1 ¶ In the first year of Belshazzar king of Babylon Daniel had a dream and visions in his head while lying upon his bed: then he wrote down the dream, and reported what he had seen.

2 Daniel said, In my visions at night I saw the four winds of heaven stirring up the great sea.

3 And four great beasts came up out of the sea, each different from the others.

4 The first was like a lion, which had eagle’s wings: I watched until its wings were plucked off, and it was lifted up from the ground, and made to stand on two feet like a man, and it was given the mind of a man.

5 And I saw a second beast, that looked like a bear, and it raised itself up on one side, and it had three ribs in its mouth between its teeth: and they said this to it, Get up, devour much flesh.

6 After this I looked and saw another, like a leopard, that had four wings of a bird on its back; the beast had also four heads; and dominion was given to it.

7 After this I saw in the visions during the night, a fourth beast, dreadful, terrifying, and exceedingly strong; and it had great iron teeth: it devoured and broke in pieces, and stamped the remainder with its feet: and it was different from all the beasts that preceded it; and it had ten horns.

8 I watched the horns, and suddenly another horn, a little one, came up among them, and three of the first horns were uprooted by it: and I saw eyes in this horn like the eyes of man, and a mouth speaking arrogant things.

9 ¶ I kept looking until thrones were brought down, and the Ancient of days took his seat, whose clothes were as white as snow, and the hair of his head like pure wool: his throne was like fiery flames, and his wheels like burning fire.

10 A stream of fire came out from him: and thousands upon thousands served him, and ten thousand times ten thousand stood before him: the judge was seated, and the books were opened.

11 I was watching then because the horn had said arrogant things: I watched until the beast was slain, and its body destroyed, and given to the burning flame.

12 As for the rest of the beasts, they had their dominion taken away: yet their lives were prolonged for a season and time.

13 In the visions during the night, I saw one like the Son of man coming with the clouds of heaven, and he came to the Ancient of days, and they brought him to him.

14 And he was given dominion, and glory, and a kingdom, so that all people, nations, and languages, should serve him: his dominion is everlasting, and will not pass away, and his kingdom is one that will not be destroyed.

15 ¶ As for me, Daniel, my spirit was distressed within me, and the visions of my head frightened me.

16 I went to one of those who stood there, and asked him for the truth about all this. So he told me, and made known to me the interpretation of the things.

17 These four great beasts, are four kings, which will arise out of the earth.

18 But the saints of the most High will take the kingdom, and possess the kingdom forever, even for ever and ever.

19 Then I wanted to know the truth about the fourth beast, which was different from all the others, exceedingly dreadful, whose teeth were of iron, and nails of brass; who devoured, broke in pieces, and stamped the remainder with his feet;

20 And about the ten horns that were on his head, and the other one that came up, and before which three fell; that horn which had eyes, and a mouth that spoke arrogant things, and looked bigger than the others.

21 As I watched, the same horn made war with the saints, and prevailed against them;

22 Until the Ancient of days came, and judgment was given to the saints of the most High; and the time came when the saints possessed the kingdom.

23 Thus he said, The fourth beast will be the fourth kingdom on earth, which shall be different from all kingdoms, and will devour the whole earth, and will tread it down, and break it in pieces.

24 As for the ten horns, out of this kingdom ten kings will arise: and another will arise after them; and he will be different from the first, and he will subdue three kings.

25 And he will speak great words against the most High, and will wear out the saints of the most High, and plan to change seasons and the law: and they will be put in his hands for a time and times and half a time.

26 But the court will convene, and they will take away his power to rule, to consume it and to destroy it forever.

27 And the dominion, power, and greatness of the kingdoms all over the world, will be given to the holy people of the most High, whose 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 greatly frightened me, and it could be seen in my face: but I kept the matter to myself.