And I heard, but I understood not: then said I, O my Lord, what shall be the end of these things?
Parallel translations
- WEB I heard, but I didn’t understand: then I said, my lord, what shall be the issue of these things?
- BSB I heard, but I did not understand. So I asked, “My lord, what will be the outcome of these things?”
- NKJV Although I heard, I did not understand. Then I said, “My lord, what shall be the end of these things?”
- NASB But as for me, I heard but did not understand; so I said, “My lord, what will be the outcome of these events?”
- NLT I heard what he said, but I did not understand what he meant. So I asked, “How will all this finally end, my lord?”
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
Daniel hears the answer but does not understand it, so he humbly asks what the outcome of these things will be.
Overview
Daniel models honest, reverent inquiry: he confesses his lack of comprehension rather than pretending to grasp the vision fully. His question about 'the issue' (the final outcome) shows a longing to understand God's ends, not idle curiosity. The episode reminds believers that even faithful saints receive partial revelation now, and that full understanding belongs to God's appointed time.
Cross-references & the web
Cross-references · 6
- Acts 1:7And he said unto them, It is not for you to know the times or the seasons, which the Father hath put in his own power.
- Dan 10:14Now I am come to make thee understand what shall befall thy people in the latter days: for yet the vision is for many days.
- Dan 12:6And one said to the man clothed in linen, which was upon the waters of the river, How long shall it be to the end of these wonders?
- Luke 18:34And they understood none of these things: and this saying was hid from them, neither knew they the things which were spoken.
- 1 Pet 1:11Searching what, or what manner of time the Spirit of Christ which was in them did signify, when it testified beforehand the sufferings of Christ, and the glory that should follow.
- John 12:16These things understood not his disciples at the first: but when Jesus was glorified, then remembered they that these things were written of him, and that they had done these things unto him.
Themes, concepts, people & topics
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Hebrew/Greek interlinear, word definitions, and cross-references for this verse.
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.
How Daniel 12:8 points to him is part of the one story that runs through all Scripture — meet Jesus at the heart of the web, or follow a trail that traces him from Genesis to Revelation.
Original language
Each word below is tagged with its Strong’s number — tap one to see the underlying Hebrew word, its meaning, and every verse that uses it.