Daniel 10:13–21

¹³But the prince^r of the Persian kingdom resisted me twenty-one days. Then Michael,^s one of the chief princes, came to help me, because I was detained there with the king of Persia. ¹⁴Now I have come to explain^t to you what will happen to your people in the future,^u for the vision concerns a time yet to come.^v”

¹⁵While he was saying this to me, I bowed with my face toward the ground and was speechless.^{w 16}Then one who looked like a man^b touched my lips, and I opened my mouth and began to speak.^x I said to the one standing before me, “I am overcome with anguish^y because of the vision, my lord, and I feel very weak. ¹⁷How can I, your servant, talk with you, my lord? My strength is gone and I can hardly breathe.”^z

¹⁸Again the one who looked like a man touched^a me and gave me strength.^{b 19}“Do not be afraid, you who are highly esteemed,”^c he said. “Peace!^d Be strong now; be strong.”^e

When he spoke to me, I was strengthened and said, “Speak, my lord, since you have given me strength.”^f

²⁰So he said, “Do you know why I have come to you? Soon I will return to fight against the prince of Persia, and when I go, the prince of Greece^g will come; ²¹but first I will tell you what is written in the Book of Truth.^h (No one supports me against them except Michael,ⁱ your prince.