Historical
Daniel Prays for His People
9 In the first year of Darius[a] son of Ahasuerus,[b] who was of Median descent and who had been[c] appointed king over the Babylonian[d] empire— 2 in the first year of his reign[e] I, Daniel, came to understand from the sacred books[f] that the number of years for the fulfilling of the desolation of Jerusalem, which had come as the Lord’s[g] message to the prophet Jeremiah, would be 70 years. 3 So I turned my attention[h] to the Lord God[i] to implore him by prayer and requests, with fasting, sackcloth, and ashes.[j] 4 I prayed to the Lord my God, confessing in this way:
“O Lord,[k] great and awesome God who is faithful to his covenant[l] with those who love him and keep his commandments, 5 we have sinned! We have done what is wrong and wicked; we have rebelled by turning away from your commandments and standards. 6 We have not paid attention to your servants the prophets, who spoke by your authority[m] to our kings, our leaders, and our ancestors,[n] and to all the inhabitants[o] of the land as well.
7 “You are righteous,[p] O Lord, but we are humiliated this day[q]—the people[r] of Judah and the inhabitants of Jerusalem and all Israel, both near and far away in all the countries in which you have scattered them, because they have behaved unfaithfully toward you. 8 O Lord, we have been humiliated[s]—our kings, our leaders, and our ancestors—because we have sinned against you. 9 Yet the Lord our God is compassionate and forgiving,[t] even though we have rebelled against him. 10 We have not obeyed[u] the Lord our God by living according to[v] his laws[w] that he set before us through his servants the prophets.
11 “All Israel has broken[x] your law and turned away by not obeying you.[y] Therefore you have poured out on us the judgment solemnly threatened[z] in the law of Moses the servant of God, for we have sinned against you.[aa] 12 He has carried out his threats[ab] against us and our rulers[ac] who were over[ad] us by bringing great calamity on us—what has happened to Jerusalem has never been equaled under all heaven! 13 Just as it is written in the law of Moses, so all this calamity has come on us. Still we have not tried to pacify[ae] the Lord our God by turning back from our sin and by seeking wisdom[af] from your reliable moral standards.[ag] 14 The Lord was mindful of the calamity, and he brought it on us. For the Lord our God is just[ah] in all he has done,[ai] and we have not obeyed him.[aj]
15 “Now, O Lord our God, who brought your people out of the land of Egypt with great power[ak] and made a name for yourself that is remembered to this day—we have sinned and behaved wickedly. 16 O Lord, according to all your justice,[al] please turn your raging anger[am] away from your city Jerusalem, your holy mountain. For due to our sins and the iniquities of our ancestors, Jerusalem and your people are mocked by all our neighbors.
17 “So now, our God, accept[an] the prayer and requests of your servant, and show favor to[ao] your devastated sanctuary for your own sake.[ap] 18 Listen attentively,[aq] my God, and hear! Open your eyes and look on our desolated ruins[ar] and the city called by your name.[as] For it is not because of our own righteous deeds that we are praying to you,[at] but because your compassion is abundant. 19 O Lord, hear! O Lord, forgive! O Lord, pay attention, and act! Don’t delay, for your own sake, O my God! For your city and your people are called by your name.”[au]
Gabriel Gives to Daniel a Prophecy of Seventy Weeks
20 While I was still speaking and praying, confessing my sin and the sin of my people Israel and presenting my request before the Lord my God concerning his holy mountain[av]— 21 yes, while I was still praying,[aw] the man Gabriel, whom I had seen previously[ax] in a vision, was approaching me in my state of extreme weariness,[ay] around the time of the evening offering. 22 He spoke with me, instructing me as follows:[az] “Daniel, I have now come to impart understanding to you. 23 At the beginning of your requests a message went out, and I have come to convey it to you, for you are of great value in God’s sight.[ba] Therefore consider the message and understand the vision:[bb]
24 “Seventy weeks[bc] have been determined
concerning your people and your holy city
to put an end to[bd] rebellion,
to bring sin[be] to completion,[bf]
to atone for iniquity,
to bring in perpetual[bg] righteousness,
to seal up[bh] the prophetic vision,[bi]
and to anoint a Most Holy Place.[bj]
25 So know and understand:
From the issuing of the command[bk] to restore and rebuild
Jerusalem until an anointed one, a prince arrives,[bl]
there will be a period of seven weeks[bm] and sixty-two weeks.
It will again be built,[bn] with plaza and moat,
but in distressful times.
26 Now after the sixty-two weeks,
an anointed one will be cut off and have nothing.[bo]
As for the city and the sanctuary,
the people of the coming prince will destroy[bp] them.
But his end will come speedily[bq] like a flood.[br]
Until the end of the war that has been decreed
there will be destruction.
27 He will confirm a covenant with many for one week.[bs]
But in the middle of that week
he will bring sacrifices and offerings to a halt.
On the wing[bt] of abominations will come[bu] one who destroys,
until the decreed end is poured out on the one who destroys.”
An Angel Appears to Daniel
10 [bv] In the third[bw] year of King Cyrus of Persia a message was revealed to Daniel (who was also called Belteshazzar). This message was true and concerned a great war.[bx] He understood the message and gained insight by the vision.
2 In those days I, Daniel, was mourning for three whole weeks.[by] 3 I ate no choice food, no meat or wine came to my lips,[bz] nor did I anoint myself with oil[ca] until the end of those three weeks.
4 On the twenty-fourth day of the first month[cb] I was beside the great river, the Tigris.[cc] 5 I looked up[cd] and saw a[ce] man[cf] clothed in linen;[cg] around his waist was a belt made of gold from Ufaz.[ch] 6 His body resembled yellow jasper,[ci] and his face had an appearance like lightning. His eyes were like blazing torches;[cj] his arms and feet had the gleam of polished bronze. His voice[ck] thundered forth like the sound of a large crowd.
7 Only I, Daniel, saw the vision; the men who were with me did not see it.[cl] On the contrary, they were overcome with fright[cm] and ran away to hide. 8 I alone was left to see this great vision. My strength drained from[cn] me, and my vigor disappeared;[co] I was without energy.[cp] 9 I listened to his voice,[cq] and as I did so[cr] I fell into a trance-like sleep with my face to the ground. 10 Then[cs] a hand touched me and set me on my hands and knees.[ct] 11 He said to me, “Daniel, you are of great value.[cu] Understand the words that I am about to[cv] speak to you. So stand up,[cw] for I have now been sent to you.” When he said this[cx] to me, I stood up shaking. 12 Then he said to me, “Don’t be afraid, Daniel, for from the very first day you applied your mind[cy] to understand and to humble yourself before your God, your words were heard. I have come in response to your words. 13 However, the prince of the kingdom of Persia was opposing me for twenty-one days. But[cz] Michael, one of the leading princes, came to help me, because I was left there[da] with the kings of Persia. 14 Now I have come to help you understand what will happen to your people in future days, for the vision pertains to days to come.”[db]
15 While he was saying this to me,[dc] I was flat on[dd] the ground and unable to speak. 16 Then[de] one who appeared to be a human being[df] was touching my lips. I opened my mouth and started to speak, saying to the one who was standing before me, “Sir,[dg] due to the vision, anxiety has gripped me and I have no strength. 17 How, sir, am I able to speak with you?[dh] My strength is gone,[di] and I am breathless.” 18 Then the one who appeared to be a human being touched me again[dj] and strengthened me. 19 He said to me, “Don’t be afraid, you who are highly valued.[dk] Peace be to you! Be strong! Be really strong!” When he spoke to me, I was strengthened. I said, “Sir, you may speak now,[dl] for you have given me strength.” 20 He said, “Do you know why I have come to you?[dm] Now I am about to return to engage in battle with the prince of Persia. When I go, the prince of Greece is coming. 21 However, I will first tell you what is written in a dependable book.[dn] (There is no one who strengthens me against these princes,[do] except Michael your[dp] prince.
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