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Daniel 7:1-14; 28
1 In the first year of
Belshazzar king of Babylon, Daniel had a dream, and visions passed
through his mind as he was lying on his bed. He wrote down the
substance of his dream.
2 Daniel said: "In my vision at night I looked, and there
before me were the four winds of heaven churning up the great sea.
3 Four great beasts, each
different from the others, came up out of the sea.
4 "The first was like a lion, and it had the wings of an
eagle. I watched until its wings were torn off and it was lifted
from the ground so that it stood on two feet like a man, and the
heart of a man was given to it.
5 "And there before me was a second beast, which looked like a
bear. It was raised up on one of its sides, and it had three ribs in
its mouth between its teeth. It was told, 'Get up and eat your fill
of flesh!'
6 "After that, I looked, and there before me was another
beast, one that looked like a leopard. And on its back it had four
wings like those of a bird. This beast had four heads, and it was
given authority to rule.
7 "After that, in my vision at night I looked, and there
before me was a fourth beast—terrifying and frightening and very
powerful. It had large iron teeth; it crushed and devoured its
victims and trampled underfoot whatever was left. It was different
from all the former beasts, and it had ten horns.
8 "While I was thinking about the horns, there before me was
another horn, a little one, which came up among them; and three of
the first horns were uprooted before it. This horn had eyes like the
eyes of a man and a mouth that spoke boastfully.
9 "As I looked, "thrones were set in place, and the Ancient of
Days took his seat.
His clothing was as white as snow; the hair of his head was white
like wool.
His throne was flaming with fire, and its wheels were all ablaze.
10 A river of fire was flowing, coming out from before him.
Thousands upon thousands attended him; ten thousand times ten
thousand stood before him.
The court was seated, and the books were opened.
11 "Then I continued to watch because of the boastful words
the horn was speaking. I kept looking until the beast was slain and
its body destroyed and thrown into the blazing fire.
12 (The other beasts had been
stripped of their authority, but were allowed to live for a period
of time.)
13 "In my vision at night I looked, and there before me was
one like a son of man, coming with the clouds of heaven. He
approached the Ancient of Days and was led into his presence.
14 He was given authority,
glory and sovereign power; all peoples, nations and men of every
language worshiped him. His dominion is an everlasting dominion that
will not pass away, and his kingdom is one that will never be
destroyed.
28 "This is the end of the
matter. I, Daniel, was deeply troubled by my thoughts, and my face
turned pale, but I kept the matter to myself."
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