Daniel 7

1 In the first year of Belshazzar king of Babylon Daniel had a dream and visions of his head upon his bed: then he wrote the dream and told the sum of the matters.2 Daniel spake and said, I saw in my vision by night, and, behold, the four winds of heaven brake forth upon the great sea.3 And four great beasts came up from the sea, diverse one from another.4 The first was like a lion, and had eagle’s wings: I beheld till the wings thereof were plucked, and it was lifted up from the earth, and made to stand upon two feet as a man; and a man’s heart was given to it.5 And, behold, another beast, a second, like to a bear; and it was raised up on one side, and three ribs were in its mouth between its teeth: and they said thus unto it, Arise, devour much flesh.6 After this I beheld, and, lo, another, like a leopard, which had upon its back four wings of a bird; the beast had also four heads; and dominion was given to it.7 After this I saw in the night-visions, and, behold, a fourth beast, terrible and powerful, and strong exceedingly; and it had great iron teeth; it devoured and brake in pieces, and stamped the residue with its feet: and it was diverse from all the beasts that were before it; and it had ten horns.8 I considered the horns, and, behold, there came up among them another horn, a little one, before which three of the first horns were plucked up by the roots: and, behold, in this horn were eyes like the eyes of a man, and a mouth speaking great things.9 I beheld till thrones were placed, and one that was ancient of days did sit: his raiment was white as snow, and the hair of his head like pure wool; his throne was fiery flames, and the wheels thereof burning fire.10 A fiery stream issued and came forth from before him: thousands of thousands ministered unto him, and ten thousand times ten thousand stood before him: the judgment was set, and the books were opened.11 I beheld at that time because of the voice of the great words which the horn spake; I beheld even till the beast was slain, and its body destroyed, and it was given to be burned with fire.12 And as for the rest of the beasts, their dominion was taken away: yet their lives were prolonged for a season and a time.13 I saw in the night-visions, and, behold, there came with the clouds of heaven one like unto a son of man, and he came even to the ancient of days, and they brought him near before him.14 And there was given him dominion, and glory, and a kingdom, that all the peoples, nations, and languages should serve him: his dominion is an everlasting dominion, which shall not pass away, and his kingdom that which shall not be destroyed.15 As for me, Daniel, my spirit was grieved in the midst of my body, and the visions of my head troubled me.16 I came near unto one of them that stood by, and asked him the truth concerning all this. So he told me, and made me know the interpretation of the things.17 These great beasts, which are four, are four kings, that shall arise out of the earth.18 But the saints of the Most High shall receive the kingdom, and possess the kingdom for ever, even for ever and ever.19 Then I desired to know the truth concerning the fourth beast, which was diverse from all of them, exceeding terrible, whose teeth were of iron, and its nails of brass; which devoured, brake in pieces, and stamped the residue with its feet;20 and concerning the ten horns that were on its head, and the other horn which came up, and before which three fell, even that horn that had eyes, and a mouth that spake great things, whose look was more stout than its fellows.21 I beheld, and the same horn made war with the saints, and prevailed against them;22 until the ancient of days came, and judgment was given to the saints of the Most High, and the time came that the saints possessed the kingdom.23 Thus he said, The fourth beast shall be a fourth kingdom upon earth, which shall be diverse from all the kingdoms, and shall devour the whole earth, and shall tread it down, and break it in pieces.24 And as for the ten horns, out of this kingdom shall ten kings arise: and another shall arise after them; and he shall be diverse from the former, and he shall put down three kings.25 And he shall speak words against the Most High, and shall wear out the saints of the Most High; and he shall think to change the times and the law; and they shall be given into his hand until a time and times and half a time.26 But the judgment shall be set, and they shall take away his dominion, to consume and to destroy it unto the end.27 And the kingdom and the dominion, and the greatness of the kingdoms under the whole heaven, shall be given to the people of the saints of the Most High: his kingdom is an everlasting kingdom, and all dominions shall serve and obey him.28 Here is the end of the matter. As for me, Daniel, my thoughts much troubled me, and my countenance was changed in me: but I kept the matter in my heart.

Daniel 7

Daniel has a Vision of Four Animals Coming up from the Sea

1 In the firsts year of King Belshazzar of Babylon, Daniel hadt a dream filled with visionst while he was lying on his bed. Then he wrote down the dream in summary fashion.t2 Daniel explained:t “I was watching in my vision during the night ast the four winds of the skyt were stirring up the great sea.s

3 Then four large beasts came up from the sea; they were different from one another.

4 “The first one was like a lion with eagles’ wings. As I watched, its wings were pulled off and it was lifted up from the ground. It was made to stand on two feet like a human being, and a human mindt was given to it.s

5 “Thent a second beast appeared, like a bear. It was raised up on one side, and there were three ribss in its mouth between its teeth.s It was told,t ‘Get up and devour much flesh!’

6 “After these things,t as I was watching, another beastt like a leopard appeared, with four bird-like wings on its back.t This beast had four heads,s and ruling authority was given to it.

7 “After these things, as I was watching in the night visionst a fourth beast appeared – one dreadful, terrible, and very strong.s It had two large rowst of iron teeth. It devoured and crushed, and anything that was left it trampled with its feet. It was different from all the beasts that came before it, and it had ten horns.

8 “As I was contemplating the horns, another horn – a small one – came up between them, and three of the former horns were torn out by the roots to make room for it.t This horn had eyes resembling human eyes and a mouth speaking arrogantt things.

9 “While I was watching,
thrones were set up,
and the Ancient of Dayst took his seat.
His attire was white like snow;
the hair of his head was like lamb’st wool.
His throne was ablaze with fire
and its wheels were all aflame.t

10 A river of fire was streaming forth
and proceeding from his presence.
Many thousands were ministering to him;
Many tens of thousands stood ready to serve him.t
The court convenedt
and the books were opened.
11 “Then I kept on watching because of the arrogant words of the horn that was speaking. I was watchings until the beast was killed and its body destroyed and thrown intot the flaming fire.12 As for the rest of the beasts, their ruling authority had already been removed, though they were permitted to go on livingt for a time and a season.

13 I was watching in the night visions,
“And withs the clouds of the skyt
one like a son of mans was approaching.
He went up to the Ancient of Days
and was escortedt before him.

14 To him was given ruling authority, honor, and sovereignty.
All peoples, nations, and language groups were servingt him.
His authority is eternal and will not pass away.t
His kingdom will not be destroyed.t

An Angel Interprets Daniel’s Vision

15 “As for me, Daniel, my spirit was distressed,t and the visions of my mindt were alarming me.16 I approached one of those standing nearby and asked him about the meaningt of all this. So he spoke with me and revealedt to me the interpretation of the vision:t17 ‘These large beasts, which are four in number, represent four kings who will arise from the earth.

18 The holy oness of the Most High will receive the kingdom and will take possession of the kingdom forever and ever.’
19 “Then I wanted to know the meaningt of the fourth beast, which was different from all the others. It was very dreadful, with two rows of iron teeth and bronze claws, and it devoured, crushed, and trampled anything that was left with its feet.20 I also wanted to knowt the meaning of the ten horns on its head, and of that other horn which came up and before which three others fell. This was the horn that had eyess and a mouth speaking arrogant things, whose appearance was more formidable than the others.t21 While I was watching, that horn began to wage war against the holy ones and was defeatingt them,

22 until the Ancient of Days arrived and judgment was rendereds in favor of the holy ones of the Most High. Then the time came for the holy ones to take possession of the kingdom.

23 “This is what he told me:t
‘The fourth beast means that there will be a fourth kingdom on earth
that will differ from all the other kingdoms.
It will devour all the earth
and will trample and crush it.

24 The ten horns
mean that ten kings will arise from that kingdom.
Another king will arise after them,
but he will be different from the earlier ones.
He will humiliatet three kings.

25 He will speak words against the Most High.
He will harasst the holy ones of the Most High continually.
His intentiont will be to change times established by law.t
They will be delivered into his hand
For a time, times,s and half a time.

26 But the court will convene,t and his ruling authority will be removed –
destroyed and abolished forever!

27 Then the kingdom, authority,
and greatness of the kingdoms under all of heaven
will be delivered to the people of the holy onest of the Most High.
His kingdom is an eternal kingdom;
all authorities will serve him and obey him.’

28 “This is the conclusion of the matter. As for me, Daniel, my thoughts troubled me greatly, and the color drained from my face.t But I kept the matter to myself.”t