Daniel 10:1-11

Common English Bible

Vision of a man

10 In the third year of Persia’s King Cyrus, a message was revealed to Daniel, who was called Belteshazzar. The message was true: there would be a great conflict. Daniel understood the message, having discerned the meaning of the vision.

² During that time, I, Daniel, had been mourning for three weeks. ³ I didn’t eat any rich foods. Neither meat nor wine passed my lips, and I didn’t clean up at all until the three weeks were up. ⁴ Then, on the twenty-fourth day of the first month, as I was on the bank of the great Tigris River, ⁵ I looked up and suddenly saw a man clothed in linen in front of me. He had a brilliant gold belt around his waist, ⁶ and his body was like topaz. His face was like a flash of lightning, and his eyes were like burning torches. His arms and feet looked like polished bronze. When he spoke, it sounded like the roar of a crowd. ⁷ Only I, Daniel, saw this vision. The other people who were with me didn’t see it. Despite that, they were terrified and ran away to hide.

⁸ So I was left alone to see this great vision all by myself. All my strength left me. My energy was sapped, and I couldn’t stay strong. ⁹ Then I heard the sound of the man’s words. When I heard it, I fell into a trance with my face on the ground. ¹⁰ But then a hand touched me, lifting me up to my hands and knees.

¹¹ The man said to me, “Daniel, you are greatly treasured. Now grasp the meaning of what I’m saying to you. And stand up, because I’ve been sent to you.”

As he said this to me, I stood up, shaking.