Daniel’s Vision of the Four Beasts (Revelation 13:1–10)
2 UDB "I, Daniel, had a dream during the night. In my dream I saw that strong winds were blowing from all four directions, stirring up the water on the sea. BSB BSB: Daniel declared: “In my vision in the night I looked, and suddenly the four winds of heaven were churning up the great sea.
3 UDB Then I saw four large animals coming out of the sea. Each of the four animals was different from the others. BSB BSB: Then four great beasts came up out of the sea, each one different from the others:
4 UDB The first one resembled a lion, but it had wings like an eagle has. But as I watched, something tore off its wings, and the animal was left there standing like a human being. It was given a mind like humans have. BSB BSB: The first beast was like a lion, and it had the wings of an eagle. I watched until its wings were torn off and it was lifted up from the ground and made to stand on two feet like a man and given the mind of a man.
5 UDB The second animal resembled a bear. It was crouching and holding between its teeth three ribs from some creature. Someone said to it, 'Stand up and eat many people!' BSB BSB: Suddenly another beast appeared, 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. So it was told, ‘Get up and gorge yourself on flesh!’
6 UDB Then I saw in front of me the third of these animals. It resembled a leopard, but on its back it had four wings like a bird's wings. It had four heads, and it was given the power to rule people. BSB BSB: Next, as I watched, suddenly another beast appeared. It was like a leopard, and on its back it had four wings like those of a bird. The beast also had four heads, and it was given authority to rule.
7 UDB In the vision I saw a fourth animal. It was stronger and more terrifying than the other animals. It crushed other creatures with its huge iron teeth and ate their flesh. The parts of animals that it did not grind with its teeth, it walked over on the ground. It was different from the other three animals. It had ten horns on its head. BSB BSB: After this, as I watched in my vision in the night, suddenly a fourth beast appeared, and it was terrifying—dreadful and extremely strong—with large iron teeth. It devoured and crushed; then it trampled underfoot whatever was left. It was different from all the beasts before it, and it had ten horns.
8 UDB While I was looking at those horns, I saw a little horn appear on the head of that animal. It tore out three of the other horns. This little horn had eyes like a human has and a mouth that boasted about great things. BSB BSB: While I was contemplating the horns, suddenly another horn, a little one, came up among them, and three of the first horns were uprooted before it. This horn had eyes like those of a man and a mouth that spoke words of arrogance.
Daniel’s Vision of the Ancient of Days 9 UDB Then while I watched, thrones were set up for judges, and God, The One who Lives Forever, sat on one of the thrones. His clothes were as white as snow, and his hair was as white as pure wool. His throne was burning with fire, and it had wheels that were also burning. BSB BSB: As I continued to watch, thrones were set in place, and the Ancient of Days took His seat. His clothing was white as snow, and the hair of His head was like pure wool. His throne was flaming with fire, and its wheels were all ablaze.
10 UDB Fire poured out in front of him like water in a river. Millions of people were there serving him, and a hundred million other people were standing in front of him. The court was called into session, and they opened the books. BSB BSB: A river of fire was flowing, coming out from His presence. Thousands upon thousands attended Him, and myriads upon myriads stood before Him. The court was convened, and the books were opened.
11 UDB While I was watching, I could hear the little horn speaking very boastfully. As I continued to watch, the fourth animal was killed. Its corpse was thrown into a fire and completely burned. BSB BSB: Then I kept watching because of the arrogant words the horn was speaking. As I continued to watch, the beast was slain, and its body was destroyed and thrown into the blazing fire.
12 UDB The power of the other three animals was taken away from them, but they were allowed to continue to live for a specific period of time. BSB BSB: As for the rest of the beasts, their dominion was removed, but they were granted an extension of life for a season and a time.
Daniel’s Vision of the Son of Man 14 UDB He was given authority to rule over all the nations in the world; royal honor was given to him. He will rule forever—he will never stop ruling. The kingdom that he rules will never be destroyed. BSB BSB: And He was given dominion, glory, and kingship, that the people of every nation and language should serve Him. His dominion is an everlasting dominion that will not pass away, and His kingdom is one that will never be destroyed.
Daniel’s Visions Interpreted 15 UDB As for me, Daniel, I was very sad by what I had seen in that vision; I was so troubled, I did not know what to think about it. BSB BSB: I, Daniel, was grieved in my spirit, and the visions in my mind alarmed me.
16 UDB I went to one of those who were standing in front of the throne of God, and I asked him to tell me what it meant. BSB BSB: I approached one of those who were standing there, and I asked him the true meaning of all this. So he told me the interpretation of these things:
17 UDB He said, 'The four large animals represent four kings who will come to power on the earth. BSB BSB: ‘These four great beasts are four kings who will arise from the earth.
18 UDB But the Most High will enable the people who belong to him to rule in the kingdom forever.' BSB BSB: But the saints of the Most High will receive the kingdom and possess it forever—yes, forever and ever.’
19 UDB Then I wanted to know more about what the fourth animal represented—the animal that was different from the other three, the animal that crushed those whom it attacked with its bronze claws and then ate their flesh with its iron teeth, the animal that walked over the parts of their bodies that it did not eat. BSB BSB: Then I wanted to know the true meaning of the fourth beast, which was different from all the others—extremely terrifying—devouring and crushing with iron teeth and bronze claws, then trampling underfoot whatever was left.
20 UDB I also wanted to know about the ten horns on its head and about the horn that appeared later, which got rid of three of the other horns. I wanted to know what it meant that it had eyes and a mouth with which it spoke very boastfully. That horn was more terrifying than the other horns. BSB BSB: I also wanted to know about the ten horns on its head and the other horn that came up, before which three of them fell—the horn whose appearance was more imposing than the others, with eyes and with a mouth that spoke words of arrogance.
21 UDB While I was having this vision, I saw that this horn attacked God's people and was defeating them. BSB BSB: As I watched, this horn was waging war against the saints and prevailing against them,
22 UDB But then The One who Lives Forever came and judged in favor of the people who belonged to him. Then it was time for God's people to be able to rule. BSB BSB: until the Ancient of Days arrived and pronounced judgment in favor of the saints of the Most High, and the time came for them to possess the kingdom.
23 UDB Then the man who was standing there said to me, 'The fourth animal represents an empire that will exist on the earth; that empire will be different from all other empires. The army of that empire will crush people all over the world and trample on their bodies. BSB BSB: This is what he said: ‘The fourth beast is a fourth kingdom that will appear on the earth, different from all the other kingdoms, and it will devour the whole earth, trample it down, and crush it.
24 UDB As for its ten horns, they represent ten kings who will rule that empire, one after the other. Then another king will appear. He will be different from the previous kings. He will defeat the three kings that were represented by the three horns that were pulled out. BSB BSB: And the ten horns are ten kings who will rise from this kingdom. After them another king, different from the earlier ones, will rise and subdue three kings.
25 UDB He will say things against the Most High, and he will oppress God's people. He will try to change the times of the sacred festivals and their laws. He will control them for three and a half years. BSB BSB: He will speak out against the Most High and oppress the saints of the Most High, intending to change the appointed times and laws; and the saints will be given into his hand for a time, and times, and half a time.
26 UDB But the court will be convened, and they will take his kingdom away and it will be completely destroyed. BSB BSB: But the court will convene, and his dominion will be taken away and completely destroyed forever.
27 UDB Then the kingdom, the power to rule, and the greatness of the kingdoms under the whole of heaven will be given to the holy people who belong to the Most High. The kingdom that he rules is a kingdom that is everlasting, and all kings and rulers will serve and obey him.' BSB BSB: Then the sovereignty, dominion, and greatness of the kingdoms under all of heaven will be given to the people, the saints of the Most High. His kingdom will be an everlasting kingdom, and all rulers will serve and obey Him.’
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