Daniel 7

¹In the first year of Belshazzar, king of Babylon, Daniel saw a dream, and visions came into his head on his bed: then he put the dream in writing.

²I had a vision by night, and saw the four winds of heaven violently moving the great sea.

³And four great beasts came up from the sea, different one from another.

⁴The first was like a lion and had eagle's wings; while I was watching its wings were pulled off, and it was lifted up from the earth and placed on two feet like a man, and a man's heart was given to it.

⁵And I saw another beast, like a bear, and it was lifted up on one side, and three side-bones were in its mouth, between its teeth: and they said to it, Up! take much flesh.

⁶After this I saw another beast, like a leopard, which had on its back four wings like those of a bird; and the beast had four heads, and the power of a ruler was given to it.

⁷After this, in my vision of the night, I saw a fourth beast, a thing causing fear and very troubling, full of power and very strong; and it had great iron teeth: it took its food, crushing some of it to bits and stamping down the rest with its feet: it was different from all the beasts before it; and it had ten horns.

⁸I was watching the horns with care, and I saw another coming up among them, a little one, before which three of the first horns were pulled up by the roots: and there were eyes like a man's eyes in this horn, and a mouth saying great things.

⁹I went on looking till the seats of kings were placed, and one like a very old man took his seat: his clothing was white as snow, and the hair of his head was like clean wool; his seat was flames of fire and its wheels burning fire.

¹⁰A stream of fire was flowing and coming out from before him: a thousand thousands were his servants, and ten thousand times ten thousand were in their places before him: the judge was seated and the books were open.

¹¹Then I saw--because of the voice of the great words which the horn said--I saw till the beast was put to death, and its body was given to destruction, and the beast was given to the burning of fire.

¹²As for the rest of the beasts, their authority was taken away: but they let them go on living for a measure of time.

¹³I saw in visions of the night, and there was coming with the clouds of heaven one like a man, and he came to the one who was very old, and they took him near before him.

¹⁴And to him was given authority and glory and a kingdom; and all peoples, nations, and languages were his servants: his authority is an eternal authority which will not come to an end, and his kingdom is one which will not come to destruction.

¹⁵As for me, Daniel, my spirit was pained because of this, and the visions of my head were troubling me.

¹⁶I came near to one of those who were waiting there, questioning him about what all this was. And he said to me that he would make clear to me the sense of these things.

¹⁷These great beasts are four kings who will be cut off from the earth.

¹⁸But the saints of the Most High will take the kingdom, and it will be theirs for ever, even for ever and ever.

¹⁹Then it was my desire to have certain knowledge about the fourth beast, which was different from all the others, a cause of great fear, whose teeth were of iron and his nails of brass; who took his food, crushing some of it to bits and stamping on the rest with his feet;

²⁰And about the ten horns on his head and the other which came up, causing the fall of three; that horn which had eyes, and a mouth saying great things, which seemed to be greater than the other horns.

²¹And I saw how that horn made war on the saints and overcame them,

²²Till he came, who was very old, and the decision was made and the authority was given to the saints of the Most High; and the time came when the saints took the kingdom.

²³This is what he said: The fourth beast is a fourth kingdom which will come on earth, different from all the kingdoms, and it will overcome all the earth, crushing it down and smashing it.

²⁴And as for the ten horns, out of this kingdom ten kings will come to power; and after them another will come up: he will be different from the first ones and will put down three kings.

²⁵And he will say words against the Most High, attempting to put an end to the saints of the Most High; and he will have the idea of changing times and law; and the saints will be given into his hands for a time and times and half a time.

²⁶But the judge will be seated, and they will put an end to his authority, to overcome it and send complete destruction on it.

²⁷And the kingdom and the authority and the power of the kingdoms under all the heaven will be given to the people of the saints of the Most High: his kingdom is an eternal kingdom, and all powers will be his servants and do his pleasure.

²⁸Here is the end of the account. As for me, Daniel, I was greatly troubled by my thoughts, and the colour went from my face: but I kept the thing in my heart.

Daniel 7

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

²Daniel spoke and said, "I saw in my vision by night, and, behold, the four winds of the sky broke forth on the great sea.

³Four great animals came up from the sea, different from one another.

⁴The first was like a lion, and had eagle's wings. I saw until its wings were plucked, and it was lifted up from the earth, and made to stand on two feet as a man; and a man's mind was given to it.

⁵And behold, another animal, a second one, like a bear; and it was raised up on one side, and three ribs were in its mouth between its teeth. And they said this to it, 'Arise, devour much flesh.'

⁶After this I saw, and behold, another one, like a leopard, which had on its back four wings of a bird. The animal also had four heads; and dominion was given to it.

⁷After this I saw in the night visions, and behold, a fourth animal, awesome and powerful, and extremely strong. And it had great iron teeth. It devoured and broke in pieces, and stamped what was left with its feet. And it was diverse from all the animals that were before it; and it had ten horns.

⁸I 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 arrogant things.

⁹I saw until thrones were placed, and the Ancient of Days took his seat. 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.

¹⁰A fiery stream issued and came forth from before him. Thousands of thousands ministered to him, and ten thousand times ten thousand stood before him. The court sat in judgment, and the books were opened.

¹¹I saw at that time because of the voice of the arrogant words which the horn spoke. I was watching until the animal was killed and its body destroyed and was given to be burned with fire.

¹²As for the rest of the animals, their dominion was taken away, yet their lives were prolonged for a season and a time.

¹³I saw in the night visions, and behold, there came with the clouds of the sky one like a son of man, and he came even to the Ancient of Days, and they brought him near before him.

¹⁴There 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.

¹⁵As for me, Daniel, my spirit was grieved in the midst of my body, and the visions of my mind troubled me.

¹⁶I came near to one of those who stood by, and asked him the true meaning concerning all this. So he told me, and revealed to me the interpretation of these things.

¹⁷These great animals, which are four, are four kings, who shall arise out of the earth.

¹⁸But the holy ones of the Most High shall receive the kingdom, and possess the kingdom forever, forever and ever.

¹⁹Then I desired to know the true meaning concerning the fourth animal, which was different from all of them, exceedingly terrible, whose teeth were of iron, and its claws of bronze; which devoured, broke in pieces, and stamped what was left with its feet.

²⁰And 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 spoke arrogant things, whose look was larger than the others.

²¹I saw, and the same horn made war with the holy ones, and prevailed against them,

²²until the Ancient of Days came, and judgment was given to the holy ones of the Most High, and the time came that the holy ones possessed the kingdom.

²³This he said, 'The fourth animal shall be a fourth kingdom on earth, which shall be different from all the kingdoms, and shall devour the whole earth, and shall tread it down, and break it in pieces.

²⁴As 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.

²⁵He shall speak words against the Most High, and shall oppress the holy ones of the Most High; and he shall think to change the times and the law; and they shall be given over to him until a time and times and half a time.

²⁶And the court shall sit in judgment, and they shall take away his dominion, consumed and completely destroyed forever.

²⁷The kingdom and the dominion, and the greatness of the kingdoms under the whole heaven, shall be given to the people of the holy ones of the Most High. His kingdom is an everlasting kingdom, and all dominions shall serve and obey him.'

²⁸Here is the end of the matter. As for me, Daniel, my thoughts troubled me greatly, and my face turned pale. I kept the matter to myself."