Daniel 1
Daniel and His Friends Obey God
1
In the third year of the reign of Jehoiakim king of Judah, Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon
came to Jerusalem
and besieged it. 2 And the
Lord gave Jehoiakim king of Judah into his hand, with some of the articles
of the house of God, which he carried into the land of Shinar
to the house of his god; and he brought the articles into the treasure house of
his god.
3 Then the king instructed
Ashpenaz, the master of his eunuchs, to bring some of
the children of Israel and some of the king’s descendants and some of the
nobles, 4 young men in
whom there was no blemish, but good-looking, gifted in all wisdom,
possessing knowledge and quick to understand, who had ability to serve
in the king’s palace, and whom they might teach the language and literature of
the Chaldeans. 5 And the king appointed for them a daily
provision of the king’s delicacies and of the wine which he drank, and three
years of training for them, so that at the end of that time they might
serve before the king. 6
Now from among those of the sons of Judah were Daniel, Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah. 7
To them the chief of the eunuchs gave names: he gave Daniel the name Belteshazzar; to Hananiah,
Shadrach; to Mishael, Meshach; and to Azariah, Abed-Nego.
8 But Daniel purposed in
his heart that he would not defile himself with the portion of the king’s
delicacies, nor with the wine which he drank; therefore he requested of the
chief of the eunuchs that he might not defile himself. 9 Now God had brought Daniel into the favor and
goodwill of the chief of the eunuchs. 10
And the chief of the eunuchs said to Daniel, “I fear my lord the king, who has
appointed your food and drink. For why should he see your faces looking worse
than the young men who are your age? Then you would endanger my head
before the king.”
11 So Daniel said to the
steward[a] whom the chief of the eunuchs had set over
Daniel, Hananiah, Mishael,
and Azariah, 12
“Please test your servants for ten days, and let them give us vegetables to eat
and water to drink. 13
Then let our appearance be examined before you, and the appearance of the young
men who eat the portion of the king’s delicacies; and as you see fit, so
deal with your servants.” 14
So he consented with them in this matter, and tested them
ten days.
15 And at the end of ten
days their features appeared better and fatter in flesh than all the young men who
ate the portion of the king’s delicacies. 16 Thus the steward took away their portion of
delicacies and the wine that they were to drink, and gave them vegetables.
17 As for these four young
men, God gave them knowledge and skill in all literature and wisdom; and Daniel
had understanding in all visions and dreams.
18 Now at the end of the
days, when the king had said that they should be brought in, the chief of the
eunuchs brought them in before Nebuchadnezzar. 19 Then the king interviewed[b] them, and among them all none was found
like Daniel, Hananiah, Mishael,
and Azariah; therefore they served before the king. 20 And in all matters of wisdom and
understanding about which the king examined them, he found them ten times
better than all the magicians and astrologers who were in all his realm. 21
Thus Daniel continued until the first year of King Cyrus.
Daniel 2
Nebuchadnezzar’s Dream
1
Now in the second year of Nebuchadnezzar’s reign, Nebuchadnezzar had dreams;
and his spirit was so troubled that his sleep left him. 2 Then the king gave the command to call the
magicians, the astrologers, the sorcerers, and the Chaldeans
to tell the king his dreams. So they came and stood before the king. 3 And the king said to them, “I
have had a dream, and my spirit is anxious to know the dream.”
4 Then the Chaldeans spoke to the king in Aramaic,[a] “O king, live forever! Tell your servants
the dream, and we will give the interpretation.”
5 The
king answered and said to the Chaldeans, “My decision
is firm: if you do not make known the dream to me, and its interpretation, you
shall be cut in pieces, and your houses shall be made an ash heap. 6 However, if you tell the dream
and its interpretation, you shall receive from me gifts, rewards, and great
honor. Therefore tell me the dream and its interpretation.”
7 They answered again and
said, “Let the king tell his servants the dream, and we will give its
interpretation.”
8 The king answered and
said, “I know for certain that you would gain time, because you see that my
decision is firm: 9 if you
do not make known the dream to me, there is only one decree for you! For
you have agreed to speak lying and corrupt words before me till the time has
changed. Therefore tell me the dream, and I shall know that you can give me its
interpretation.”
10 The Chaldeans
answered the king, and said, “There is not a man on earth who can tell the
king’s matter; therefore no king, lord, or ruler has ever asked such
things of any magician, astrologer, or Chaldean. 11 It is a difficult
thing that the king requests, and there is no other who can tell it to the king
except the gods, whose dwelling is not with flesh.”
12 For
this reason the king was angry and very furious, and gave the command to
destroy all the wise men of Babylon.
13 So the decree went out,
and they began killing the wise men; and they sought Daniel and his
companions, to kill them.
God Reveals Nebuchadnezzar’s Dream
14 Then with counsel and
wisdom Daniel answered Arioch, the captain of the
king’s guard, who had gone out to kill the wise men of Babylon; 15 he answered and said to Arioch
the king’s captain, “Why is the decree from the king so urgent?” Then Arioch made the decision known to Daniel.
16 So Daniel went in and
asked the king to give him time, that he might tell the king the
interpretation. 17 Then
Daniel went to his house, and made the decision known to Hananiah,
Mishael, and Azariah, his
companions, 18 that they
might seek mercies from the God of heaven concerning this secret, so that
Daniel and his companions might not perish with the rest of the wise men
of Babylon. 19 Then the secret was revealed
to Daniel in a night vision. So Daniel blessed the God of heaven.
20 Daniel answered and
said:
“ Blessed be the
name of God forever and ever,
For wisdom and might are His.
21
And He changes the times and the seasons;
He removes kings and raises
up kings;
He gives wisdom to the wise
And knowledge to those who have understanding.
22
He reveals deep and secret things;
He knows what is in the darkness,
And light dwells
with Him.
23
“ I thank You and praise You,
O God of my fathers;
You have given me wisdom and might,
And have now made known to me what we asked
of You,
For You have made known to us the king’s
demand.”
Daniel Explains the Dream
24 Therefore Daniel went
to Arioch, whom the king had appointed to destroy the
wise men of Babylon.
He went and said thus to him: “Do not destroy the wise men of Babylon;
take me before the king, and I will tell the king the interpretation.”
25 Then Arioch quickly brought Daniel before the king, and said
thus to him, “I have found a man of the captives[b] of Judah, who will make known to the king
the interpretation.”
26 The king answered and
said to Daniel, whose name was Belteshazzar,
“Are you able to make known to me the dream which I have seen, and its
interpretation?”
27 Daniel answered in the
presence of the king, and said, “The secret which the king has demanded, the
wise men, the astrologers, the magicians, and the soothsayers cannot
declare to the king. 28
But there is a God in heaven who reveals secrets, and He has made known to King
Nebuchadnezzar what will be in the latter days. Your dream,
and the visions of your head upon your bed, were these: 29 As for you, O king, thoughts came to
your mind while on your bed, about what would come to pass after
this; and He who reveals secrets has made known to you what will be. 30 But as for me, this secret
has not been revealed to me because I have more wisdom than anyone living, but
for our sakes who make known the interpretation
to the king, and that you may know the thoughts of your heart.
31 “You, O king, were
watching; and behold, a great image! This great image, whose splendor was
excellent, stood before you; and its form was awesome. 32 This image’s head was of fine gold,
its chest and arms of silver, its belly and thighs[c] of bronze, 33 its legs of iron, its feet partly of iron and
partly of clay.[d] 34
You watched while a stone was cut out without hands, which struck the image on
its feet of iron and clay, and broke them in pieces. 35 Then the iron, the clay, the bronze, the
silver, and the gold were crushed together, and became like chaff from the
summer threshing floors; the wind carried them away so that no trace of them
was found. And the stone that struck the image became a great mountain and
filled the whole earth.
36 “This
is the dream. Now we will tell the interpretation of it before
the king. 37 You, O king, are
a king of kings. For the God of heaven has given you a kingdom, power,
strength, and glory; 38
and wherever the children of men dwell, or the beasts of the field and the
birds of the heaven, He has given them into your hand, and has made you
ruler over them all—you are this head of gold. 39 But after you shall arise
another kingdom inferior to yours; then another, a third kingdom of bronze,
which shall rule over all the earth. 40
And the fourth kingdom shall be as strong as iron, inasmuch as iron breaks in
pieces and shatters everything; and like iron that crushes, that kingdom
will break in pieces and crush all the others. 41 Whereas you saw the feet and toes, partly of
potter’s clay and partly of iron, the kingdom shall be divided; yet the
strength of the iron shall be in it, just as you saw the iron mixed with
ceramic clay. 42 And as
the toes of the feet were partly of iron and partly of clay, so
the kingdom shall be partly strong and partly fragile. 43 As you saw iron mixed with ceramic clay, they
will mingle with the seed of men; but they will not adhere to one another, just
as iron does not mix with clay. 44
And in the days of these kings the God of heaven will set up a kingdom which
shall never be destroyed; and the kingdom shall not be left to other people; it
shall break in pieces and consume all these kingdoms, and it shall stand
forever. 45 Inasmuch as
you saw that the stone was cut out of the mountain without hands, and that it
broke in pieces the iron, the bronze, the clay, the silver, and the gold—the
great God has made known to the king what will come to pass after this. The
dream is certain, and its interpretation is sure.”
Daniel and His Friends Promoted
46 Then King
Nebuchadnezzar fell on his face, prostrate before Daniel, and commanded that
they should present an offering and incense to him. 47 The king answered Daniel, and said, “Truly
your God is the God of gods, the Lord of kings, and a revealer of
secrets, since you could reveal this secret.” 48 Then the king promoted Daniel and gave him
many great gifts; and he made him ruler over the whole province
of Babylon, and chief administrator over all the wise men of Babylon. 49 Also Daniel petitioned the king, and he set
Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-Nego over the affairs of
the province of Babylon; but Daniel sat in the
gate[e] of the king.
Daniel 3
The Image of Gold
1
Nebuchadnezzar the king made an image of gold, whose height was sixty
cubits and its width six cubits. He set it up in the plain of Dura, in
the province of Babylon. 2 And King Nebuchadnezzar sent word to
gather together the satraps, the administrators, the governors, the counselors,
the treasurers, the judges, the magistrates, and all the officials of the
provinces, to come to the dedication of the image which King Nebuchadnezzar had
set up. 3 So the satraps,
the administrators, the governors, the counselors, the treasurers, the judges,
the magistrates, and all the officials of the provinces gathered together for
the dedication of the image that King Nebuchadnezzar had set up; and they stood
before the image that Nebuchadnezzar had set up. 4 Then a herald cried aloud: “To you it is
commanded, O peoples, nations, and languages, 5 that at the time you hear the sound of
the horn, flute, harp, lyre, and psaltery, in symphony with all kinds of
music, you shall fall down and worship the gold image that King Nebuchadnezzar
has set up; 6 and whoever
does not fall down and worship shall be cast immediately into the midst of a
burning fiery furnace.”
7 So at that time, when
all the people heard the sound of the horn, flute, harp, and lyre, in
symphony with all kinds of music, all the people, nations, and languages fell
down and worshiped the gold image which King Nebuchadnezzar had set up.
Daniel’s Friends Disobey the King
8 Therefore at that time
certain Chaldeans came forward and accused the Jews. 9 They spoke and said to King
Nebuchadnezzar, “O king, live forever! 10
You, O king, have made a decree that everyone who hears the sound of the horn,
flute, harp, lyre, and psaltery, in symphony with all kinds of music,
shall fall down and worship the gold image; 11 and whoever does not fall down and worship
shall be cast into the midst of a burning fiery furnace. 12 There are certain Jews whom you have set over
the affairs of the province
of Babylon: Shadrach,
Meshach, and Abed-Nego; these men, O king, have not
paid due regard to you. They do not serve your gods or worship the gold image
which you have set up.”
13 Then Nebuchadnezzar, in
rage and fury, gave the command to bring Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-Nego. So they brought these men before the king. 14 Nebuchadnezzar spoke, saying
to them, “Is it true, Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-Nego,
that you do not serve my gods or worship the gold image which I have set
up? 15 Now if you are
ready at the time you hear the sound of the horn, flute, harp, lyre, and
psaltery, in symphony with all kinds of music, and you fall down and worship
the image which I have made, good! But
if you do not worship, you shall be cast immediately into the midst of a
burning fiery furnace. And who is the god who will deliver you from my
hands?”
16 Shadrach, Meshach, and
Abed-Nego answered and said to the king, “O
Nebuchadnezzar, we have no need to answer you in this matter. 17 If that is the case, our God
whom we serve is able to deliver us from the burning fiery furnace, and He will
deliver us from your hand, O king. 18 But if not, let it
be known to you, O king, that we do not serve your gods, nor will we worship
the gold image which you have set up.”
Saved in Fiery Trial
19 Then Nebuchadnezzar was
full of fury, and the expression on his face changed toward Shadrach, Meshach,
and Abed-Nego. He spoke and commanded that they heat
the furnace seven times more than it was usually heated. 20 And he commanded certain mighty men of valor
who were in his army to bind Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-Nego, and cast them into the burning fiery
furnace. 21 Then these men
were bound in their coats, their trousers, their turbans, and their other
garments, and were cast into the midst of the burning
fiery furnace. 22
Therefore, because the king’s command was urgent, and the furnace
exceedingly hot, the flame of the fire killed those men who took up
Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-Nego. 23 And these three men, Shadrach, Meshach, and
Abed-Nego, fell down bound into the midst of the
burning fiery furnace.
24 Then King
Nebuchadnezzar was astonished; and he rose in haste and spoke, saying to
his counselors, “Did we not cast three men bound into the midst of the fire?”
They answered and said to the king, “True, O king.”
25 “Look!” he answered, “I
see four men loose, walking in the midst of the fire; and they are not hurt,
and the form of the fourth is like the Son of God.”[a]
Nebuchadnezzar Praises God
26 Then Nebuchadnezzar
went near the mouth of the burning fiery furnace and spoke, saying,
“Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-Nego, servants of the
Most High God, come out, and come here.” Then Shadrach, Meshach, and
Abed-Nego came from the midst of the fire. 27 And the satraps,
administrators, governors, and the king’s counselors gathered together, and
they saw these men on whose bodies the fire had no power; the hair of their
head was not singed nor were their garments affected, and the smell of fire was
not on them.
28 Nebuchadnezzar spoke,
saying, “Blessed be the God of Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-Nego,
who sent His Angel[b] and delivered His servants who trusted in
Him, and they have frustrated the king’s word, and yielded their bodies, that
they should not serve nor worship any god except their own God! 29 Therefore I make a decree
that any people, nation, or language which speaks anything amiss against the
God of Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-Nego shall be cut
in pieces, and their houses shall be made an ash heap; because there is no
other God who can deliver like this.”
30 Then the king promoted
Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-Nego in the province of
Babylon.
Daniel 4
Nebuchadnezzar’s Second Dream
1
Nebuchadnezzar the king,
To all peoples, nations, and languages that dwell in all
the earth:
Peace be multiplied to you.
2 I thought it
good to declare the signs and wonders that the Most High God has worked for me.
3
How great are His signs,
And how mighty His
wonders!
His kingdom is an everlasting
kingdom,
And His dominion is
from generation to generation.
4 I,
Nebuchadnezzar, was at rest in my house, and flourishing in my palace. 5 I saw a dream which made me
afraid, and the thoughts on my bed and the visions of my head troubled me. 6 Therefore I issued a decree to
bring in all the wise men of Babylon
before me, that they might make known to me the interpretation of the dream. 7 Then the magicians, the
astrologers, the Chaldeans, and the soothsayers came
in, and I told them the dream; but they did not make known to me its
interpretation. 8 But at
last Daniel came before me (his name is Belteshazzar,
according to the name of my god; in him is the Spirit of the Holy God),
and I told the dream before him, saying: 9 “Belteshazzar, chief of the
magicians, because I know that the Spirit of the Holy God is in you, and
no secret troubles you, explain to me the visions of my dream that I have seen,
and its interpretation.
10 “These were
the visions of my head while on my bed:
I was looking, and behold,
A tree in the
midst of the earth,
And its height was great.
11
The tree grew and became strong;
Its height reached
to the heavens,
And it could be seen to the ends of all the
earth.
12
Its leaves were lovely,
Its fruit
abundant,
And in it was food for all.
The beasts of the field found shade under
it,
The birds of the
heavens dwelt in its branches,
And all flesh was fed from it.
13 “I saw in the
visions of my head while on my bed, and there was a watcher, a holy one,
coming down from heaven. 14
He cried aloud and said thus:
‘ Chop down the tree
and cut off its branches,
Strip off its leaves and scatter its fruit.
Let the beasts get out from under it,
And the birds from
its branches.
15
Nevertheless leave the stump and roots in the earth,
Bound with a band of iron and
bronze,
In the tender
grass of the field.
Let it be wet with the dew of heaven,
And let him
graze with the beasts
On the grass of the earth.
16
Let his heart be changed from that of a man,
Let him be given the heart of a beast,
And let seven
times[a] pass over him.
17
‘ This decision is by the decree of the watchers,
And the sentence by the word of the holy
ones,
In order that the living may know
That the Most High rules in the kingdom of
men,
Gives it to whomever He will,
And sets over it the lowest of men.’
18 “This dream I,
King Nebuchadnezzar, have seen. Now you, Belteshazzar,
declare its interpretation, since all the wise men of my kingdom are not
able to make known to me the interpretation; but you are able, for the
Spirit of the Holy God is in you.”
Daniel Explains the Second Dream
19 Then Daniel,
whose name was Belteshazzar, was astonished
for a time, and his thoughts troubled him. So the king spoke, and said,
“Belteshazzar, do not let the dream or its
interpretation trouble you.”
Belteshazzar answered and said,
“My lord, may the dream concern those who hate
you, and its interpretation concern your enemies!
20 “The tree that
you saw, which grew and became strong, whose height reached to the heavens and
which could be seen by all the earth, 21 whose leaves were lovely and its fruit
abundant, in which was food for all, under which the beasts of the field
dwelt, and in whose branches the birds of the heaven had their home— 22 it is you, O king, who
have grown and become strong; for your greatness has grown and reaches to the
heavens, and your dominion to the end of the earth.
23 “And inasmuch
as the king saw a watcher, a holy one, coming down from heaven and saying,
‘Chop down the tree and destroy it, but leave its stump and roots in the earth,
bound with a band of iron and bronze in the tender grass of the field;
let it be wet with the dew of heaven, and let him graze with the beasts of the
field, till seven times pass over him’; 24
this is the interpretation, O king, and this is the decree of the Most High,
which has come upon my lord the king: 25
They shall drive you from men, your dwelling shall be with the beasts of the
field, and they shall make you eat grass like oxen. They shall wet you with the
dew of heaven, and seven times shall pass over you, till you know that the Most
High rules in the kingdom of men, and gives it to whomever He chooses.
26
“And inasmuch as they gave the command to leave the stump and roots of
the tree, your kingdom shall be assured to you, after you come to know that
Heaven rules. 27
Therefore, O king, let my advice be acceptable to you; break off your sins by being
righteous, and your iniquities by showing mercy to the poor. Perhaps
there may be a lengthening of your prosperity.”
Nebuchadnezzar’s Humiliation
28 All this
came upon King Nebuchadnezzar. 29
At the end of the twelve months he was walking about the royal palace of Babylon. 30 The king spoke, saying, “Is not this great Babylon, that I have
built for a royal dwelling by my mighty power and for the honor of my majesty?”
31 While the word
was still in the king’s mouth, a voice fell from heaven: “King
Nebuchadnezzar, to you it is spoken: the kingdom has departed from you! 32 And they shall drive you from
men, and your dwelling shall be with the beasts of the field. They shall
make you eat grass like oxen; and seven times shall pass over you, until you
know that the Most High rules in the kingdom of men, and gives it to whomever
He chooses.”
33 That very hour
the word was fulfilled concerning Nebuchadnezzar; he was driven from men and
ate grass like oxen; his body was wet with the dew of heaven till his hair had
grown like eagles’ feathers and his nails like birds’ claws.
Nebuchadnezzar Praises God
34 And at the end
of the time[b] I, Nebuchadnezzar, lifted my eyes to
heaven, and my understanding returned to me; and I blessed the Most High and
praised and honored Him who lives forever:
For His dominion is an everlasting
dominion,
And His kingdom is from generation
to generation.
35
All the inhabitants of the earth are reputed as nothing;
He does according to His will in the army
of heaven
And among
the inhabitants of the earth.
No one can restrain His hand
Or say to Him,
“What have You done?”
36 At the same
time my reason returned to me, and for the glory of my kingdom, my honor and
splendor returned to me. My counselors and nobles resorted to me, I was
restored to my kingdom, and excellent majesty was added to me. 37 Now I, Nebuchadnezzar, praise
and extol and honor the King of heaven, all of whose works are truth,
and His ways justice. And those who walk in pride He is able to put down.
Daniel 5
Belshazzar’s Feast
1
Belshazzar the king made a great feast for a thousand of his lords, and drank
wine in the presence of the thousand. 2
While he tasted the wine, Belshazzar gave the command to bring the gold and
silver vessels which his father Nebuchadnezzar had taken from the temple which had
been in Jerusalem, that the king and his lords, his wives, and his concubines
might drink from them. 3
Then they brought the gold vessels that had been taken from the temple of the
house of God which had been in Jerusalem;
and the king and his lords, his wives, and his concubines drank from them. 4 They drank wine, and praised
the gods of gold and silver, bronze and iron, wood and stone.
5 In the same hour the
fingers of a man’s hand appeared and wrote opposite the lampstand
on the plaster of the wall of the king’s palace; and the king saw the part of
the hand that wrote. 6
Then the king’s countenance changed, and his thoughts troubled him, so that the
joints of his hips were loosened and his knees knocked against each other. 7 The king cried aloud to bring
in the astrologers, the Chaldeans, and the
soothsayers. The king spoke, saying to the wise men of Babylon, “Whoever reads this writing, and
tells me its interpretation, shall be clothed with
purple and have a chain of gold around his neck; and he shall be the
third ruler in the kingdom.” 8
Now all the king’s wise men came, but they could not read the writing,
or make known to the king its interpretation. 9 Then King Belshazzar was greatly troubled, his
countenance was changed, and his lords were astonished.
10 The queen, because of
the words of the king and his lords, came to the banquet hall. The queen spoke,
saying, “O king, live forever! Do not let your
thoughts trouble you, nor let your countenance change. 11 There is a man in your kingdom in whom is the Spirit of the Holy God. And in the days
of your father, light and understanding and wisdom, like the wisdom of the
gods, were found in him; and King Nebuchadnezzar your father—your father the
king—made him chief of the magicians, astrologers, Chaldeans,
and soothsayers. 12
Inasmuch as an excellent spirit, knowledge, understanding, interpreting dreams,
solving riddles, and explaining enigmas[a] were found in this Daniel, whom the king
named Belteshazzar, now let Daniel be called, and he
will give the interpretation.”
The Writing on the Wall Explained
13 Then Daniel was brought
in before the king. The king spoke, and said to Daniel, “Are you that
Daniel who is one of the captives[b] from Judah, whom my father the king brought
from Judah?
14 I have heard of you,
that the Spirit of God is in you, and that light and
understanding and excellent wisdom are found in you. 15 Now the wise men, the astrologers,
have been brought in before me, that they should read this writing and make
known to me its interpretation, but they could not give the interpretation of
the thing. 16 And I have
heard of you, that you can give interpretations and
explain enigmas. Now if you can read the writing and make known to me its
interpretation, you shall be clothed with purple and have a chain of
gold around your neck, and shall be the third ruler in the kingdom.”
17 Then Daniel answered,
and said before the king, “Let your gifts be for yourself, and give your
rewards to another; yet I will read the writing to the king, and make known to
him the interpretation. 18
O king, the Most High God gave Nebuchadnezzar your
father a kingdom and majesty, glory and honor. 19 And because of the majesty that He gave him,
all peoples, nations, and languages trembled and feared before him. Whomever he
wished, he executed; whomever he wished, he kept alive; whomever he wished, he
set up; and whomever he wished, he put down. 20 But when his heart was lifted up, and his
spirit was hardened in pride, he was deposed from his kingly throne, and they
took his glory from him. 21
Then he was driven from the sons of men, his heart was made like the beasts,
and his dwelling was with the wild donkeys. They fed him with grass like
oxen, and his body was wet with the dew of heaven, till he knew that the Most
High God rules in the kingdom of men, and appoints over it whomever He chooses.
22 “But you his son,
Belshazzar, have not humbled your heart, although you knew all this. 23 And you have lifted yourself
up against the Lord of heaven. They have brought the vessels of His house
before you, and you and your lords, your wives and your concubines, have drunk
wine from them. And you have praised the gods of silver and gold, bronze and
iron, wood and stone, which do not see or hear or know; and the God who holds
your breath in His hand and owns all your ways, you have not glorified. 24 Then the fingers[c] of the hand were sent from Him, and this
writing was written.
25 “And this is the
inscription that was written:
MENE,[d] MENE, TEKEL,[e] UPHARSIN.[f]
26 This is
the interpretation of each word. MENE: God has numbered your kingdom,
and finished it; 27 TEKEK:
You have been weighed in the balances, and found wanting; 28 PERES: Your kingdom has been
divided, and given to the Medes and Persians.”[g] 29
Then Belshazzar gave the command, and they clothed Daniel with purple and put
a chain of gold around his neck, and made a proclamation concerning him that he
should be the third ruler in the kingdom.
Belshazzar’s Fall
30 That very night
Belshazzar, king of the Chaldeans, was slain. 31 And Darius the Mede received
the kingdom, being about sixty-two years old.
Daniel 6
The Plot Against Daniel
1
It pleased Darius to set over the kingdom one hundred and twenty satraps, to be
over the whole kingdom; 2
and over these, three governors, of whom Daniel was one, that the
satraps might give account to them, so that the king would suffer no loss. 3 Then this Daniel distinguished
himself above the governors and satraps, because an excellent spirit was
in him; and the king gave thought to setting him over the whole realm. 4 So the governors and satraps
sought to find some charge against Daniel concerning the kingdom; but
they could find no charge or fault, because he was faithful; nor was
there any error or fault found in him. 5
Then these men said, “We shall not find any charge against this Daniel unless
we find it against him concerning the law of his God.”
6 So these governors and
satraps thronged before the king, and said thus to him: “King Darius, live
forever! 7 All the
governors of the kingdom, the administrators and satraps, the counselors and
advisors, have consulted together to establish a royal statute and to make a
firm decree, that whoever petitions any god or man for thirty days, except you,
O king, shall be cast into the den of lions. 8 Now, O king, establish the decree and sign the
writing, so that it cannot be changed, according to the law of the Medes and
Persians, which does not alter.” 9
Therefore King Darius signed the written decree.
Daniel in the Lions’ Den
10 Now when Daniel knew
that the writing was signed, he went home. And in his upper room, with his
windows open toward Jerusalem,
he knelt down on his knees three times that day, and prayed and gave thanks
before his God, as was his custom since early days.
11 Then these men
assembled and found Daniel praying and making supplication before his God. 12 And they went before the
king, and spoke concerning the king’s decree: “Have you not signed a decree
that every man who petitions any god or man within thirty days, except you, O
king, shall be cast into the den of lions?”
The king answered and said, “The thing is true, according to the law of
the Medes and Persians, which does not alter.”
13 So they answered and
said before the king, “That Daniel, who is one of the captives[a] from Judah, does not show due regard for
you, O king, or for the decree that you have signed, but makes his petition
three times a day.”
14 And the king, when he
heard these words, was greatly displeased with himself, and set his
heart on Daniel to deliver him; and he labored till the going down of the sun
to deliver him. 15 Then
these men approached the king, and said to the king, “Know, O king, that it
is the law of the Medes and Persians that no decree or statute which the
king establishes may be changed.”
16 So
the king gave the command, and they brought Daniel and cast him into the
den of lions. But the king spoke, saying to Daniel, “Your God, whom you
serve continually, He will deliver you.” 17 Then a stone was brought and laid on the
mouth of the den, and the king sealed it with his own signet ring and with the
signets of his lords, that the purpose concerning Daniel might not be changed.
Daniel Saved from the Lions
18 Now the king went to
his palace and spent the night fasting; and no musicians[b] were brought before him. Also his sleep went
from him. 19 Then the king
arose very early in the morning and went in haste to the den of lions. 20 And when he came to the den,
he cried out with a lamenting voice to Daniel. The king spoke, saying to
Daniel, “Daniel, servant of the living God, has your God, whom you serve
continually, been able to deliver you from the lions?”
21 Then Daniel said to the
king, “O king, live forever! 22 My God sent His angel and shut the lions’
mouths, so that they have not hurt me, because I was found innocent before Him;
and also, O king, I have done no wrong before you.”
23 Now the king was
exceedingly glad for him, and commanded that they should take Daniel up out of
the den. So Daniel was taken up out of the den, and no injury whatever was
found on him, because he believed in his God.
Darius Honors God
24 And the king gave the
command, and they brought those men who had accused
Daniel, and they cast them into the den of lions—them, their children,
and their wives; and the lions overpowered them, and broke all their bones in
pieces before they ever came to the bottom of the den.
25 Then King Darius wrote:
To all peoples, nations, and languages that dwell in all
the earth:
Peace be multiplied to you.
26 I make a
decree that in every dominion of my kingdom men must tremble and fear
before the God of Daniel.
For He is the living God,
And steadfast
forever;
His kingdom is the one which shall
not be destroyed,
And His dominion shall endure to the
end.
27
He delivers and rescues,
And He works signs and wonders
In heaven and on
earth,
Who has delivered Daniel from the power of
the lions.
28 So this Daniel
prospered in the reign of Darius and in the reign of Cyrus the Persian.
Daniel 7
Vision of the Four Beasts
1
In the first year of Belshazzar king of Babylon,
Daniel had a dream and visions of his head while on his bed. Then he
wrote down the dream, telling the main facts.[a]
2 Daniel spoke, saying, “I
saw in my vision by night, and behold, the four winds of heaven were stirring
up the Great Sea. 3 And four great beasts came up from the sea,
each different from the other. 4
The first was like a lion, and had eagle’s wings. I watched till its
wings were plucked off; and it was lifted up from the earth and made to stand
on two feet like a man, and a man’s heart was given to it.
5 “And suddenly another
beast, a second, like a bear. It was raised up on one side, and had
three ribs in its mouth between its teeth. And they said thus to it: ‘Arise,
devour much flesh!’
6 “After this I looked,
and there was another, like a leopard, which had on its back four wings of a
bird. The beast also had 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, exceedingly
strong. It had huge iron teeth; it was devouring, breaking in pieces, and
trampling the residue with its feet. It was different from all the
beasts that were before it, and it had ten horns. 8 I was considering the horns, and there was
another horn, a little one, coming up among them, before whom three of the first
horns were plucked out by the roots. And there, in this horn, were eyes
like the eyes of a man, and a mouth speaking pompous words.
Vision of the Ancient of Days
9 “ I watched till
thrones were put in place,
And the Ancient of Days was seated;
His garment was white as snow,
And the hair of His head was like
pure wool.
His throne was a fiery flame,
Its wheels a
burning fire;
10
A fiery stream issued
And came forth from before Him.
A thousand thousands ministered to Him;
Ten thousand times ten thousand stood
before Him.
The court[b] was seated,
And the books were
opened.
11 “I watched then because
of the sound of the pompous words which the horn was speaking; I watched till
the beast was slain, and its body destroyed and given to the burning flame. 12 As for the rest of the
beasts, they had their dominion taken away, yet their lives were prolonged for
a season and a time.
13
“ I was watching in the night visions,
And behold, One like the Son of Man,
Coming with the clouds of heaven!
He came to the Ancient of Days,
And they brought
Him near before Him.
14
Then to Him was given dominion and glory and a kingdom,
That all peoples,
nations, and languages should serve Him.
His dominion is an everlasting
dominion,
Which shall not pass
away,
And His kingdom the one
Which shall not be destroyed.
Daniel’s Visions Interpreted
15 “I, Daniel, was grieved
in my spirit within my body, and the visions of my head troubled me. 16 I came near to one of those
who stood by, and asked him the truth of all this. So he told me and made known
to me the interpretation of these things: 17 ‘Those great beasts, which are four, are
four kings[c]which arise
out of the earth. 18 But
the saints of the Most High shall receive the kingdom, and possess the kingdom
forever, even forever and ever.’
19 “Then I wished to know
the truth about the fourth beast, which was different from all the others,
exceedingly dreadful, with its teeth of iron and its nails of bronze, which
devoured, broke in pieces, and trampled the residue with its feet; 20 and the ten horns that were
on its head, and the other horn which came up, before which three fell,
namely, that horn which had eyes and a mouth which spoke pompous words, whose
appearance was greater than his fellows.
21 “I was watching; and
the same horn was making war against the saints, and prevailing against them, 22 until the Ancient of Days
came, and a judgment was made in favor of the saints of the Most High,
and the time came for the saints to possess the kingdom.
23 “Thus he said:
‘ The fourth beast
shall be
A fourth kingdom on earth,
Which shall be different from all other
kingdoms,
And shall devour the whole earth,
Trample it and break it in pieces.
24
The ten horns are ten kings
Who shall
arise from this kingdom.
And another shall rise after them;
He shall be different from the first ones,
And shall subdue
three kings.
25
He shall speak pompous words against the Most High,
Shall persecute[d] the saints of the Most High,
And shall intend
to change times and law.
Then the saints shall be given into
his hand
For a time and
times and half a time.
26
‘ But the court shall be seated,
And they shall take away his dominion,
To consume and destroy it forever.
27
Then the kingdom and dominion,
And the greatness of the kingdoms under the
whole heaven,
Shall be given to the people, the saints of
the Most High.
His kingdom is an everlasting
kingdom,
And all dominions shall serve and obey
Him.’
28 “This is the end
of the account.[e] As for me, Daniel, my thoughts greatly
troubled me, and my countenance changed; but I kept the matter in my heart.”
Daniel 8
Vision of a Ram and a Goat
1
In the third year of the reign of King Belshazzar a vision appeared to
me—to me, Daniel—after the one that appeared to me the first time. 2 I saw in the vision, and it so
happened while I was looking, that I was in Shushan,
the citadel, which is in the province
of Elam; and I saw in the
vision that I was by the River Ulai. 3 Then I lifted my eyes and saw, and there,
standing beside the river, was a ram which had two horns, and the two horns were
high; but one was higher than the other, and the higher one came
up last. 4 I saw the ram
pushing westward, northward, and southward, so that no animal could withstand
him; nor was there any that could deliver from his hand, but he did
according to his will and became great.
5 And as I was
considering, suddenly a male goat came from the west, across the surface of the
whole earth, without touching the ground; and the goat had a notable
horn between his eyes. 6
Then he came to the ram that had two horns, which I had seen standing beside
the river, and ran at him with furious power. 7 And I saw him confronting the ram; he was
moved with rage against him, attacked the ram, and broke his two horns. There
was no power in the ram to withstand him, but he cast him down to the ground
and trampled him; and there was no one that could deliver the ram from his
hand.
8 Therefore the male goat
grew very great; but when he became strong, the large horn was broken, and in
place of it four notable ones came up toward the four winds of heaven. 9 And out of one of them came a
little horn which grew exceedingly great toward the south, toward the east, and
toward the Glorious
Land. 10 And it grew up to the host of
heaven; and it cast down some of the host and some of the stars
to the ground, and trampled them. 11
He even exalted himself as high as the Prince of the host; and by him
the daily sacrifices were taken away, and the place of His sanctuary was
cast down. 12 Because of
transgression, an army was given over to the horn to oppose the daily sacrifices;
and he cast truth down to the ground. He did all this and prospered.
13 Then I heard a holy one
speaking; and another holy one said to that certain one who was
speaking, “How long will the vision be, concerning the daily sacrifices
and the transgression of desolation, the giving of both the sanctuary and the
host to be trampled underfoot?”
14 And he said to me, “For
two thousand three hundred days;[a] then the sanctuary shall be cleansed.”
Gabriel Interprets the Vision
15
Then it happened, when I, Daniel, had seen the vision and was seeking the
meaning, that suddenly there stood before me one having the appearance of a
man. 16
And I heard a man’s voice between the banks of the Ulai,
who called, and said, “Gabriel, make this man understand the vision.” 17
So he came near where I stood, and when he came I was afraid and fell on my
face; but he said to me, “Understand, son of man, that the vision refers
to the time of the end.”
18
Now, as he was speaking with me, I was in a deep sleep with my face to the
ground; but he touched me, and stood me upright. 19 And he said,
“Look, I am making known to you what shall happen in the latter time of the
indignation; for at the appointed time the end shall be. 20
The ram which you saw, having the two horns—they are the kings of Media
and Persia.
21
And the male goat is the kingdom[b] of Greece. The large horn that is
between its eyes is the first king. 22 As for the
broken horn and the four that stood up in its place, four kingdoms shall
arise out of that nation, but not with its power.
23 “ And in the latter
time of their kingdom,
When the transgressors have reached their
fullness,
A king shall arise,
Having fierce features,
Who understands sinister schemes.
24 His power shall be mighty, but not by his
own power;
He shall destroy fearfully,
And shall prosper
and thrive;
He shall destroy the mighty, and also
the holy people.
25 “ Through his
cunning
He shall cause deceit to prosper under his
rule;[c]
And he shall exalt himself in his heart.
He shall destroy many in their
prosperity.
He shall even rise against the Prince of
princes;
But he shall be broken without human
means.[d]
26 “ And the vision of the evenings and
mornings
Which was told is true;
Therefore seal up the vision,
For it refers to many days in the
future.”
27
And I, Daniel, fainted and was sick for days; afterward I arose and went about
the king’s business. I was astonished by the vision, but no one understood it.
Daniel 9
Daniel’s Prayer for the People
1 In the first year of Darius the son of Ahasuerus,
of the lineage of the Medes, who was made king over the realm of the Chaldeans— 2 in the first year of his reign I, Daniel,
understood by the books the number of the years specified by the word of
the LORD through Jeremiah the prophet, that He would accomplish seventy years
in the desolations of Jerusalem.3 Then I set my face toward the Lord God to
make request by prayer and supplications, with fasting, sackcloth, and ashes. 4
And I prayed to the LORD my God, and made confession, and said, “O Lord, great
and awesome God, who keeps His covenant and mercy with those who love Him, and
with those who keep His commandments, 5 we have sinned and committed iniquity,
we have done wickedly and rebelled, even by departing from Your precepts and
Your judgments. 6 Neither have we heeded Your servants
the prophets, who spoke in Your name to our kings and our princes, to our
fathers and all the people of the land. 7 O Lord, righteousness belongs
to You, but to us shame of face, as it is this day—to the men of Judah,
to the inhabitants of Jerusalem and all Israel, those near and those far off in
all the countries to which You have driven them, because of the unfaithfulness
which they have committed against You. 8 “O Lord, to us belongs shame of
face, to our kings, our princes, and our fathers, because we have sinned
against You. 9 To the Lord our God belong mercy
and forgiveness, though we have rebelled against Him. 10 We have not obeyed the
voice of the LORD our God, to walk in His laws, which He set before us by His
servants the prophets. 11 Yes, all Israel has transgressed Your law, and has
departed so as not to obey Your voice; therefore the curse and the oath written
in the Law of Moses the servant of God have been poured out on us, because we
have sinned against Him. 12 And He has confirmed His words, which He spoke
against us and against our judges who judged us, by bringing upon us a great
disaster; for under the whole heaven such has never been done as what has been
done to Jerusalem.
13 “As it is written in the Law of Moses, all this disaster has come
upon us; yet we have not made our prayer before the LORD our God, that we might
turn from our iniquities and understand Your truth. 14 Therefore the LORD has
kept the disaster in mind, and brought it upon us; for the LORD our God is
righteous in all the works which He does, though we have not obeyed His voice.
15 And now, O Lord our God, who brought Your people out of the land of Egypt
with a mighty hand, and made Yourself a name, as it is this day—we have
sinned, we have done wickedly! 16 “O Lord, according to all Your righteousness,
I pray, let Your anger and Your fury be turned away from Your city Jerusalem,
Your holy mountain; because for our sins, and for the iniquities of our
fathers, Jerusalem and Your people are a reproach to all those
around us. 17 Now therefore, our God, hear the prayer of Your
servant, and his supplications, and for the Lord’s sake cause Your face to
shine on Your sanctuary, which is desolate. 18 O my God, incline Your ear and hear; open Your eyes and see our desolations,
and the city which is called by Your name; for we do not present our
supplications before You because of our righteous deeds, but because of Your
great mercies. 19 O Lord, hear! O Lord, forgive! O Lord, listen and act! Do not
delay for Your own sake, my God, for Your city and
Your people are called by Your name.”
The Seventy-Weeks
Prophecy
20 Now while I was speaking, praying, and confessing
my sin and the sin of my people Israel, and presenting my supplication before
the LORD my God for the holy mountain of my God, 21 yes, while I was
speaking in prayer, the man Gabriel, whom I had seen in the vision at the
beginning, being caused to fly swiftly, reached me about the time of the
evening offering. 22 And he informed me, and talked with me, and said, “O
Daniel, I have now come forth to give you skill to understand. 23 At the
beginning of your supplications the command went out, and I have come to tell you,
for you are greatly beloved; therefore consider the matter, and
understand the vision:
24 “ Seventy weeks[a] are determined
For your people and for your holy city,
To finish the transgression,
To make an end of[b] sins,
To make reconciliation for iniquity,
To bring in everlasting righteousness,
To seal up vision and prophecy,
And to anoint the Most Holy.
25 “ Know therefore and understand,
That from the going forth of the command
To restore and build Jerusalem
Until Messiah the Prince,
There shall be seven weeks and sixty-two weeks;
The street[c] shall be built again,
and the wall,[d]
Even in troublesome times.
26 “ And after the sixty-two weeks
Messiah shall be cut off, but not for Himself;
And the people of the prince who is to come
Shall destroy the city and the sanctuary.
The end of it shall be with a flood,
And till the end of the war desolations are
determined.
27 Then he shall confirm a covenant with many for one week;
But in the middle of the week
He shall bring an end to sacrifice and offering.
And on the wing of abominations shall be one who makes desolate,
Even until the consummation, which is determined,
Is poured out on the desolate.”
Daniel 10
Vision of the Glorious Man
1 In the third year of Cyrus king of Persia a
message was revealed to Daniel, whose name was called Belteshazzar.
The message was true, but the appointed time was long;[a]
and he understood the message, and had understanding of the vision. 2 In those
days I, Daniel, was mourning three full weeks. 3 I ate no pleasant food, no
meat or wine came into my mouth, nor did I anoint myself at all, till three
whole weeks were fulfilled.4 Now on the twenty-fourth day of the first month,
as I was by the side of the great river, that is, the Tigris,[b] 5
I lifted my eyes and looked, and behold, a certain man clothed in linen, whose
waist was girded with gold of Uphaz! 6 His
body was like beryl, his face like the appearance of lightning, his eyes
like torches of fire, his arms and feet like burnished bronze in color, and the
sound of his words like the voice of a multitude. 7 And I, Daniel, alone saw
the vision, for the men who were with me did not see the vision; but a great
terror fell upon them, so that they fled to hide themselves. 8 Therefore I was
left alone when I saw this great vision, and no strength remained in me; for my
vigor was turned to frailty in me, and I retained no strength. 9 Yet I heard
the sound of his words; and while I heard the sound of his words I was in a
deep sleep on my face, with my face to the ground.
Prophecies Concerning Persia and Greece
10 Suddenly, a hand touched me, which made me tremble on my
knees and on the palms of my hands. 11 And he said to me, “O Daniel, man
greatly beloved, understand the words that I speak to you, and stand upright,
for I have now been sent to you.” While he was speaking this word to me, I
stood trembling. 12 Then he said to me, “Do not fear, Daniel, for from the
first day that you set your heart to understand, and to humble yourself before
your God, your words were heard; and I have come because of your words. 13 But
the prince of the kingdom
of Persia withstood me twenty-one
days; and behold, Michael, one of the chief princes, came to help me,
for I had been left alone there with the kings of Persia. 14 Now I have come to make
you understand what will happen to your people in the latter days, for the
vision refers to many days yet to come.” 15 When he had
spoken such words to me, I turned my face toward the ground and became
speechless. 16 And suddenly, one having the likeness of the sons[c] of men touched my lips; then I opened my
mouth and spoke, saying to him who stood before me, “My lord, because of the
vision my sorrows have overwhelmed me, and I have retained no strength. 17 For
how can this servant of my lord talk with you, my lord? As for me, no strength
remains in me now, nor is any breath left in me.” 18 Then again, the one
having the likeness of a man touched me and strengthened me. 19 And he said, “O
man greatly beloved, fear not! Peace be to you;
be strong, yes, be strong!” So when he spoke to me I was strengthened, and
said, “Let my lord speak, for you have strengthened me.” 20 Then he said, “Do
you know why I have come to you? And now I must return to fight with the prince
of Persia; and when I have
gone forth, indeed the prince of Greece will come. 21 But I will
tell you what is noted in the Scripture of Truth. (No one upholds me against
these, except Michael your prince.
Daniel 11
1 “Also in the first year of Darius the Mede, I, even
I, stood up to confirm and strengthen him.) 2 And now I will tell you the
truth: Behold, three more kings will arise in Persia,
and the fourth shall be far richer than them all; by his strength,
through his riches, he shall stir up all against the realm of Greece. 3 Then
a mighty king shall arise, who shall rule with great dominion, and do according
to his will. 4 And when he has arisen, his kingdom shall be broken up and
divided toward the four winds of heaven, but not among his posterity nor
according to his dominion with which he ruled; for his kingdom shall be
uprooted, even for others besides these.
Warring Kings of North and South
5 “Also the king of the South shall become
strong, as well as one of his princes; and he shall gain power over him
and have dominion. His dominion shall be a great dominion. 6 And
at the end of some years they shall join forces, for the daughter of the
king of the South shall go to the king of the North to make an agreement; but
she shall not retain the power of her authority,[a] and neither he nor his authority[b] shall stand; but she shall be given up,
with those who brought her, and with him who begot her, and with him who
strengthened her in those times. 7 But from a branch of her roots one
shall arise in his place, who shall come with an army,
enter the fortress of the king of the North, and deal with them and prevail. 8
And he shall also carry their gods captive to Egypt, with their princes[c]and their precious articles of
silver and gold; and he shall continue more years than the king of the
North. 9 “Also the king of the North shall come to the kingdom of the
king of the South, but shall return to his own land. 10 However his sons shall
stir up strife, and assemble a multitude of great forces; and one shall
certainly come and overwhelm and pass through; then he shall return to his
fortress and stir up strife. 11 “And the king of the South shall be moved with
rage, and go out and fight with him, with the king of the North, who shall
muster a great multitude; but the multitude shall be given into the hand of his
enemy. 12 When he has taken away the multitude, his heart will be lifted
up; and he will cast down tens of thousands, but he will not prevail. 13 For
the king of the North will return and muster a multitude greater than the
former, and shall certainly come at the end of some years with a great army and
much equipment. 14 “Now in those times many shall rise up against the king of
the South. Also, violent men[d] of
your people shall exalt themselves in fulfillment of the vision, but they shall
fall. 15 So the king of the North shall come and build a siege mound, and take
a fortified city; and the forces[e]
of the South shall not withstand him. Even his choice troops shall
have no strength to resist. 16 But he who comes against him shall do
according to his own will, and no one shall stand against him. He shall stand
in the Glorious Land with destruction in his power.[f]17 “He
shall also set his face to enter with the strength of his whole kingdom, and
upright ones[g] with him; thus shall he
do. And he shall give him the daughter of women to destroy it; but she shall
not stand with him, or be for him. 18 After this he shall turn his face
to the coastlands, and shall take many. But a ruler shall bring the reproach
against them to an end; and with the reproach removed, he shall turn back on
him. 19 Then he shall turn his face toward the fortress of his own land; but he
shall stumble and fall, and not be found. 20 “There shall arise in his place
one who imposes taxes on the glorious kingdom; but within a few days he
shall be destroyed, but not in anger or in battle. 21 And in his place shall arise a vile person, to whom they will not give the honor of
royalty; but he shall come in peaceably, and seize the kingdom by intrigue. 22
With the force[h] of a flood they
shall be swept away from before him and be broken, and also the prince of the
covenant. 23 And after the league is made with him he shall act
deceitfully, for he shall come up and become strong with a small number of
people. 24 He shall enter peaceably, even into the richest places of the
province; and he shall do what his fathers have not done, nor his
forefathers: he shall disperse among them the plunder, spoil, and riches; and
he shall devise his plans against the strongholds, but only for a time. 25 “He shall stir up his power and his courage against the king of
the South with a great army. And the king of the South shall be stirred
up to battle with a very great and mighty army; but he shall not stand, for
they shall devise plans against him. 26 Yes, those who eat of the portion of
his delicacies shall destroy him; his army shall be swept away, and many shall
fall down slain. 27 Both these kings’ hearts shall be bent on evil, and
they shall speak lies at the same table; but it shall not prosper, for the end will
still be at the appointed time. 28 While returning to his land with
great riches, his heart shall be moved against the holy covenant; so he
shall do damage and return to his own land.
The Northern King’s Blasphemies
29 “At the appointed time he shall return and go toward the
south; but it shall not be like the former or the latter. 30 For ships from Cyprus[i] shall come
against him; therefore he shall be grieved, and return in rage against the holy
covenant, and do damage.“So he shall return and show
regard for those who forsake the holy covenant. 31 And forces[j] shall be mustered by him, and they shall
defile the sanctuary fortress; then they shall take away the daily sacrifices,
and place there the abomination of desolation. 32 Those who do wickedly against the covenant he shall corrupt with
flattery; but the people who know their God shall be strong, and carry out great
exploits. 33 And those of the people who understand shall instruct many;
yet for many days they shall fall by sword and flame, by captivity and
plundering. 34 Now when they fall, they shall be aided with a little help; but
many shall join with them by intrigue. 35 And some of those of
understanding shall fall, to refine them, purify them, and make them
white, until the time of the end; because it is still for the
appointed time. 36 “Then the king shall do according to his own will: he shall
exalt and magnify himself above every god, shall speak blasphemies against the
God of gods, and shall prosper till the wrath has been accomplished; for what
has been determined shall be done. 37 He shall regard neither the God[k] of his fathers nor the desire of women,
nor regard any god; for he shall exalt himself above them all. 38 But in
their place he shall honor a god of fortresses; and a god which
his fathers did not know he shall honor with gold and silver, with precious
stones and pleasant things. 39 Thus he shall act against the strongest
fortresses with a foreign god, which he shall
acknowledge, and advance its glory; and he shall cause them to
rule over many, and divide the land for gain.
The Northern King’s Conquests
40 “At the time of the end the king of the South shall
attack him; and the king of the North shall come against him like a whirlwind,
with chariots, horsemen, and with many ships; and he shall enter the countries,
overwhelm them, and pass through. 41 He shall also enter the Glorious Land,
and many countries shall be overthrown; but these shall escape from his
hand: Edom, Moab, and the
prominent people of Ammon. 42 He shall stretch out
his hand against the countries, and the land of Egypt
shall not escape. 43 He shall have power over the treasures of gold and silver,
and over all the precious things of Egypt; also the Libyans and
Ethiopians shall follow at his heels. 44 But news from the east and the
north shall trouble him; therefore he shall go out with great fury to destroy
and annihilate many. 45 And he shall plant the tents of his palace between the
seas and the glorious holy mountain; yet he shall come to his end, and no one
will help him.
Daniel 12
Prophecy of the End Time
1 “At that time Michael shall stand up,
The great prince who stands watch over the sons of your people;
And there shall be a time of trouble,
Such as never was since there was a nation,
Even to that time.
And at that time your people shall be delivered,
Every one who is found written in the book.
2 And many of those who sleep in the dust of the earth shall awake,
Some to everlasting life,
Some to shame and everlasting contempt.
3 Those who are wise shall shine
Like the brightness of the firmament,
And those who turn many to righteousness
Like the stars forever and ever. 4 “But you, Daniel, shut up the words, and
seal the book until the time of the end; many shall run to and fro, and knowledge
shall increase.” 5 Then I, Daniel, looked; and there stood two others, one on
this riverbank and the other on that riverbank. 6 And one said to the
man clothed in linen, who was above the waters of the river, “How long
shall the fulfillment of these wonders be?” 7 Then I heard the man
clothed in linen, who was above the waters of the river, when he held up
his right hand and his left hand to heaven, and swore by Him who lives forever,
that it shall be for a time, times, and half a time; and when the
power of the holy people has been completely shattered, all these things
shall be finished. 8 Although I heard, I did not understand. Then I said, “My
lord, what shall be the end of these things?” 9 And he said, “Go your
way, Daniel, for the words are closed up and sealed till the time of
the end. 10 Many shall be purified, made white, and refined, but the wicked
shall do wickedly; and none of the wicked shall understand, but the wise shall
understand. 11 “And from the time that the daily sacrifice is taken
away, and the abomination of desolation is set up, there shall be one
thousand two hundred and ninety days. 12 Blessed is he who waits, and
comes to the one thousand three hundred and thirty-five days. 13 “But you, go your
way till the end; for you shall rest, and will arise to your inheritance at
the end of the days.”