Good News [1976], GOOD NEWS BIBLE WITH DEUTEROCANONICALS / APOCRYPHA Today's English Version (AMERICAN BIBLE SOCIETY, New York) [word count] [B15000].
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Daniel's Vision of the Four Beasts
1 In the first year that Belshazzar
was king of Babylon, I had a
dream and saw a vision in the night.
I wrote the dream down, and this is
the record
2 of what I saw that night:
2 Winds were blowing from all directions
and lashing the surface of
the ocean.
3 Four huge beasts came
up out of the ocean, each one different
from the others. note
4 The first one
looked like a lion, but had wings like
an eagle. While I was watching, the
wings were torn off. The beast was
lifted up and made to stand like a
man. And then a human mind was
given to it.
5 The second beast looked like a
bear standing on its hind legs. It was
holding three ribs between its teeth,
and a voice said to it, “Go on, eat as
much meat as you can!”
6 While I was watching, another
beast appeared. It looked like a leopard,
but on its back there were four
-- --
wings, like the wings of a bird, and it
had four heads. It had a look of authority
about it. note
7 As I was watching, a fourth
beast appeared. It was powerful,
horrible, terrifying. With its huge
iron teeth it crushed its victims, and
then it trampled on them. Unlike the
other beasts, it had ten horns. note
8 While I was staring at the horns, I
saw a little horn coming up among
the others. It tore out three of the
horns that were already there. This
horn had human eyes and a mouth
that was boasting proudly. note
The Vision of the One Who Has Been
Living Forever
9 While I was looking, thrones
were put in place. One who had been
living forever sat down on one of the
thrones. His clothes were white as
snow, and his hair was like pure
wool. His throne, mounted on fiery
wheels, was blazing with fire, note
10 and
a stream of fire was pouring out
from it. There were many thousands
of people there to serve him, and
millions of people stood before him.
The court began its session, and the
books were opened. note
11 While I was looking, I could still
hear the little horn bragging and
boasting. As I watched, the fourth
beast was killed, and its body was
thrown into the flames and destroyed.
12 The other beasts had their
power taken away, but they were
permitted to go on living for a limited
time.
13 During this vision in the night, I
saw what looked like a human
being. He was approaching me, surrounded
by clouds, and he went to
the one who had been living forever
and was presented to him. note
14 He was
given authority, honor, and royal
power, so that the people of all nations,
races, and languages would
serve him. His authority would last
forever, and his kingdom would never
end. note
The Visions Are Explained
15 The visions I saw alarmed me,
and I was deeply disturbed. note
16 I went
up to one of those standing there
and asked him to explain it all. So he
told me the meaning.
17 He said,
“These four huge beasts are four
empires which will arise on earth.
18 And the people of the Supreme
God will receive royal power and
keep it forever and ever.” note
19 Then I wanted to know more
about the fourth beast, which was
not like any of the others—the terrifying
beast which crushed its victims
with its bronze claws and iron
teeth and then trampled on them.
20 And I wanted to know about the
ten horns on its head and the horn
that had come up afterward and had
made three of the horns fall. It had
eyes and a mouth and was boasting
proudly. It was more terrifying than
any of the others. note
21 While I was looking, that horn
made war on God's people and conquered
them.
22 Then the one who
had been living forever came and
pronounced judgment in favor of note
the people of the Supreme God. The
time had arrived for God's people to
receive royal power. note
23 This is the explanation I was given:
“The fourth beast is a fourth empire
that will be on the earth and will
be different from all other empires.
It will crush the whole earth and
trample it down.
24 The ten horns are
ten kings who will rule that empire.
Then another king will appear; he
will be very different from the earlier
ones and will overthrow three
kings. note
25 He will speak against the
Supreme God and oppress God's
people. He will try to change their
religious laws and festivals, and
God's people will be under his power
for three and a half years. note
26 Then the
heavenly court will sit in judgment,
take away his power, and destroy
him completely.
27 The power and
-- --
greatness of all the kingdoms on
earth will be given to the people of
the Supreme God. Their royal power
will never end, and all rulers on
earth will serve and obey them.” note
28 This is the end of the account. I
was so frightened that I turned pale,
and I kept everything to myself.
Good News [1976], GOOD NEWS BIBLE WITH DEUTEROCANONICALS / APOCRYPHA Today's English Version (AMERICAN BIBLE SOCIETY, New York) [word count] [B15000].
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