| New Living Translation | Berean Study Bible |
| 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. | 1In the third year of Cyrus king of Persia, a message was revealed to Daniel, who was called Belteshazzar. The message was true, and it concerned a great conflict. And the understanding of the message was given to him in a vision. |
| 2When this vision came to me, I, Daniel, had been in mourning for three whole weeks. | 2In those days I, Daniel, was mourning for three full 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. | 3I ate no rich food, no meat or wine entered my mouth, and I did not anoint myself with oil until the three weeks were completed. |
| 4On April 23, as I was standing on the bank of the great Tigris River, | 4On the twenty-fourth day of the first month, as I was standing on the bank of the great river, the Tigris, |
| 5I looked up and saw a man dressed in linen clothing, with a belt of pure gold around his waist. | 5I lifted up my eyes, and behold, there was a certain man dressed in linen, with a belt of fine gold from Uphaz around his waist. |
| 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. | 6His body was like beryl, his face like the brilliance of lightning, his eyes like flaming torches, his arms and legs like the gleam of polished bronze, and his voice like the sound of a multitude. |
| 7Only I, Daniel, saw this vision. The men with me saw nothing, but they were suddenly terrified and ran away to hide. | 7Only I, Daniel, saw the vision; the men with me did not see it, but a great terror fell upon them, and they ran and hid themselves. |
| 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. | 8So I was left alone, gazing at this great vision. No strength remained in me; my face grew deathly pale, and I was powerless. |
| 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. | 9I heard the sound of his words, and as I listened, I fell into a deep sleep, with my face to the ground. |
| 10Just then a hand touched me and lifted me, still trembling, to my hands and knees. | 10Suddenly, a hand touched me and set me trembling on my hands and knees. |
| 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. | 11He said to me, “Daniel, you are a man who is highly precious. Consider carefully the words that I am about to say to you. Stand up, for I have now been sent to you.” And when he had said this to me, I stood up trembling. |
| 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. | 12“Do not be afraid, Daniel,” he said, “for from the first day that you purposed to understand and to humble yourself before your God, your words were heard, and I have come in response to them. |
| 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. | 13However, the prince of the kingdom of Persia opposed me for twenty-one days. Then Michael, one of the chief princes, came to help me, for I had been left there with the kings of Persia. |
| 14Now I am here to explain what will happen to your people in the future, for this vision concerns a time yet to come.” | 14Now I have come to explain to you what will happen to your people in the latter days, for the vision concerns those days.” |
| 15While he was speaking to me, I looked down at the ground, unable to say a word. | 15While he was speaking these words to me, I set my face toward the ground and became speechless. |
| 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. | 16And suddenly one with the likeness of a man touched my lips, and I opened my mouth and said to the one standing before me, “My lord, because of the vision, I am overcome with anguish, and I have no strength. |
| 17How can someone like me, your servant, talk to you, my lord? My strength is gone, and I can hardly breathe.” | 17How can I, your servant, speak with you, my lord? Now I have no strength, nor is any breath left in me.” |
| 18Then the one who looked like a man touched me again, and I felt my strength returning. | 18Again the one with the likeness of a man touched me and 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.” | 19“Do not be afraid, you who are highly precious,” he said. “Peace be with you! Be strong now; be very strong!” As he spoke with me, I was strengthened and said, “Speak, my lord, for you have strengthened me.” |
| 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. | 20“Do you know why I have come to you?” he said. “I must return at once to fight against the prince of Persia, and when I have gone forth, behold, the prince of Greece will come. |
| 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. | 21But first I will tell you what is inscribed in the Book of Truth. Yet no one has the courage to support me against these, except Michael your prince. |
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