| International Standard Version | New Living Translation |
| 1In the third year of Cyrus, king of Persia, a message was revealed to Daniel (also known as Belteshazzar). The message was trustworthy and concerned a great conflict. He understood it and had insight concerning the vision. | 1In the third year of the reign of King Cyrus of Persia, Daniel (also known as Belteshazzar) had another vision. He understood that the vision concerned events certain to happen in the future—times of war and great hardship. |
| 2"At that time I, Daniel, had been mourning for three straight weeks. | 2When this vision came to me, I, Daniel, had been in mourning for three whole weeks. |
| 3I ate no fancy foods—neither meat nor wine entered my mouth. Furthermore, I didn't use any ointment until the end of the entire three weeks. | 3All that time I had eaten no rich food. No meat or wine crossed my lips, and I used no fragrant lotions until those three weeks had passed. |
| 4On the twenty-fourth day of the first month, while I was beside the bank of the great Tigris River, | 4On April 23, as I was standing on the bank of the great Tigris River, |
| 5I lifted up my eyes to look, and to my surprise, there was a certain man dressed in linen, whose waist was encircled with gold from Uphaz! | 5I looked up and saw a man dressed in linen clothing, with a belt of pure gold around his waist. |
| 6His body was like beryl, his face flashed like lightning, his eyes were like flaming torches, his arms and legs were like polished bronze, and his speech roared like that of a crowd. | 6His body looked like a precious gem. His face flashed like lightning, and his eyes flamed like torches. His arms and feet shone like polished bronze, and his voice roared like a vast multitude of people. |
| 7"Now I, Daniel, was the only one to receive the vision—the men who were with me didn't see it. However, an enormous fear overwhelmed them, so they ran away to hide, | 7Only I, Daniel, saw this vision. The men with me saw nothing, but they were suddenly terrified and ran away to hide. |
| 8and I was left alone to observe this magnificent vision. Nevertheless, no strength remained in me—my face lost its color, and I became weak. | 8So I was left there all alone to see this amazing vision. My strength left me, my face grew deathly pale, and I felt very weak. |
| 9As I listened to the sound of his words, I fell down on my face unconscious, with my face to the ground." | 9Then I heard the man speak, and when I heard the sound of his voice, I fainted and lay there with my face to the ground. |
| 10"All of a sudden, a hand touched me and lifted me upon my hands and knees. | 10Just then a hand touched me and lifted me, still trembling, to my hands and knees. |
| 11He told me, 'Daniel, man highly regarded, understand the message that I'm about to relate to you. Stand up, because I've been sent to you.' When he spoke this statement to me, I stood there trembling. | 11And the man said to me, “Daniel, you are very precious to God, so listen carefully to what I have to say to you. Stand up, for I have been sent to you.” When he said this to me, I stood up, still trembling. |
| 12"'Don't be afraid, Daniel,' he told me, 'because from the first day that you committed yourself to understand and to humble yourself before your God, your words were heard. I've come in answer to your prayers. | 12Then he said, “Don’t be afraid, Daniel. Since the first day you began to pray for understanding and to humble yourself before your God, your request has been heard in heaven. I have come in answer to your prayer. |
| 13However, the prince of the kingdom of Persia opposed me for 21 days. Then all of a sudden, Michael, one of the chief angels, came to assist me! I had been detained there near the kings of Persia. | 13But for twenty-one days the spirit prince of the kingdom of Persia blocked my way. Then Michael, one of the archangels, came to help me, and I left him there with the spirit prince of the kingdom of Persia. |
| 14Now I've come to help you understand what will happen to your people in the days to come, because the vision pertains to those days.' | 14Now I am here to explain what will happen to your people in the future, for this vision concerns a time yet to come.” |
| 15"After he had spoken to me like this, I bowed my face to the ground, unable to speak. | 15While he was speaking to me, I looked down at the ground, unable to say a word. |
| 16But suddenly someone who resembled a human being touched my lips, so addressing the one who was standing in front of me, I opened my mouth and said, 'Sir, I'm overwhelmed with anguish by this vision. I have no strength left. | 16Then the one who looked like a man touched my lips, and I opened my mouth and began to speak. I said to the one standing in front of me, “I am filled with anguish because of the vision I have seen, my lord, and I am very weak. |
| 17So how can a servant of my lord talk with someone like you, sir? And as for me, there's no strength left in me, and I can hardly breathe.' | 17How can someone like me, your servant, talk to you, my lord? My strength is gone, and I can hardly breathe.” |
| 18"Then this person who looked like a man touched me again and strengthened me | 18Then the one who looked like a man touched me again, and I felt my strength returning. |
| 19and said, 'Don't be afraid, man highly regarded. Be at peace, and be strong.' "As soon as he spoke to me, I gained strength and replied, 'Sir, please speak, now that you've strengthened me.' | 19“Don’t be afraid,” he said, “for you are very precious to God. Peace! Be encouraged! Be strong!” As he spoke these words to me, I suddenly felt stronger and said to him, “Please speak to me, my lord, for you have strengthened me.” |
| 20"Then he said, 'Do you understand why I came to you? Soon I'll return to fight the prince of Persia. I'm going forth to war—and take note—the prince of Greece is coming! | 20He replied, “Do you know why I have come? Soon I must return to fight against the spirit prince of the kingdom of Persia, and after that the spirit prince of the kingdom of Greece will come. |
| 21I'll inform you about what has been recorded in the Book of Truth. No one stands firmly with me against these opponents, except Michael your prince. | 21Meanwhile, I will tell you what is written in the Book of Truth. (No one helps me against these spirit princes except Michael, your spirit prince. |
The Holy Bible: International Standard Version® Release 2.1 Copyright © 1996-2012 The ISV Foundation
ALL RIGHTS RESERVED INTERNATIONALLY. | Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved. |
|
