| International Standard Version | New International Version |
| 1In year one of King Darius the Mede, I arose to fortify and strengthen him.'" | 1And in the first year of Darius the Mede, I took my stand to support and protect him.) |
| 2"'Now I'll tell you the truth: Pay attention! Three more kings will arise in Persia. Then a fourth will gain more than them all. As soon as he gains power by means of his wealth, he'll stir up everyone against the Grecian kingdoms. | 2"Now then, I tell you the truth: Three more kings will arise in Persia, and then a fourth, who will be far richer than all the others. When he has gained power by his wealth, he will stir up everyone against the kingdom of Greece. |
| 3"'A mighty king will come to power, and he'll rule with awesome energy, doing whatever he pleases. | 3Then a mighty king will arise, who will rule with great power and do as he pleases. |
| 4However, after he has come to power, his kingdom will be broken and parceled out in all directions. It won't go to his succeeding descendants, nor will its power match how he ruled, because his sovereignty will be uprooted and given to successors besides them. | 4After he has arisen, his empire will be broken up and parceled out toward the four winds of heaven. It will not go to his descendants, nor will it have the power he exercised, because his empire will be uprooted and given to others. |
| 5"'The southern king will become strong, along with one of his officials, who will become stronger than he and rule over his own realm with great power. | 5"The king of the South will become strong, but one of his commanders will become even stronger than he and will rule his own kingdom with great power. |
| 6After a number of years, they'll become allies and the daughter of the southern king will go to the northern king in order to craft alliances. But she won't remain in power, nor will he retain his power. Instead, she'll be surrendered, along with her entourage, the one who fathered her, and the one who supported her at that time. | 6After some years, they will become allies. The daughter of the king of the South will go to the king of the North to make an alliance, but she will not retain her power, and he and his power will not last. In those days she will be betrayed, together with her royal escort and her father and the one who supported her. |
| 7"'One of her family line will replace him. He'll come against the army and enter the fortress of the northern king, conquering them and becoming victorious. | 7"One from her family line will arise to take her place. He will attack the forces of the king of the North and enter his fortress; he will fight against them and be victorious. |
| 8He'll also take their gods, their molten images, and their valuable vessels of silver and gold into Egypt as hostages. He'll avoid the northern king for a number of years. | 8He will also seize their gods, their metal images and their valuable articles of silver and gold and carry them off to Egypt. For some years he will leave the king of the North alone. |
| 9Then he'll come against the realm of the southern king and then return to his own territory. | 9Then the king of the North will invade the realm of the king of the South but will retreat to his own country. |
| 10His sons will prepare for war, assembling an army of considerable force. One of them will come on forcefully, overflowing, passing through, and waging war up to his own fortress. | 10His sons will prepare for war and assemble a great army, which will sweep on like an irresistible flood and carry the battle as far as his fortress. |
| 11"'The southern king will fly into a rage and march out to fight the northern king. He'll gather a large army, but that army will be handed over to him. | 11"Then the king of the South will march out in a rage and fight against the king of the North, who will raise a large army, but it will be defeated. |
| 12When that army has been defeated, he'll become overconfident and slaughter many thousands, but he won't succeed. | 12When the army is carried off, the king of the South will be filled with pride and will slaughter many thousands, yet he will not remain triumphant. |
| 13The northern king will return and raise a greater army than before. After a few years, he'll advance with a great force and with a vast amount of armaments.'" | 13For the king of the North will muster another army, larger than the first; and after several years, he will advance with a huge army fully equipped. |
| 14"'During those years, many will rebel against the southern king. The more violent ones among your people will rebel in order to fulfill this vision, but they will fail. | 14"In those times many will rise against the king of the South. Those who are violent among your own people will rebel in fulfillment of the vision, but without success. |
| 15Then the northern king will come, erect a siege ramp, and capture a fortified city. The southern forces won't prevail—not even with their best troops—and they'll have no strength to take a stand. | 15Then the king of the North will come and build up siege ramps and will capture a fortified city. The forces of the South will be powerless to resist; even their best troops will not have the strength to stand. |
| 16"'However, the one who invades him will do whatever he wants to do. No one will oppose him. He'll establish himself in the Beautiful Land, wielding devastating power. | 16The invader will do as he pleases; no one will be able to stand against him. He will establish himself in the Beautiful Land and will have the power to destroy it. |
| 17He'll decide to come with the full power of his kingdom, bringing with him an alliance that he'll implement. He'll give him a daughter in marriage to overthrow it, but it won't succeed or work out for him. | 17He will determine to come with the might of his entire kingdom and will make an alliance with the king of the South. And he will give him a daughter in marriage in order to overthrow the kingdom, but his plans will not succeed or help him. |
| 18Then he'll turn his attention to the coastal lands and will capture many. But a commander will put an end to his insolence, repaying him for his scorn. | 18Then he will turn his attention to the coastlands and will take many of them, but a commander will put an end to his insolence and will turn his insolence back on him. |
| 19He'll turn his attention toward the fortresses in his own territory, but he'll stumble and fall, and won't endure. | 19After this, he will turn back toward the fortresses of his own country but will stumble and fall, to be seen no more. |
| 20His successor will send out a tax collector for royal splendor, but in a short period of time he'll be shattered, though neither in anger nor in battle.'" | 20"His successor will send out a tax collector to maintain the royal splendor. In a few years, however, he will be destroyed, yet not in anger or in battle. |
| 21"'In his place there will arise a despicable person, upon whom no royal authority has been conferred, but he'll invade in a time of tranquility, taking over the kingdom through deception. | 21"He will be succeeded by a contemptible person who has not been given the honor of royalty. He will invade the kingdom when its people feel secure, and he will seize it through intrigue. |
| 22Overwhelming forces will be carried away before him, along with the Commander-in-Chief of the covenant. | 22Then an overwhelming army will be swept away before him; both it and a prince of the covenant will be destroyed. |
| 23From the time that an alliance is made with him, he'll act deceitfully, and he will go up and take power with only a small group of nations. | 23After coming to an agreement with him, he will act deceitfully, and with only a few people he will rise to power. |
| 24He'll invade the most prosperous areas of the province during a time of tranquility, accomplishing what neither his predecessors nor his ancestors ever could. He'll distribute war spoils, booty, and wealth to them, and he'll plot the overthrow of fortresses, though only for a time. | 24When the richest provinces feel secure, he will invade them and will achieve what neither his fathers nor his forefathers did. He will distribute plunder, loot and wealth among his followers. He will plot the overthrow of fortresses--but only for a time. |
| 25He'll encourage himself against the southern king by raising a large army. As a result, the southern king will mobilize for war with a large and powerful army, but he won't succeed because they will devise elaborate schemes against him. | 25"With a large army he will stir up his strength and courage against the king of the South. The king of the South will wage war with a large and very powerful army, but he will not be able to stand because of the plots devised against him. |
| 26His own security detail will undermine him, his army will be swept away, and many will fall and be killed in battle. | 26Those who eat from the king's provisions will try to destroy him; his army will be swept away, and many will fall in battle. |
| 27Now as for the two kings, their intentions will be evil, and they'll promote deception at their dinner table, but none of this will succeed, because the end won't have come yet. | 27The two kings, with their hearts bent on evil, will sit at the same table and lie to each other, but to no avail, because an end will still come at the appointed time. |
| 28Then he'll return to his homeland with great wealth, will focus his attention against the holy covenant, and will take action as he returns to his land.'" | 28The king of the North will return to his own country with great wealth, but his heart will be set against the holy covenant. He will take action against it and then return to his own country. |
| 29"'At the scheduled time he'll return, moving southward, but the end result won't be as before, | 29"At the appointed time he will invade the South again, but this time the outcome will be different from what it was before. |
| 30because ships will come against him from the Mediterranean islands. Disheartened, he'll return, incited to vehemence against the holy covenant, and he'll take action. As he returns, he'll show deference to those who abandon the holy covenant. | 30Ships of the western coastlands will oppose him, and he will lose heart. Then he will turn back and vent his fury against the holy covenant. He will return and show favor to those who forsake the holy covenant. |
| 31Armed forces will arise from his midst, and they'll desecrate the fortified Sanctuary, abolish the daily sacrifice, and establish the destructive desecration. | 31"His armed forces will rise up to desecrate the temple fortress and will abolish the daily sacrifice. Then they will set up the abomination that causes desolation. |
| 32Through flattery he'll corrupt those who act wickedly toward the covenant, but people who know their God will be strong and take action. | 32With flattery he will corrupt those who have violated the covenant, but the people who know their God will firmly resist him. |
| 33Insightful people will impart understanding to many, though they'll fall by sword, by fire, by captivity, and as war booty for a while. | 33"Those who are wise will instruct many, though for a time they will fall by the sword or be burned or captured or plundered. |
| 34When they fall, they'll be given some relief, but many will join them by pretending to be sympathetic to their cause. | 34When they fall, they will receive a little help, and many who are not sincere will join them. |
| 35Some of the insightful will fall so they may be refined, purged, and purified until the time of the end, since it will surely come about.'" | 35Some of the wise will stumble, so that they may be refined, purified and made spotless until the time of the end, for it will still come at the appointed time. |
| 36"'The king will do as he pleases. He'll exalt and magnify himself above every god, speaking amazing things against the God of Gods. He'll succeed until the indignation is completed, because what has been determined must be carried out. | 36"The king will do as he pleases. He will exalt and magnify himself above every god and will say unheard-of things against the God of gods. He will be successful until the time of wrath is completed, for what has been determined must take place. |
| 37He'll recognize neither the gods of his ancestors nor those desired by women—he won't recognize any god, because he'll exalt himself above everything. | 37He will show no regard for the gods of his ancestors or for the one desired by women, nor will he regard any god, but will exalt himself above them all. |
| 38He'll glorify the god of fortresses, a god whom his ancestors never knew, honoring him with gold, silver, valuable jewels, and treasures. | 38Instead of them, he will honor a god of fortresses; a god unknown to his ancestors he will honor with gold and silver, with precious stones and costly gifts. |
| 39He'll take action against the strongest fortresses. With the help of a foreign god, he'll recognize those who honor him, making them rule over many, and he'll parcel out the land for a profit. | 39He will attack the mightiest fortresses with the help of a foreign god and will greatly honor those who acknowledge him. He will make them rulers over many people and will distribute the land at a price. |
| 40"'At the time of the end, the southern king will oppose him, and the northern king will overrun him with chariots, cavalry, and many ships. He'll invade countries, moving swiftly and sweeping through. | 40"At the time of the end the king of the South will engage him in battle, and the king of the North will storm out against him with chariots and cavalry and a great fleet of ships. He will invade many countries and sweep through them like a flood. |
| 41He'll enter the Beautiful Land, and many will fall, even though these will escape his control: Edom, Moab, and certain Ammonite officials. | 41He will also invade the Beautiful Land. Many countries will fall, but Edom, Moab and the leaders of Ammon will be delivered from his hand. |
| 42He'll extend his power over other countries, and even the land of Egypt won't escape. | 42He will extend his power over many countries; Egypt will not escape. |
| 43He'll capture treasures of gold, silver, and all the treasures of Egypt, with the Libyans and Cushites at his feet. | 43He will gain control of the treasures of gold and silver and all the riches of Egypt, with the Libyans and Cushites in submission. |
| 44However, reports from the east and the north will alarm him, and he'll march out in great anger, intending to destroy and to desolate many. | 44But reports from the east and the north will alarm him, and he will set out in a great rage to destroy and annihilate many. |
| 45When he pitches his royal pavilions between the seas facing the mountain of holy Glory, he'll come to his end, and no one will help him.'" | 45He will pitch his royal tents between the seas at the beautiful holy mountain. Yet he will come to his end, and no one will help him. |
The Holy Bible: International Standard Version® Release 2.1 Copyright © 1996-2012 The ISV Foundation
ALL RIGHTS RESERVED INTERNATIONALLY. | New International Version (NIV) Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV® Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.® Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide. |
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