AU)touched me and strengthened me. ¹⁹ And he said, ^(AV)“O man greatly loved, ^(AW)fear not, peace be with you; be strong and of good courage.” And as he spoke to me, I was strengthened and said, “Let my lord speak, for you have strengthened me.” ²⁰ Then he said, “Do you know why I have come to you? But now I will return to fight against the ^(AX)prince of Persia; and when I go out, behold, the prince of ^(AY)Greece will come. ²¹ But I will tell you ^(AZ)what is inscribed in the book of truth: there is none who contends by my side against these except ^(BA)Michael, your prince.

The Kings of the South and the North

11 “And as for me, ^(BB)in the first year of ^(BC)Darius the Mede, I stood up to confirm and strengthen him.

² “And now I will show you ^(BD)the truth. Behold, three more kings shall arise in Persia, and a fourth shall be far richer than all of them. And when he has become strong through his riches, he shall stir up all against the kingdom of Greece. ³ Then ^(BE)a mighty king shall arise, who shall rule with great dominion and ^(BF)do as he wills. ⁴ And as soon as he has arisen, ^(BG)his kingdom shall be broken and divided ^(BH)toward the ^(BI)four winds of heaven, but ^(BJ)not to his posterity, nor according to the authority with which he ruled, for his kingdom shall be plucked up and go to others besides these.

⁵ “Then the king of the south shall be strong, but one of his princes shall be stronger than he ^(BK)and shall rule, and his authority shall be a great authority. ⁶ After some years ^(BL)they shall make an alliance, and the daughter of the king of the south shall come to the king of the north to make an agreement. But she shall not retain the strength of her arm, and he and his arm shall not endure, but she shall be given up, and her attendants, he who fathered her, and he who supported^[c] her in those times.

⁷ “And from a branch from her roots one shall arise in his place. He shall come against the army and enter the ^(BM)fortress of the king of the north, and he shall deal with them and shall prevail. ⁸ He shall also carry off to Egypt their gods with their metal images and their precious ^(BN)vessels of silver and gold, and for some years he shall refrain from attacking the king of the north. ⁹ Then the latter shall come into the realm of the king of the south but shall return to his own land.

¹⁰ “His sons shall wage war and assemble a multitude of great forces, which shall keep coming ^(BO)and overflow and pass through, and again shall carry the war as far as his ^(BP)fortress. ¹¹ Then the king of the south, ^(BQ)moved with rage, shall come out and fight against the king of the north. ^(BR)And he shall raise a great multitude, but it shall be given into his hand. ¹² And when the multitude is taken away, his heart shall be exalted, and he shall cast down tens of thousands, but he shall not prevail. ¹³ For the king of the north shall again ^(BS)raise a multitude, greater than the first. And ^(BT)after some years^[d] he shall come on with a great army and abundant supplies.