Daniel 7

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1. 1During the 1st year of King Belshazzar's reign over Babylon, Daniel had a dream filled with visions as he lay in bed. He wrote down the dream and summarized what he saw.
2. 2Daniel said, "In my vision that night, I saw the 4 winds of heaven churning up the great sea.
3. 3Then 4 enormous beasts rose out of the sea, each one different from the others.
4. 4The first looked like a lion with eagle's wings. As I watched, its wings were torn off, and it was lifted up from the ground and made to stand on its feet like a man, and it was given a man's heart.
5. 5Then a second beast appeared, one that looked like a bear. It was raised up on one side, with three ribs clenched between its teeth. They said to it, 'Get up! Devour much flesh.'
6. 6"After that, I saw a third beast that looked like a leopard. It had 4 bird's wings on its back and 4 heads, and it was given authority to rule.
7. 7"After that, in my night visions, I saw a 4th beast — terrifying, dreadful, and incredibly powerful. It had massive iron teeth that crushed and devoured everything, then trampled whatever was left under its feet. It was completely unlike the beasts before it, and it had 10 horns.
8. 8While I was studying the horns, another small horn came up among them, uprooting three of the original horns. This little horn had eyes like a human and a mouth that spoke great things.
9. 9I watched until the thrones were cast down, 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 like a fiery flame, and its wheels were burning fire.
10. 10A fiery stream issued and came forth from before him: thousand thousands served him, and ten thousand times ten thousand stood before him: the judgment was set, and the books were opened.
11. 11I continued watching because of the voice of the great words spoken by the horn. I watched until the beast was killed, its body destroyed and given to the burning flame.
12. 12"The other beasts had their authority stripped away, but they were allowed to go on living for a limited time.
13. 13"In my night visions, I saw someone like a Son of man coming with the clouds of heaven. He approached the Ancient of Days, and they brought him into his presence.
14. 14He was given dominion, glory, and a kingdom so that people of every nation and language would serve him. His dominion is an everlasting dominion that will not pass away, and his kingdom will never be destroyed.
15. 15I, Daniel, was grieved in my spirit within my body, and the visions in my mind troubled me.
16. 16I approached one of those standing nearby and asked him what all of this meant. So he explained it to me and gave me the interpretation.
17. 17"He said, 'These 4 great beasts represent 4 kings who will rise to power on the earth.
18. 18But the saints of the Most High will receive the kingdom and will possess it forever — yes, forever and ever.'
19. 19Then I wanted to know the truth about the fourth beast, which was different from all the others, extremely dreadful, with iron teeth and brass nails; it devoured, broke in pieces, and trampled the rest with its feet.
20. 20I also wanted to know about the 10 horns on its head, and about the other horn that came up and knocked 3 of them down — the horn with human eyes and a mouth that spoke boastful words, the one that looked more imposing than the others.
21. 21As I watched, that same horn waged war against the saints and was overpowering them,
22. 22until the Ancient of Days arrived and pronounced judgment in favor of the saints of the Most High. Then the time came for the saints to take possession of the kingdom.
23. 23"He explained it this way: 'The 4th beast is a 4th kingdom that will appear on earth. It will be unlike any kingdom before it. It will devour the whole earth, trampling it and crushing it to pieces.
24. 24The 10 horns are 10 kings who will rise from this kingdom. After them, another king will arise, different from the earlier ones, and he will overthrow 3 kings.
25. 25He will speak against the Most High and wear down the saints of the Most High. He will try to change the established times and laws, and the saints will be handed over to him for a time, times, and half a time.
26. 26"'But then the court will sit in judgment, and his dominion will be stripped away — completely consumed and destroyed forever.
27. 27Then the kingdom, the dominion, and the greatness of all the kingdoms under heaven will be handed over to the people who are the saints of the Most High. His kingdom is an everlasting kingdom, and every ruler will serve and obey him.'
28. 28That was the end of the matter. As for me, Daniel, my thoughts deeply troubled me, and my face turned pale, but I kept the matter in my heart.