American King James Version - AKJV - 1999
Daniel 12
1
And at that time shall Michael stand up, the great prince which stands for the children of your people: and there shall be a time of trouble, such as never was since there was a nation even to that same time: and at that time your people shall be delivered, every one that shall be found written in the book.
Reference
2
And many of them that sleep in the dust of the earth shall awake, some to everlasting life, and some to shame and everlasting contempt.
Reference
Eternal Life
Matthew 25:46
Jeremiah 20:11
Parallel theme
Isaiah 26:19
Ezekiel 37:12
Revelation 20:12
Acts 24:15
1 Thessalonians 4:14
Isaiah 66:24
Hosea 13:14
3
And they that be wise shall shine as the brightness of the firmament; and they that turn many to righteousness as the stars for ever and ever.
Reference
Parallel theme
Daniel 11:33
Daniel 11:35
Hebrews 5:12
John 4:36
John 5:35
Jeremiah 23:22
1 Corinthians 3:10
Righteousness
Matthew 13:43
Proverbs 4:18
Proverbs 11:30
4
But you, O Daniel, shut up the words, and seal the book, even to the time of the end: many shall run to and fro, and knowledge shall be increased.
Reference
5
Then I Daniel looked, and, behold, there stood other two, the one on this side of the bank of the river, and the other on that side of the bank of the river.
6
And one said to the man clothed in linen, which was on the waters of the river, How long shall it be to the end of these wonders?
Reference
7
And I heard the man clothed in linen, which was on the waters of the river, when he held up his right hand and his left hand to heaven, and swore by him that lives for ever that it shall be for a time, times, and an half; and when he shall have accomplished to scatter the power of the holy people, all these things shall be finished.
Reference
8
And I heard, but I understood not: then said I, O my Lord, what shall be the end of these things?
Reference
Parallel theme
Acts 1:7
9
And he said, Go your way, Daniel: for the words are closed up and sealed till the time of the end.
Reference
10
Many shall be purified, and made white, and tried; but the wicked shall do wickedly: and none of the wicked shall understand; but the wise shall understand.
Reference
11
And from the time that the daily sacrifice shall be taken away, and the abomination that makes desolate set up, there shall be a thousand two hundred and ninety days.
Reference
Parallel theme
Matthew 24:15
Mark 13:14
Revelation 11:2
Revelation 13:5
Daniel 7:25
Sacrifice
Daniel 11:31
Daniel 9:27
12
Blessed is he that waits, and comes to the thousand three hundred and five and thirty days.
Reference
Summary of Daniel 12
Daniel 12 brings the book's prophetic visions to their conclusion by describing a final period of extraordinary distress, the protection of God's people, the resurrection of the dead to different eternal destinies, the everlasting reward of those who lead others toward righteousness, and a series of prophetic time periods associated with the final crisis, while Daniel himself is assured that although he does not understand every detail, he will ultimately rest and rise to receive his appointed inheritance.
The chapter opens with Michael, the great heavenly prince associated with Daniel's people, arising during a period of unprecedented trouble.
Although the crisis will be severe, those whose names are written in the book will be delivered, showing that divine protection ultimately extends beyond physical circumstances and reaches into God's final judgment of His people.
The chapter then gives one of the clearest Old Testament descriptions of resurrection, stating that many who sleep in the dust will awaken, with some receiving everlasting life and others experiencing shame and everlasting contempt.
This establishes a final separation between the righteous and the wicked that cannot be reversed after resurrection.
The righteous are then compared with the brightness of the heavens and the stars, particularly those who have helped others understand truth and live according to righteousness.
Their reward is not temporary political success or earthly wealth but enduring glory that continues forever.
Daniel is instructed to seal the words of the revelation until the appointed time, emphasizing that the vision belongs to a future period and that its complete meaning may not be immediately understood.
The heavenly beings then ask how long the final crisis will last, and the answer again uses the expression “a time, times, and half a time,” indicating that the period of suffering has a definite boundary established by God.
Daniel still does not understand the answer completely, and the messenger tells him that the words are sealed until the appointed time.
This is an important conclusion because Daniel is not promised complete knowledge of everything he has seen.
Instead, he is told that God's purposes will unfold according to their proper time.
The chapter then contrasts two groups of people.
The faithful will be purified, cleansed, and refined through the experience of suffering, while the wicked will continue in their rebellion and fail to understand what is happening.
The prophetic numbers of 1,290 days and 1,335 days further emphasize that the period of crisis is measured and limited, although the exact meaning of these numbers remains a subject of considerable interpretation.
The chapter ends not with another frightening vision but with a deeply personal promise to Daniel.
He is told to continue faithfully until the end, rest after his earthly life, and eventually rise to receive his allotted inheritance.
The ending therefore transforms the entire book's message from a question about surviving political upheaval into a promise about ultimate resurrection and eternal reward.
The central message is that Daniel 12 teaches that history is moving toward a final moment when God will decisively intervene, bringing an end to oppression, raising the dead, separating those who receive everlasting life from those who face everlasting shame, and giving lasting honor to those who remain faithful and lead others toward righteousness.
The chapter also assures God's people that suffering has a defined limit even when its duration and meaning are difficult to understand, because God's purposes remain secure throughout the period of testing, and Daniel's final instruction to rest and await his inheritance provides a powerful promise that faithfulness will ultimately be rewarded beyond the boundaries of earthly life.
The chapter opens with Michael, the great heavenly prince associated with Daniel's people, arising during a period of unprecedented trouble.
Although the crisis will be severe, those whose names are written in the book will be delivered, showing that divine protection ultimately extends beyond physical circumstances and reaches into God's final judgment of His people.
The chapter then gives one of the clearest Old Testament descriptions of resurrection, stating that many who sleep in the dust will awaken, with some receiving everlasting life and others experiencing shame and everlasting contempt.
This establishes a final separation between the righteous and the wicked that cannot be reversed after resurrection.
The righteous are then compared with the brightness of the heavens and the stars, particularly those who have helped others understand truth and live according to righteousness.
Their reward is not temporary political success or earthly wealth but enduring glory that continues forever.
Daniel is instructed to seal the words of the revelation until the appointed time, emphasizing that the vision belongs to a future period and that its complete meaning may not be immediately understood.
The heavenly beings then ask how long the final crisis will last, and the answer again uses the expression “a time, times, and half a time,” indicating that the period of suffering has a definite boundary established by God.
Daniel still does not understand the answer completely, and the messenger tells him that the words are sealed until the appointed time.
This is an important conclusion because Daniel is not promised complete knowledge of everything he has seen.
Instead, he is told that God's purposes will unfold according to their proper time.
The chapter then contrasts two groups of people.
The faithful will be purified, cleansed, and refined through the experience of suffering, while the wicked will continue in their rebellion and fail to understand what is happening.
The prophetic numbers of 1,290 days and 1,335 days further emphasize that the period of crisis is measured and limited, although the exact meaning of these numbers remains a subject of considerable interpretation.
The chapter ends not with another frightening vision but with a deeply personal promise to Daniel.
He is told to continue faithfully until the end, rest after his earthly life, and eventually rise to receive his allotted inheritance.
The ending therefore transforms the entire book's message from a question about surviving political upheaval into a promise about ultimate resurrection and eternal reward.
The central message is that Daniel 12 teaches that history is moving toward a final moment when God will decisively intervene, bringing an end to oppression, raising the dead, separating those who receive everlasting life from those who face everlasting shame, and giving lasting honor to those who remain faithful and lead others toward righteousness.
The chapter also assures God's people that suffering has a defined limit even when its duration and meaning are difficult to understand, because God's purposes remain secure throughout the period of testing, and Daniel's final instruction to rest and await his inheritance provides a powerful promise that faithfulness will ultimately be rewarded beyond the boundaries of earthly life.