Daniel Chapter 10
Showing all 21 verses for Daniel Chapter 10.
The People's Bible is written by people, for the people. Each verse below shows:
"In the third year of Cyrus king of Persia a thing was revealed unto Daniel, whose name was called Belteshazzar; and the thing was true, but the time appointed was long: and he understood the thing, and had understanding of the vision. "
"In the third year of Cyrus, king of Persia, a message was revealed to Daniel (also called Belteshazzar); it was true, and concerned a great struggle. Daniel understood the message and grasped the meaning of the vision."
Truth doesn't have to be comfortable to be worth receiving. Be willing to sit with hard, complicated realities rather than only wanting easy, comforting answers.
"In those days I Daniel was mourning three full weeks. "
"In those days, I, Daniel, was in mourning for three whole weeks."
Some breakthroughs only come after a sustained season of focused seeking, not a quick request. Give the things that matter to you the time they actually need, rather than rushing for instant answers.
"I ate no pleasant bread, neither came flesh nor wine in my mouth, neither did I anoint myself at all, till three whole weeks were fulfilled. "
"I ate no rich food, no meat or wine touched my mouth, and I didn't use any oil on myself, for the full three weeks."
Sometimes clarity comes from deliberately stripping away comforts for a while, not from adding more noise or indulgence. Simplicity, chosen on purpose, can open up space that clutter fills up.
"And in the four and twentieth day of the first month, as I was by the side of the great river, which is Hiddekel; "
"On the twenty-fourth day of the first month, I was standing on the bank of the great river, the Tigris."
Meaningful encounters and turning points happen in the middle of ordinary, specific places and days - by a riverbank, on an unremarkable Tuesday. Stay awake to the possibility of significance in your own everyday settings.
"Then I lifted up mine eyes, and looked, and behold a certain man clothed in linen, whose loins were girded with fine gold of Uphaz: "
"I looked up and saw a man dressed in linen, with a belt of fine gold from Uphaz around his waist."
Sometimes presence itself communicates something important before any words are exchanged. Pay attention not just to what people say to you, but to the weight and character they carry.
"His body also was like the beryl, and his face as the appearance of lightning, and his eyes as lamps of fire, and his arms and his feet like in colour to polished brass, and the voice of his words like the voice of a multitude. "
"His body gleamed like a gemstone, his face shone like lightning, his eyes blazed like torches, his arms and legs shone like polished bronze, and his voice sounded like a roaring crowd."
Some things in life are too big to fully capture in words, and that's alright - you don't need to fully explain or contain everything meaningful to still be changed by encountering it.
"And I Daniel alone saw the vision: for the men that were with me saw not the vision; but a great quaking fell upon them, so that they fled to hide themselves. "
"I, Daniel, was the only one who saw the vision - the men with me didn't see it, but they were seized with such terror that they ran off to hide."
Not everyone around you will understand or perceive what you're going through in the same way, even standing right beside you - and that's alright. Their different response doesn't invalidate your own genuine experience.
"Therefore I was left alone, and saw this great vision, and there remained no strength in me: for my comeliness was turned in me into corruption, and I retained no strength. "
"So I was left completely alone, watching this overwhelming vision, and all my strength drained away - my healthy colour turned deathly pale, and I had no strength left at all."
Real encounters with things bigger than yourself can genuinely exhaust you, physically as well as emotionally - that's not a failure on your part, it's an honest human response worth respecting in yourself and others.
"Yet heard I the voice of his words: and when I heard the voice of his words, then was I in a deep sleep on my face, and my face toward the ground. "
"Still, I heard the sound of his words - and as I heard them, I fell into a deep sleep, face down on the ground."
Even at your lowest, most overwhelmed moment, that's not the end of the story - it's often exactly the point where gentle help begins to arrive. Don't mistake collapse for defeat.
"And, behold, an hand touched me, which set me upon my knees and upon the palms of my hands. "
"Then a hand touched me and helped me up onto my hands and knees, shaking."
Recovery from being completely overwhelmed doesn't have to happen all at once - a small, steadying touch that gets you back onto your hands and knees is real progress, worth honouring even before you're fully back on your feet.
"And he said unto me, O Daniel, a man greatly beloved, understand the words that I speak unto thee, and stand upright: for unto thee am I now sent. And when he had spoken this word unto me, I stood trembling. "
"He said to me, 'Daniel, you are highly valued - pay attention to what I'm about to say, and stand up, because I've been sent to you now.' When he said this, I stood up, still trembling."
I always lead with how deeply valued you are before I ask anything difficult of you. Let that truth steady you enough to stand up, even while you're still trembling - courage doesn't require the absence of fear.
"Then said he unto me, Fear not, Daniel: for from the first day that thou didst set thine heart to understand, and to chasten thyself before thy God, thy words were heard, and I am come for thy words. "
"Then he said to me, 'Don't be afraid, Daniel - from the very first day you set your heart on understanding and humbling yourself before your God, your words were heard, and I have come because of what you said.'"
The moment you sincerely turn your heart towards understanding and humility, you are already heard - even when the answer seems slow in arriving. Don't measure whether I'm listening by how quickly you can see the results.
"But the prince of the kingdom of Persia withstood me one and twenty days: but, lo, Michael, one of the chief princes, came to help me; and I remained there with the kings of Persia. "
"'But the prince of the kingdom of Persia opposed me for twenty-one days - until Michael, one of the leading princes, came to help me, and I was left there with the kings of Persia.'"
When something you're waiting for is taking far longer than it should, that delay doesn't necessarily mean your prayer went unheard - there may be more happening behind the scenes than you can see. Stay patient and keep trusting the process, not just the timeline.
"Now I am come to make thee understand what shall befall thy people in the latter days: for yet the vision is for many days. "
"'Now I have come to help you understand what will happen to your people in the last days - because the vision concerns a time still to come.'"
Understanding what's coming, even when it's difficult, is a gift meant to prepare you rather than frighten you. I want you equipped for the future, not kept in the dark about it.
"And when he had spoken such words unto me, I set my face toward the ground, and I became dumb. "
"While he was saying this to me, I looked down at the ground and was unable to speak."
Being reassured doesn't always mean you can respond right away, and that's completely normal. Give yourself permission to still be catching your breath even after receiving good news or comfort.
"And, behold, one like the similitude of the sons of men touched my lips: then I opened my mouth, and spake, and said unto him that stood before me, O my lord, by the vision my sorrows are turned upon me, and I have retained no strength. "
"Then someone who looked human touched my lips, and I opened my mouth and said to the one standing before me, 'My lord, because of the vision, anguish has overwhelmed me, and I have no strength left.'"
You don't need to perform strength you don't have, even in front of someone impressive or powerful. Honest vulnerability - 'I have no strength left' - is not a failure; it's often exactly the truth that opens the door to real help.
"For how can the servant of this my lord talk with this my lord? for as for me, straightway there remained no strength in me, neither is there breath left in me. "
"'How can someone like me, your servant, possibly talk with someone like you, my lord? As for me, I have no strength left, and hardly any breath in me.'"
Recognising your own limits honestly, especially next to something far greater than yourself, isn't weakness - it's the beginning of real humility, and it's exactly the posture I meet with strength and patience, not impatience.
"Then there came again and touched me one like the appearance of a man, and he strengthened me, "
"Then the one who looked like a man touched me again, and this time strengthened me."
If one moment of comfort or encouragement doesn't fully fix how you're feeling, that's not a failure - sometimes it just takes another touch, another round of support, before real strength returns. Keep receiving help until it actually lands.
"And said, O man greatly beloved, fear not: peace be unto thee, be strong, yea, be strong. And when he had spoken unto me, I was strengthened, and said, Let my lord speak; for thou hast strengthened me. "
"He said, 'You are deeply valued - don't be afraid. Peace to you; be strong, yes, be strong.' As he spoke, I felt strengthened, and said, 'Let my lord speak, since you have strengthened me.'"
Sometimes people - and I include myself - need to say encouragement more than once before it truly lands and does its work. Don't be embarrassed if you need reassurance repeated; you're not being difficult, you're being human.
"Then said he, Knowest thou wherefore I come unto thee? and now will I return to fight with the prince of Persia: and when I am gone forth, lo, the prince of Grecia shall come. "
"Then he said, 'Do you know why I've come to you? Now I must go back to fight against the prince of Persia - and when I leave, the prince of Greece will come.'"
The struggles you face rarely end permanently just because one particular battle is won - new challenges tend to follow. That's not discouraging news, it's simply honest preparation, so you're not blindsided when the next one arrives.
"But I will shew thee that which is noted in the scripture of truth: and there is none that holdeth with me in these things, but Michael your prince. "
"'But first I will tell you what is written in the book of truth - and there is no one who stands with me against these forces, except Michael, your prince.'"
Even in the biggest, most overwhelming struggles, you are not a faceless detail - there is real, specific care assigned to you and your people, not just vague concern lost in the scale of it all. You matter within the whole picture, not despite it.