Daniel

20And whiles I was speaking, and praying, and confessing my sin and the sin of my people Israel, and presenting my supplication before the LORD my God for the holy mountain of my God;

I kept on speaking and praying. I told God the wrong I had done and the wrong my people Israel had done. I begged the LORD my God to help his holy hill.

21Yea, whiles I was speaking in prayer, even the man Gabriel, whom I had seen in the vision at the beginning, being caused to fly swiftly, touched me about the time of the evening oblation.

While I was still praying, Gabriel came to me. He is the man I had seen in my earlier vision. He came flying fast and touched me. It was the time of the evening offering.

22And he informed me, and talked with me, and said, O Daniel, I am now come forth to give thee skill and understanding.

He taught me and talked with me. He said, "Daniel, I have come to help you know and understand."

23At the beginning of thy supplications the commandment came forth, and I am come to shew thee; for thou art greatly beloved: therefore understand the matter, and consider the vision.

"As soon as you began to pray, God sent an answer. I have come to tell it to you, because God loves you very much. So listen closely and understand the vision."

24Seventy weeks are determined upon thy people and upon thy holy city, to finish the transgression, and to make an end of sins, and to make reconciliation for iniquity, and to bring in everlasting righteousness, and to seal up the vision and prophecy, and to anoint the most Holy.

"Seventy weeks are set aside for your people and your holy city. In that time, wrongdoing will be stopped and sin will be ended. Sin will be paid for. Right living that lasts forever will come. The vision and the words of the prophets will be sealed up. And the most holy place will be set apart with special oil."

25Know therefore and understand, that from the going forth of the commandment to restore and to build Jerusalem unto the Messiah the Prince shall be seven weeks, and threescore and two weeks: the street shall be built again, and the wall, even in troublous times.

"So know this and understand it. A command will be given to rebuild Jerusalem. From that time until the Messiah, the chosen leader, will be seven weeks and sixty-two weeks. The city will be built again, with streets and a deep ditch. But it will be built in hard times."

26And after threescore and two weeks shall Messiah be cut off, but not for himself: and the people of the prince that shall come shall destroy the city and the sanctuary; and the end thereof shall be with a flood, and unto the end of the war desolations are determined.

"After the sixty-two weeks, the Messiah will be cut off and will have nothing. Then the people of a ruler who is coming will destroy the city and the holy house. The end will come like a rushing flood. War will go on, and ruin has been decided."

27And he shall confirm the covenant with many for one week: and in the midst of the week he shall cause the sacrifice and the oblation to cease, and for the overspreading of abominations he shall make it desolate, even until the consummation, and that determined shall be poured upon the desolate.

"He will make a firm agreement with many people for one week. In the middle of that week, he will stop the sacrifices and offerings. A hated thing will stand on the corner of the temple, and the place will be left empty. This will last until the end that God has decided is poured out on him."

1In the third year of Cyrus king of Persia a thing was revealed unto Daniel, whose name was called Belteshazzar; and the thing was true, but the time appointed was long: and he understood the thing, and had understanding of the vision.

It was the third year that Cyrus was king of Persia. God showed a message to Daniel, who was also called Belteshazzar. The message was true, and it was about a great war. Daniel saw a vision, a picture from God, and he understood the message.

2In those days I Daniel was mourning three full weeks.

Daniel says: In those days I was sad and mourning for three whole weeks.

3I ate no pleasant bread, neither came flesh nor wine in my mouth, neither did I anoint myself at all, till three whole weeks were fulfilled.

I ate no fine food. I had no meat and no wine. I put no oil on my skin. I waited until the three weeks were done.

4And in the four and twentieth day of the first month, as I was by the side of the great river, which is Hiddekel;

It was the twenty-fourth day of the first month. I was standing by the great river Hiddekel, the river we now call the Tigris.

5Then I lifted up mine eyes, and looked, and behold a certain man clothed in linen, whose loins were girded with fine gold of Uphaz:

I looked up, and I saw a man standing there. He wore clothes of linen. Around his waist was a belt of fine gold from Uphaz.

6His body also was like the beryl, and his face as the appearance of lightning, and his eyes as lamps of fire, and his arms and his feet like in colour to polished brass, and the voice of his words like the voice of a multitude.

His body shone like a smooth, shiny stone. His face flashed like lightning. His eyes were like burning torches. His arms and legs shone like polished metal. His voice sounded like a huge crowd of people.

7And I Daniel alone saw the vision: for the men that were with me saw not the vision; but a great quaking fell upon them, so that they fled to hide themselves.

Only I, Daniel, saw this. The men with me did not see it. But they were very afraid, and they ran away to hide.

8Therefore I was left alone, and saw this great vision, and there remained no strength in me: for my comeliness was turned in me into corruption, and I retained no strength.

So I was left alone, looking at this great sight. All my strength went away. My face turned white, and I was too weak to move.

9Yet heard I the voice of his words: and when I heard the voice of his words, then was I in a deep sleep on my face, and my face toward the ground.

Then I heard him speak. As I listened, I fell into a deep sleep with my face on the ground.

10And, behold, an hand touched me, which set me upon my knees and upon the palms of my hands.

Then a hand touched me. It lifted me up so I was shaking on my hands and knees.

11And he said unto me, O Daniel, a man greatly beloved, understand the words that I speak unto thee, and stand upright: for unto thee am I now sent. And when he had spoken this word unto me, I stood trembling.

He said to me, "Daniel, God loves you very much. Listen carefully to what I say to you. Stand up now, for I have been sent to you." So I stood up, still shaking.

12Then said he unto me, Fear not, Daniel: for from the first day that thou didst set thine heart to understand, and to chasten thyself before thy God, thy words were heard, and I am come for thy words.

Then he said, "Do not be afraid, Daniel. From the very first day you tried to understand, you made yourself humble before your God. God heard your words that day. I have come because of your words.

13But the prince of the kingdom of Persia withstood me one and twenty days: but, lo, Michael, one of the chief princes, came to help me; and I remained there with the kings of Persia.

But the prince of the kingdom of Persia stood against me for twenty-one days. Then Michael, one of the leading princes, came to help me. I had been left there with the kings of Persia.

14Now I am come to make thee understand what shall befall thy people in the latter days: for yet the vision is for many days.

Now I have come to help you understand what will happen to your people. It will happen in days far ahead. The vision is about that time to come."

15And when he had spoken such words unto me, I set my face toward the ground, and I became dumb.

While he was saying this to me, I looked down at the ground. I could not speak at all.

16And, behold, one like the similitude of the sons of men touched my lips: then I opened my mouth, and spake, and said unto him that stood before me, O my lord, by the vision my sorrows are turned upon me, and I have retained no strength.

Then someone who looked like a man touched my lips. So I opened my mouth and spoke. I said to the one standing there, "My lord, this vision fills me with pain. I have no strength left.

17For how can the servant of this my lord talk with this my lord? for as for me, straightway there remained no strength in me, neither is there breath left in me.

How can I, your servant, even talk with you, my lord? My strength is gone, and I can hardly breathe."

18Then there came again and touched me one like the appearance of a man, and he strengthened me,

Then the one who looked like a man touched me again. He made me strong.

19And said, O man greatly beloved, fear not: peace be unto thee, be strong, yea, be strong. And when he had spoken unto me, I was strengthened, and said, Let my lord speak; for thou hast strengthened me.

He said, "God loves you very much. Do not be afraid. Peace to you. Be strong now. Be very strong." When he spoke, I felt strong again. I said, "Speak, my lord, for you have made me strong."

20Then said he, Knowest thou wherefore I come unto thee? and now will I return to fight with the prince of Persia: and when I am gone forth, lo, the prince of Grecia shall come.

Then he said, "Do you know why I have come to you? Now I must go back and fight the prince of Persia. When I go, the prince of Greece will come.

21But I will shew thee that which is noted in the scripture of truth: and there is none that holdeth with me in these things, but Michael your prince.

But first I will tell you what is written in the Book of Truth. No one helps me in this fight except Michael, your prince."

1And at that time shall Michael stand up, the great prince which standeth for the children of thy people: and there shall be a time of trouble, such as never was since there was a nation even to that same time: and at that time thy people shall be delivered, every one that shall be found written in the book.

At that time Michael will stand up. Michael is a great prince who watches over your people. There will be a time of terrible trouble. Nothing that bad has happened since nations began. But at that time your people will be saved. Everyone whose name is written in the book will be saved.

2And many of them that sleep in the dust of the earth shall awake, some to everlasting life, and some to shame and everlasting contempt.

Many people who are asleep in the dust of the ground will wake up. Some will wake to life that never ends. Others will wake to shame that never ends.

3And they that be wise shall shine as the brightness of the firmament; and they that turn many to righteousness as the stars for ever and ever.

Wise people will shine like the bright sky. Those who help many people live right will shine like the stars, forever and ever.

4But thou, O Daniel, shut up the words, and seal the book, even to the time of the end: many shall run to and fro, and knowledge shall be increased.

But you, Daniel, close up these words. Seal the book shut until the time of the end. Many people will hurry here and there. What people know will grow.

5Then I Daniel looked, and, behold, there stood other two, the one on this side of the bank of the river, and the other on that side of the bank of the river.

Then I, Daniel, looked. I saw two others standing there. One stood on this side of the river. The other stood on the far side.

6And one said to the man clothed in linen, which was upon the waters of the river, How long shall it be to the end of these wonders?

One of them spoke to the man dressed in linen cloth. That man was above the water of the river. He asked, "How long until these wonders are finished?"

7And I heard the man clothed in linen, which was upon the waters of the river, when he held up his right hand and his left hand unto heaven, and sware by him that liveth for ever that it shall be for a time, times, and an half; and when he shall have accomplished to scatter the power of the holy people, all these things shall be finished.

The man dressed in linen raised his right hand and his left hand toward the sky. He made a promise by God, who lives forever. I heard him say it would last a time, times, and half a time. When the strength of God's holy people is fully broken, all this will be done.

8And I heard, but I understood not: then said I, O my Lord, what shall be the end of these things?

I heard him, but I did not understand. So I asked, "My lord, how will all this end?"

9And he said, Go thy way, Daniel: for the words are closed up and sealed till the time of the end.

He said, "Go on your way, Daniel. These words are shut and sealed until the time of the end."

10Many shall be purified, and made white, and tried; but the wicked shall do wickedly: and none of the wicked shall understand; but the wise shall understand.

Many people will be made clean and pure, and they will be tested. But bad people will keep doing bad things. None of them will understand. But the wise will understand.

11And from the time that the daily sacrifice shall be taken away, and the abomination that maketh desolate set up, there shall be a thousand two hundred and ninety days.

The daily gift given to God will be taken away. Then the hated thing that empties the temple will be set up. From that time there will be 1,290 days.

12Blessed is he that waiteth, and cometh to the thousand three hundred and five and thirty days.

Happy is the one who waits and reaches the end of the 1,335 days.

13But go thou thy way till the end be: for thou shalt rest, and stand in thy lot at the end of the days.

But you, Daniel, go on your way until the end comes. You will rest. Then at the end of the days you will rise and receive your share.