Daniel 11

1 “And I, in the first year of Darius the Mede, stood up to strengthen and protect him.

And I myself, in the first year of Darius the Mede, took my stand to support and defend him.

2 Now then, I will tell you the truth: Three more kings will arise in Persia, and then a fourth, who will be far richer than all the others. By the power of his wealth, he will stir up everyone against the kingdom of Greece.

So now let me reveal the truth to you. There are still three kings to come to power in Persia, and then a fourth who will be far richer than all the others. When he becomes strong through his wealth, he will rally the whole kingdom against Greece.

3 Then a mighty king will arise, who will rule with great authority and do as he pleases.

Then a mighty king will come to power. He will rule with great authority and do whatever he wants.

4 But as soon as he is established, his kingdom will be broken up and parceled out toward the four winds of heaven. It will not go to his descendants, nor will it have the authority with which he ruled, because his kingdom will be uprooted and given to others.

But as he extends his power his kingdom will be broken up, divided towards the four winds of heaven. It will not go to his descendants, and it will not be ruled as he ruled. It will be pulled up and given to others.

5 The king of the South will grow strong, but one of his commanders will grow even stronger and will rule his own kingdom with great authority.

The king of the south will grow strong, but one of his officers will grow even stronger and will rule his kingdom with great authority.

6 After some years they will form an alliance, and the daughter of the king of the South will go to the king of the North to seal the agreement. But his daughter will not retain her position of power, nor will his strength endure. At that time she will be given up, along with her royal escort and her father and the one who supported her.

Some years later they will form an alliance, and the daughter of the king of the south will be married to the king of the north to guarantee the peace treaty. However, she will not be able to keep her hold on power, nor will his power continue. She and her attendants will be betrayed, along with her child and husband. Later on, however,

7 But one from her family line will rise up in his place, come against the army of the king of the North, and enter his fortress, fighting and prevailing.

a new king of the south from her family will take over. He will come to attack the army of the king of the north and enter his fortress. He will fight against them and will win.

8 He will take even their gods captive to Egypt, with their metal images and their precious vessels of silver and gold. For some years he will stay away from the king of the North,

In addition he will take back with him to Egypt the idols of their gods, along with their expensive vessels of silver and gold. For some years he will leave the king of the north alone.

9 who will invade the realm of the king of the South and then return to his own land.

Then the king of the north will march into the kingdom of the king of the south but will have to retreat to his own land.

10 But his sons will stir up strife and assemble a great army, which will advance forcefully, sweeping through like a flood, and will again carry the battle as far as his fortress.

However, his sons will prepare for war, assembling a huge number of troops. One of them will lead an advance that rushes forward like a river bursting its banks, crossing over and pressing forward to attack the enemy fortress.

11 In a rage, the king of the South will march out to fight the king of the North, who will raise a large army, but it will be delivered into the hand of his enemy.

This will infuriate the king of the south, who will go out into battle against the large army assembled by the king of the north and will defeat it.

12 When the army is carried off, the king of the South will be proud in heart and will cast down tens of thousands, but he will not triumph.

After capturing such a large army, he will become very proud, and will kill thousands. But this triumph will not last long.

13 For the king of the North will raise another army, larger than the first, and after some years he will advance with a great army and many supplies.

Years later the king of the north will once again raise an army, even larger than before, and will invade with this huge army, accompanied by plenty of supplies.

14 In those times many will rise up against the king of the South. Violent ones among your own people will exalt themselves in fulfillment of the vision, but they will fail.

At the same time many will rebel against the king of the south. Violent men from your own people will rebel in order to fulfill this vision, but they shall fail.

15 Then the king of the North will come, build up a siege ramp, and capture a fortified city. The forces of the South will not stand; even their best troops will not be able to resist.

Then the king of the north will come and build siege ramps and he will capture a city with strong defenses. The forces of the south will not be able to prevent it—even his best troops won't be able to resist the attack.

16 The invader will do as he pleases, and no one will stand against him. He will establish himself in the Beautiful Land, with destruction in his hand.

The invader will do whatever he wants; no one will be able to oppose him. He will stand in the Beautiful Land with the power to destroy it.

17 He will resolve to come with the strength of his whole kingdom, and will reach an agreement with the king of the South. He will give him a daughter in marriage in order to overthrow the kingdom, but his plan will not succeed or help him.

He will be determined to come with all the power of his kingdom and will make a peace treaty with the king of the south. To secure this he will give him a daughter of women to marry in order to destroy the kingdom. But she will not be successful and will not support him.

18 Then he will turn his face to the coastlands and capture many of them. But a commander will put an end to his reproach and will turn it back upon him.

Then he will turn to attack the coastlands and will conquer many, but a commander will put a stop to his arrogant behavior, paying him back for it.

19 After this, he will turn back toward the fortresses of his own land, but he will stumble and fall and be no more.

He will return to the fortresses of his own land, but he will stumble and fall, and will be gone.

20 In his place one will arise who will send out a tax collector for the glory of the kingdom; but within a few days he will be destroyed, though not in anger or in battle.

His successor will send out a tax collector to maintain royal wealth. However, in a short time he will die, but not violently or in battle.

21 In his place a despicable person will arise; royal honors will not be given to him, but he will come in a time of peace and seize the kingdom by intrigue.

A contemptible person will follow him who will not be given royal majesty. He will take over peacably and assume control of the kingdom through deception.

22 Then a flood of forces will be swept away before him and destroyed, along with a prince of the covenant.

Great armies will be swept away before him. They will be broken, as well as the prince of the agreement.

23 After an alliance is made with him, he will act deceitfully; for he will rise to power with only a few people.

After making an alliance with him, he will act deceptively. He will come to power peacably, becoming strong though only having a few supporters.

24 In a time of peace, he will invade the richest provinces and do what his fathers and forefathers never did. He will lavish plunder, loot, and wealth on his followers, and he will plot against the strongholds—but only for a time.

He will invade the richest parts of the land and do what his fathers and forefathers never did—he will distribute plunder, spoil, and possessions. He will make plans to attack fortresses, but only for a time.

25 And with a large army he will stir up his power and his courage against the king of the South, who will mobilize a very large and powerful army but will not withstand the plots devised against him.

Then he will draw on his strength and courage to gather a large army against the king of the south. The king of the south will prepare for war. Fighting back with a large and powerful army, but he will not be successful because of plots made against him.

26 Those who eat from his provisions will seek to destroy him; his army will be swept away, and many will fall slain.

Those closest to him will destroy him. His army will be wiped out—many will fall in battle.

27 And the two kings, with their hearts bent on evil, will speak lies at the same table, but to no avail, for still the end will come at the appointed time.

The two kings, with evil intentions, will tell each other lies even as they sit together at the same table. But their scheming is pointless—the end will come at the time predicted.

28 The king of the North will return to his land with great wealth, but his heart will be set against the holy covenant; so he will do damage and return to his own land.

The king of the north will return to his own country with all the wealth he has looted. He will be determined to attack the people of the holy agreement, and do all he can to destroy it before returning to his own country.

29 At the appointed time he will invade the South again, but this time will not be like the first.

At the time predicted he will return to invade the south again, but this time it won't be like before.

30 Ships of Kittim will come against him, and he will lose heart. Then he will turn back and rage against the holy covenant and do damage. So he will return and show favor to those who forsake the holy covenant.

Ships from Cyprus will come to attack him, frightening him off so that he retreats. But this will make him mad, and he will attack the people of the holy agreement, recognizing those who abandon their commitment to the holy agreement.

31 His forces will rise up and desecrate the temple fortress. They will abolish the daily sacrifice and set up the abomination of desolation.

His forces will occupy and defile the Temple fortress. They will put a stop to the continual service, and set up a form of idolatry that causes devastation.

32 With flattery he will corrupt those who violate the covenant, but the people who know their God will firmly resist him.

The king will use flattery to corrupt those who break the solemn agreement, but the people who know their God will stand firm in their resistance.

33 Those with insight will instruct many, though for a time they will fall by sword or flame, or be captured or plundered.

Wise leaders of the people will teach many, though for a time they will be killed by sword and fire, or they will be imprisoned and robbed.

34 Now when they fall, they will be granted a little help, but many will join them insincerely.

During this time of persecution they will receive a little help, and many who join them won't be sincere.

35 Some of the wise will fall, so that they may be refined, purified, and made spotless until the time of the end, for it will still come at the appointed time.

Some of the wise will be killed, so that they may be refined and purified and cleansed until the time of the end, for the predicted time is still to come.

36 Then the king will do as he pleases and will exalt and magnify himself above every god, and he will speak monstrous things against the God of gods. He will be successful until the time of wrath is completed, for what has been decreed must be accomplished.

The king will do whatever he wants, praising himself and considering himself greater than any god, even saying outrageous things against the God of gods. He will be successful until the time of anger has finished, for what has been decided will be accomplished.

37 He will show no regard for the gods of his fathers, nor for the one desired by women, nor for any other god, because he will magnify himself above them all.

He will have no time for the gods of his forefathers, nor for the one loved by women, nor for any other god, for he considers himself greater than any of these.

38 And in their place, he will honor a god of fortresses—a god his fathers did not know—with gold, silver, precious stones, and riches.

Instead he will honor the god of fortresses—a god unknown to his forefathers—giving him offerings of gold and silver and precious stones and expensive gifts.

39 He will attack the strongest fortresses with the help of a foreign god and will greatly honor those who acknowledge him, making them rulers over many and distributing the land for a price.

He will deal with strong fortresses with the help of this foreign god. He will give riches to those who acknowledge him, making them rulers over the people, and distributing the land at a price.

40 At the time of the end, the king of the South will engage him in battle, but the king of the North will storm out against him with chariots, horsemen, and many ships, invading many countries and sweeping through them like a flood.

At the time of the end the king of the south will attack him. But the king of the north will retaliate with force like a storm, with chariots and horsemen and many ships. He will advance, sweeping through many lands.

41 He will also invade the Beautiful Land, and many countries will fall. But these will be delivered from his hand: Edom, Moab, and the leaders of the Ammonites.

He will invade the Beautiful Land and kill many people there. However, Moab, Edom, and most of the Ammonites will escape his power.

42 He will extend his power over many countries, and not even the land of Egypt will escape.

He will extend his attacks against different countries—even the land of Egypt will not be able to escape.

43 He will gain control of the treasures of gold and silver and over all the riches of Egypt, and the Libyans and Cushites will also submit to him.

He will acquire the gold and silver and riches of Egypt, ruling over them and also the Libyans and Ethiopians.

44 But news from the east and the north will alarm him, and he will go out with great fury to destroy many and devote them to destruction.

But news from the east and the north will alarm him, and in a furious rage he will set out to destroy and exterminate many people.

45 He will pitch his royal tents between the sea and the beautiful holy mountain, but he will meet his end with no one to help him.

He will set up his royal camp between the sea and the beautiful holy mountain. But he will die with no one to help him.