And I heard the man dressed in linen, who was above the waters of the stream, as he raised his right hand and his left toward heaven, and swore by Him who lives forever that it would be for a time, times, and half a time; and as soon as they finish smashing the power of the holy people, all these events will be completed.
Parallel translations
- WEB I heard the man clothed in linen, who was above the waters of the river, when he held up his right hand and his left hand to heaven, and swore by him who lives forever that it shall be for a time, times, and a half; and when they have finished breaking in pieces the power of the holy people, all these things shall be finished.
- KJV And I heard the man clothed in linen, which was upon the waters of the river, when he held up his right hand and his left hand unto heaven, and sware by him that liveth 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.
- BSB And the man dressed in linen, who was above the waters of the river, raised his right hand and his left hand toward heaven, and I heard him swear by Him who lives forever, saying, “It will be for a time, and times, and half a time. When the power of the holy people has finally been shattered, all these things will be completed.”
- NKJV Then I heard the man clothed in linen, who was above the waters of the river, when he held up his right hand and his left hand to heaven, and swore by Him who lives forever, that it shall be for a time, times, and half a time; and when the power of the holy people has been completely shattered, all these things shall be finished.
- NLT The man dressed in linen, who was standing above the river, raised both his hands toward heaven and took a solemn oath by the One who lives forever, saying, “It will go on for a time, times, and half a time. When the shattering of the holy people has finally come to an end, all these things will have happened.”
Scripture taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
Scripture quotations taken from the (NASB®) New American Standard Bible®, Copyright © 1960, 1971, 1977, 1995, 2020 by The Lockman Foundation. Used by permission. All rights reserved. lockman.org
Scripture quotations are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.
Quick answer
The angelic man swears by the eternal God that the appointed period of distress will last 'a time, times, and half a time,' after which the shattering of God's people will be complete and all things finished.
Overview
Responding to the question of 'how long?' (v. 6), the man clothed in linen lifts both hands and swears by the One who lives forever, underscoring the certainty of God's plan. The phrase 'time, times, and a half' (echoing 7:25) marks a limited, divinely-bounded season of tribulation for the holy people, after which God's purposes are accomplished. Christians read this as assurance that even the worst persecution is measured and sovereignly ended, a hope ultimately secured in Christ who triumphs over every power arrayed against His people.
Cross-references & the web
Cross-references · 22
- Dan 7:25He shall speak words against the Most High, and shall wear out the saints of the Most High; and he shall think to change the times and the law; and they shall be given into his hand until a time and times and half a time.
- Rev 12:14Two wings of the great eagle were given to the woman, that she might fly into the wilderness to her place, so that she might be nourished for a time, and times, and half a time, from the face of the serpent.
- Dan 8:24His power shall be mighty, but not by his own power; and he shall destroy wonderfully, and shall prosper in what he does; and he shall destroy the mighty ones and the holy people.
- Rev 10:5–7The angel whom I saw standing on the sea and on the land lifted up his right hand to the sky,
- Rev 13:5A mouth speaking great things and blasphemy was given to him. Authority to make war for forty-two months was given to him.
- Rev 12:6The woman fled into the wilderness, where she has a place prepared by God, that there they may nourish her one thousand two hundred sixty days.
- Rev 11:2–3Leave out the court which is outside of the temple, and don’t measure it, for it has been given to the nations. They will tread the holy city under foot for forty-two months.
- Jer 4:2and you shall swear, ‘As Yahweh lives,’ in truth, in justice, and in righteousness. The nations shall bless themselves in him, and in him shall they glory.”
- Dan 4:34At the end of the days I, Nebuchadnezzar, lifted up my eyes to heaven, and my understanding returned to me, and I blessed the Most High, and I praised and honored him who lives forever; for his dominion is an everlasting dominion, and his kingdom from generation to generation.
- Luke 21:24They will fall by the edge of the sword, and will be led captive into all the nations. Jerusalem will be trampled down by the Gentiles, until the times of the Gentiles are fulfilled.
- Deut 7:6For you are a holy people to Yahweh your God. Yahweh your God has chosen you to be a people for his own possession, above all peoples who are on the face of the earth.
- Deut 26:19He will make you high above all nations that he has made, in praise, in name, and in honor; and that you may be a holy people to Yahweh your God, as he has spoken.
- 1 Pet 2:9But you are a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people for God’s own possession, that you may proclaim the excellence of him who called you out of darkness into his marvelous light:
- Isa 62:12They will call them The holy people, Yahweh’s redeemed. You will be called Sought out, A city not forsaken.
- Rev 11:7–15When they have finished their testimony, the beast that comes up out of the abyss will make war with them, and overcome them, and kill them.
- Deut 32:40For I lift up my hand to heaven and declare, as I live forever,
- Dan 8:14He said to me, To two thousand and three hundred evenings and mornings; then shall the sanctuary be cleansed.
- Dan 11:13The king of the north shall return, and shall send out a multitude greater than the former; and he shall come on at the end of the times, even of years, with a great army and with much substance.
- Dan 12:6One said to the man clothed in linen, who was above the waters of the river, How long shall it be to the end of these wonders?
- Luke 21:14Settle it therefore in your hearts not to meditate beforehand how to answer,
- Job 27:2“As God lives, who has taken away my right, the Almighty, who has made my soul bitter
- Dan 12:11–12From the time that the continual burnt offering shall be taken away, and the abomination that makes desolate set up, there shall be one thousand two hundred ninety days.
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Christ at the center
Daniel sees the stone cut without hands that shatters the kingdoms, and 'one like a son of man' given everlasting dominion — titles and visions Jesus claims as his own.
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Original language
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