Daniel 10

Vision of a Glorious One

10In the third year of Cyrus king of Persia, ^ea message was revealed to Daniel, who was named Belteshazzar. ^fThe message was true and was about a great conflict. He understood the message and had understanding of the vision. ^g

²In those days I, Daniel, was mourning for three full weeks. ^h3I didn’t eat any rich food, ⁱno meat or wine entered my mouth, and I didn’t put any oil on my body until the three weeks were over. ⁴On the twenty-fourth day of the first month, ^jas I was standing on the bank of the great river, ^kthe Tigris, ⁵I looked up, and there was a man dressed in linen, ^lwith a belt of gold ^mfrom Uphaz ^noaround his waist. ⁶His body was like topaz, ^phis face like the brilliance of lightning, his eyes like flaming torches, ^qhis arms and feet like the gleam of polished bronze, and the sound of his words like the sound of a multitude. ^r

⁷Only I, Daniel, saw the vision. ^sThe men who were with me did not see it, ^tbut a great terror fell on them, ^uand they ran and hid. ⁸I was left alone, looking at this great vision. ^vNo strength was left in me; my face grew deathly pale, ^wxand I was powerless. ⁹I heard the words he said, and when I heard them I fell into a deep sleep, ^yzwith my face to the ground.

Angelic Conflict

¹⁰Suddenly, a hand touched me and raised me to my hands and knees. ¹¹He said to me, “Daniel, you are a man treasured by God. ^aUnderstand the words that I’m saying to you. Stand on your feet, ^bfor I have now been sent to you.” ^cAfter he said this to me, I stood trembling.

¹²“Don’t be afraid, ^dDaniel,” he said to me, “for from the first day that you purposed to understand and to humble yourself before your God, ^eyour prayers were heard. I have come because of your prayers. ^f13But the prince of the kingdom of Persia opposed me for 21 days. Then Michael, ^gone of the chief princes, came to help me after I had been left there with the kings of Persia. ^h14Now I have come to help you understand what will happen to your people in the last days, ⁱfor the vision refers to those days.” ^j

¹⁵While he was saying these words to me, I turned my face toward the ground and was speechless. ^k16Suddenly one with human likeness ^ltouched my lips. ^mI opened my mouth and said to the one standing in front of me, “My lord, because of the vision, anguish overwhelms me and I am powerless. ⁿ¹⁷How can someone like me, ^oyour servant, ^pspeak with someone like you, my lord? Now I have no strength, and there is no breath in me.”

¹⁸Then the one with human likeness touched me again and strengthened me. ^q19He said, “Don’t be afraid, ^ryou who are ^streasured by God. ^tPeace to you; be very strong!” ^u

As he spoke to me, I was strengthened and said, “Let my lord speak, for you have strengthened me.” ^v

²⁰He said, “Do you know why I’ve come to you? I must return at once to fight against the prince of Persia, and when I leave, the prince of Greece will come. ^w21No one has the courage to support me against them except Michael, ^xyour prince. However, I will tell you what is recorded in the book of truth.