¹In the first year of Belshazzar king of Babylon, Daniel had a dream and visions of his head while on his bed . Then he wrote the dream and told the sum of the matters .

²Daniel spoke and said , “I saw in my vision by night , and , behold, the four winds of the sky broke out on the great sea .

³Four great animals came up from the sea , different from one another .

⁴“The first was like a lion, and had eagle ’s wings . I watched until its wings were plucked , and it was lifted up from the earth and made to stand on two feet as a man. A man’s heart was given to it .

⁵“Behold, there was another animal, a second , like a bear . It was raised up on one side , and three ribs were in its mouth between its teeth . They said this to it : ‘Arise ! Devour much flesh !’

⁶“After this I saw , and behold, another , like a leopard , which had on its back four wings of a bird . The animal also had four heads ; and dominion was given to it .

⁷“After this I saw in the night visions , and , behold, there was a fourth animal, awesome , powerful , and exceedingly strong . It had great iron teeth . It devoured and broke in pieces , and stamped the residue with its feet . It was different from all the animals that were before it . It had ten horns .

⁸“I considered the horns , and behold, there came up amongst them another horn , a little one , before which three of the first horns were plucked up by the roots ; and behold, in this horn were eyes like the eyes of a man, and a mouth speaking arrogantly.

⁹“I watched until thrones were placed,

and one who was Ancient of Days sat .

His clothing was white as snow ,

and the hair of his head like pure wool .

His throne was fiery flames ,

and its wheels burning fire .

¹⁰A fiery stream issued and came out from before him .

Thousands of thousands ministered to him .

Ten thousand times ten thousand stood before him .

The judgement was set .

The books were opened .

¹¹“I watched at that time because of the voice of the arrogant words which the horn spoke . I watched even until the animal was slain , and its body destroyed, and it was given to be burnt with fire.

¹²As for the rest of the animals , 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, there came with the clouds of the sky one like a son of man, and he came even to the Ancient of Days , and they brought him near before him .

¹⁴Dominion was given him , and glory , and a kingdom , that all the peoples , nations, and languages should serve him . His dominion is an everlasting dominion , which will not pass away , and his kingdom one that will not be destroyed .

¹⁵“As for me, Daniel , my spirit was grieved within my body , and the visions of my head troubled me.

¹⁶I came near to one of those who stood by , and asked him the truth concerning all this .

“So he told me , and made me know the interpretation of the things .

¹⁷‘These great animals , which are four, are four kings , who will arise out of the earth.

¹⁸But the saints of the Most High will receive the kingdom , and possess the kingdom forever , even forever and ever .’

¹⁹“Then I desired to know the truth concerning the fourth animal, which was different from all of them , exceedingly terrible , whose teeth were of iron , and its nails of bronze ; which devoured, broke in pieces , and stamped the residue with its feet ;

²⁰and concerning the ten horns that were on its head and the other horn which came up , and before which three fell , even that horn that had eyes and a mouth that spoke arrogantly, whose look was more stout than its fellows .

²¹I saw , and the same horn made war with the saints , and prevailed against them ,

²²until the Ancient of Days came , and judgement was given to the saints of the Most High , and the time came that the saints possessed the kingdom .

²³“So he said, ‘The fourth animal will be a fourth kingdom on earth, which will be different from all the kingdoms , and will devour the whole earth, and will tread it down and break it in pieces .

²⁴As for the ten horns , ten kings will arise out of this kingdom . Another will arise after them; and he will be different from the former, and he will put down three kings .

²⁵He will speak words against the Most High , and will wear out the saints of the Most High . He will plan to change the times and the law ; and they will be given into his hand until a time and times and half a time .

²⁶“‘But the judgement will be set , and they will take away his dominion , to consume and to destroy it to the end .

²⁷The kingdom and the dominion , and the greatness of the kingdoms under the whole sky , will be given to the people of the saints of the Most High . His kingdom is an everlasting kingdom , and all dominions will serve and obey him .’

²⁸“Here is the end of the matter . As for me , Daniel , my thoughts troubled me greatly , and my face was changed in me ; but I kept the matter in my heart .”