Daniel 10

Daniel’s Vision of a Man

In the third year of Cyrus^a king of Persia, a revelation was given to Daniel (who was called Belteshazzar).^b Its message was true^c and it concerned a great war. The understanding of the message came to him in a vision.

At that time I, Daniel, mourned^d for three weeks. I ate no choice food; no meat or wine touched my lips;^e and I used no lotions at all until the three weeks were over.

On the twenty-fourth day of the first month, as I was standing on the bank^f of the great river, the Tigris,^g I looked up^h and there before me was a man dressed in linen,ⁱ with a belt of fine gold^j from Uphaz around his waist. His body was like topaz,^k his face like lightning,^l his eyes like flaming torches,^m his arms and legs like the gleam of burnished bronze,ⁿ and his voice^o like the sound of a multitude.

I, Daniel, was the only one who saw the vision; those who were with me did not see it,^p but such terror overwhelmed them that they fled and hid themselves. So I was left alone,^q gazing at this great vision; I had no strength left,^r my face turned deathly pale^s and I was helpless.^t Then I heard him speaking, and as I listened to him, I fell into a deep sleep, my face to the ground.^u

A hand touched me^v and set me trembling on my hands and knees.^w He said, “Daniel, you who are highly esteemed,^x consider carefully the words I am about to speak to you, and stand up,^y for I have now been sent to you.” And when he said this to me, I stood up trembling.

Then he continued, “Do not be afraid,^z Daniel. Since the first day that you set your mind to gain understanding and to humble^a yourself before your God, your words^b were heard, and I have come in response to them.^c But the prince^d of the Persian kingdom resisted me twenty-one days. Then Michael,^e one of the chief princes, came to help me, because I was detained there with the king of Persia. Now I have come to explain^f to you what will happen to your people in the future,^g for the vision concerns a time yet to come.^h”

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

Again the one who looked like a man touched^m me and gave me strength.ⁿ “Do not be afraid, you who are highly esteemed,”^o he said. “Peace!^p Be strong now; be strong.”^q

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

So 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^s will come; but first I will tell you what is written in the Book of Truth.^t (No one supports me against them except Michael,^u your prince.