Daniel 12

1 “At that time [when the end comes, in the final hour] Michael, the great [powerful, majestic] prince [ruler, leader] who stands watch [guards, protects] over your people [nation, Israel], will rise up [stand, appear]. There will be a time [season, period] of distress [trouble, suffering], the likes of which [such as never was] will not have occurred [happened, existed] from the beginning [start, origin] of nations [Gentiles, countries] until that time [moment, hour]. But at that time [when it happens, then] your people—everyone whose name is found written [recorded] in the book [scroll, record]—will be delivered [rescued, saved, escape]. word study 2 And many [a multitude, a great number] who sleep [are resting, are deceased] in the dust [dry earth, clay] of the earth [land, ground] will awake [be roused, arise], some to everlasting [eternal, forever] life [spiritual existence, being alive], but others to shame [reproach, disgrace] and everlasting [perpetual, age-during] contempt [abhorrence, hatred]. word study 3 Then the wise [those who are prudent, circumspect] will shine [to warn or enlighten, like the brightness of the sun] like the brightness [radiance, splendor] of the heavens [the expanse, firmament], and those who lead [turn, justify] many [a multitude, a great number] to righteousness [justification, being made right] will shine [glow, sparkle] like the stars [celestial bodies] forever [for all eternity, perpetually] and ever [always, without end]. word study 4 But you, Daniel [O Daniel, as for you], shut up [close and keep secret] these words and seal [lock and secure] the book until [till, as far as] the time [season, occasion] of the end [conclusion, finality]. Many [a multitude, numerous ones] will roam [run to and fro, travel rapidly] to and fro [back and forth, here and there], and knowledge [understanding, insight] will increase [grow, multiply].” word study 5 Then I, Daniel [the prophet, God’s judge], looked [gazed, beheld] and saw [perceived, understood] two others [additional beings, angels] standing [positioned, established] there, one [a single individual] on this bank [edge, border] of the river [stream, watercourse] and one [another individual] on the opposite [other side, across] bank [edge, border]. word study 6 One of them said to the man [clothed in linen, wearing white] dressed in linen, who was above [higher than, over] the waters [liquid, source of refreshment] of the river [stream, canal], “How long [when, how far] until the fulfillment [end, conclusion] of these wonders [miracles, amazing events]?” word study 7 And the man [clothed in linen] dressed in linen, who was above [higher than, overlooking] the waters of the river, raised his right hand [the right hand or side; the south] and his left hand toward heaven [the spiritual realm, the dwelling place of God], and I heard him swear [make a solemn promise, take an oath] by Him who lives forever [the eternal, self-existent God], saying, “It will be for a time [a period of testing, a season], and times [multiple periods, a series of events], and half a time [a partial period, a limited duration]. When the power [the strength, the authority] of the holy people [the set-apart ones, God’s chosen] has finally been shattered [broken, dispersed], all these things will be completed [finished, brought to an end].” word study 8 I [personally, as an individual] heard [listened attentively, with understanding implied], but I did not [absolutely not, to the point of lacking] understand [discern, comprehend, or grasp the meaning]. So I asked [spoke, inquired, or requested], “My [possessive, indicating a relationship] lord [master, or one having authority], what [an interrogative, seeking information] will be [result in, or come to pass] the outcome [end, or final result] of these [specific, particular] things [events, or circumstances]?” word study 9 “Go on your way, Daniel [leave now, depart],” he replied, “for the words [messages, prophecies] are closed up [shut, stopped] and sealed [locked, hidden] until the time [appointed moment, season] of the end [conclusion, finality]. word study 10 Many [a large number, a multitude] will be purified [to make clean and bright, like polishing metal], made spotless [whitened, refined like silver], and refined [to purify by removing impurities], but the wicked [morally wrong, guilty of sin] will continue to act wickedly [to do evil, to sin against God]. None of the wicked [those who are guilty of crime or sin] will understand [to discern, to know with the mind], but the wise [those who are prudent, circumspect] will understand [to comprehend, to have insight]. word study 11 And from the time [at the point when, from that moment on] the daily sacrifice [continual burnt offering, regular worship] is abolished [taken away, removed] and the abomination [idolatry, disgusting thing] of desolation [devastation, emptiness] set up [established, placed], there will be 1,290 days [a thousand two hundred and ninety days, a specific period of time]. word study 12 Blessed [happy, fortunate] is he who waits [patiently, earnestly] and reaches [touches, attains] the end of the 1,335 [thousand three hundred and thirty-five, a thousand and three hundred and five and thirty] days [a literal 24-hour period, a figurative space of time]. word study 13 But as for you [you personally, as an individual], go on your way [walk, journey, live out your life] until the end [conclusion, finality, extremity]. You will rest [settle down, remain in one place, cease from labor], and will arise [stand, be raised up] to your inheritance [allotted portion, lot, reward] at the end [conclusion, finality] of the days [time, period, era].” word study