10. A river of fire flowed out from his presence;thousands upon thousands served him;ten thousand times ten thousand stood ready to serve him!The court sat in session; the scrolls were opened.
11. I kept watching. I watched from the moment the horn started bragging until the beast was killed and its body was destroyed, handed over to be burned with fire.
12. Then the authority of the remaining beasts was brought to an end, but they were given an extension among the living for a set time and season.
13. As I continued to watch this night vision of mine, I suddenly sawone like a human beingcoming with the heavenly clouds.He came to the ancient oneand was presented before him.
14. Rule, glory, and kingship were given to him;all peoples, nations, and languages will serve him.His rule is an everlasting one—it will never pass away!—his kingship is indestructible.
15. Now this caused me, Daniel, to worry. My visions disturbed me greatly.
16. So I went to one of the servants who was standing ready nearby. I asked him for the truth about all this.He spoke to me and explained to me the meaning of these things.
17. "These four giant beasts are four kings that will rise up from the earth,
18. but the holy ones of the Most High will receive the kingship. They will hold the kingship securely forever and always."
19. Next I wanted greater clarity about the fourth beast, the one that was different from all the others and utterly terrifying with its iron teeth and bronze claws. As it ate and crushed, its feet smashed whatever was left over.
20. I wanted greater clarity about the ten horns on its head, and the other horn that came up, along with the three that fell out to make room for it—but especially about the horn that had eyes and a mouth that bragged, and that seemed more important than the others.
21. As I watched, this same horn waged war against the holy ones and defeated them,