The explanation of the vision

15 As for me, Daniel, I was very terrified by what I had seen in that vision, and I did not know what to think about it. 16 I went to one of those who were standing in front of the throne of God, and I asked him to tell me what it meant. So he told me the meaning of it.

17 He said, “The four huge beasts represent four kingdoms/empires that will exist on the earth. 18 But the Supreme God will give power/authority to his people to rule, and they shall rule forever.”

19 Then I wanted to know what the fourth beast signified—the beast that was different from the other three, the beast that crushed those that it attacked with its bronze claws, and then ate their flesh with its iron teeth, and trampled on the parts of their bodies that it did not eat. 20 I also wanted to know about the ten horns on its head, and about the horn that appeared later, which got rid of three of the other horns. I wanted to know what it meant that it had eyes and a mouth with which it spoke very boastfully. The beast that was represented by that horn was more terrifying than the other beasts. 21 While I was having the vision, I saw that this horn attacked God’s people and was defeating them. 22 But then the Supreme God, the one who had been living forever, came and judged in favor of the people who belonged to him. And I knew that it was time for God’s people to receive authority to rule.

23 Then the man who was standing there said to me, “The fourth beast represents an empire that will exist on the earth; that empire will be different from all other empires. The army of that empire will crush/kill people all over the world and trample on their bodies. 24 As for its ten horns, they represent ten kings who will rule that empire, one after the other. Then another king will appear. He will be different from the previous kings. He will defeat the three kings that were represented by the three horns that were pulled out. 25 He will revile the Supreme God, and he will oppress God’s people. He will try to change the sacred festivals and their religious laws/regulations. He will control them for three and a half years.

26 But there will be a session/meeting of the court/judges in heaven, and that king’s authority/power will be taken away, and he will be completely destroyed. 27 Then all the power and the greatness of all the kingdoms on the earth will be given to the people who belong to the Supreme God. The kingdom that he rules (OR, they rule) will endure forever. And the rulers of all the nations on the earth will serve and obey him (OR, them).”

28 That is what I saw in my vision/dream. I, Daniel, was terrified, with the result that my face became pale. But I did not tell anyone about the vision that I had seen.