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 the reign of Belshazzar over Babylon, Daniel had a dream, and visions passed through his mind as he lay on his bed. He wrote down the dream, and this is the summary of his account.
2 I Daniel saw, and, behold, the four winds of heaven blew violently upon the great sea.
Daniel declared: “In my vision in the night I looked, and suddenly the four winds of heaven were churning up the great sea.
3 And there came up four great beasts out of the sea, differing from one another.
Then four great beasts came up out of the sea, each one different from the others:
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 beast was like a lion, and it had the wings of an eagle. I watched until its wings were torn off and it was lifted up from the ground and made to stand on two feet like a man, and given the mind of a man.
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.
Suddenly another beast appeared, which looked like a bear. It was raised up on one of its sides, and it had three ribs in its mouth between its teeth. So it was told, ‘Get up and gorge yourself on flesh!’
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.
Next, as I watched, another beast appeared. It was like a leopard, and on its back it had four wings like those of a bird. The beast also had four heads, and 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, as I watched in my vision in the night, suddenly a fourth beast appeared, and it was terrifying—dreadful and extremely strong—with large iron teeth. It devoured and crushed; then it trampled underfoot whatever was left. It was different from all the beasts before it, 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 contemplating the horns, suddenly another horn, a little one, came up among them, and three of the first horns were uprooted before it. This horn had eyes like those of a man and a mouth that spoke words of arrogance.
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 continued to watch, thrones were set in place, and the Ancient of Days took His seat. His clothing was white as snow, and the hair of His head was like pure wool. His throne was flaming with fire, and its wheels were all ablaze.
10 A stream of fire rushed forth before him: thousand thousands ministered to him, and ten thousands of myriads, attended upon him: the judgement sat, and the books were opened.
A river of fire was flowing, coming out from His presence. Thousands upon thousands attended Him, and myriads upon myriads stood before Him. The court was convened, 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.
Then I kept watching because of the arrogant words the horn was speaking. As I continued to watch, the beast was slain, and its body was destroyed and thrown into the blazing fire.
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 beasts, their dominion was removed, but they were granted an extension of life for a season and a 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 vision in the night I continued to watch, and I saw One like the Son of Man coming with the clouds of heaven. He approached the Ancient of Days and was led into His presence.
14 And to him was given the dominion, and the honour, 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.
And He was given dominion, glory, and kingship, that the people of every nation and language should serve Him. His dominion is an everlasting dominion 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.
I, Daniel, was grieved in my spirit, and the visions in my mind alarmed 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 those who were standing there, and I asked him the true meaning of all this. So he told me the interpretation of these things:
17 These four beasts are four kingdoms [that] shall rise up on the earth:
‘These four great beasts are four kings who 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 saints of the Most High will receive the kingdom and possess it forever—yes, 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 the true meaning of the fourth beast, which was different from all the others—extremely terrifying—devouring and crushing with iron teeth and bronze claws, then trampling underfoot whatever was left.
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 also wanted to know about the ten horns on its head and the other horn that came up, before which three of them fell—the horn whose appearance was more imposing than the others, with eyes and with a mouth that spoke words of arrogance.
21 I saw, and that horn made war with the saints, and prevailed against them;
As I watched, this horn was waging war against the saints and prevailing against them,
22 until the Ancient of days came, and he gave judgement to the saints of the Most High; and the time came on, and the saints possessed the kingdom.
until the Ancient of Days arrived and pronounced judgment in favor of the saints of the Most High, and the time came for them to possess 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 he said: ‘The fourth beast is a fourth kingdom that will appear on the earth, different from all the other kingdoms, and it will devour the whole earth, trample it down, and crush it.
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.
And the ten horns are ten kings who will rise from this kingdom. After them another king, different from the earlier ones, will rise and subdue 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 out against the Most High and oppress the saints of the Most High, intending to change the appointed times and laws; and the saints will be given into his hand for a time, and times, and half a time.
26 And the judgement has sat, and they shall remove [his] dominion to abolish it, and to destroy it utterly.
But the court will convene, and his dominion will be taken away and completely destroyed forever.
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.
Then the sovereignty, dominion, and greatness of the kingdoms under all of heaven will be given to the people, the saints of the Most High. His kingdom will be an everlasting kingdom, and all rulers 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.
Thus ends the matter. As for me, Daniel, my thoughts troubled me greatly, and my face turned pale. But I kept the matter to myself.”
