Daniel 2; Daniel 3; Daniel 4; Daniel 5; Daniel 6; Daniel 7

Daniel 2

1 Now in the second year of the reign of Nebuchadnezzar, Nebuchadnezzar dreamed dreams; and his spirit was troubled and his sleep left him.

2 So the king said to call the magicians and the conjurers and the sorcerers and the {astrologers} to tell to the king his dreams. And they came in and they stood {before} the king.

3 And the king said to them, "{I have had a dream} and my spirit is anxious to know the dream."

4 And the {astrologers} said to the king [in] Aramaic, "O king, live forever! Tell the dream to your servants and we will reveal the explanation."

5 The king answered and said to the {astrologers}, "The command from me is firm: if you [do] not make known to me the dream and its explanation, [then] you will be broken into pieces and your houses will be laid in ruins.

6 But if you tell me the dream and its explanation, you will receive gifts and rewards and great honor from me. Therefore, tell me the dream and its explanation."

7 They answered once more and said, "Let the king tell the dream to his servants and we will make the explanation known."

8 The king answered and said, "{Certainly} I know that {you are trying to gain time} {because} you have seen {that this matter is firmly decreed by me},

9 for if you [do] not make the dream known to me, {your verdict is fixed}, and you have conspired to say [a] lying and deceitful word to me until the {circumstances} will change. Therefore, tell me the dream, and I will know that you can tell me its explanation."

10 The {astrologers} answered the king and said, "There is not a man on earth that is able to reveal the word of the king; {in fact}, no great and powerful king has [ever] asked a thing like this of any magician or conjurer or {astrologer}.

11 And the thing that the king is asking [is too] difficult and {there is no one who} can reveal it to the king except [the] gods {whose dwelling is not with mortals}."

12 Because of this the king became angry, and he became very much enraged, and he said [that] all the wise men of Babylon [are] to be destroyed.

13 And the decree was issued, and the wise men {were on the verge of being executed}, and they searched for Daniel and his companions to be executed.

14 Then Daniel responded prudently and discretely to Arioch, the commander of the imperial guard of the king, who had gone out to execute the wise men of Babylon.

15 {He asked} and said to Arioch, the royal official of the king, "{Why} is the decree from the king [so] severe?" Then Arioch explained the matter to Daniel.

16 And Daniel went in and requested from the king that he would give him time, and {he would tell the king} the explanation.

17 Then Daniel went to his home, and he made the matter known to Hananiah, Mishael and Azariah, his companions,

18 and [told them] to seek mercy {from the God of heaven} concerning this mystery, so that Daniel and his companions, along with the remainder of the wise men of Babylon, would not be killed.

19 Then in a vision of the night the mystery was revealed to Daniel; then Daniel blessed the God of heaven.

20 Daniel {said}: "Let his name, [the name] of God, be blessed {throughout the ages}, for the wisdom and the power {are his}.

21 And he changes the times and the seasons, and he deposes kings and he sets up kings; he gives wisdom to wise men and knowledge to [men who] know understanding.

22 He reveals the deep and the hidden things; he knows what [is] in the darkness, and the light dwells with him.

23 To you, O God of my ancestors, I give thanks and I give praises, for the wisdom and the power you gave to me, and now you have made known to me what we have asked from you, for you have made known to us the matter of the king."

24 {Therefore} Daniel went to Arioch, whom the king had appointed to destroy the wise men of Babylon; he went and thus he said to him: "You must not destroy the wise men of Babylon; take me in before the king and I will give the explanation to the king."

25 Then Arioch {quickly} brought Daniel in before the king and thus he said to him: "I have found a man among {the exiles} of Judah who {can relate} the explanation to the king.

26 {The king then asked} and said to Daniel, whose name [was] Belteshazzar, "Are you able to make known to me the dream that I have seen and its explanation?"

27 Daniel answered the king and said, "The mystery that the king asks, no wise men, conjurers, magicians, [or] diviners are able to make known to the king.

28 But there is a God in heaven [who] reveals mysteries, and he has made known to King Nebuchadnezzar what [it is] that will be at the end of days. This [is] your dream and the visions of your head on your bed.

29 "[As for you], king, your thoughts on your bed {turned to} what [it was] that would be {in the future}, and the revealer of mysteries has made known to you what that would be.

30 And as for me, [it is] not because of wisdom that is in me more than {any other living person} [that] this mystery is revealed to me, but {in order that} the explanation may be made known to the king and you will {understand} the thoughts of your {mind}.

31 "You, O king, were looking and, look, there was one great statue. This statue [was] huge and its brilliance extraordinary, standing [there] before you, and its appearance [was] frightening.

32 The head of this statue [was] of fine gold, its chest and its arms of silver, its belly and its thighs of bronze,

33 its legs of iron, its feet, part of them of iron and part of them of clay.

34 You were looking on {until} a stone was chiseled out--that not by hands--and it struck the statue on its feet of iron and clay, and it broke them in pieces.

35 Then the iron, the clay, the bronze, the silver and the gold {all at once} broke into pieces and they became like chaff from the summer threshing floor, and the wind carried them away and any trace of them could not be found. But the stone that struck the statue became a great mountain and it filled the whole earth.

36 "This [was] the dream, and [now] we will tell its interpretation to the king.

37 You, O king, the king of kings, to whom the God of heaven has given the kingdom, the power and the might and the glory,

38 and [also] {human beings wherever they dwell}, the animals of the field and the birds of heaven--he has given into your hand and made you ruler over all of them--you are the head of gold.

39 And after you another kingdom inferior to yours will arise, and another third [kingdom] of bronze that will rule over the whole earth.

40 And [a] fourth kingdom will be strong as iron, [and] {just as} iron crushes and smashes {everything}, and as iron shatters all of these [other metals], [so] it will crush and it will shatter [these nations].

41 {And just as} you saw the feet and the toes, {partly potter's clay} and {partly iron}, it will be a divided kingdom; and {some hardness} of the iron will be [in it], {just as} you have seen the iron mixed with the wet clay.

42 And [as] the toes of the feet [were] partly iron and partly clay, [so] part of the kingdom will be strong {and partly brittle}.

43 And [in] that you saw the iron was mixed with wet clay, [so] {they will mix in marriage} and they will not cling {to one another}, just as iron [does] not mix with clay.

44 And {in the day of those kings}, the God of heaven will set up a kingdom that will {never} be destroyed, and the kingdom will not be left for another nation, and it will bring an end to all these kingdoms, but it will stand {forever}.

45 {Inasmuch as} you saw that a stone from the mountain was chiseled out [but] not by hands, and [that] it crushed the iron, the bronze, the clay, the silver and the gold, [thereby] the great God made known to the king what will be {in the future}, and the dream is certain and its explanation trustworthy."

46 Then the king, Nebuchadnezzar, fell on his face and he paid homage to Daniel; and he commanded [them] to offer [a] grain offering and incense offering to him.

47 The king answered Daniel and said, "{Truly} your God [is] the God of gods and the Lord of kings, and he reveals mysteries, for you are able to reveal this mystery."

48 Then the king promoted Daniel and gave him many great gifts, and made him ruler over the whole province of Babylon and the chief prefect over all the wise men of Babylon.

49 And Daniel made a request from the king, and he appointed Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego over the affairs of the province of Babylon, while Daniel [remained] in the court of the king.

Daniel 3

1 Nebuchadnezzar the king made a statue of gold. Its height [was] sixty cubits [and] its width [was] six cubits; he set it up in the valley of Dura in the province of Babylon.

2 Then Nebuchadnezzar the king sent [directions] to assemble the satraps, the prefects, and the governors, the counselors, the treasurers, the judges, the magistrates and all of the officials of the provinces to come to the dedication of the statue that Nebuchadnezzar the king [had] set up.

3 Then the satraps, the prefects, the governors, the counselors, the treasurers, the judges, the magistrates, and all the officials of the province [were] assembled for the dedication of the statue that Nebuchadnezzar the king [had] set up, and [were] standing {before} the statue that Nebuchadnezzar had set up.

4 Then the herald proclaimed {aloud}, "To you {it is commanded}, O peoples, {nations and people of all languages},

5 [that] at the time that you hear the sound of the horn, the flute, [the] lyre, [the] trigon, [the] harp, [the] drum and all kinds of music, you must fall down and you must worship the statue of gold that Nebuchadnezzar the king [has] set up.

6 And {whoever} does not fall down and worship will be thrown {immediately} into the midst of the furnace of blazing fire."

7 {Therefore}, {at that time}, {as soon as} all the peoples heard the sound of the horn, the flute, [the] lyre, [the] trigon, [the] harp and all kinds of music, all the peoples, {the nations and people of all languages} [were] falling down [and] were worshiping the statue of gold that Nebuchadnezzar the king had set up.

8 {Therefore} {at this time} [some] {astrologers} came forward and {they denounced the Jews}.

9 {They responded and said} to Nebuchadnezzar the king, "O king, may [you] live {forever}!

10 You, O king, have made a decree that {everyone} who hears the sound of the horn, the flute, [the] lyre, [the] trigon, [the] harp and [the] drum and all kinds of music, he shall fall down and shall worship the statue of gold.

11 {And whoever} {does not fall down} and worship shall be thrown into the midst of the furnace of blazing fire.

12 [However] there are Judean men whom you have appointed over the affairs of the province of Babylon--Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego--these men, O king, {pay you no heed} [and] [were] not serving your god, and the statue of gold that you set up they are not worshiping."

13 Then Nebuchadnezzar said in rage and anger to bring in Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego; then they brought in these men before the king.

14 Nebuchadnezzar answered and said to them, "[Is it] true, Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego, [that] you are not serving my god, and [you are] not worshiping the statue of gold that I have set up?

15 Now if you are ready so that {when} you hear the sound of the horn, the flute, the lyre, [the] trigon, [the] harp and [the] drum and all kinds of music, you fall down and you worship the statue that I have made, [that will be good]. But if you do not worship it, {immediately} you will be thrown into the midst of the furnace of blazing fire, and {who is the god} who will rescue you from my hands?"

16 Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego answered and said to the king, Nebuchadnezzar, "We have no need on this matter {to present a defense to you}.

17 {If it is so}, our God, whom we serve, is able to rescue us from the furnace of blazing fire. And from your hand, O king, let him rescue us.

18 And if not, let it be known to you, O king, that {we will not serve your gods}, and the statue of gold that you have set up we will not worship."

19 Then Nebuchadnezzar was filled with anger and the image of his face was changed {toward} Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego, [so he] {ordered and said} to heat up the one furnace seven times what was usual to heat [it] up.

20 And he commanded {the strongest men of the guards} who [were] in his army to bind Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego and to throw [them] into the furnace of blazing fire.

21 Then these men were bound with their garments, their trousers and their turbans and their [other] clothing, and they were thrown into the midst of the furnace of blazing fire.

22 {Therefore} {because} the word of the king was severe and the furnace was exceedingly hot, the flame of the fire killed these men who lifted up Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego.

23 But these men, the three of them, Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego, fell down into the midst of the furnace of blazing fire, [and they] were bound.

24 Then Nebuchadnezzar the king was astonished, and he rose up in haste [and] he asked, saying to his advisers, "[Did] we not throw three men, bound, into the midst of the fire? They answered, saying to the king, "Certainly, O king!"

25 {He answered}, saying, "Look, I see four men unbound walking in the midst of the fire and there is no damage to them, and the appearance of the fourth [man] resembles the son of a god."

26 Then Nebuchadnezzar approached the door of the furnace of blazing fire, [and] he called out, saying, "Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego, {servants} of the Most High God, come out and come here!"

27 And the satraps, the prefects, the governors and the advisors of the king [were] assembling, [and] they saw these men, that the fire had no power over their bodies, and the hair of their heads was not singed, and their garments were not harmed, and the smell of fire did not come from them.

28 Nebuchadnezzar {responded}, saying, "Blessed be their God, [the God] of Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego, who sent his angel and rescued his servants who trusted in him, and the command of the king they disobeyed, and they gave their bodies so that they [did] not serve and [did] not worship any god except their God.

29 And from me {is set forth} a decree that any people, nation, or language that [may] utter criticism against their God--[the God of] Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego--will be broken into pieces and their house will be made like ruins. {For} there is not another God who is able to rescue like this [God]."

30 Then the king promoted Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego in the province of Babylon.

Daniel 4

1 Nebuchadnezzar the king to all of the nations, the peoples and languages that live in the whole earth: "May your prosperity increase!

2 It is pleasing to me to recount the signs and wonders that the Most High God worked for me.

3 How great [are] his signs and wonders, how strong [is] his kingdom, {an everlasting kingdom}; and his sovereignty is from generation to generation.

4 "I, Nebuchadnezzar, was content in my house and prospering in my palace.

5 And I saw a dream and a revelation on my bed and it frightened me, and the visions of my head terrified me.

6 And a decree was {sent out}, [ordering that] all [the] wise men of Babylon [were] to be brought in before me [so] that they may make known to me [the] explanation of the dream.

7 Then the magicians, the conjurers, the {astrologers} and the diviners came in and I told them the dream, but they could not make known to me its explanation.

8 Then {at last} Daniel came before me {whose name was} Belteshazzar, {according to} the name of my god, [and] {in whom was the spirit of the holy gods}, {and I related the dream to him}.

9 " '[O] Belteshazzar, chief of the magicians, I myself know that [the] spirit of [the] holy gods [is] in you, and {no mystery is too difficult} for you. [Now] tell [me] [the] visions of my dream that I saw, and its explanation.

10 Now [these were] the visions of my head [as I was lying] on my bed: I was {gazing} and, look, a tree [was] in the midst of the earth, and its height [was] exalted.

11 The tree grew and it became strong, and its height reached to heaven, and {it was visible to the end of the whole earth}.

12 Its foliage [was] beautiful, and its fruit abundant, and in it [was] provision for all. Under it the animals of the field sought shade, and in its branches the birds of heaven nested, and from it all the living beings were fed.

13 " 'I was looking in the vision of my head [as I lay] on my bed, and look, a watcher, and [a] holy [one], came down from heaven.

14 He cried {aloud} and so he said: "Cut down the tree and chop off its branches; shake off its foliage and scatter its fruit. Let the animals flee from under it, and the birds from its branches.

15 But the stump of its roots leave in the earth, {along with} a band of iron and bronze; [leave it] in the grass of the field. And in the dew of heaven let it be watered, and with the animals let his lot [be] in [the] grass of the earth.

16 Let his mind be changed from [that of a] human, and let [the] mind of an animal be given to him, and let seven times pass over him.

17 The sentence [is] by [the] decree of [the] watchers, and the decision [by] [the] command of [the] holy [ones], {in order that} the living will know that the Most High [is] sovereign over [the] kingdom of humankind, and {to whomever} he wills he gives it, and he [even] sets [the] humblest of men over it."

18 " 'This [is] the dream [that] I, Nebuchadnezzar the king, saw. Now you, Belteshazzar, declare its explanation, {for} all of [the] wise men of my kingdom were not able to make the explanation known to me, but you are able because [the] spirit of holy gods [is] in you.'

19 "Then Daniel, whose name [was] Belteshazzar, was distressed {for some time}, and his thoughts disturbed him. The king answered and he said, 'Belteshazzar, let the dream and its explanation not disturb you.' Belteshazzar answered and said, 'My lord, [may] the dream and its explanation [be] for [those who] hate you and for your enemies.

20 The tree that you saw, which grew and became strong and its height reached to heaven and {it was visible to the end of the whole earth},

21 and its foliage [was] beautiful and its fruit abundant, and [so there was] provision for all in it, [and] the animals of the field lived under it and in its branches nest [the] birds of heaven,

22 --it is you, O king, who have grown [great] and you have grown strong, and [so] your greatness has increased and it has reached to heaven and your sovereignty to the end of the earth.

23 And [inasmuch] that the king saw [the] watcher, a holy [one] coming down from heaven and he said, "Cut down the tree and destroy it, but the stump of its root in the earth leave with a band of iron and bronze in the grass of the field, and let it be watered with the dew of heaven and [let] his lot [be] with [the] animals of the field {until seven times have passed over him}."

24 This [is] the explanation, O king, and it [is] a decree of the Most High that has come upon my lord the king:

25 you will be driven away {from human society} and {you will dwell} with the animals of the field, and you will be caused to graze grass like the oxen {yourself}, and you will be watered with the dew of heaven, and seven [periods of] time will pass over you until that you have acknowledged that the Most High [is] sovereign over the kingdom of humankind, and {to whom he wills} he gives it.

26 {And in that} they said to leave alone the stump of the tree's root, so your kingdom [will be] restored for you {when} you acknowledge that heaven [is] sovereign.

27 Therefore, O king, let my advice be acceptable [to you] and your sin remove with righteousness and your iniquity with having mercy on [the] oppressed, {in case there might be a prolongation of your prosperity}.'"

28 {All this happened} to Nebuchadnezzar the king.

29 At the end of twelve months he was walking on the [roof of] {the royal palace} of Babylon.

30 And the king answered and said, "Is this not the great Babylon which I have built as a royal palace by the strength of my own power, and for the glory of my own majesty?"

31 [While] the words [were] still in the mouth of the king, a voice from heaven came, [saying], 'To you, King Nebuchadnezzar, [it] is declared that the kingdom has departed from you,

32 and you will be driven away from {human society} and your dwelling [will be] with the animals of the field and they will cause you to graze [the] grass like oxen, and seven times will pass over you, until you acknowledge that the Most High [is] sovereign over the kingdom of humankind and that he gives it to whom he wills.'

33 {Immediately} the word was fulfilled {concerning} Nebuchadnezzar, and he was expelled from {human society} and he ate grass like oxen, and his body was bathed with the dew of heaven until his hair [was] like [the hair of] an eagle and his nails grew like [a] bird's [claws].

34 "But at the end of {that period}, I, Nebuchadnezzar, lifted up my eyes to heaven, and [then] my reason returned to me; and I blessed the Most High and {the one who lives forever} I praised and I honored. "For his sovereignty [is] [an] everlasting sovereignty, and his kingdom [continues] from generation to generation.

35 And all the dwellers of the earth are regarded as nothing, and he does {according to} his desire in the host of heaven and [among] the dwellers of earth, and there is not [one] who can hold back his hand, or {ask him}, 'What are you doing?'

36 "{At that time} my reason returned to me, and [also] the glory of my kingdom and my majesty and splendor returned to me, and my advisers and my lords searched [me] out, and I was established over my kingdom and abundant greatness was added to me.

37 Now I, Nebuchadnezzar, praise and exalt and honor the king of heaven, for all his works [are] truth, and his ways [are] justice and that he is able to humble those who walk in pride."

Daniel 5

1 Belshazzar the king made a great festival for [a] thousand [of] his lords, and {in the presence of} the thousand [lords] he was drinking wine.

2 {When he tasted the wine}, Belshazzar commanded [that they] bring [the] vessels of gold and silver that Nebuchadnezzar his {predecessor} had taken from the temple that [was] in Jerusalem, so that the king and his lords, his wives and his concubines may drink from them.

3 Then they brought in the vessels of gold that they took from the temple, the house of God that [was] in Jerusalem, and the king and his lords, his wives and his concubines drank from them.

4 They drank the wine and praised the gods of gold and silver, bronze, iron, wood and stone.

5 {Immediately} {human fingers} appeared and they wrote {opposite} the lampstand on the plaster of the wall of the palace of the king, and the king was watching the palm of the hand that was writing.

6 Then his face changed and his thoughts terrified him, and {his hip joints gave way} and {his knees knocked together}.

7 The king cried {aloud} to bring [in] the conjurers, the {astrologers} and the diviners; the king {spoke} and said to [the] wise men of Babylon, "Any man that can read this writing and can tell me its explanation will be clothed [in] purple and [will have] [a] necklace of gold [hung] around his neck and he will rule [as] third [in authority] in the kingdom."

8 Then all the wise men of the king came in, but they were not able to read the writing or to make known its explanation.

9 Then the king, Belshazzar, became greatly terrified, and {his facial features} changed upon him, and his lords were perplexed.

10 Because of the words of the king and his lords, the queen came into {the banqueting hall} and the queen {spoke up} and said, "O king, live {forever}, and let not your thoughts terrify you and [do] not let your facial expressions {grow pale}.

11 There is a man in your kingdom {who has the spirit of the holy gods in him}. And in the days of your {predecessor}, enlightenment and insight and wisdom like the wisdom of the gods was found in him; and, O king, Nebuchadnezzar your {predecessor} appointed him [as] chief of the magicians, the conjurers, the {astrologers}, [and] the diviners. Your {predecessor} the king [did this]

12 {because} [there] was found in him [an] excellent spirit and understanding and insight [for] interpreting dreams and explaining riddles and solving riddles; [that is], in Daniel {whom the king named} Belteshazzar. Now, let Daniel be called and he will tell the explanation."

13 Then Daniel was brought in before the king, [and] the king {spoke} and said to Daniel, "You [are] Daniel {who are one of the exiles} of Judah whom my {predecessor}, the king, brought from Judah.

14 And I have heard that a spirit of the gods [is] in you and enlightenment and insight and excellent wisdom was found in you.

15 And now the wise men [and] the conjurers were brought in before me [so] that they could read this writing [in order to] make its explanation known to me, but they were not able to disclose the explanation of the matter.

16 But I have heard concerning you that you are able {to produce interpretations} and to solve riddles; now if you are able to read the writing and to make known its explanation to me, you will be clothed [in] purple and [a] necklace of gold [will be placed] around your neck and you will rule [as] third [in command] in the kingdom."

17 Then Daniel answered and said before the king, "Let your gifts be for yourself or your rewards give to another; nevertheless, I will read the writing to the king and I will make known to him the explanation.

18 {O king}, the Most High God gave the kingdom and the greatness and the glory and the majesty to Nebuchadnezzar your {predecessor}.

19 And because of the greatness that he gave to him, all the peoples, the nations and languages trembled and feared before him; whomever he wanted he killed, and whomever he wanted he let live, and whomever he wanted he honored, and whomever he wanted he humbled.

20 But {when} his heart became arrogant and his spirit became hard [so as] to act proudly, he was deposed from the throne of his kingdom and the glory {was taken away from him}.

21 And he was driven away {from human society} and his mind was made like the animals and his dwelling [was] with the wild asses; [and] {he was given} grass like oxen to eat, and with the dew of heaven his body was bathed, until he acknowledged that the Most High God [is] sovereign over the kingdom of humankind, and {whoever} he wants he sets over it.

22 "But you his {successor}, Belshazzar, have not humbled your heart {even though} you knew all this.

23 And [now] you have exalted yourself against the Lord of heaven, and the vessels of his temple you have brought in before you, and you and your lords, your wives and your concubines, have been drinking wine from them, and you have praised the gods of silver, gold, bronze, iron, wood, and stone that [do] not see and [do] not hear and [do] not know, but the God {who holds your life in his hand} and all of your ways {come from him}, you have not honored.

24 So then the palm of the hand was sent out from his presence and this writing was inscribed.

25 "Now this was the writing that was inscribed: 'Mene, Mene, Tekel and Parsin.'

26 "This [is] the explanation of the matter: 'Mene'--God has numbered your kingdom and brought an end [to] it.

27 " 'Tekel'--you have been weighed on scales and you have been found wanting.

28 " 'Peres'--your kingdom has been divided and given to [the] Medes and Persians.'"

29 Then Belshazzar commanded, and they clothed Daniel [with] purple and [placed] a necklace of gold around his neck, and they made a proclamation concerning him that he would be [the] third ruler [in authority] in the kingdom.

30 {That same night} Belshazzar, the Chaldean king, was killed.

31 And Darius the Mede received the kingdom {when he was about sixty-two years old}.

Daniel 6

1 {It pleased Darius}, and he set up one hundred and twenty satraps over the kingdom, that they were {throughout the whole kingdom},

2 and over them [were] three administrators, [of] whom Daniel [was] one, [so] that these satraps were giving account to them, and the king would not be suffering loss.

3 Then Daniel {began distinguishing himself} above the administrators and the satraps {because} an exceptional spirit [was] in him, and [so] the king planned to appoint him over the whole kingdom.

4 Then the [other] administrators and satraps {began to seek} to find [a] pretext against Daniel {in connection with the kingdom}, but they were not able to find any pretext and {corruption} {because} he was trustworthy, and no negligence or {corruption} {could be found in him}.

5 Then these men {said}, "We will not find any pretext against this Daniel unless we find it in connection with the law of his God."

6 So the administrators and the satraps conspired {with respect to} the king and so they said to him, "Darius, O king, live {forever}!

7 All of [the] administrators of the kingdom, and the prefects, the satraps, the counselors and the governors took counsel [and have] agreed to establish an edict of the king and to enforce a decree that {whoever} will seek a prayer from any god or human except from you [for] up to thirty days will be thrown into {the lion pit}.

8 Now, O king, establish the edict and you must sign the document [so] that [it] cannot be changed, according to [the] law of [the] Medes and Persians which cannot be revoked."

9 {So} the king, Darius, signed the writing and the interdict.

10 Now {when} Daniel realized that the document was signed, he went to his house ({now he had windows in his upper room that were open} toward Jerusalem), and three times {daily} he knelt on his knees and prayed and [gave] praise before his God, {just as} he had been doing {previously}.

11 Then these men came as a group and they found Daniel praying and pleading for mercy before his God.

12 Then they approached {and spoke with the king} concerning the edict of the king, "{Did you not sign an edict} that any person who would seek [anything] from any God or human within thirty days except from you, O king, would be thrown into {the lion pit}?" The king answered and said, "The matter [as you have just stated] is certain according to [the] law of [the] Medes and Persians which cannot be revoked."

13 Then {they responded} and said before the king, "Daniel, who [is] from {the exiles} of Judah, {is not paying any attention} to you, O king, or to the decree that you have signed, {and three times daily} he says his prayer."

14 Then the king, when he heard that {report}, he was extremely distressed over it; and {concerning Daniel} {he was determined} to rescue him. And until the setting of the sun he was making every effort to deliver him.

15 Then these men came as [a] group to the king and {said}, "Recall, O king, that [with respect to] [the] law of [the] Medes and Persians that {any} decree or edict that the king establishes cannot be changed."

16 Then the king gave the command, and Daniel was brought in and they threw [him] into {the lion pit}. {The king said} to Daniel, "Your God, whom you serve {faithfully}, may he rescue you!"

17 And a stone was brought and it was put on the entrance of the pit, and the king sealed it with his signet [ring] and with the signet [rings] of his lords, so that nothing would be changed concerning Daniel.

18 Then the king went to his palace and spent the night in fasting, and no food was brought in before him and his sleep fled from him.

19 Then the king got up at daybreak, at first light, and he went {in haste} to {the lion pit}.

20 And {when he came near} to the pit, he cried out to Daniel with [a] distressed voice, [and] the king {spoke} and said to Daniel, "O Daniel, servant of the living God, your God whom you serve faithfully, was he able to rescue you from the lions?"

21 Then Daniel spoke to the king, "O king, live {forever}!

22 My God sent his angel and he shut the mouth of the lions and they did not hurt me, {because} before him {I was found} blameless, and also before you, O king, I have not done [any] wrong."

23 Then the king was exceedingly glad over it and commanded [that] Daniel be lifted up from the pit; and [there] was not any wound found on him, because he had trusted in his God.

24 The king then commanded, and these men were brought {who had accused Daniel}, and they threw them and their children and their wives into {the lion pit}, and they had not reached the floor of the pit {before} the lions had overpowered them and they had crushed all of their bones.

25 Then Darius the king wrote to all the people, the nations, and the languages living in the whole earth, "May your prosperity become great!

26 {I make a decree} that in all the dominion of my kingdom [people] will be trembling and fearing before the God of Daniel, for he [is] the living God and endures {forever} and his kingdom [is] one that will not be destroyed and his {dominion has no end}.

27 [He is] rescuing, delivering, and working signs and wonders in the heavens and on earth, for he [has] rescued Daniel from the {power} of the lions."

28 So this Daniel prospered during the kingdom of Darius and during the kingdom of Cyrus the Persian.

Daniel 7

1 In the first year of Belshazzar the king of Babylon, Daniel saw a dream and visions of his head [as he lay] on his bed; then he wrote down the dream [and] [the] {summary} of [the] words {as follows}:

2 Daniel {explained} and said, "I was looking in my vision in the night, and look, the four winds of heaven were stirring [up] the great sea.

3 And four great beasts [were] coming up from the sea, differing {from one another}.

4 The first [was] like [a] lion and {had} [the] wings of an eagle. I was watching until its wings were plucked off, and it was lifted up from the earth and it was raised on [its] feet like a human, and a human heart was given to it.

5 And look, another beast, a second one, looking like a bear. And it was raised up on one side and three tusks [were] in its mouth between its teeth, and so {it was told}, "Arise, eat much flesh!"

6 After this I was watching and look, another [beast] like a leopard; {it had four wings} of a bird on its back, and {the beast had} four heads, and dominion was given to it.

7 After this in the visions of the night I was looking and there was a fourth beast, terrifying and frightful and exceedingly strong, and {it had} {great iron teeth}, [and it was] devouring and crushing, and it stamped the remainder with its feet; and it was different from all [the other] beasts {that preceded it} {and it had ten horns}.

8 I was considering the horns, and look, another little horn came up {among} them, and three of the earlier horns {were rooted out} from before it, and there were eyes like the eyes of [a] human in this horn and [also] a mouth [that was] speaking boastfully.

9 "{I continued watching} until thrones were placed and an Ancient of Days sat; his clothing [was] like white snow and the hair of his head [was] like pure wool and his throne [was] a flame of fire and its wheels [were] burning fire.

10 A stream of fire issued forth and flowed {from his presence}; thousands [upon] thousands served him and ten thousand [upon] ten thousand stood before him. The judge sat, and [the] books were opened.

11 "{I continued watching} then because of the noise of the boastful words of the horn [who was] speaking; {I continued watching} until the beast was slain and its body was destroyed, and it was given [over] to burning with fire.

12 And [as for] the remainder of the beasts, {their dominion was taken away}, but a prolongation {of their life} was given to them for a season and a time.

13 "{I continued watching} in the visions of the night, and look, with the clouds of heaven [one] like a son of man was coming, and he came to the Ancient of Days, and {was presented} before him.

14 And to him was given dominion and glory and kingship that all the peoples, the nations, and languages [would] serve him; his dominion [is] a dominion {without end} that will not cease, and his kingdom [is one] that will not be destroyed.

15 "{As for me, Daniel}, my spirit was troubled {within me}, and the visions of my head terrified me.

16 [So] I approached one of the attendants and I asked him [about] the truth concerning all this; and he told me [that] he would make known to me the explanation of the matter.

17 'These great beasts which are four [in number] [are] four kings [who] will arise from the earth.

18 But the holy ones of the Most High will receive the kingdom, and they will take possession of the kingdom forever, {forever and ever}.'

19 "Then I desired to make certain concerning the fourth beast that was different from {all the others}--exceedingly terrifying, with its iron teeth and its claws of bronze; it devoured and crushed [and] stamped the remainder with its feet--

20 and concerning the horns that [were] on its head, and [concerning] [the] other [horn] that came up and {before which three horns fell}, and this horn {had eyes} and [a] mouth speaking {boastfully}, and its appearance [was] larger than its companions.

21 {I continued watching}, and this horn made war with [the] holy ones and it prevailed over them,

22 until the Ancient of Days came and gave judgment to [the] holy ones of [the] Most High; and the time arrived and [the] holy ones took possession of the kingdom.

23 "And he said, 'The fourth beast [is] the fourth kingdom [that] will be on the earth that will be different from all the [other] kingdoms, and it will devour the whole earth and it will trample it and it will crush it.

24 And [as for] the ten horns [coming] from it, [from] this kingdom ten kings will arise, and another will arise after them. And he will be different from the earlier [ones], and he will subdue three kings.

25 And he will speak words against the Most High, and he will wear out [the] holy ones of the Most High, and he will attempt to change times and law, and they will be given into his hand for a time and two times and half a time.

26 Then the court will sit, and his dominion will be removed, to be eradicated and to be destroyed {totally}.

27 And the kingdom and the dominion and the greatness of the kingdoms under the whole heaven will be given to [the] nation of [the] holy ones of the Most High; his kingdom {is an everlasting kingdom}, and all the dominions will serve and obey him.'

28 {This is the end of the account}. {As for me, Daniel}--my thoughts terrified me greatly and my face changed over me, but I kept the matter in my heart."