Daniel’s Vision of the Four Beasts

1 In the first year of Belshazzar king of Babylon, Daniel had a dream and had visions in his head while he was on his bed. Then he wrote the dream down and told the summary of it.

2 Daniel spoke and said, “In my vision at night, I looked, and the four winds in the sky broke out in all directions onto the great sea. 3 Four great beasts came up from the sea, each one different from the other.

4 The first was like a lion, and it had eagle’s wings. I watched until its wings were plucked, and it was lifted up from the earth, and made to stand on two feet like a man. A man’s heart was given to it.

5 There was another beast, a second, like a bear. It was raised up on one side, and three ribs were in its mouth between its teeth. They said this to it: ‘Get up! Devour your fill of flesh!’

6 After this I looked, and saw another beast, like a leopard, which had on its back, four wings of a bird. It also had four heads, and ruling authority was given to it.

7 After this I looked, in the night visions, and there was a fourth beast, awesome and powerful, and extremely strong. It had great iron teeth. It devoured and shattered, stomping the remnant with its feet. It was different from all the beasts that were before it. It had ten horns. 8 While I was focusing on the horns, another horn came up among them, a little one, for which three of the first horns had been plucked up by the roots, and in this horn were eyes like the eyes of a man, and a mouth speaking boastfully.”

Daniel’s Vision of the Ancient of Days

9 “I kept watching until thrones were placed and the Ancient of Days sat down.

His clothing was white as snow,
and the hair of his head like pure wool.
His throne was fiery flames,
and its wheels burning fire.

10 A stream of fire flowed out from before him.
Thousands of thousands ministered to him.
Ten thousand times 10,000 stood before him.
The judgment was set.
The books were opened.

11 I kept watching, at that time, because of the sound of the boastful words which the horn was speaking. I watched until the beast was slain and its body destroyed, and it was given over to be burned with fire. 12 As for the rest of the beasts, their authority was taken away, yet their lives were prolonged for ‘a season and a time’.

The Son of Man in Daniel’s Vision

13 I looked, in the night visions,

and there came with the clouds of the sky,
one like a son of man,
and he came to the Ancient of Days,
and they brought him near, before him.
14 Authority to reign was given to him,
and glory and a kingdom so that all the peoples, nations, and languages should serve him.
His dominion is an everlasting dominion
which will not pass away, and his kingdom,
that which will not be destroyed.

The Interpretation of Daniel’s Vision

15 As for me, Daniel, my spirit, within my body, was grieved and the visions in my head troubled me. 16 I came near to one of those who stood by, and asked him the truth concerning all this.

So he told me, and made known to me, the interpretation of these things. 17 ‘These great beasts–there are four–are four kings, who will arise from the earth. 18 But the saints of the Most High will receive the kingdom, and possess the kingdom forever, forever and ever.’

19 Then I wanted to know the truth concerning the fourth beast, which was different from all of them, utterly terrifying, whose teeth were made of iron and its nails of bronze, which devoured, shattered, and stomped the remnant with its feet, 20 and concerning the ten horns that were on its head and the other horn which came up, for which the first three had fallen off, that horn that had eyes, and a mouth that spoke boastfully and appeared larger than its companions. 21 I looked, and the same horn was waging war against the saints and was prevailing 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 will be a fourth kingdom on earth, which will be different from all the kingdoms, and will devour the whole earth, and will tread it down, and break it in pieces. 24 As for the ten horns, ten kings will arise from this kingdom. Another will arise after them, and he will be different from the former, and he will subdue three kings. 25 He will speak words against the Most High, and will wear out the saints of the Most High. He will plan to change the times and the law, and they will be given into his hand until a time and times and half a time.

26 But the court will set judgement, removing his power to consume and destroy to the end. 27 The kingdom and the dominion, and the greatness of the kingdoms under the entire heavens, will be given to the people of the saints of the Most High. His kingdom is an everlasting kingdom, and all dominions will serve and obey him.’

28 Here is the end of the matter. As for me, Daniel, my deep thoughts troubled me, and my countenance changed, but I kept the matter in my heart.”

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