Daniel 10
Christian Standard Bible
Vision of a Glorious One
10 In the third year of King Cyrus of Persia,(A) a message was revealed to Daniel, who was named Belteshazzar.(B) The message was true and was about a great conflict. He understood the message and had understanding of the vision.(C)
2 In those days I, Daniel, was mourning for three full weeks.(D) 3 I didn’t eat any rich food,(E) no meat or wine entered my mouth, and I didn’t put any oil on my body until the three weeks were over. 4 On the twenty-fourth day of the first month,[a] as I was standing on the bank of the great river,(F) the Tigris, 5 I looked up, and there was a man dressed in linen,(G) with a belt of gold(H) from Uphaz[b](I) around his waist. 6 His body was like beryl,[c] his face like the brilliance of lightning, his eyes like flaming torches,(J) his arms and feet like the gleam of polished bronze, and the sound of his words like the sound of a multitude.(K)
7 Only I, Daniel, saw the vision.(L) The men who were with me did not see it,(M) but a great terror fell on them,(N) and they ran and hid. 8 I was left alone, looking at this great vision.(O) No strength was left in me; my face grew deathly pale,[d](P) and I was powerless. 9 I heard the words he said, and when I heard them I fell into a deep sleep,[e](Q) with my face to the ground.
Angelic Conflict
10 Suddenly, a hand touched me and set me shaking on my hands and knees. 11 He said to me, “Daniel, you are a man treasured by God.[f](R) Understand the words that I’m saying to you. Stand on your feet,(S) for I have now been sent to you.”(T) After he said this to me, I stood trembling.
12 “Don’t be afraid,(U) Daniel,” he said to me, “for from the first day that you purposed to understand and to humble yourself before your God,(V) your prayers were heard. I have come because of your prayers.(W) 13 But the prince of the kingdom of Persia opposed me for twenty-one days. Then Michael,(X) one of the chief princes, came to help me after I had been left there with the kings of Persia.(Y) 14 Now I have come to help you understand what will happen to your people in the last days,(Z) for the vision refers to those days.”(AA)
15 While he was saying these words to me, I turned my face toward the ground and was speechless.(AB) 16 Suddenly one with human likeness(AC) touched my lips.(AD) I opened my mouth and said to the one standing in front of me, “My lord, because of the vision, anguish overwhelms me and I am powerless.(AE) 17 How can someone like me,(AF) your servant,[g] speak with someone like you, my lord? Now I have no strength, and there is no breath in me.”
18 Then the one with a human appearance touched me again and strengthened me.(AG) 19 He said, “Don’t be afraid,(AH) you who are[h] treasured by God.(AI) Peace to you; be very strong!” (AJ)
As he spoke to me, I was strengthened and said, “Let my lord speak, for you have strengthened me.”(AK)
20 He said, “Do you know why I’ve come to you? I must return at once to fight against the prince of Persia, and when I leave, the prince of Greece will come.(AL) 21 However, I will tell you what is recorded in the book of truth. (No one has the courage to support me against those princes except Michael,(AM) your prince.
Daniel 10
GOD’S WORD Translation
An Angel Comes to Daniel with a Message
10 In Cyrus’ third year as king of Persia, a message was revealed to Daniel (who had been renamed Belteshazzar). The message was true. It was about a great war. Daniel understood the message because he was given insight during the vision.
2 During those days I, Daniel, mourned for three whole weeks. 3 I didn’t eat any good-tasting food. No meat or wine entered my mouth. I didn’t wash myself until the entire three weeks were over.
4 On the twenty-fourth day of the first month, I was by the great Tigris River. 5 When I looked up, I saw a man dressed in linen, and he had a belt made of gold from Uphaz around his waist. 6 His body was like beryl. His face looked like lightning. His eyes were like flaming torches. His arms and legs looked like polished bronze. When he spoke, his voice sounded like the roar of a crowd. 7 I, Daniel, was the only one who saw the vision. The men with me didn’t see the vision. Yet, they started to tremble violently, and they quickly hid themselves. 8 So I was left alone to see this grand vision. I had no strength left in me. My face turned deathly pale, and I was helpless. 9 I heard the man speak, and as I listened to his words, I fainted facedown on the ground.
10 Then a hand touched me and made my hands and knees shake. 11 The man said to me, “Daniel, you are highly respected. Pay attention to my words. Stand up, because I’ve been sent to you.” When he said this to me, I stood up, trembling. 12 He told me, “Don’t be afraid, Daniel. God has heard everything that you said ever since the first day you decided to humble yourself in front of your God so that you could learn to understand things. I have come in response to your prayer. 13 The commander of the Persian kingdom opposed me for 21 days. But then Michael, one of the chief commanders, came to help me because I was left alone with the kings of Persia. 14 I have come to explain to you what will happen to your people in the last days, because the vision is about times still to come.”
15 When he said this to me, I bowed down with my face touching the ground and was silent. 16 Then someone who looked like a human touched my lips. I opened my mouth and began to talk. I said to the person standing in front of me, “Sir, because of this vision, pain has overwhelmed me, and I’m helpless. 17 How can I talk to you, sir? I have no strength left, and the wind has been knocked out of me.”
18 Again, the person who looked like a human touched me, and I became stronger. 19 He said, “Don’t be afraid. You are highly respected. Everything is alright! Be strong! Be strong!”
As he talked to me, I became stronger. I said, “Sir, tell me what you came to say. You have strengthened me.”
20 He asked, “Do you know why I have come to you? Now I will return to fight the commander of Persia. When I go, the commander of Greece will come. 21 However, I will tell you what is inscribed in the true writings. No one will support me when I fight these commanders except your commander, Michael.
The Christian Standard Bible. Copyright © 2017 by Holman Bible Publishers. Used by permission. Christian Standard Bible®, and CSB® are federally registered trademarks of Holman Bible Publishers, all rights reserved.
Copyright © 1995, 2003, 2013, 2014, 2019, 2020 by God’s Word to the Nations Mission Society. All rights reserved.