Daniel 7-12

New Revised Standard Version Updated Edition

Visions of the Four Beasts

7 In the first year of King Belshazzar of Babylon, Daniel had a dream and visions of his head as he lay in bed. Then he wrote down the dream:^{[a](A) 2} I,^[b] Daniel, saw in my vision by night the four winds of heaven stirring up the great sea, ³ and four great beasts came up out of the sea, different from one another.^{(B) 4} The first was like a lion and had eagles’ wings. Then, as I watched, its wings were plucked off, and it was lifted up from the ground and made to stand on two feet like a human being, and a human mind was given to it.^{(C) 5} Another beast appeared, a second one, that looked like a bear. It was raised up on one side, had three tusks^[c] in its mouth among its teeth, and was told, “Arise, devour many bodies!” ⁶ After this, as I watched, another appeared, like a leopard. The beast had four wings of a bird on its back and four heads, and dominion was given to it.^{(D) 7} After this I saw in the visions by night a fourth beast, terrifying and dreadful and exceedingly strong. It had great iron teeth and was devouring, breaking in pieces, and stamping what was left with its feet. It was different from all the beasts that preceded it, and it had ten horns.^{(E) 8} I was considering the horns when another horn appeared, a little one that came up among them. Three of the original horns were plucked up from before it. There were eyes like human eyes in this horn and a mouth speaking arrogantly.^(F)

Judgment before the Ancient One

¹¹ I watched then because of the noise of the arrogant words that the horn was speaking. And as I watched, the beast was put to death and its body destroyed and given over to be burned with fire.^{(I) 12} As for the rest of the beasts, their dominion was taken away, but their lives were prolonged for a season and a time. ¹³ As I watched in the night visions,

Daniel’s Visions Interpreted

¹⁵ As for me, Daniel, my spirit was troubled within me,^[g] and the visions of my head terrified me.^{(L) 16} I approached one of the attendants to ask him the truth concerning all this. So he said that he would disclose to me the interpretation of the matter:^{(M) 17} “As for these four great beasts, four kings shall arise out of the earth. ¹⁸ But the holy ones of the Most High shall receive the kingdom and possess the kingdom forever—forever and ever.”^(N)

¹⁹ Then I desired to know the truth concerning the fourth beast, which was different from all the rest, exceedingly terrifying, with its teeth of iron and claws of bronze, and which devoured and broke in pieces and stamped what was left with its feet; ²⁰ and concerning the ten horns that were on its head, and concerning the other horn that came up and before which three others had fallen—the horn that had eyes and a mouth that spoke arrogantly and that seemed greater than the others. ²¹ As I looked, that horn made war with the holy ones and was prevailing over them,^{(O) 22} until the Ancient One^[h] came; then judgment was given for the holy ones of the Most High, and the time arrived when the holy ones gained possession of the kingdom.^(P)

²³ This is what he said: “As for the fourth beast,

²⁸ Here the account ends. As for me, Daniel, my thoughts greatly terrified me, and my face turned pale, but I kept the matter in my mind.^(V)

Vision of a Ram and a Goat

8 In the third year of the reign of King Belshazzar a vision appeared to me, Daniel, after the one that had appeared to me at first.^{(W) 2} In the vision^[j] I saw myself in Susa the capital, in the province of Elam,^[k] and I was by the Ulai Gate.^{[l](X) 3} I looked up and saw a ram standing beside the gate.^[m] It had two horns. Both horns were long, but one was longer than the other, and the longer one came up second.^{(Y) 4} I saw the ram charging westward and northward and southward. All beasts were powerless to withstand it, and no one could rescue from its power; it did as it pleased and became strong.^(Z)

⁵ As I was watching, a male goat appeared from the west, coming across the face of the whole earth without touching the ground. The goat had a horn^[n] between its eyes.^{(AA) 6} It came toward the ram with the two horns that I had seen standing beside the gate,^[o] and it ran at it with savage force.^{(AB) 7} I saw it approaching the ram. It was enraged against it and struck the ram, breaking its two horns. The ram did not have power to withstand it; it threw the ram down to the ground and trampled upon it, and there was no one who could rescue the ram from its power.^{(AC) 8} Then the male goat grew exceedingly great, but at the height of its power the great horn was broken, and in its place there came up four prominent horns toward the four winds of heaven.^(AD)

⁹ Out of one of them came another^[p] horn, a little one, which grew exceedingly great toward the south, toward the east, and toward the beautiful land.^{(AE) 10} It grew as high as the host of heaven. It threw down to earth some of the host and some of the stars and trampled on them.^{(AF) 11} Even against the prince of the host it acted arrogantly; it took the regular burnt offering away from him and overthrew the place of his sanctuary.^{(AG) 12} Because of wickedness, the host was given over to it together with the regular burnt offering;^[q] it cast truth to the ground and kept prospering in what it did. ¹³ Then I heard a holy one speaking, and another holy one said to the one who spoke, “For how long is this vision concerning the regular burnt offering, the transgression that makes desolate, and the giving over of the sanctuary and host to be trampled?”^{[r](AH) 14} And he answered him,^[s] “For two thousand three hundred evenings and mornings; then the sanctuary shall be restored to its rightful state.”

Gabriel Interprets the Vision

¹⁵ When I, Daniel, had seen the vision, I tried to understand it. Then someone appeared standing before me, having the appearance of a man,^{(AI) 16} and I heard a human voice by the Ulai, calling, “Gabriel, help this man understand the vision.”^{(AJ) 17} So he came near where I stood, and when he came, I became frightened and fell prostrate. But he said to me, “Understand, O mortal,^[t] that the vision is for the time of the end.”^(AK)

¹⁸ As he was speaking to me, I fell into a trance, face to the ground; then he touched me and set me on my feet.^{(AL) 19} He said, “Listen, and I will tell you what will take place later in the period of wrath, for it refers to the appointed time of the end.^{(AM) 20} As for the ram that you saw with the two horns, these are the kings of Media and Persia. ²¹ The male goat^[u] is the king of Greece, and the great horn between its eyes is the first king.^{(AN) 22} As for the horn that was broken, in place of which four others arose, four kingdoms shall arise from his^[v] nation but not with his power.^(AO)

²⁶ “The vision of the evenings and the mornings that has been told is true. As for you, seal up the vision, for it refers to many days from now.”^(AR)

²⁷ So I, Daniel, was overcome and lay sick for some days; then I arose and went about the king’s business. But I was dismayed by the vision and did not understand it.^(AS)

Daniel’s Prayer for the People

9 In the first year of Darius son of Ahasuerus, by birth a Mede, who became king over the realm of the Chaldeans,^{(AT) 2} I,^[x] Daniel, perceived in the books the number of years that, according to the word of the Lord to the prophet Jeremiah, must be fulfilled for the devastation of Jerusalem, namely, seventy years.^(AU)

³ Then I turned to the Lord God to seek an answer by prayer and supplication with fasting and sackcloth and ashes.^{(AV) 4} I prayed to the Lord my God and made confession, saying,

“Ah, Lord, great and awesome God, keeping covenant and steadfast love with those who love you^[y] and keep your^[z] commandments,^{(AW) 5} we have sinned and done wrong, acted wickedly and rebelled, turning aside from your commandments and ordinances.^{(AX) 6} We have not listened to your servants the prophets, who spoke in your name to our kings, our princes, and our ancestors, and to all the people of the land.

⁷ “Righteousness is on your side, O Lord, but open shame, as at this day, falls on us, the people of Judah, the inhabitants of Jerusalem, and all Israel, those who are near and those who are far away, in all the lands to which you have driven them because of the treachery that they have committed against you.^{(AY) 8} Open shame, O Lord, falls on us, our kings, our princes, and our ancestors because we have sinned against you. ⁹ To the Lord our God belong mercy and forgiveness, but we have rebelled against him^{(AZ) 10} and have not obeyed the voice of the Lord our God by following his laws, which he set before us by his servants the prophets.

¹¹ “All Israel has transgressed your law and turned aside, refusing to obey your voice. So the curse and the oath written in the law of Moses, the servant of God, have been poured out upon us because we have sinned against you.^{(BA) 12} He has confirmed his words that he spoke against us and against our rulers by bringing upon us a calamity so great that what has been done against Jerusalem has never before been done under the whole heaven.^{(BB) 13} Just as it is written in the law of Moses, all this calamity has come upon us. We did not entreat the favor of the Lord our God, turning from our iniquities and reflecting on his^[aa] fidelity.^{(BC) 14} So the Lord kept watch over this calamity until he brought it upon us. Indeed, the Lord our God is right in all that he has done, for we have disobeyed his voice.^(BD)

¹⁵ “And now, O Lord our God, who brought your people out of the land of Egypt with a mighty hand and made your name renowned even to this day—we have sinned, we have done wickedly.^{(BE) 16} O Lord, in view of all your righteous acts, let your anger and wrath, we pray, turn away from your city Jerusalem, your holy mountain; because of our sins and the iniquities of our ancestors, Jerusalem and your people have become a disgrace among all our neighbors.^{(BF) 17} Now therefore, O our God, listen to the prayer of your servant and to his supplication, and for your own sake, Lord,^[ab] let your face shine upon your desolated sanctuary.^{(BG) 18} Incline your ear, O my God, and hear. Open your eyes and look at our desolation and the city that bears your name. We do not present our supplication before you on the ground of our righteousness but on the ground of your great mercies.^{(BH) 19} O Lord, hear; O Lord, forgive; O Lord, listen and act and do not delay! For your own sake, O my God, because your city and your people bear your name!”^(BI)

The Seventy Weeks

²⁰ While I was speaking and was praying and confessing my sin and the sin of my people Israel and presenting my supplication before the Lord my God on behalf of the holy mountain of my God,^{(BJ) 21} while I was speaking in prayer, the man Gabriel, whom I had seen before in a vision, came to me in swift flight at the time of the evening sacrifice.^{(BK) 22} He came^[ac] and said to me, “Daniel, I have now come out to give you wisdom and understanding. ²³ At the beginning of your supplications a word went out, and I have come to declare it, for you are greatly beloved. So consider the word and understand the vision:^(BL)

²⁴ “Seventy weeks are decreed for your people and your holy city: to finish the transgression, to put an end to sin, and to atone for iniquity, to bring in everlasting righteousness, to seal both vision and prophet, and to anoint a most holy place.^{[ad](BM) 25} Know therefore and understand: from the time that the word went out to restore and rebuild Jerusalem until the time of an anointed prince, there shall be seven weeks, and for sixty-two weeks it shall be built again with streets and moat, but in a troubled time.^{(BN) 26} After the sixty-two weeks, an anointed one shall be cut off and shall have nothing, and the troops of the prince who is to come shall destroy the city and the sanctuary. Its^[ae] end shall come with a flood, and to the end there shall be war. Desolations are decreed.^{(BO) 27} He shall make a strong covenant with many for one week, and for half of the week he shall make sacrifice and offering cease, and in their place^[af] shall be a desolating sacrilege until the decreed end is poured out upon the desolator.”^(BP)

Conflict of Nations and Heavenly Powers

10 In the third year of King Cyrus of Persia a word was revealed to Daniel, who was named Belteshazzar. The word was true, and it concerned a great conflict. He understood the word, having received understanding in the vision.^(BQ)

² At that time I, Daniel, had been mourning for three weeks.^{(BR) 3} I had eaten no rich food, no meat or wine had entered my mouth, and I had not anointed myself at all, for the full three weeks. ⁴ On the twenty-fourth day of the first month, as I was standing on the bank of the great river (that is, the Tigris),^{(BS) 5} I looked up and saw a man clothed in linen, with a belt of gold from Uphaz around his waist.^{(BT) 6} His body was like beryl, his face like lightning, his eyes like flaming torches, his arms and legs like the gleam of burnished bronze, and the sound of his words like the roar of a multitude.^{(BU) 7} I, Daniel, alone saw the vision; the people who were with me did not see the vision, though a great trembling fell upon them, and they fled and hid themselves.^{(BV) 8} So I was left alone to see this great vision. My strength left me, and my complexion grew deathly pale, and I retained no strength.^{(BW) 9} When^[ag] I heard the sound of his words, I fell into a trance, face to the ground.^(BX)

¹⁰ But then a hand touched me and roused me to my hands and knees.^{(BY) 11} He said to me, “Daniel, greatly beloved, pay attention to the words that I am going to speak to you. Stand on your feet, for I have now been sent to you.” So while he was speaking this word to me, I stood up trembling.^{(BZ) 12} He said to me, “Do not fear, Daniel, for from the first day that you set your mind to gain understanding and to humble yourself before your God, your words have been heard, and I have come because of your words.^{(CA) 13} But the prince of the kingdom of Persia opposed me twenty-one days. So Michael, one of the chief princes, came to help me, and I left him there with the prince of the kingdom of Persia^{[ah](CB) 14} and have come to help you understand what is to happen to your people at the end of days. For there is a further vision for those days.”^(CC)

¹⁵ While he was speaking these words to me, I turned my face toward the ground and was speechless.^{(CD) 16} Then one in human form touched my lips, and I opened my mouth to speak and said to the one who stood before me, “My lord, because of the vision such pains have come upon me that I retain no strength.^{(CE) 17} How can my lord’s servant talk with my lord? For I am exhausted;^[ai] no strength remains in me, and no breath is left in me.”

¹⁸ Again one in human form touched me and strengthened me. ¹⁹ He said, “Do not fear, greatly beloved; you are safe. Be strong and courageous!” When he spoke to me, I was strengthened and said, “Let my lord speak, for you have strengthened me.”^{(CF) 20} Then he said, “Do you know why I have come to you? Now I must return to fight against the prince of Persia, and when I am through with him, the prince of Greece will come. ²¹ But I am to tell you what is inscribed in the book of truth. There is no one with me who contends against these princes except Michael, your prince.^(CG) 11 ¹ “As for me, in the first year of Darius the Mede, I stood up to support and strengthen him.^(CH)

² “Now I will announce the truth to you. Three more kings shall arise in Persia. The 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 a warrior king shall arise who shall rule with great dominion and take action as he pleases.^{(CI) 4} And while still rising in power, his kingdom shall be broken and divided toward the four winds of heaven but not to his posterity nor according to the dominion with which he ruled, for his kingdom shall be uprooted and go to others besides these.^(CJ)

⁵ “Then the king of the south shall grow strong, but one of his officers shall grow stronger than he and shall rule a realm greater than his own realm. ⁶ After some years they shall make an alliance, and the daughter of the king of the south shall come to the king of the north to ratify the agreement. But she shall not retain her power, and his offspring shall not endure. She shall be given up, she and her attendants and her child and the one who supported her.

“In those times^{(CK) 7} a branch from her roots shall rise up in his place. He shall come against the army and enter the fortress of the king of the north, and he shall take action against them and prevail.^{(CL) 8} Even their gods, with their idols and with their precious vessels of silver and gold, he shall carry off to Egypt as spoils of war. For some years he shall refrain from attacking the king of the north;^{(CM) 9} then the latter shall invade the realm of the king of the south but will return to his own land.

¹⁰ “His sons shall wage war and assemble a multitude of great forces that shall advance like a flood and pass through and again shall carry the war as far as his fortress.^{(CN) 11} Moved with rage, the king of the south shall go out and do battle against the king of the north, who shall muster a great multitude, but the multitude shall be given over to his hand.^{(CO) 12} When the multitude has been carried off, his heart shall be exalted, and he shall overthrow tens of thousands, but he shall not prevail. ¹³ For the king of the north shall again raise a multitude larger than the former, and after some years^[aj] he shall advance with a great army and abundant supplies.^(CP)

¹⁴ “In those times many shall rise against the king of the south. The lawless among your own people shall lift themselves up in order to fulfill the vision, but they shall fail. ¹⁵ Then the king of the north shall come and throw up siegeworks and take a well-fortified city. And the forces of the south shall not stand, not even his picked troops, for there shall be no strength to resist.^{(CQ) 16} But he who comes against him shall take the actions he pleases, and no one shall withstand him. He shall take a position in the beautiful land, and all of it shall be in his power.^{(CR) 17} He shall set his face to come with the strength of his whole kingdom. He shall make peace with him and shall give him a woman in marriage, in order to destroy the kingdom,^[ak] but it shall not succeed or be to his advantage.^{(CS) 18} Afterward he shall turn to the coastlands and shall capture many, but a commander shall put an end to his insolence; indeed,^[al] he shall turn his insolence back upon him.^{(CT) 19} Then he shall turn back toward the fortresses of his own land, but he shall stumble and fall and shall not be found.^(CU)

²⁰ “Then shall arise in his place one who shall send an official for the glory of the kingdom, but within a few days he shall be broken, though not in anger or in battle.^{[am](CV) 21} In his place shall arise a contemptible person on whom royal majesty had not been conferred; he shall come in suddenly and seize the kingdom through intrigue.^{(CW) 22} Armies shall be utterly swept away and broken before him, and the prince of the covenant as well.^{(CX) 23} And after an alliance is made with him, he shall act deceitfully and become strong with a small party.^{(CY) 24} Suddenly he shall come into the richest parts^[an] of the province and do what none of his predecessors had ever done, lavishing plunder, spoil, and wealth on them. He shall devise plans against strongholds but only for a time.^{(CZ) 25} He shall stir up his power and determination against the king of the south with a great army, and the king of the south shall wage war with a much greater and stronger army. But he shall not succeed, for plots shall be devised against him. ²⁶ Those who eat of the royal rations shall break him, his army shall be swept away, and many shall fall slain.^{(DA) 27} The two kings, their minds bent on evil, shall sit at one table and exchange lies. But it shall not succeed, for there remains an end at the time appointed.^{(DB) 28} He shall return to his land with great wealth, but his heart shall be set against the holy covenant. He shall work his will and return to his own land.

²⁹ “At the time appointed he shall return and come into the south, but this time it shall not be as it was before. ³⁰ For ships of Kittim shall come against him, and he shall lose heart and withdraw. He shall be enraged and take action against the holy covenant. He shall turn back and come to an understanding with those who forsake the holy covenant.^{(DC) 31} Forces sent by him shall occupy and profane the temple and fortress. They shall abolish the regular burnt offering and set up the desolating sacrilege.^{(DD) 32} He will flatter with smooth words those who violate the covenant, but the people who are loyal to their God shall stand firm and take action.^{(DE) 33} The wise among the people shall give understanding to many; for some days, however, they shall fall by sword and flame and suffer captivity and plunder.^{(DF) 34} When they fall, they shall receive a little help, and many shall join them insincerely.^{(DG) 35} Some of the wise shall fall, so that they may be refined, purified, and cleansed,^[ao] until the time of the end, for there is still an interval until the time appointed.^(DH)

³⁶ “The king shall act as he pleases. He shall exalt himself and consider himself greater than any god and shall speak horrendous things against the God of gods. He shall prosper until the period of wrath is completed, for what is determined shall be done.^{(DI) 37} He shall pay no respect to the gods of his ancestors or to the one beloved by women; he shall pay no respect to any other god, for he shall consider himself greater than all. ³⁸ He shall honor the god of fortresses instead of these; a god whom his ancestors did not know he shall honor with gold and silver, with precious stones and costly gifts. ³⁹ He shall deal with the strongest fortresses with the help of a foreign god. Those who acknowledge him he shall make more wealthy and shall appoint them as rulers over many and shall distribute the land for a price.

The Time of the End

⁴⁰ “At the time of the end the king of the south shall attack him. But the king of the north shall rush upon him like a whirlwind, with chariots and horsemen and with many ships. He shall advance against countries and pass through like a flood.^{(DJ) 41} He shall come into the beautiful land, and tens of thousands shall fall victim, but Edom and Moab and the main part of the Ammonites shall escape from his power.^{(DK) 42} He shall stretch out his hand against the countries, and the land of Egypt shall not escape. ⁴³ He shall gain control of the treasures of gold and of silver and all the riches of Egypt, and the Libyans and the Cushites shall follow in his train.^{(DL) 44} But reports from the east and the north shall alarm him, and he shall go out with great fury to bring ruin and complete destruction to many. ⁴⁵ He shall pitch his palatial tents between the sea and the beautiful holy mountain. Yet he shall come to his end, with no one to help him.^(DM)

The Resurrection of the Dead

12 “At that time Michael, the great prince, the protector of your people, shall arise. There shall be a time of anguish such as has never occurred since nations first came into existence. But at that time your people shall be delivered, everyone who is found written in the book.^{(DN) 2} Many of those who sleep in the dust of the earth^[ap] shall awake, some to everlasting life and some to shame and everlasting contempt.^{(DO) 3} Those who are wise shall shine like the brightness of the sky,^[aq] and those who lead the many to righteousness, like the stars forever and ever.^{(DP) 4} But you, Daniel, keep the words secret and the book sealed until the time of the end. Many shall be running back and forth,^[ar] and evil^[as] shall increase.”^(DQ)

⁵ Then I, Daniel, looked, and two others appeared, one standing on this bank of the stream and one on the other. ⁶ One of them said to the man clothed in linen, who was upstream, “How long shall it be until the end of these wonders?”^{(DR) 7} The man clothed in linen, who was upstream, raised his right hand and his left hand toward heaven. And I heard him swear by the one who lives forever that it would be for a time, two times, and half a time^[at] and that when the shattering of the power of the holy people comes to an end all these things would be accomplished.^{(DS) 8} I heard but could not understand, so I said, “My lord, what shall be the outcome of these things?” ⁹ He said, “Go your way, Daniel, for the words are to remain secret and sealed until the time of the end. ¹⁰ Many shall be purified, cleansed, and refined, but the wicked shall continue to act wickedly. None of the wicked shall understand, but those who are wise shall understand.^{(DT) 11} From the time that the regular burnt offering is taken away and the desolating sacrilege is set up, there shall be one thousand two hundred ninety days.^{(DU) 12} Happy are those who persevere and attain the thousand three hundred thirty-five days.^{(DV) 13} But you, go your way,^[au] and rest; you shall rise for your reward at the end of the days.”^(DW)