Daniel 7

• 1. Earlier, during the first year of King Belshazzar's reign in Babylon, Daniel had a dream and saw visions as he lay in his bed. He wrote the dream down, and this is what he saw.
• 2. In my vision that night, I, Daniel, saw a great storm churning the surface of a great sea, with strong winds blowing from every direction.
• 3. Then four huge beasts came up out of the water, each different from the others.
• 4. The first beast was like a lion with eagles' wings. As I watched, its wings were pulled off, and it was left standing with its two hind feet on the ground, like a human being. And a human mind was given to it.
• 5. Then I saw a second beast, and it looked like a bear. It was rearing up on one side, and it had three ribs in its mouth between its teeth. And I heard a voice saying to it, "Get up! Devour many people!"
• 6. Then the third of these strange beasts appeared, and it looked like a leopard. It had four wings like birds' wings on its back, and it had four heads. Great authority was given to this beast.
• 7. Then in my vision that night, I saw a fourth beast, terrifying, dreadful, and very strong. It devoured and crushed its victims with huge iron teeth and trampled what was left beneath its feet. It was different from any of the other beasts, and it had ten horns.
• 8. As I was looking at the horns, suddenly another small horn appeared among them. Three of the first horns were wrenched out, roots and all, to make room for it. This little horn had eyes like human eyes and a mouth that was boasting arrogantly.
• 9. I watched as thrones were put in place and the Ancient One sat down to judge. His clothing was as white as snow, his hair like whitest wool. He sat on a fiery throne with wheels of blazing fire,
• 10. and a river of fire flowed from his presence. Millions of angels ministered to him, and a hundred million stood to attend him. Then the court began its session, and the books were opened.
• 11. I continued to watch because I could hear the little horn's boastful speech. I kept watching until the fourth beast was killed and its body was destroyed by fire.
• 12. As for the other three beasts, their authority was taken from them, but they were allowed to live for a while longer.
• 13. As my vision continued that night, I saw someone who looked like a man coming with the clouds of heaven. He approached the Ancient One and was led into his presence.
• 14. He was given authority, honor, and royal power over all the nations of the world, so that people of every race and nation and language would obey him. His rule is eternal--it will never end. His kingdom will never be destroyed.
• 15. I, Daniel, was troubled by all I had seen, and my visions terrified me.
• 16. So I approached one of those standing beside the throne and asked him what it all meant. He explained it to me like this:
• 17. "These four huge beasts represent four kingdoms that will arise from the earth.
• 18. But in the end, the holy people of the Most High will be given the kingdom, and they will rule forever and ever."
• 19. Then I wanted to know the true meaning of the fourth beast, the one so different from the others and so terrifying. It devoured and crushed its victims with iron teeth and bronze claws, and it trampled what was left beneath its feet.
• 20. I also asked about the ten horns on the fourth beast's head and the little horn that came up afterward and destroyed three of the other horns. This was the horn that seemed greater than the others and had human eyes and a mouth that was boasting arrogantly.
• 21. As I watched, this horn was waging war against the holy people and was defeating them,
• 22. until the Ancient One came and judged in favor of the holy people of the Most High. Then the time arrived for the holy people to take over the kingdom.
• 23. Then he said to me, "This fourth beast is the fourth world power that will rule the earth. It will be different from all the others. It will devour the whole world, trampling everything in its path.
• 24. Its ten horns are ten kings that will rule that empire. Then another king will arise, different from the other ten, who will subdue three of them.
• 25. He will defy the Most High and wear down the holy people of the Most High. He will try to change their sacred festivals and laws, and they will be placed under his control for a time, times, and half a time.
• 26. "But then the court will pass judgment, and all his power will be taken away and completely destroyed.
• 27. Then the sovereignty, power, and greatness of all the kingdoms under heaven will be given to the holy people of the Most High. They will rule forever, and all rulers will serve and obey them."
• 28. That was the end of the vision. I, Daniel, was terrified by my thoughts and my face was pale with fear, but I kept these things to myself.

Daniel 8

• 1. During the third year of King Belshazzar's reign, I, Daniel, saw another vision, following the one that had already appeared to me.
• 2. This time I was at the fortress of Susa, in the province of Elam, standing beside the Ulai River.
• 3. As I looked up, I saw in front of me a ram with two long horns standing beside the river. One of the horns was longer than the other, even though it had begun to grow later than the shorter one.
• 4. The ram butted everything out of its way to the west, to the north, and to the south, and no one could stand against it or help its victims. It did as it pleased and became very great.
• 5. While I was watching, suddenly a male goat appeared from the west, crossing the land so swiftly that it didn't even touch the ground. This goat, which had one very large horn between its eyes,
• 6. headed toward the two-horned ram that I had seen standing beside the river.
• 7. The goat charged furiously at the ram and struck it, breaking off both its horns. Now the ram was helpless, and the goat knocked it down and trampled it. There was no one who could rescue the ram from the goat's power.
• 8. The goat became very powerful. But at the height of its power, its large horn was broken off. In the large horn's place grew four prominent horns pointing in the four directions of the earth.
• 9. From one of the prominent horns came a small horn whose power grew very great. It extended toward the south and the east and toward the glorious land of Israel.
• 10. His power reached to the heavens where it attacked the heavenly armies, throwing some of the heavenly beings and stars to the ground and trampling them.
• 11. He even challenged the Commander of heaven's armies by canceling the daily sacrifices offered to him and by destroying his Temple.
• 12. But the army of heaven was restrained from destroying him for this sin. As a result, sacrilege was committed against the Temple ceremonies, and truth was overthrown. The horn succeeded in everything it did.
• 13. Then I heard two of the holy ones talking to each other. One of them said, "How long will the events of this vision last? How long will the rebellion that causes desecration stop the daily sacrifices? How long will the Temple and heaven's armies be trampled on?"
• 14. The other replied, "It will take twenty-three hundred evenings and mornings; then the Temple will be restored."
• 15. As I, Daniel, was trying to understand the meaning of this vision, someone who looked like a man suddenly stood in front of me.
• 16. And I heard a human voice calling out from the Ulai River, "Gabriel, tell this man the meaning of his vision."
• 17. As Gabriel approached the place where I was standing, I became so terrified that I fell to the ground. "Son of man," he said, "you must understand that the events you have seen in your vision relate to the time of the end."
• 18. While he was speaking, I fainted and lay there with my face to the ground. But Gabriel roused me with a touch and helped me to my feet.
• 19. Then he said, "I am here to tell you what will happen later in the time of wrath. What you have seen pertains to the very end of time.
• 20. The two-horned ram represents the kings of Media and Persia.
• 21. The shaggy male goat represents the king of Greece, and the large horn between its eyes represents the first king of the Greek Empire.
• 22. The four prominent horns that replaced the one large horn show that the Greek Empire will break into four sections with four kings, none of them as great as the first.
• 23. "At the end of their rule, when their sin is at its height, a fierce king, a master of intrigue, will rise to power.
• 24. He will become very strong, but not by his own power. He will cause a shocking amount of destruction and succeed in everything he does. He will destroy powerful leaders and devastate the holy people.
• 25. He will be a master of deception, defeating many by catching them off guard. Without warning he will destroy them. He will even take on the Prince of princes in battle, but he will be broken, though not by human power.
• 26. "This vision about the twenty-three hundred evenings and mornings is true. But none of these things will happen for a long time, so do not tell anyone about them yet."
• 27. Then I, Daniel, was overcome and lay sick for several days. Afterward I got up and performed my duties for the king, but I was greatly troubled by the vision and could not understand it.

Daniel 9

• 1. It was the first year of the reign of Darius the Mede, the son of Ahasuerus, who became king of the Babylonians.
• 2. During the first year of his reign, I, Daniel, was studying the writings of the prophets. I learned from the word of the LORD, as recorded by Jeremiah the prophet, that Jerusalem must lie desolate for seventy years.
• 3. So I turned to the Lord God and pleaded with him in prayer and fasting. I wore rough sackcloth and sprinkled myself with ashes.
• 4. I prayed to the LORD my God and confessed: "O Lord, you are a great and awesome God! You always fulfill your promises of unfailing love to those who love you and keep your commands.
• 5. But we have sinned and done wrong. We have rebelled against you and scorned your commands and regulations.
• 6. We have refused to listen to your servants the prophets, who spoke your messages to our kings and princes and ancestors and to all the people of the land.
• 7. "Lord, you are in the right; but our faces are covered with shame, just as you see us now. This is true of us all, including the people of Judah and Jerusalem and all Israel, scattered near and far, wherever you have driven us because of our disloyalty to you.
• 8. O LORD, we and our kings, princes, and ancestors are covered with shame because we have sinned against you.
• 9. But the Lord our God is merciful and forgiving, even though we have rebelled against him.
• 10. We have not obeyed the LORD our God, for we have not followed the laws he gave us through his servants the prophets.
• 11. All Israel has disobeyed your law and turned away, refusing to listen to your voice. "So now the solemn curses and judgments written in the law of Moses, the servant of God, have been poured out against us because of our sin.
• 12. You have done exactly what you warned you would do against us and our rulers. Never in all history has there been a disaster like the one that happened in Jerusalem.
• 13. Every curse written against us in the law of Moses has come true. All the troubles he predicted have taken place. But we have refused to seek mercy from the LORD our God by turning from our sins and recognizing his truth.
• 14. The LORD has brought against us the disaster he prepared, for we did not obey him, and the LORD our God is just in everything he does.
• 15. "O Lord our God, you brought lasting honor to your name by rescuing your people from Egypt in a great display of power. But we have sinned and are full of wickedness.
• 16. In view of all your faithful mercies, Lord, please turn your furious anger away from your city of Jerusalem, your holy mountain. All the neighboring nations mock Jerusalem and your people because of our sins and the sins of our ancestors.
• 17. "O our God, hear your servant's prayer! Listen as I plead. For your own sake, Lord, smile again on your desolate sanctuary.
• 18. "O my God, listen to me and hear my request. Open your eyes and see our wretchedness. See how your city lies in ruins--for everyone knows that it is yours. We do not ask because we deserve help, but because you are so merciful.
• 19. "O Lord, hear. O Lord, forgive. O Lord, listen and act! For your own sake, O my God, do not delay, for your people and your city bear your name."
• 20. I went on praying and confessing my sin and the sins of my people, pleading with the LORD my God for Jerusalem, his holy mountain.
• 21. As I was praying, Gabriel, whom I had seen in the earlier vision, came swiftly to me at the time of the evening sacrifice.
• 22. He explained to me, "Daniel, I have come here to give you insight and understanding.
• 23. The moment you began praying, a command was given. I am here to tell you what it was, for God loves you very much. Now listen, so you can understand the meaning of your vision.
• 24. "A period of seventy sets of seven has been decreed for your people and your holy city to put down rebellion, to bring an end to sin, to atone for guilt, to bring in everlasting righteousness, to confirm the prophetic vision, and to anoint the Most Holy Place.
• 25. Now listen and understand! Seven sets of seven plus sixty-two sets of seven will pass from the time the command is given to rebuild Jerusalem until the Anointed One comes. Jerusalem will be rebuilt with streets and strong defenses, despite the perilous times.
• 26. "After this period of sixty-two sets of seven, the Anointed One will be killed, appearing to have accomplished nothing, and a ruler will arise whose armies will destroy the city and the Temple. The end will come with a flood, and war and its miseries are decreed from that time to the very end.
• 27. He will make a treaty with the people for a period of one set of seven, but after half this time, he will put an end to the sacrifices and offerings. Then as a climax to all his terrible deeds, he will set up a sacrilegious object that causes desecration, until the end that has been decreed is poured out on this defiler."

New Living Translation: 297 of 324 days.