³ Four great beasts,^(A) each different from the others, came up out of the sea.

⁴ “The first was like a lion,^(B) and it had the wings of an eagle.^(C) 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!’^(D)

⁶ “After that, I looked, and there before me was another beast, one that looked like a leopard.^(E) 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^(F) at night I looked, and there before me was a fourth beast—terrifying and frightening and very powerful. It had large iron^(G) teeth; it crushed and devoured its victims and trampled^(H) underfoot whatever was left.^(I) It was different from all the former beasts, and it had ten horns.^(J)

⁸ “While I was thinking about the horns, there before me was another horn, a little^(K) 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^(L) and a mouth that spoke boastfully.^(M)

²⁵ He will speak against the Most High^(A) and oppress his holy people^(B) and try to change the set times^(C) and the laws. The holy people will be delivered into his hands for a time, times and half a time.^[a](D)