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
.
Daniel spake
and said
, I saw
in my vision
by
night
, and, behold
, the four
winds
of the heaven
strove
upon the great
sea
.
And four great
beasts
came up
from
the sea
, diverse
one
from
another
.
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.
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
.
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.
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
.
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
.
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
.
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
.
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
.
As concerning the rest of the beasts
, they had their dominion
taken away
: yet their lives
were prolonged
for
a season
and time
.
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.
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
.
I Daniel
was grieved
in my spirit
in the midst
of my body
, and the visions
of my head
troubled
me.
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
.
These great
beasts
, which
are four
, are four
kings
, which shall arise
out of
the earth
.
But the saints of the most High
shall take
the kingdom
, and possess
the kingdom
for
ever
, even for
ever
and ever
.
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
;
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
.
I beheld, and the same
horn
made
war
with
the saints
, and prevailed
against them;
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
.
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
.
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
.
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
.
But the judgment shall sit
, and they shall take away
his dominion
, to consume
and to destroy
it unto
the end
.
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.
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
.