Daniel 8:1-9:27
    After this first vision, I, Daniel, had another, in the third year of the reign of King Belshazzar. [2] In my vision I saw myself in the fortress of Susa in the province of Elam; I was beside the river Ulai. [3] I looked up and saw standing by the river a ram with two great horns, the one larger and newer than the other. [4] I saw the ram butting toward the west, north, and south. No beast could withstand it or be rescued from its power; it did what it pleased and became very powerful.
    [5] As I was reflecting, a he-goat with a prominent horn on its forehead suddenly came from the west across the whole earth without touching the ground. [6] It approached the two-horned ram I had seen standing by the river, and rushed toward it with savage force. [7] I saw it attack the ram with furious blows when they met, and break both its horns. It threw the ram, which had not the force to withstand it, to the ground, and trampled upon it; and no one could rescue it from its power.
    [8] The he-goat became very powerful, but at the height of its power the great horn was shattered, and in its place came up four others, facing the four winds of heaven. [9] Out of one of them came a little horn which kept growing toward the south, the east, and the glorious country. [10] Its power extended to the host of heaven, so that it cast down to earth some of the host and some of the stars and trampled on them. [11] It boasted even against the prince of the host, from whom it removed the daily sacrifice, and whose sanctuary it cast down, [12] as well as the host, while sin replaced the daily sacrifice. It cast truth to the ground, and was succeeding in its undertaking.
    [13] I heard a holy one speaking, and another said to whichever one it was that spoke, "How long shall the events of this vision last concerning the daily sacrifice, the desolating sin which is placed there, the sanctuary, and the trampled host?" [14] He answered him, "For two thousand three hundred evenings and mornings; then the sanctuary shall be purified."
    [15] While I, Daniel, sought the meaning of the vision I had seen, a manlike figure stood before me, [16] and on the Ulai I heard a human voice that cried out, "Gabriel, explain the vision to this man." [17] When he came near where I was standing, I fell prostrate in terror. But he said to me, "Understand, son of man, that the vision refers to the end time." [18] As he spoke to me, I fell forward in a faint; he touched me and made me stand up. [19] "I will show you," he said, "what is to happen later in the period of wrath; for at the appointed time, there will be an end.
    [20] "The two-horned ram you saw represents the kings of the Medes and Persians. [21] The he-goat is the king of the Greeks, and the great horn on its forehead is the first king. [22] The four that rose in its place when it was broken are four kingdoms that will issue from his nation, but without his strength.
    [23] "After their reign,
        when sinners have reached their measure,
    There shall arise a king, impudent
        and skilled in intrigue.
    [24] He shall be strong and powerful,
        bring about fearful ruin,
        and succeed in his undertaking.
    He shall destroy powerful peoples;
        [25] his cunning shall be against the holy ones,
        his treacherous conduct shall succeed.
    He shall be proud of heart
        and destroy many by stealth.
    But when he rises against the prince of princes,
        he shall be broken without a hand being raised.
    [26] The vision of the evenings and the mornings
        is true, as spoken;
    Do you, however, keep this vision undisclosed,
        because the days are to be many."
    [27] I, Daniel, was weak and ill for some days; then I arose and took care of the king's affairs. But I was appalled at the vision, which I could not understand.

    9:1 It was the first year that Darius, son of Ahasuerus, of the race of the Medes, reigned over the kingdom of the Chaldeans; [2] in the first year of his reign I, Daniel, tried to understand in the Scriptures the counting of the years of which the LORD spoke to the prophet Jeremiah: that for the ruins of Jerusalem seventy years must be fulfilled.
    [3] I turned to the Lord God, pleading in earnest prayer, with fasting, sackcloth, and ashes. [4] I prayed to the LORD, my God, and confessed, "Ah, Lord, great and awesome God, you who keep your merciful covenant toward those who love you and observe your commandments! [5] We have sinned, been wicked and done evil; we have rebelled and departed from your commandments and your laws. [6] We have not obeyed your servants the prophets, who spoke in your name to our kings, our princes, our fathers, and all the people of the land. [7] Justice, O Lord, is on your side; we are shamefaced even to this day: the men of Judah, the residents of Jerusalem, and all Israel, near and far, in all the countries to which you have scattered them because of their treachery toward you. [8] O LORD, we are shamefaced, like our kings, our princes, and our fathers, for having sinned against you. [9] But yours, O Lord, our God, are compassion and forgiveness! Yet we rebelled against you [10] and paid no heed to your command, O LORD, our God, to live by the law you gave us through your servants the prophets. [11] Because all Israel transgressed your law and went astray, not heeding your voice, the sworn malediction, recorded in the law of Moses, the servant of God, was poured out over us for our sins. [12] You carried out the threats you spoke against us and against those who governed us, by bringing upon us in Jerusalem the greatest calamity that has ever occurred under heaven. [13] As it is written in the law of Moses, this calamity came full upon us. As we did not appease the LORD, our God, by turning back from our wickedness and recognizing his constancy, [14] so the LORD kept watch over the calamity and brought it upon us. You, O LORD, our God, are just in all that you have done, for we did not listen to your voice.
    [15]  "Now, O Lord, our God, who led your people out of the land of Egypt with a strong hand, and made a name for yourself even to this day, we have sinned, we are guilty. [16] O Lord, in keeping with all your just deeds, let your anger and your wrath be turned away from your city Jerusalem, your holy mountain. On account of our sins and the crimes of our fathers, Jerusalem and your people have become the reproach of all our neighbors. [17] Hear, therefore, O God, the prayer and petition of your servant; and for your own sake, O Lord, let your face shine upon your desolate sanctuary. [18] Give ear, O my God, and listen; open your eyes and see our ruins and the city which bears your name. When we present our petition before you, we rely not on our just deeds, but on your great mercy. [19] O Lord, hear! O Lord, pardon! O Lord, be attentive and act without delay, for your own sake, O my God, because this city and your people bear your name!"
    [20] I was still occupied with my prayer, confessing my sin and the sin of my people Israel, presenting my petition to the LORD, my God, on behalf of his holy mountain-- [21] I was still occupied with this prayer, when Gabriel, the one whom I had seen before in vision, came to me in rapid flight at the time of the evening sacrifice. [22] He instructed me in these words: "Daniel, I have now come to give you understanding. [23] When you began your petition, an answer was given which I have come to announce, because you are beloved. Therefore, mark the answer and understand the vision.
    [24] "Seventy weeks are decreed
        for your people and for your holy city:
    Then transgression will stop and sin will end,
        guilt will be expiated,
    Everlasting justice will be introduced,
        vision and prophecy ratified,
        and a most holy will be anointed.
        [25] Know and understand this:
    From the utterance of the word
        that Jerusalem was to be rebuilt
    Until one who is anointed and a leader,
        there shall be seven weeks.
    During sixty-two weeks
        it shall be rebuilt,
    With streets and trenches,
        in time of affliction.
    [26] After the sixty-two weeks
        an anointed shall be cut down
        when he does not possess the city;
    And the people of a leader who will come
        shall destroy the sanctuary.
    Then the end shall come like a torrent;
        until the end there shall be war,
        the desolation that is decreed.
    [27] For one week he shall make
        a firm compact with the many;
    Half the week
        he shall abolish sacrifice and oblation;
    On the temple wing shall be the horrible abomination
        until the ruin that is decreed
        is poured out upon the horror."

Luke 1:1-80