| New King James Version | NET Bible |
| 1“Also in the first year of Darius the Mede, I, even I, stood up to confirm and strengthen him.) | 1And in the first year of Darius the Mede, I stood to strengthen him and to provide protection for him.) |
| 2And now I will tell you the truth: Behold, three more kings will arise in Persia, and the fourth shall be far richer than them all; by his strength, through his riches, he shall stir up all against the realm of Greece. | 2Now I will tell you the truth. The Angel Gives a Message to Daniel "Three more kings will arise for Persia. Then a fourth king will be unusually rich, more so than all who preceded him. When he has amassed power through his riches, he will stir up everyone against the kingdom of Greece. |
| 3Then a mighty king shall arise, who shall rule with great dominion, and do according to his will. | 3Then a powerful king will arise, exercising great authority and doing as he pleases. |
| 4And when he has arisen, his kingdom shall be broken up and divided toward the four winds of heaven, but not among his posterity nor according to his dominion with which he ruled; for his kingdom shall be uprooted, even for others besides these. | 4Shortly after his rise to power, his kingdom will be broken up and distributed toward the four winds of the sky--but not to his posterity or with the authority he exercised, for his kingdom will be uprooted and distributed to others besides these. |
| 5“Also the king of the South shall become strong, as well as one of his princes; and he shall gain power over him and have dominion. His dominion shall be a great dominion. | 5"Then the king of the south and one of his subordinates will grow strong. His subordinate will resist him and will rule a kingdom greater than his. |
| 6And at the end of some years they shall join forces, for the daughter of the king of the South shall go to the king of the North to make an agreement; but she shall not retain the power of her authority, and neither he nor his authority shall stand; but she shall be given up, with those who brought her, and with him who begot her, and with him who strengthened her in those times. | 6After some years have passed, they will form an alliance. Then the daughter of the king of the south will come to the king of the north to make an agreement, but she will not retain her power, nor will he continue in his strength. She, together with the one who brought her, her child, and her benefactor will all be delivered over at that time. |
| 7But from a branch of her roots one shall arise in his place, who shall come with an army, enter the fortress of the king of the North, and deal with them and prevail. | 7"There will arise in his place one from her family line who will come against their army and will enter the stronghold of the king of the north and will move against them successfully. |
| 8And he shall also carry their gods captive to Egypt, with their princes and their precious articles of silver and gold; and he shall continue more years than the king of the North. | 8He will also take their gods into captivity to Egypt, along with their cast images and prized utensils of silver and gold. Then he will withdraw for some years from the king of the north. |
| 9“Also the king of the North shall come to the kingdom of the king of the South, but shall return to his own land. | 9Then the king of the north will advance against the empire of the king of the south, but will withdraw to his own land. |
| 10However his sons shall stir up strife, and assemble a multitude of great forces; and one shall certainly come and overwhelm and pass through; then he shall return to his fortress and stir up strife. | 10His sons will wage war, mustering a large army which will advance like an overflowing river and carrying the battle all the way to the enemy's fortress. |
| 11“And the king of the South shall be moved with rage, and go out and fight with him, with the king of the North, who shall muster a great multitude; but the multitude shall be given into the hand of his enemy. | 11"Then the king of the south will be enraged and will march out to fight against the king of the north, who will also muster a large army, but that army will be delivered into his hand. |
| 12When he has taken away the multitude, his heart will be lifted up; and he will cast down tens of thousands, but he will not prevail. | 12When the army is taken away, the king of the south will become arrogant. He will be responsible for the death of thousands and thousands of people, but he will not continue to prevail. |
| 13For the king of the North will return and muster a multitude greater than the former, and shall certainly come at the end of some years with a great army and much equipment. | 13For the king of the north will again muster an army, one larger than before. At the end of some years he will advance with a huge army and enormous supplies. |
| 14“Now in those times many shall rise up against the king of the South. Also, violent men of your people shall exalt themselves in fulfillment of the vision, but they shall fall. | 14"In those times many will oppose the king of the south. Those who are violent among your own people will rise up in confirmation of the vision, but they will falter. |
| 15So the king of the North shall come and build a siege mound, and take a fortified city; and the forces of the South shall not withstand him. Even his choice troops shall have no strength to resist. | 15Then the king of the north will advance and will build siege mounds and capture a well-fortified city. The forces of the south will not prevail, not even his finest contingents. They will have no strength to prevail. |
| 16But he who comes against him shall do according to his own will, and no one shall stand against him. He shall stand in the Glorious Land with destruction in his power. | 16The one advancing against him will do as he pleases, and no one will be able to stand before him. He will prevail in the beautiful land, and its annihilation will be within his power. |
| 17“He shall also set his face to enter with the strength of his whole kingdom, and upright ones with him; thus shall he do. And he shall give him the daughter of women to destroy it; but she shall not stand with him, or be for him. | 17His intention will be to come with the strength of his entire kingdom, and he will form alliances. He will give the king of the south a daughter in marriage in order to destroy the kingdom, but it will not turn out to his advantage. |
| 18After this he shall turn his face to the coastlands, and shall take many. But a ruler shall bring the reproach against them to an end; and with the reproach removed, he shall turn back on him. | 18Then he will turn his attention to the coastal regions and will capture many of them. But a commander will bring his shameful conduct to a halt; in addition, he will make him pay for his shameful conduct. |
| 19Then he shall turn his face toward the fortress of his own land; but he shall stumble and fall, and not be found. | 19He will then turn his attention to the fortresses of his own land, but he will stumble and fall, not to be found again. |
| 20“There shall arise in his place one who imposes taxes on the glorious kingdom; but within a few days he shall be destroyed, but not in anger or in battle. | 20There will arise after him one who will send out an exactor of tribute to enhance the splendor of the kingdom, but after a few days he will be destroyed, though not in anger or battle. |
| 21And in his place shall arise a vile person, to whom they will not give the honor of royalty; but he shall come in peaceably, and seize the kingdom by intrigue. | 21"Then there will arise in his place a despicable person to whom the royal honor has not been rightfully conferred. He will come on the scene in a time of prosperity and will seize the kingdom through deceit. |
| 22With the force of a flood they shall be swept away from before him and be broken, and also the prince of the covenant. | 22Armies will be suddenly swept away in defeat before him; both they and a covenant leader will be destroyed. |
| 23And after the league is made with him he shall act deceitfully, for he shall come up and become strong with a small number of people. | 23After entering into an alliance with him, he will behave treacherously; he will ascend to power with only a small force. |
| 24He shall enter peaceably, even into the richest places of the province; and he shall do what his fathers have not done, nor his forefathers: he shall disperse among them the plunder, spoil, and riches; and he shall devise his plans against the strongholds, but only for a time. | 24In a time of prosperity for the most productive areas of the province he will come and accomplish what neither his fathers nor their fathers accomplished. He will distribute loot, spoils, and property to his followers, and he will devise plans against fortified cities, but not for long. |
| 25“He shall stir up his power and his courage against the king of the South with a great army. And the king of the South shall be stirred up to battle with a very great and mighty army; but he shall not stand, for they shall devise plans against him. | 25He will rouse his strength and enthusiasm against the king of the south with a large army. The king of the south will wage war with a large and very powerful army, but he will not be able to prevail because of the plans devised against him. |
| 26Yes, those who eat of the portion of his delicacies shall destroy him; his army shall be swept away, and many shall fall down slain. | 26Those who share the king's fine food will attempt to destroy him, and his army will be swept away; many will be killed in battle. |
| 27Both these kings’ hearts shall be bent on evil, and they shall speak lies at the same table; but it shall not prosper, for the end will still be at the appointed time. | 27These two kings, their minds filled with evil intentions, will trade lies with one another at the same table. But it will not succeed, for there is still an end at the appointed time. |
| 28While returning to his land with great riches, his heart shall be moved against the holy covenant; so he shall do damage and return to his own land. | 28Then the king of the north will return to his own land with much property. His mind will be set against the holy covenant. He will take action, and then return to his own land. |
| 29“At the appointed time he shall return and go toward the south; but it shall not be like the former or the latter. | 29At an appointed time he will again invade the south, but this latter visit will not turn out the way the former one did. |
| 30For ships from Cyprus shall come against him; therefore he shall be grieved, and return in rage against the holy covenant, and do damage. “So he shall return and show regard for those who forsake the holy covenant. | 30The ships of Kittim will come against him, leaving him disheartened. He will turn back and direct his indignation against the holy covenant. He will return and honor those who forsake the holy covenant. |
| 31And forces shall be mustered by him, and they shall defile the sanctuary fortress; then they shall take away the daily sacrifices, and place there the abomination of desolation. | 31His forces will rise up and profane the fortified sanctuary, stopping the daily sacrifice. In its place they will set up the abomination that causes desolation. |
| 32Those who do wickedly against the covenant he shall corrupt with flattery; but the people who know their God shall be strong, and carry out great exploits. | 32Then with smooth words he will defile those who have rejected the covenant. But the people who are loyal to their God will act valiantly. |
| 33And those of the people who understand shall instruct many; yet for many days they shall fall by sword and flame, by captivity and plundering. | 33These who are wise among the people will teach the masses. However, they will fall by the sword and by the flame, and they will be imprisoned and plundered for some time. |
| 34Now when they fall, they shall be aided with a little help; but many shall join with them by intrigue. | 34When they stumble, they will be granted some help. But many will unite with them deceitfully. |
| 35And some of those of understanding shall fall, to refine them, purify them, and make them white, until the time of the end; because it is still for the appointed time. | 35Even some of the wise will stumble, resulting in their refinement, purification, and cleansing until the time of the end, for it is still for the appointed time. |
| 36“Then the king shall do according to his own will: he shall exalt and magnify himself above every god, shall speak blasphemies against the God of gods, and shall prosper till the wrath has been accomplished; for what has been determined shall be done. | 36"Then the king will do as he pleases. He will exalt and magnify himself above every deity and he will utter presumptuous things against the God of gods. He will succeed until the time of wrath is completed, for what has been decreed must occur. |
| 37He shall regard neither the God of his fathers nor the desire of women, nor regard any god; for he shall exalt himself above them all. | 37He will not respect the gods of his fathers--not even the god loved by women. He will not respect any god; he will elevate himself above them all. |
| 38But in their place he shall honor a god of fortresses; and a god which his fathers did not know he shall honor with gold and silver, with precious stones and pleasant things. | 38What he will honor is a god of fortresses--a god his fathers did not acknowledge he will honor with gold, silver, valuable stones, and treasured commodities. |
| 39Thus he shall act against the strongest fortresses with a foreign god, which he shall acknowledge, and advance its glory; and he shall cause them to rule over many, and divide the land for gain. | 39He will attack mighty fortresses, aided by a foreign deity. To those who recognize him he will grant considerable honor. He will place them in authority over many people, and he will parcel out land for a price. |
| 40“At the time of the end the king of the South shall attack him; and the king of the North shall come against him like a whirlwind, with chariots, horsemen, and with many ships; and he shall enter the countries, overwhelm them, and pass through. | 40"At the time of the end the king of the south will attack him. Then the king of the north will storm against him with chariots, horsemen, and a large armada of ships. He will invade lands, passing through them like an overflowing river. |
| 41He shall also enter the Glorious Land, and many countries shall be overthrown; but these shall escape from his hand: Edom, Moab, and the prominent people of Ammon. | 41Then he will enter the beautiful land. Many will fall, but these will escape: Edom, Moab, and the Ammonite leadership. |
| 42He shall stretch out his hand against the countries, and the land of Egypt shall not escape. | 42He will extend his power against other lands; the land of Egypt will not escape. |
| 43He shall have power over the treasures of gold and silver, and over all the precious things of Egypt; also the Libyans and Ethiopians shall follow at his heels. | 43He will have control over the hidden stores of gold and silver, as well as all the treasures of Egypt. Libyans and Ethiopians will submit to him. |
| 44But news from the east and the north shall trouble him; therefore he shall go out with great fury to destroy and annihilate many. | 44But reports will trouble him from the east and north, and he will set out in a tremendous rage to destroy and wipe out many. |
| 45And he shall plant the tents of his palace between the seas and the glorious holy mountain; yet he shall come to his end, and no one will help him. | 45He will pitch his royal tents between the seas toward the beautiful holy mountain. But he will come to his end, with no one to help him. |
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