15
"As for me, Dani'el, my spirit deep within me was troubled; the visions in my head frightened me.
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I approached one of those standing by and asked him what all this really meant. He said that he would make me understand how to interpret these things.
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'These four huge animals are four kingdoms that will arise on earth.
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But the holy ones of the Most High will receive the kingdom and possess the kingdom forever, yes, forever and ever.'
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"Then I wanted to know what the fourth beast meant, the one that was different from all the others, so very terrifying, with iron teeth and bronze nails, which devoured, crushed and stamped its feet on what was left;
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and what the ten horns on its head meant; and the other horn which sprang up and before which three fell, the horn that had eyes and a mouth speaking arrogantly and seemed greater than the others.
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I watched, and that horn made war with the holy ones and was winning,
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until the Ancient One came, judgment was given in favor of the holy ones of the Most High, and the time came for the holy ones to take over the kingdom.
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This is what he said: 'The fourth animal will be a fourth kingdom on earth. It will be different from the other kingdoms; it will devour the whole earth, trample it down and crush it.
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As for the ten horns, out of this kingdom ten kings will arise; and yet another will arise after them. Now he will be different from the earlier ones, and he will put down three kings.
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He will speak words against the Most High and try to exhaust the holy ones of the Most High. He will attempt to alter the seasons and the law; and [the holy ones] will be handed over to him for a time, times and half a time.