The Vision Interpreted

¹⁵ “Now as for me, Daniel, I was emotionally troubled, and what I had seen in the visions kept alarming me. ¹⁶ So I approached one of those who was standing nearby and began to ask the meaning of all of this. He spoke to me and caused me to understand the interpretation of these things. ¹⁷ He said, ‘These four great animals are four kings who will rise to power from the earth. ¹⁸ But the saints of the Highest will receive the kingdom forever, inheriting it^[a] forever and ever.’

¹⁹ “I wanted to learn the precise significance of the fourth animal that was different from all the others, extremely awe-inspiring, with iron teeth and bronze claws, and that had devoured and crushed things,^[b] trampling under its feet whatever remained. ²⁰ Also, I wanted to learn the significance of^[c] the ten horns on its head and the other horn that had arisen, before which three of them had fallen—that is, the horn with eyes and a mouth that uttered magnificent things and which was greater in appearance than its fellows.

²¹ “As I continued to watch, that same horn waged war against the saints, and was prevailing against them ²² until the Ancient of Days arrived to pass judgment in favor of the saints of the Highest One and the time came for the saints to take possession of the kingdom. ²³ So he said:

²⁸ “At this point the vision ended. As for me, Daniel, my thoughts continued to alarm me, and I lost my natural color, but I kept quiet about the matter.”^[g]