Dan 10 | EE | STEP | In the third (3rd) year that King Cyrus ruled Persia, God gave a message to Daniel. (Daniel’s other name was Belteshazzar.) The message was true, and it was about a great war. Daniel had a dream. This showed him what the message meant.

Daniel 10

When Daniel had his next dream

1 In the third (3rd) year that King Cyrus ruled Persia, God gave a message to Daniel. (Daniel’s other name was Belteshazzar.) The message was true, and it was about a great war. Daniel had a dream. This showed him what the message meant. 2 He wrote down this message:

At that time I, Daniel, was sad for three weeks. 3 I did not eat any good food. I had no meat or wine. I did not put anything good on my skin or my hair until the three weeks finished. ^{▼▼10:3 Cyrus was the king after Darius.}

Another angel appears to Daniel

4 On the 24th day of the first month, I was standing by the great river Tigris. 5 I looked and I saw a man. He was wearing good white clothes. He wore a gold belt. 6 His body was bright like a beautiful stone. His face was like a bright light. His eyes seemed like tongues made from fire. His arms and legs seemed like shining bronze. When he spoke, his voice was like the noise of many people’s voices.

Daniel and his friends become afraid and weak

7 Only I, Daniel, saw this picture. The people who were with me did not see anything. But they were very afraid, so they ran away. And they hid themselves. 8 Then I was alone while I looked at this great person. My face became very white and I became weak. 9 When I heard his voice, I fell down. I lay with my face on the ground and I started to sleep.

The angel explains why God has sent him

10 Then a hand touched me and it helped me to get up. I was on my hands and knees. But my body moved because I was afraid. 11 He spoke to me. ‘Daniel, God loves you very much’, he said. ‘Listen carefully to what I say to you. Stand up, because God has sent me to you.’ When he said this, I stood up. But I was afraid still.

12 Then he said, ‘Daniel, do not be afraid. You wanted to understand God. You became ready to do what he had decided. As soon as you did this, God heard your words. So I have come to bring the answer to your prayers. 13 The ruler of the kingdom of Persia stood in my way for 21 days. But then Michael, who is one of God’s most important servants, came to help me. Until then, I had to stay there with the kings of Persia. 14 Now I am here to explain this dream about future years. The dream tells what will happen to your people then.’

The angel makes Daniel stronger

15 While he was saying these words to me, I looked down at the ground. I could not speak. 16 Then someone who seemed like a man touched my lips. I opened my mouth and I was able to speak again. So I spoke to the person who stood in front of me. ‘My lord, the dream has given great pain to me and now I am weak. 17 My lord, I am your servant. I am not important enough to talk with you. I am very weak. I can hardly pull air into my body.’

18 He who seemed like a man touched me again. He made me strong. 19 ‘Do not be afraid, man’, he said to me, ‘because God loves you very much. I want your mind to rest. I want you to be strong, very strong.’ When he said this, I felt stronger. So I spoke again. ‘My lord, speak to me, because you have made me strong again’, I said.

The angel‘s fights

20 Then he spoke to me again. ‘I will tell you why I have come to you. Soon I will return to fight against the ruler of Persia. When I have won that fight, the king from Greece will come. 21 But now I will explain to you what the words in the True Book mean. (Only Michael, your people’s ruler, will help me against God’s enemies.)’