| International Standard Version | NET Bible |
| 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 stood to strengthen him and to provide protection for 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. | 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. |
| 3"'A mighty king will come to power, and he'll rule with awesome energy, doing whatever he pleases. | 3Then a powerful king will arise, exercising great authority and doing 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. | 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"'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"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. |
| 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 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. |
| 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"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. |
| 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 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. |
| 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 advance against the empire of the king of the south, but will withdraw to his own land. |
| 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 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"'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 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 that army has been defeated, he'll become overconfident and slaughter many thousands, but he won't succeed. | 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. |
| 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 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"'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 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. |
| 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 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. |
| 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 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. |
| 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. | 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. |
| 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 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. |
| 19He'll turn his attention toward the fortresses in his own territory, but he'll stumble and fall, and won't endure. | 19He will then turn his attention to the fortresses of his own land, but he will stumble and fall, not to be found again. |
| 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.'" | 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. |
| 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"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. |
| 22Overwhelming forces will be carried away before him, along with the Commander-in-Chief of the covenant. | 22Armies will be suddenly swept away in defeat before him; both they and a covenant leader 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 entering into an alliance with him, he will behave treacherously; he will ascend to power with only a small force. |
| 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. | 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. |
| 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. | 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. |
| 26His own security detail will undermine him, his army will be swept away, and many will fall and be killed in battle. | 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. |
| 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. | 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. |
| 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.'" | 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 scheduled time he'll return, moving southward, but the end result won't be as before, | 29At an appointed time he will again invade the south, but this latter visit will not turn out the way the former one did. |
| 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. | 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. |
| 31Armed forces will arise from his midst, and they'll desecrate the fortified Sanctuary, abolish the daily sacrifice, and establish the destructive desecration. | 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. |
| 32Through flattery he'll corrupt those who act wickedly toward the covenant, but people who know their God will be strong and take action. | 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. |
| 33Insightful people will impart understanding to many, though they'll fall by sword, by fire, by captivity, and as war booty for a while. | 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. |
| 34When they fall, they'll be given some relief, but many will join them by pretending to be sympathetic to their cause. | 34When they stumble, they will be granted some help. But many will unite with them deceitfully. |
| 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.'" | 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"'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"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'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 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. |
| 38He'll glorify the god of fortresses, a god whom his ancestors never knew, honoring him with gold, silver, valuable jewels, and treasures. | 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. |
| 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 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 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 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'll enter the Beautiful Land, and many will fall, even though these will escape his control: Edom, Moab, and certain Ammonite officials. | 41Then he will enter the beautiful land. Many will fall, but these will escape: Edom, Moab, and the Ammonite leadership. |
| 42He'll extend his power over other countries, and even the land of Egypt won't escape. | 42He will extend his power against other lands; the land of 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 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. |
| 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 will trouble him from the east and north, and he will set out in a tremendous rage to destroy and wipe out 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 toward the beautiful holy mountain. But he will come to his end, with no one to help him. |
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