Daniel 7

1 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 Daniel declared: “In my vision in the night I looked, and suddenly the four winds of heaven were churning up the great sea.

3 Then four great beasts came up out of the sea, each one different from the others:

4 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 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 Next, as I watched, suddenly 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, 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 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 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 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 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 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 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 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 I, Daniel, was grieved in my spirit, and the visions in my mind alarmed me.

16 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 great beasts are four kings who will arise from the earth.

18 But the saints of the Most High will receive the kingdom and possess it forever—yes, forever and ever.’

19 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 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 As I watched, this horn was waging war against the saints and prevailing against them,

22 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 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 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 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 But the court will convene, and his dominion will be taken away and completely destroyed forever.

27 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 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.”

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 the heaven strove 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 stand upon the 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 raised up itself on one side, and [it had] three ribs in the mouth of it between the teeth of it: and they said thus unto it, Arise, devour much flesh.

6 After this I beheld, and lo another, like a leopard, which had upon the back of it four wings of a fowl; 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, dreadful and terrible, and strong exceedingly; and it had great iron teeth: it devoured and brake in pieces, and stamped the residue with the feet of it: 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 little horn, before whom there were three of the first horns plucked up by the roots: and, behold, in this horn [were] eyes like the eyes of man, and a mouth speaking great things.

9 ¶ I beheld till the thrones were cast down, and the Ancient of days did sit, whose garment [was] white as snow, and the hair of his head like the pure wool: his throne [was like] the fiery flame, [and] his wheels [as] burning fire.

10 A fiery stream issued and came forth from before him: thousand 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 then because of the voice of the great words which the horn spake: I beheld [even] till the beast was slain, and his body destroyed, and given to the burning flame.

12 As concerning the rest of the beasts, they had their dominion taken away: yet their lives were prolonged for a season and time.

13 I saw in the night visions, and, behold, [one] like the Son of man came with the clouds of heaven, and came 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 people, 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 ¶ I Daniel was grieved in my spirit 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 of 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, [which] shall arise out of the earth.

18 But the saints of the most High shall take the kingdom, and possess the kingdom for ever, even for ever and ever.

19 Then I would know the truth of the fourth beast, which was diverse from all the others, exceeding dreadful, whose teeth [were of] iron, and his nails [of] brass; [which] devoured, brake in pieces, and stamped the residue with his feet;

20 And of the ten horns that [were] in his head, and [of] the other which came up, and before whom three fell; even [of] that horn that had eyes, and a mouth that spake very great things, whose look [was] more stout than his 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 the fourth kingdom upon earth, which shall be diverse from all kingdoms, and shall devour the whole earth, and shall tread it down, and break it in pieces.

24 And the ten horns out of this kingdom [are] ten kings [that] shall arise: and another shall rise after them; and he shall be diverse from the first, and he shall subdue three kings.

25 And he shall speak [great] words against the most High, and shall wear out the saints of the most High, and think to change times and laws: and they shall be given into his hand until a time and times and the dividing of time.

26 But the judgment shall sit, and they shall take away his dominion, to consume and to destroy [it] unto the end.

27 And the kingdom and dominion, and the greatness of the kingdom under the whole heaven, shall be given to the people of the saints of the most High, whose kingdom [is] an everlasting kingdom, and all dominions shall serve and obey him.

28 Hitherto [is] the end of the matter. As for me Daniel, my cogitations much troubled me, and my countenance changed in me: but I kept the matter in my heart.

1 In the first year of Belshazzar king of Babylon Daniel had a dream, and his face was upon his bed: and he wrote the dream, and wrote it thus:

2 I Daniel saw a vision in the night, and, behold, the four winds which are under heaven tempest one against another upon the great sea.

3 And four great beasts came up out of the sea, every one different from the other.

4 The first was like a lion, and had wings like an eagle. And I watched until his wings were plucked out: and he was taken from the earth, and stood upon his feet as a man, and was given a human heart.

5 And, behold, the second beast after him was like a bear, and stood on one side, and had in his mouth under his teeth three great long teeth. And they said unto him, Arise, and eat much flesh.

6 And after these things I looked, and, behold, another beast like a leopard, having four wings like a bird upon his back: and the same beast had four heads, and power was given unto him.

7 After these things I looked in this vision by night, and, behold, the fourth beast was hideous and terrible, and very strong, and had great iron teeth, and devoured and brake in pieces, and stamped the residue with his feet: he was also much different from the beasts that were before, and had ten horns.

8 And when I saw the horns, behold, there came out from among them another little horn, before whom were plucked up three of the first horns: and, behold, that horn had eyes like the eyes of man, and a mouth speaking great things.

9 I saw these things until the chairs were set: and the old man sat down, whose raiment was white as snow, and the hair of his head was as the pure wool: his chair was as the flames of fire, and the wheels thereof burned with fire.

10 And out of the same went forth a long fiery ray. A thousand times a thousand ministered unto him, and ten thousand times ten thousand stood before him. The judgment was held, and the books were opened.

11 I watched because of the great words which the horn spake; I watched until the beast was slain, and his body was consumed, and cast into the fire,

12 And the power of the other beasts was ended: for the time and the hour were determined for them, how long they should continue.

13 I saw in this vision by night, and, behold, there came one in the clouds of heaven as the son of man unto the old man, and was brought before him.

14 Who gave him power, and glory, and kingdom, that all nations, and people, and tongues, should serve him. His power is everlasting, which shall not pass away; and his kingdom shall have no end.

15 I, Daniel, was astonished at it, and such a face terrified me.

16 And I went to one of them that sat there, and besought him that he would give me a certain report of all this. And he talked with me, and shewed me what it meant.

17 These four great beasts are four kingdoms which shall come upon the earth.

18 But the saints of the Most High shall possess the kingdom, and shall possess it for ever and ever.

19 After these things I would gladly have known a certain report of the fourth beast, which was very different from all the rest, very horrible, having iron teeth and brass claws, which devoured and brake in pieces, and trodden down the rest with his feet,

20 And of the ten horns that were upon his head, and of the other which came forth, before which three fell off, and of the same horn that had eyes, and a mouth that spake great things, and was greater than they that were by him.

21 And I saw the same horn fight against the saints, and prevail against them,

22 Till the Ancient of days came and held judgment for the saints of the Most High; and the time came for the saints to take the kingdom.

23 And he said, The fourth beast shall be the fourth kingdom upon the earth, which shall be mightier than all kingdoms; it shall devour all the earth, and tread it down, and break it in pieces.

24 The ten horns are ten kings, which shall arise out of the same kingdom. And after them shall arise another, mightier than the first, and shall humble three kings.

25 He shall blaspheme the Most High, and shall disturb the saints of the Most High, and shall presume to change the time and the law. And they shall be given into his hand for a time, and for several times, and for half a time.

26 After this shall be the judgment: then shall his power be taken away, and he shall perish, and be put to death.

27 But the kingdom, and the power, and the authority under the whole heaven, shall be given to the holy people of the Most High, whose kingdom is eternal; and all authority shall serve and obey him.

28 And that was the end of the speech. But I, Daniel, was greatly distressed in my thoughts, and my form fell; yet I kept the speech in my heart.