15 While I, Daniel, was still trying to make sense of the vision that I’d seen, suddenly someone who looked like a man was standing in front of me. 16 Then I heard a human voice call out from the Ulai canal, “Gavri’el (Gabriel), help that man to be able to understand the vision.”[ref] 17 So he came over near where I stood, but I was frightened and fell to my knees with my face to the ground. However, he said to me, “You, human male, that vision concerns the end of the world.”

18 While he was speaking with me, I fell into a trance with my face still on the ground. Then he touched me and made me stand up 19 and he said, “Listen, I’m going to tell you what will happen towards the end of God’s indignation, because it refers to the appointed time of the end.

20 The ram that you saw with the two horns represents the kings of Media and Persia, 21 and the shaggy goat is the Greece’s king, and the large horn between his eyes is their first king. 22 The horn that was broken, and the four that grew in its place, represent four kingdoms that will rise from his nation, but not with the same power that he had.

23 At the latter end of their rule, when the transgressors have reached their limit, a defiant king who understands riddles, will come to power. 24 His power will increase, but it won’t be his own power. He bring about horrific destruction, and he’ll succeed in what he does. He’ll destroy powerful men and some of God’s people. 25 Using his cunning, he’ll prosper by being deceitful. He’ll be proud of himself, and will destroy many while they’re living peacefully. He will even attack the prince of princes, but it’s him who’ll be broken, but not by human strength. 26 That vision of the evenings and mornings that has been told is true. But lock the vision away for now, because it refers to the distant future.”

27 Then I, Daniel, was overwhelmed and lay sick for days. Then I got up, and went about the king’s business, but I was appalled at the vision and didn’t really understand it.