Daniel 7:1-8

Contemporary English Version

Daniel's Vision of the Four Beasts

7 ^1-2 Daniel wrote:

In the first year of King Belshazzar^[a] of Babylonia, I had some dreams and visions while I was asleep one night, and I wrote them down.

The four winds were stirring up the mighty sea, ^3 (A) when suddenly four powerful beasts came out of the sea. Each beast was different. ^4 (B) The first was like a lion with the wings of an eagle. As I watched, its wings were pulled off. Then it was lifted to an upright position and made to stand on two feet, just like a human, and it was given a human mind.

⁵ The second beast looked like a bear standing on its hind legs.^[b] It held three ribs in its teeth, and it was told, “Attack! Eat all the flesh you want.”

⁶ The third beast was like a leopard—except that it had four wings and four heads. It was given authority to rule.

^7 (C) The fourth beast was stronger and more terrifying than the others. Its huge teeth were made of iron, and what it didn't grind with its teeth, it smashed with its feet. It was different from the others, and it had horns on its head—ten of them. ^8 (D) Just as I was thinking about these horns, a smaller horn appeared, and three of the other horns were pulled up by the roots to make room for it. This horn had the eyes of a human and a mouth that spoke with great arrogance.