1 In the first year of Belshazzar, king of Babylon, Daniel saw a dream and visions of his head on his bed. Then he wrote down the dream, telling the main points.
2 Daniel spoke and said, In my vision by night I was looking. And, behold, the four winds of the heavens were stirring up the Great Sea.
3 And four great beasts came up from the sea, different from one another.
4 The first was like a lion and had eagles wings. I watched until its wings were plucked off. And it was lifted up from the earth and made to stand on two feet like a man, and a mans heart was given to it.
5 And, behold, another beast, a second, like a bear. And it was raised up on one side, and three ribs were in its mouth between its teeth. And they said this to it, Rise up, devour much flesh.
6 After this I was looking, and, behold, another like a leopard, and it had four wings of a bird on its back. And also the beast had four heads. And dominion was given to it.
7 And after this I was looking in the night visions. And, behold, the fourth beast was frightening and terrifying, and very strong! And it had great iron teeth. It devoured, and broke in pieces, and stamped what was left with its feet. And it was different from all the beasts before it; and it had ten horns.
8 I was contemplating the horns. And behold, another little horn came up among them, and three of the first horns were uprooted before it. And behold, in this horn were eyes like the eyes of a man, and a mouth speaking great things.
9 I watched until the thrones were cast down, and the Ancient of Days sat, whose robe was white as snow and the hair of His head like pure wool. His throne was like flames of fire, its wheels like burning fire.
10 A stream of fire went out and came out from before Him. A thousand thousands served Him, and a vast innumerable number stood before Him. The judgment was set and the books were opened.
11 Then I was watching because of the voice of the great words which the horn spoke. I was watching until the beast was killed, and his body was destroyed and given to the burning flame.
12 As for the rest of the beasts, their dominion was taken away. Yet their lives were prolonged for a season and a time.
13 I saw in the night visions. And behold, one like the Son of Man came with the clouds of the heavens. And He came to the Ancient of Days. And they brought Him near before Him.
14 And dominion was given to Him, and glory, and a kingdom, that all peoples, nations, and languages should serve Him. His dominion is an everlasting dominion which shall not pass away, and His kingdom that which shall not be destroyed.
15 I, Daniel, was distressed in my spirit within my body, and the visions of my head troubled me.
16 And I came near one of those who stood by and asked him the truth of all this. So he told me and made me know the interpretation of the things.
17 These great beasts which are four, are four kings which shall rise up out of the earth.
18 But the saints of the Most High shall receive the kingdom and possess the kingdom forever, even forever and ever.
19 Then I wanted to know the truth of the fourth beast, which was different from all of the others, very frightening, with its teeth of iron and its nails of bronze; which devoured and broke in pieces, and trampled what was left with its feet,
20 also of the ten horns that were on its head, and the other which came up, and before whom three fell, even that horn that had eyes, and a mouth speaking great things, whose appearance was greater than his fellows.
21 I was watching, and the same horn made war with the saints and prevailed against them,
22 until the Ancient of Days came. And judgment was given to the saints of the Most High, and the time came that the saints possessed the kingdom.
23 And he said, The fourth beast shall be the fourth kingdom on earth, which shall be different from all other kingdoms, and shall devour the whole earth, and shall trample it down and break it in pieces.
24 And the ten horns out of this kingdom are ten kings; they shall rise, and another shall rise after them. And he shall be different from the first, and he shall abase three kings.
25 And he shall speak words against the Most High, and shall continually harass the saints of the Most High. And he shall intend to change times and law. And they shall be given into his hand for a period of a time and times and one half time.
26 But the court shall sit, and they shall take away his dominion, to consume and to destroy until the end.
27 And the kingdom and dominion, and the greatness of the kingdoms under the whole heavens shall be given to the people of the saints of the Most High, whose kingdom is an everlasting kingdom. And all dominions shall serve and obey Him.
28 Thus far is the end of the matter. As for me, Daniel, my thoughts terrified me much, and my countenance changed in me. But I kept the matter in my heart.