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-Daniel Chapter 7
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(King James Version)
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.
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- Daniel Chapter 7 -
(New International Version)
1 In the first year of
Belshazzar king of Babylon, Daniel had a dream, and visions passed
through his mind as he was lying on his bed. He wrote down the
substance of his dream. 2 Daniel said: "In my vision at
night I looked, and there before me were the four winds of heaven
churning up the great sea. 3 Four great
beasts, each different from the others, came up out of the sea.
4 "The first was like a
lion, and it had the wings of an eagle. I watched until its wings were
torn off and it was lifted from the ground so that it stood on two
feet like a man, and the heart of a man was given to it. 5
"And there before me was a second beast, 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. It was told, 'Get up and eat your fill of flesh!'
6 "After that, I looked, and there before me was another
beast, one that looked like a leopard. And on its back it had four
wings like those of a bird. This beast had four heads, and it was
given authority to rule.
7 "After that, in my
vision at night I looked, and there before me was a fourth
beast-terrifying and frightening and very powerful. It had large iron
teeth; it crushed and devoured its victims and trampled underfoot
whatever was left. It was different from all the former beasts, and it
had ten horns. 8 "While I was thinking about the horns,
there before me was another horn, a little one, which came up among
them; and three of the first horns were uprooted before it. This horn
had eyes like the eyes of a man and a mouth that spoke boastfully.
9 "As I looked, "thrones
were set in place, and the Ancient of Days took his seat. His clothing
was as white as snow; the hair of his head was white like wool. His
throne was flaming with fire, and its wheels were all ablaze. 10
A river of fire was flowing, coming out from before him.
Thousands upon thousands attended him;
ten thousand times ten thousand stood before him.
The court was seated, and the books were opened.
11 "Then I continued to watch because of the boastful words
the horn was speaking. I kept looking until the beast was slain and
its body destroyed and thrown into the blazing fire.
12 (The other beasts had been stripped of their authority, but
were allowed to live for a period of time.)
13 "In my vision at night
I looked, and there before me was one like a son of man, coming with
the clouds of heaven. He approached the Ancient of Days and was led
into his presence. 14 He was given authority, glory and
sovereign power; all peoples, nations and men of every language
worshiped 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 troubled in spirit, and the visions that
passed through my mind disturbed me.
16 I approached one of those standing there and asked
him the true meaning of all this. "So he told me and gave me the
interpretation of these things: 17 'The four great beasts
are four kingdoms that will rise from the earth. 18 But the
saints of the Most High will receive the kingdom and will possess it
forever-yes, for ever and ever.'
19 "Then I wanted to know
the true meaning of the fourth beast, which was different from all the
others and most terrifying, with its iron teeth and bronze claws-the
beast that crushed and devoured its victims and trampled underfoot
whatever was left. 20 I also wanted to know about the ten
horns on its head and about the other horn that came up, before which
three of them fell-the horn that looked more imposing than the others
and that had eyes and a mouth that spoke boastfully.
21 As I watched, this
horn was waging war against the saints and defeating them, 22
until the Ancient of Days came and pronounced judgment in favor of the
saints of the Most High, and the time came when they possessed the
kingdom.
23 "He gave me this
explanation: 'The fourth beast is a fourth kingdom that will appear on
earth. It will be different from all the other kingdoms and will
devour the whole earth, trampling it down and crushing it. 24
The ten horns are ten kings who will come from this kingdom. After
them another king will arise, different from the earlier ones; he will
subdue three kings. 25 He will speak against the Most High
and oppress his saints and try to change the set times and the laws.
The saints will be handed over to him for a time, times and half a
time.
26 But the court will
sit, and his power will be taken away and completely destroyed
forever. 27 Then the sovereignty, power and greatness of
the kingdoms under the whole heaven will be handed over to the saints,
the people of the Most High. His kingdom will be an everlasting
kingdom, and all rulers will worship and obey him.' 28
"This is the end of the matter. I, Daniel, was deeply troubled by my
thoughts, and my face turned pale, but I kept the matter to myself."
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