Daniel 7
1 In the first year of Baltasar, king of the Chaldeans Daniel had a dream, and visions of his head upon his bed: and he wrote his dream.
In the first year of Belshazzar king of Babylonia, Daniel had a dream and visions in his mind while lying on his bed. Then he wrote down what he had seen in the dream. He wrote down the most important events:
2 I Daniel saw, and, behold, the four winds of heaven blew violently upon the great sea.
Daniel explained, “In my vision at night I saw that the four winds of heaven were stirring up the great sea.
3 And there came up four great beasts out of the sea, differing from one another.
Four large animals, each one different from the other, came up out of the sea.
4 The first [was] as a lioness, and her wings as an eagle's; I saw until her wings were plucked, ands she was lifted off from the earth, and she stood on human feet, and a man's heart was given to her.
The first was like a lion but had eagle's wings. As I was looking, its wings were torn off and it was lifted from the ground and made to stand on two feet, like a man. The mind of a man was given to it.
5 And, behold, a second beast like a bear, and it supported itself on one side, and there were three ribs in its mouth, between its teeth: and thus they said to it, Arise, devour much flesh.
Then there was a second animal, like a bear, and it was bending over; it had three ribs between its teeth in its mouth. It was told, 'Get up and devour many people.'
6 After this one I looked, and behold another wild beast as a leopard, and it had four wings of a bird upon it: and the wild beast had four heads, and power was given to it.
After this I looked again. There was another animal, one that looked like a leopard. On its back it had four wings like bird wings, and it had four heads. It was given authority to rule.
7 After this one I looked, and behold a fourth beast, dreadful and terrible, and exceedingly strong, and its teeth were of iron; devouring and crushing to atoms, and it trampled the remainder with its feet: and it was altogether different from the beasts that were before it; and it [had] ten hours.
After this I saw in the visions of the night a fourth animal, terrifying, frightening, and very strong. It had large iron teeth; it devoured, broke in pieces, and trampled underfoot what was left. It was different from the other animals, and it had ten horns.
8 I noticed his horns, and behold, another little horn came up in the midst of them, and before it three of the former horns were rooted out: and, behold, [there were] eyes as the eyes of a man in this horn, and a mouth speaking great things.
While I was considering the horns, I looked and saw another horn grow up among them, a little horn. Three of the first horns were wrenched out by the roots. I saw in this horn eyes like the eyes of a man and a mouth that was boasting about great things.
9 I saw until the thrones were set, and the Ancient of days sat; and his raiment was white as snow, and the hair of his head, as pure wool: his throne was a flame of fire, [and] his wheels burning fire.
As I looked, thrones were set in place, and the Ancient of Days took his seat. His clothing was as white as snow, and the hair of his head was like pure wool. His throne was flames of fire, and its wheels were burning fire.
10 A stream of fire rushed forth before him: thousand thousands ministered to him, and ten thousands of myriads, attended upon him: the judgment sat, and the books were opened.
A river of fire flowed out from before him; millions served him, and one hundred million were standing before him. The court was in session, and the books were opened.
11 I saw then because of the voice of the great words which that horn spoke, until the wild beast was slain and destroyed, and his body given to be burnt with fire.
I continued to look because of the boastful words spoken by the horn. I watched while the animal was killed, and its body was destroyed, and it was given over to be burned up.
12 And the dominion of the rest of the wild beasts was taken away; but a prolonging of life was given them for certain times.
As for the rest of the four animals, their authority to rule was taken away, but their lives were prolonged for a period of time.
13 I saw in the night vision, and, behold, [one] coming with the clouds of heaven as the Son of man, and he came on to the Ancient of days, and was brought near to him.
In my visions that night, I saw one coming with the clouds of heaven like a son of man; he came to the Ancient of Days and was presented before him.
14 And to him was given the dominion, and the honor, and the kingdom; and all nations, tribes, and languages, shall serve him: his dominion is an everlasting dominion, which shall not pass away, and his kingdom shall not be destroyed.
Authority to rule and glory and royal power were given to him so that all the peoples, nations, and languages should serve him. His authority to rule is an everlasting authority that will not pass away, and his kingdom is one that will never be destroyed.
15 [As for] me Daniel, my spirit in my body trembled, and the visions of my head troubled me.
As for me, Daniel, my spirit was grieved inside of me, and the visions I saw in my mind troubled me.
16 And I drew near to one of them that stood by, and I sought to learn of him the truth of all these things: and he told me the truth, and made known to me the interpretation of the things.
I approached one of them standing there and asked him to show me the meaning of these things.
17 These four beasts are four kingdoms [that] shall rise up on the earth:
'These large animals, four in number, are four kings that will arise from the earth.
18 which shall be taken away; and the saints of the Most High shall take the kingdom, and possess it for ever and ever.
But the holy people of the Most High will receive the kingdom, and they will possess it forever and ever.'
19 Then I enquired carefully concerning the fourth beast; for it differed from every [other] beast, exceeding dreadful: its teeth were of iron, and its claws of brass, devouring, and utterly breaking to pieces, and it trampled the remainder with its feet:
Then I wanted to know more about the fourth animal—it was so different from the others and very horrifying with its iron teeth and bronze claws; it devoured, broke into pieces, and trampled on what was left with its feet.
20 and concerning it ten horns that were in its head, and the other that came up, and rooted up [some] of the former, which had eyes, and a mouth speaking great things, and his look was bolder than the rest.
I wanted to know about the ten horns on its head, and about the other horn that grew up, and before which the three horns fell down. I wanted to know about the horn that had eyes and about the mouth that boasted about great things and that seemed greater than its companions.
21 I saw, and that horn made war with the saints, and prevailed against them;
As I looked, this horn waged war against the holy people and was defeating them
22 until the Ancient of days came, and he gave judgment to the saints of the Most High; and the time came on, and the saints possessed the kingdom.
until the Ancient of Days came, and justice was given to the holy people of the Most High. Then the time came when the holy people received the kingdom.
23 And he said, The fourth beast shall be the fourth kingdom on the earth, which shall excel all [other] kingdoms, and shall devour the whole earth, and trample and destroy it.
This is what that person said, 'As for the fourth animal, it will be a fourth kingdom on earth that will be different from all the other kingdoms. It will devour the whole earth, and it will trample it down and break it into pieces.
24 And his ten horns are ten kings [that] shall arise: and after them shall arise another, who shall exceed all the former ones in wickedness and he shall subdue three kings.
As for the ten horns, out of this kingdom ten kings will arise, and another will arise after them. He will be different from the previous ones, and he will conquer the three kings.
25 And he shall speak words against the Most High, and shall wear out the saints of the Most High, and shall think to change times and law: and [power] shall be given into his hand for a time and times and half a time.
He will speak words against the Most High and will oppress the holy people of the Most High God. He will try to change the festivals and the law. These things will be given into his hand for one year, two years, and half a year.
26 And the judgment has sat, and they shall remove [his] dominion to abolish it, and to destroy it utterly.
But the court will be in session, and they will take his royal power away to be consumed and destroyed at the end.
27 And the kingdom and the power and the greatness of the kings that are under the whole heaven were given to the saints of the Most High; and his kingdom is an everlasting kingdom, and all powers shall serve and obey him.
The kingdom and the dominion, and the greatness of the kingdoms under the whole heaven, will be given to the people who belong to the holy people of the Most High. His kingdom is an everlasting kingdom, and all other kingdoms will serve and obey him.'
28 Hitherto is the end of the matter. As for me Daniel, my thoughts greatly troubled me, and my countenance was changed: but I kept the matter in my heart.
Here is the end of the matter. As for me, Daniel, my thoughts greatly alarmed me and my face changed in appearance. But I kept these things to myself.”
