Beginning
Daniel’s Vision of a Man
10 In the third year of Cyrus king of Persia a message was revealed to Daniel, whose name was called Belteshazzar, and the message was true and one of great conflict. And he understood the message and had understanding of the vision.
2 In those days I, Daniel, was mourning three full weeks. 3 I ate no tasty food, no meat or wine entered my mouth, nor did I anoint myself at all until three whole weeks were fulfilled.
4 On the twenty-fourth day of the first month, as I was by the side of the great river which is Tigris, 5 I lifted up my eyes and looked and saw a certain man clothed in linen, whose loins were girded with the fine gold of Uphaz. 6 His body also was like beryl, and his face had the appearance of lightning, and his eyes were like lamps of fire, and his arms and his feet were like the gleam of polished bronze, and the sound of his words like the sound of a tumult.
7 I, Daniel, alone saw the vision, while the men who were with me did not see the vision; but a great quaking fell upon them, so that they fled to hide themselves. 8 Therefore I was left alone and saw this great vision, and there remained no strength in me, and my countenance grew deathly pale, and I retained no strength. 9 Yet I heard the sound of his words; and while I heard the sound of his words, then I was in a deep sleep on my face with my face toward the ground.
Prophecies of Persia and Greece
10 But then a hand touched me, which set me on my knees and on the palms of my hands. 11 He said to me, “O Daniel, a man greatly beloved, understand the words that I speak to you, and stand upright, for I have been sent to you now.” And when he had spoken this word to me, I stood trembling.
12 Then he said to me, “Do not be afraid, Daniel. For from the first day that you set your heart to understand this and to humble yourself before your God, your words were heard, and I have come because of your words. 13 But the prince of the kingdom of Persia withstood me for twenty-one days. So Michael, one of the chief princes, came to help me, for I had been left there with the kings of Persia. 14 Now I have come to make you understand what shall befall your people in the latter days. For the vision is yet for many days.”
15 When he had spoken such words to me, I set my face toward the ground, and I became mute. 16 Then one in the likeness of the sons of men touched my lips. Then I opened my mouth and spoke and said to him who stood before me, “O my lord, because of the vision, sorrows have come upon me, and I have retained no strength. 17 How can the servant of my lord talk with you, my lord? And as for me, there remains no strength in me now, nor is there any breath left in me.”
18 Then again, the one having the appearance of a man came and touched me, and he strengthened me. 19 He said, “O man, greatly beloved, do not fear. Peace be unto you. Be strong and courageous!”
When he spoke to me, I was strengthened and said, “Let my lord speak, for you have strengthened me.”
20 Then he said, “Do you understand why I have come to you? But now I shall return to fight against the prince of Persia, and when I have gone forth, then truly the prince of Greece will come. 21 But I will show you what is inscribed in the Scripture of Truth. Yet there is no one who stands firmly with me against these forces, except Michael your prince.
The Kings of the South and the North
11 “Also, in the first year of Darius the Mede, I, even I, stood to confirm and to strengthen him.
2 “And now I will tell you the truth. Truly, there shall stand up yet three kings in Persia, and the fourth shall be far richer than all of them; and by his strength, through his riches, he shall stir up all against the realm of Greece. 3 A mighty king shall stand up who shall rule with great dominion and do according to his will. 4 When he shall stand up, his kingdom shall be broken and shall be divided toward the four winds of heaven, but not to his posterity, nor according to his dominion which he ruled. For his kingdom shall be plucked up, even for others besides them.
5 “The king of the South shall be strong, as well as one of his officials who shall be strong above him and have dominion. His dominion shall be a great dominion. 6 In the end of some years they shall join themselves together. For the king’s daughter of the South shall come to the king of the North to make an agreement. But she shall not retain her position of power, and neither he nor his power shall stand. But she shall be given up with those who brought her and with him who fathered her and with him who strengthened her in those times.
7 “But out of a branch of her roots shall one stand up in his place, who shall come with an army and shall enter the fortress of the king of the North and shall deal against them and shall prevail. 8 And he shall also carry captive into Egypt their gods, with their officials, and with their precious vessels of silver and of gold. And he shall continue more years than the king of the North, 9 who will enter the kingdom of the king of the South, but shall return to his own land. 10 His sons shall wage war and assemble a multitude of armed forces. One shall advance like a flood and pass through, and again shall wage the war as far as his fortress.
11 “The king of the South shall be moved with rage, and shall go out and fight with him, with the king of the North, who shall raise a great multitude; but that multitude shall be given into his enemy’s hand. 12 When he has taken away the multitude, his heart shall be lifted up; and he shall cast down many ten thousands, but he shall not be strengthened by it. 13 For the king of the North shall return and shall raise a multitude greater than the former, and shall certainly come after certain years with a great army and with much equipment.
14 “In those times many shall stand up against the king of the South. Also the robbers of your people shall exalt themselves to fulfill the vision, but they shall fall. 15 Then the king of the North shall come and set up a siege mound and capture a fortified city. And the forces of the South shall not withstand him; neither shall his chosen best troops have strength to resist. 16 But he who comes against him shall do according to his own will, and none shall stand before him. And he shall stand in the Pleasant Land, which shall be consumed by his hand. 17 He shall also set his face to enter with the strength of his whole kingdom, bringing with him a proposal of peace which he shall put into effect. And he shall give him the daughter of women to corrupt it. But she shall not stand on his side or be for him. 18 After this he shall turn his face to the coastlands and shall capture many. But a commander shall put a stop to his reproach against him, and he shall repay him for his reproach. 19 Then he shall turn his face toward the fortresses of his own land, but shall stumble and fall and not be found any more.
20 “Then one shall stand up in his place who shall send an oppressor in the glory of his kingdom. But within a few days he shall be destroyed, but not in anger or in battle.
21 “In his place a vile person shall stand up, to whom they shall not give the honor of the kingdom. But he shall come in peaceably and obtain the kingdom by flatteries. 22 A flood of armies shall be swept away before him and be broken, and the prince of the covenant as well. 23 After the league is made with him, he shall work deceitfully, and he shall come up and shall become strong with a small force of people. 24 He shall enter peaceably even upon the richest places of the realm. And he shall do that which his fathers have not done, nor his fathers’ fathers. He shall distribute among them the plunder and spoil and riches. And he shall plan his devices against the strongholds, but only for a time.
25 “He shall stir up his power and his courage against the king of the South with a great army. And the king of the South shall be stirred up to battle with a very great and mighty army. But he shall not stand, for schemes shall be devised against him. 26 Indeed, those who eat his choice food shall destroy him, and his army shall overflow, and many shall fall down slain. 27 As for both of these kings, their hearts shall plan on mischief, and they shall speak lies to one another at one table. But it shall not prosper, for the end shall yet be at the appointed time. 28 While turning back to his land with great wealth, his heart shall be against the holy covenant. He shall wage war and turn back to his own land.
Blasphemies of the Northern King
29 “At the appointed time he shall return and come into the south, but this latter time shall not be as the former. 30 For the ships of Kittim shall come against him. Therefore he shall be grieved and return and have indignation against the holy covenant and take action. He shall even return and show regard to those who forsake the holy covenant.
31 “His armies shall rise up and desecrate the sanctuary fortress. They shall abolish the daily sacrifice and set up the abomination that makes desolate. 32 By flatteries he will corrupt those who act wickedly toward the covenant. But the people who know their God will be strong and take action.
33 “The wise among the people shall instruct many. Yet for many days they shall fall by the sword and by flame, by captivity and by destruction. 34 Now when they fall, they shall be given a little help. But many shall cleave to them with flatteries. 35 Some of the wise will fall, so that they may be purged, purified, and made white, until the time of the end, for it is still for the appointed time.
36 “The king shall do according to his will. And he shall exalt himself, and magnify himself above every god, and shall speak blasphemous things against the God of gods, and shall prosper until the indignation is accomplished. For that which is determined shall be done. 37 He shall regard neither the gods of his fathers, nor the desire of women, nor regard any god; for he shall magnify himself above them all. 38 But instead he shall honor the god of forces, a god whom his fathers did not know. He shall honor him with gold and silver, and with precious stones, and pleasant things. 39 Thus he shall do in the strongest of fortresses with a foreign god. He shall give great honor to those who acknowledge him, and shall cause them to rule over the many and shall divide the land for gain.
Conquests of the Northern King
40 “At the time of the end the king of the South shall push at him. But the king of the North shall come against him like a whirlwind, with chariots and with horsemen and with many ships. And he shall enter the countries and shall overflow them and pass over. 41 He shall enter also the Pleasant Land, and many countries shall be overthrown. But these shall escape out of his hand, even Edom, and Moab, and the chief of the sons of Ammon. 42 Then he shall stretch out his hand against the countries, and the land of Egypt shall not escape. 43 But he shall have power over the hidden treasures of gold and of silver, and over all the precious things of Egypt. And the Libyans and the Ethiopians shall be at his steps. 44 But reports from the east and from the north shall trouble him. Therefore he shall go out with great fury to destroy and annihilate many. 45 He shall pitch the tabernacles of his palace between the seas in the beautiful holy mountain. Yet he shall come to his end, and no one shall help him.
The Prophecy of the End Times
12 “And at that time Michael shall stand up, the great prince who stands guard over the sons of your people. And there shall be a time of trouble such as never was since there was a nation even to that time. And at that time your people shall be delivered, everyone who shall be found written in the book. 2 Many of those who sleep in the dust of the earth shall awake, some to everlasting life, but others to shame and everlasting contempt. 3 Those who are wise shall shine as the brightness of the expanse of heaven, and those who turn the many to righteousness as the stars forever and ever. 4 But you, Daniel, shut up the words and seal the book until the time of the end. Many shall run to and fro, and knowledge shall increase.”
5 Then I, Daniel, looked, and there before me stood two others, the one on this side of the bank of the river, and the other on that side of the bank of the river. 6 One said to the man clothed in linen, who was above the water of the river, “How long shall it be to the end of these wonders?”
7 And I heard the man clothed in linen, who was over the water of the river, when he held up his right hand and his left hand to heaven, and swore by Him who lives forever that it would be for a time, times, and half a time.[a] And when they finish shattering the power of the holy people, all these things shall be finished.
8 As for me, I heard, but I could not understand. So I said, “My lord, what shall be the result of these things?”
9 And he said, “Go your way, Daniel. For these words are closed up and sealed until the time of the end. 10 Many shall be purified and made white and tried. But the wicked shall do wickedly, and none of the wicked shall understand, but the wise shall understand.
11 “From the time that the daily sacrifice shall be taken away and the abomination that makes desolate set up, there shall be one thousand two hundred and ninety days. 12 Blessed is he who waits and comes to the one thousand three hundred and thirty-five days.
13 “But as for you, go your way until the end. Then you shall rest and rise again for your lot at the end of the age.”
The Holy Bible, Modern English Version. Copyright © 2014 by Military Bible Association. Published and distributed by Charisma House.