Daniel’s Vision of the Four Beasts (Revelation 13:1–10)
2 UST Daniel wrote,“This is what I saw in the dream I had last night. Strong winds were blowing from four directions and making big waves in the Great 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 UST I saw four great beasts coming up out of the water. Each one was different from the others. BSB BSB: Then four great beasts came up out of the sea, each one different from the others:
4 UST The first beast looked a lion. However, it had wings like an eagle’ s wings. But as I watched, someone tore off its wings. Then this beast reared up and stood on two legs, as people do. It also became able to think as people do. 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 UST The second beast that I saw looked like a bear. One of its sides was higher than the other. It was holding three ribs in its mouth with its teeth. Someone told it,‘Go and eat as much meat as you want!’ 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 UST The next beast that I saw looked like a leopard, but it had four wings like bird’ s wings on its back. It had four heads. It received authority to rule many 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 UST The next thing I saw in my dream last night was a fourth beast. It was very powerful and very terrifying. It had huge iron teeth. It killed the other beasts and devoured them, and then it trampled on their carcasses. It was different from the other three beasts. 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 UST I was looking at those horns, and I saw a little horn grow up in the middle of them. It tore out three of the other horns. I saw that this little horn had eyes that were like humans eyes. It also had a mouth, and it was speaking very boastfully. 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 UST Then, as I watched, some beings brought in some thrones. God, who has always existed, 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 like a chariot; it} was blazing with fire, and its wheels were also blazing with fire. 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 UST A stream of fire was rushing out in front of him. Many thousands of people were there serving him, and millions of other people were standing in front of him{ ready to serve him}. Judges began a court session, and they opened books{ that recorded what people had done}. 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 UST I heard the little horn speaking very boastfully, so I looked over at it. As I watched, someone killed the fourth beast and threw its body into the fire to burn it up completely. 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 UST The other three beasts lost their authority to rule, but they were able to continue living for a little while. 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 UST God honored him and gave him the authority to rule as king. People from every nation and group and who speak every language will obey him. He will rule forever; he will never stop ruling. No one will ever destroy the kingdom that he rules. 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 UST As for me, Daniel, what I saw in my dream scared me. I felt very upset inside. BSB BSB: I, Daniel, was grieved in my spirit, and the visions in my mind alarmed me.
16 UST I went up to one of those who were standing in front of God’ s throne. I asked him to tell me what all of this meant. So he told me what the things in my dream meant so that I could understand them. 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 UST He said,“The four great beasts represent four kingdoms that will become powerful in the world. BSB BSB: ‘These four great beasts are four kings who will arise from the earth.
18 UST But the Supreme God will give power to his people to rule, and they will rule forever and ever.” BSB BSB: But the saints of the Most High will receive the kingdom and possess it forever—yes, forever and ever.’
19 UST Then I wanted to know exactly what the fourth beast represented. That beast was different from the other three beasts. It was very terrifying. It had iron teeth and bronze claws. It killed the other beasts and devoured them, and then it trampled on their carcasses. 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 UST I also wanted to know about the ten horns on its head and the little horn that grew up in the middle of them. It tore out three of the other horns. It had{ human} eyes and a mouth. It spoke very boastfully, and it looked more powerful 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 UST In my dream, I saw this horn attack God’ s people. It was defeating them, BSB BSB: As I watched, this horn was waging war against the saints and prevailing against them,
22 UST but then God, who has always existed, came and decided in favor of the people who belonged to him, the Supreme God. Then it was time for them to receive authority 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 UST The one I was speaking with told me,“The fourth beast represents a fourth empire that will become powerful in the world. That empire will be different from the other empires that were before it. Its army will conquer other kingdoms throughout the world. It will defeat them badly and destroy them. 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 UST The ten horns of this beast represent ten kings who will rule that empire. Another king will succeed them. He will be different from the previous kings, and he will conquer three other kings. 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 UST He will say insulting things about the Supreme God, and he will oppress the people who belong to him. He will try to change their religious festivals and laws. He will have power over them for a time, times, and half a time. 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 UST But then there will be a session of the heavenly court. The court will take away that king’ s authority. That will be the end of his kingdom forever. BSB BSB: But the court will convene, and his dominion will be taken away and completely destroyed forever.
27 UST Then the people who belong to the Supreme God will receive great honor and the power to rule every kingdom in the world. The kingdom of the Supreme God will last forever. All earthly rulers will be his subjects.” 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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