Daniel's Vision of the Four Beasts
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In the first year of 1Belshazzar king of Babylon, 2Daniel saw a dream and 3visions of his head as he lay in his bed. Then he wrote down the dream and told the sum of the matter.
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Daniel declared,a"I saw in my vision by night, and behold, 4the four winds of heaven were stirring up the great sea.
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And four great beasts 5came up out of the sea, different from one another.
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The first was like a lion and had eagles' wings. Then as I looked its wings were plucked off, and it was lifted up from the ground and made to stand on two feet like a man, and the mind of a man was given to it.
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And behold, 6another beast, a second one, like a bear. It was raised up on one side. It had three ribs in its mouth between its teeth; and it was told, 'Arise, devour much flesh.'
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After this I looked, and behold, another, like a 7leopard, with four wings of a bird on its back. And the beast had four heads, and 8dominion was given to it.
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After this I saw in the night visions, and behold, a fourth beast, 9terrifying and dreadful and exceedingly strong. It had great iron teeth; 10it devoured and broke in pieces 11and stamped what was left with its feet. It was different from all the beasts that were before it, and 12it had ten horns.
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I considered the horns, and behold, 13there came up among them another horn, a little one, 14before which three of the first horns were plucked up by the roots. And behold, in this horn were eyes like the eyes of a man, and 15a mouth speaking great things.
The Ancient of Days Reigns
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"As I looked, 16thrones were placed, and the 17Ancient of Days took his seat; 18his clothing was white as snow, and 19the hair of his head like pure wool; his throne was fiery flames; 20its wheels were burning fire.
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21A stream of fire issued and came out from before him; 22a thousand thousands 23served him, 24and ten thousand times ten thousand 25stood before him; the 26court sat in judgment, and 27the books were opened.
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"I looked then because of the sound of 28the great words that the horn was speaking. And as I looked, 29the beast was killed, and its body destroyed 30and given over to be burned with fire.
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As for the rest of the beasts, 31their dominion was taken away, but their lives were prolonged for a season and a time.
The Son of Man Is Given Dominion
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"I saw in the night visions, and 32behold, with the clouds of heaven there came one like a son of man, and he came to the 33Ancient of Days and was presented before him.
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34And to him was given dominion and glory and a kingdom, that all 35peoples, nations, and languages should serve him; 36his dominion is an everlasting dominion, which shall not pass away, and his kingdom one that shall not be destroyed.
Daniel's Vision Interpreted
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I approached one of those who stood there and asked him the truth concerning all this. So he told me and made known to me the interpretation of the things.
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38'These four great beasts are four kings who shall arise out of the earth.
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But 39the saints of the Most High shall receive the kingdom and possess the kingdom forever, forever and ever.'
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"Then I desired to know the truth about 40the fourth beast, which was different from all the rest, exceedingly terrifying, with its teeth of iron and claws of bronze, and which devoured and broke in pieces and stamped what was left with its feet,
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41and about the ten horns that were on its head, and the other horn that came up and before which three of them fell, the horn that had eyes and a mouth that spoke great things, and that seemed greater than its companions.
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As I looked, this horn 42made war with the saints and prevailed over them,
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until the 43Ancient of Days came, and 44judgment was given for the saints of the Most High, and the time came when 45the saints possessed the kingdom.
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"Thus he said: 'As for 46the fourth beast, there shall be a fourth kingdom on earth, which shall be different from all the kingdoms, and it shall devour the whole earth, and trample it down, and break it to pieces.
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As for the ten horns, out of this kingdom ten kings shall arise, and another shall arise after them; he shall be different from the former ones, and shall put down three kings.
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47He shall speak words against the Most High, and shall wear out the saints of the Most High, and shall think to 48change the times and the law; and they shall be given into his hand for 49a time, times, and half a time.
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50But the court shall sit in judgment, and 51his dominion shall be taken away, to be consumed and destroyed 52to the end.
The English Standard Version is published with the permission of Good News Publishers.
(English Standard Version - The Holy Bible Online)