The Daily Audio Bible
Today's audio is from the NLT. Switch to the NLT to read along with the audio.
Vision of the Four Beasts
7 In the first year of Belshazzar king of Babylon, Daniel saw a (A)dream and visions [a]in his mind as he lay on his bed; then he (B)wrote the dream down and told the [b]following summary of [c]it. 2 Daniel [d]said, “I was (C)looking in my vision by night, and behold, the (D)four winds of heaven were stirring up the great sea. 3 And four great (E)beasts were coming up from the sea, different from one another. 4 The first was (F)like a lion but had the wings of an eagle. I kept looking until its wings were plucked, and it was lifted up from the ground and set up on two feet like a man; a human [e]mind also was given to it. 5 And behold, another beast, a second one, resembling a bear. And it was raised up on one side, and three ribs were in its mouth between its teeth; and they said this to it: ‘Arise, devour much meat!’ 6 After this I kept looking, and behold, another one, (G)like a leopard, which had on its [f]back four wings of a bird; the beast also had (H)four heads, and dominion was given to it. 7 After this I kept looking in the night visions, and behold, a (I)fourth beast, dreadful and terrible, and extremely strong; and it had large iron teeth. It devoured and crushed, and trampled down the remainder with its feet; and it was different from all the beasts that were before it, and it had (J)ten horns. 8 While I was thinking about the horns, behold, (K)another horn, a little one, came up among them, and three of the previous horns were plucked out before it; and behold, [g]this horn possessed eyes like human eyes, and (L)a mouth uttering great boasts.
The Ancient of Days Reigns
9 “I kept looking
Until (M)thrones were set up,
And the Ancient of Days took His seat;
His (N)garment was white as snow,
And the (O)hair of His head like pure wool.
His (P)throne was [h]ablaze with flames,
Its (Q)wheels were a burning fire.
10 A river of (R)fire was flowing
And coming out from before Him;
(S)Thousands upon thousands were serving Him,
And myriads upon myriads were standing before Him;
The (T)court [i]convened,
And (U)the books were opened.
11 Then I kept looking because of the sound of the [j]boastful words which the horn was speaking; I kept looking until the beast was killed, and its body was destroyed and given to the (V)burning [k]fire. 12 As for the rest of the beasts, their dominion was taken away, but an extension of life was granted to them for an appointed period of time.
The Son of Man Presented
13 “I kept looking in the night visions,
And behold, with the clouds of heaven
One like a son of man was coming,
And He came up to the Ancient of Days
And was presented before Him.
14 And to Him was given (W)dominion,
Honor, and [l](X)a kingdom,
(Y)So that all the peoples, nations, and populations of all [m]languages
Might serve Him.
(Z)His dominion is an everlasting dominion
Which will not pass away;
(AA)And His kingdom is one
Which will not be destroyed.
The Vision Interpreted
15 “As for me, Daniel, my spirit was distressed within [n]me, and the (AB)visions [o]in my mind kept (AC)alarming me. 16 I approached one of those who were (AD)standing by and began requesting of him the [p]exact meaning of all this. So he (AE)told me and made known to me the interpretation of these things: 17 ‘These great beasts, which are four in number, are four kings who will arise from the earth. 18 But the [q](AF)saints of the Highest One will (AG)receive the kingdom and take possession of the kingdom forever, [r]for all ages to come.’
19 “Then I desired to know the [s]exact meaning of the (AH)fourth beast, which was different from all [t]the others, exceedingly dreadful, with its teeth of iron and its claws of bronze, and which devoured, crushed, and trampled down the remainder with its feet, 20 and the meaning of the ten horns that were on its head, and the other horn which came up, and before which three of the horns fell, namely, that horn which had eyes and a mouth uttering great boasts, and [u]which was larger in appearance than its associates. 21 I kept looking, and that horn was (AI)waging war with the [v]saints and prevailing against them, 22 until the Ancient of Days came and (AJ)judgment was [w]passed in favor of the [x]saints of the Highest One, and the time arrived when the [y]saints took possession of the kingdom.
23 “This is what he said: ‘The fourth beast will be a fourth kingdom on the earth which will be different from all the other kingdoms, and will devour the whole earth and trample it down and crush it. 24 As for the (AK)ten horns, out of this kingdom ten kings will arise; and another will arise after them, and he will be different from the previous ones and will [z]humble three kings. 25 And he will [aa](AL)speak against the (AM)Most High and (AN)wear down the [ab]saints of the Highest One, and he will intend to make (AO)alterations in times and in law; and [ac]they will be handed over to him for a [ad](AP)time, [ae]times, and half a [af]time. 26 But the court will [ag]convene for judgment, and his dominion will be (AQ)taken away, [ah]annihilated and destroyed [ai]forever. 27 Then the [aj](AR)sovereignty, the dominion, and the greatness of all the kingdoms under the whole heaven will be given to the people of the [ak]saints of the Highest One; His kingdom will be an (AS)everlasting kingdom, and all the empires will (AT)serve and obey Him.’
28 “[al]At this point the revelation ended. As for me, Daniel, my thoughts were (AU)greatly alarming me and my [am]face became pale, but I (AV)kept the matter [an]to myself.”
The Incarnate Word
1 What was (A)from the beginning, what we have (B)heard, what we have (C)seen with our eyes, what we (D)have looked at and (E)touched with our hands, concerning the (F)Word of Life— 2 and (G)the life was revealed, and we have (H)seen and (I)testify and proclaim to you (J)the eternal life, which was (K)with the Father and was (L)revealed to us— 3 what we have (M)seen and (N)heard we proclaim to you also, so that you too may have fellowship with us; and indeed our (O)fellowship is with the Father, and with His Son Jesus Christ. 4 (P)These things we write, so that our (Q)joy may be made complete.
God Is Light
5 (R)This is the message we have heard from Him and announce to you, that (S)God is Light, and in Him there is no darkness at all. 6 (T)If we say that we have fellowship with Him and yet walk in the darkness, we (U)lie and (V)do not practice the truth; 7 but if we (W)walk in the Light as (X)He Himself is in the Light, we have fellowship with one another, and (Y)the blood of Jesus His Son cleanses us from all sin. 8 (Z)If we say that we have no sin, we are deceiving ourselves and the (AA)truth is not in us. 9 (AB)If we confess our sins, He is faithful and righteous, so that He will forgive us our sins and (AC)cleanse us from all unrighteousness. 10 (AD)If we say that we have not sinned, we (AE)make Him a liar and (AF)His word is not in us.
Resh
153 (A)Look at my (B)affliction and rescue me,
For I have not (C)forgotten Your Law.
154 (D)Plead my cause and (E)redeem me;
Revive me according to Your [a]word.
155 Salvation is (F)far from the wicked,
For they (G)do not seek Your statutes.
156 [b](H)Great are Your mercies, Lord;
Revive me according to Your judgments.
157 Many are my (I)persecutors and my enemies,
Yet I do not (J)turn aside from Your testimonies.
158 I see the (K)treacherous and (L)loathe them,
Because they do not keep Your word.
159 Consider how I (M)love Your precepts;
(N)Revive me, Lord, according to Your faithfulness.
160 The (O)sum of Your word is (P)truth,
And every one of Your righteous judgments (Q)is everlasting.
Shin
161 (R)Rulers persecute me without cause,
But my heart (S)stands in awe of Your words.
162 I (T)rejoice at Your [c]word,
Like one who (U)finds great plunder.
163 I (V)hate and loathe falsehood,
But I (W)love Your Law.
164 Seven times a day I praise You
Because of Your (X)righteous judgments.
165 Those who love Your Law have (Y)great peace,
And [d](Z)nothing causes them to stumble.
166 I (AA)hope for Your salvation, Lord,
And do Your commandments.
167 My (AB)soul keeps Your testimonies,
And I (AC)love them exceedingly.
168 I (AD)keep Your precepts and Your testimonies,
For all my (AE)ways are before You.
Tav
169 Let my (AF)cry [e]come before You, Lord;
(AG)Give me understanding (AH)according to Your word.
170 Let my (AI)pleading come before You;
(AJ)Save me according to Your [f]word.
171 Let my (AK)lips pour out praise,
For You (AL)teach me Your statutes.
172 Let my (AM)tongue sing about Your [g]word,
For all Your (AN)commandments are righteousness.
173 Let Your (AO)hand be [h]ready to help me,
For I have (AP)chosen Your precepts.
174 I (AQ)long for Your salvation, Lord,
And Your Law is my (AR)delight.
175 Let my (AS)soul live that it may praise You,
And let Your ordinances help me.
176 I have (AT)wandered about like a lost sheep; search for Your servant,
For I do (AU)not forget Your commandments.
New American Standard Bible®, Copyright © 1960, 1971, 1977, 1995, 2020 by The Lockman Foundation. All rights reserved.