Opening the library…

Search the Bible

Dialogue with Trypho

Justin Martyr

Chapter 31

About this work

A literary dialogue in which Justin recounts his conversion to Christianity and debates Scripture, covenant, messianic prophecy, law, and the identity of God’s people with a Jewish interlocutor.

Author: Justin Martyr
Date: Mid-2nd century
Origin: Rome
Genre: Dialogue

Chapter XXXI.—If Christ’s power be now so great, how much greater at the second advent!

“But if so great a power is shown

‹ Chapter 30 Chapter 32 ›

to

have

followed

and

to

be

still

following

the

dispensation

of

His

suffering

,

how

great

shall

that

be

which

shall

follow

His

glorious

advent

!

For

He

shall

come

on

the

clouds

as

the

Son

of

man

,

so

Daniel

foretold

,

and

His

angels

shall

come

with

Him

.

These

are

the

words

:

‘

I

beheld

till

the

thrones

were

set

;

and

the

Ancient

of

days

did

sit

,

whose

garment

was

white

as

snow

,

and

the

hair

of

His

head

like

the

pure

wool

.

His

throne

was

like

a

fiery

flame

,

His

wheels

as

burning

fire

.

A

fiery

stream

issued

and

came

forth

from

before

Him

.

Thousand

thousands

ministered

unto

Him

,

and

ten

thousand

times

ten

thousand

stood

before

Him

.

The

books

were

opened

,

and

the

judgment

was

set

.

I

beheld

then

the

voice

of

the

great

words

which

the

horn

speaks

:

and

the

beast

was

beat

down

,

and

his

body

destroyed

,

and

given

to

the

burning

flame

.

And

the

rest

of

the

beasts

were

taken

away

from

their

dominion

,

and

a

period

of

life

was

given

to

the

beasts

until

a

season

and

time

.

I

saw

in

the

vision

of

the

night

,

and

,

behold

,

one

like

the

Son

of

man

coming

with

the

clouds

of

heaven

;

and

He

came

to

the

Ancient

of

days

,

and

stood

before

Him

.

And

they

who

stood

by

brought

Him

near

;

and

there

were

given

Him

power

and

kingly

honour

,

and

all

nations

of

the

earth

by

their

families

,

and

all

glory

,

serve

Him

.

And

His

dominion

is

an

everlasting

dominion

,

which

shall

not

be

taken

away

;

and

His

kingdom

shall

not

be

destroyed

.

And

my

spirit

was

chilled

within

my

frame

,

and

the

visions

of

my

head

troubled

me

.

I

came

near

unto

one

of

them

that

stood

by

,

and

inquired

the

precise

meaning

of

all

these

things

.

In

answer

he

speaks

to

me

,

and

showed

me

the

judgment

of

the

matters

:

These

great

beasts

are

four

kingdoms

,

which

shall

perish

from

the

earth

,

and

shall

not

receive

dominion

for

ever

,

even

for

ever

and

ever

.

Then

I

wished

to

know

exactly

about

the

fourth

beast

,

which

destroyed

all

[

the

others

]

and

was

very

terrible

,

its

teeth

of

iron

,

and

its

nails

of

brass

;

which

devoured

,

made

waste

,

and

stamped

the

residue

with

its

feet

:

also

about

the

ten

horns

upon

its

head

,

and

of

the

one

which

came

up

,

by

means

of

which

three

of

the

former

fell

.

And

that

horn

had

eyes

,

and

a

mouth

speaking

great

things

;

and

its

countenance

excelled

the

rest

.

And

I

beheld

that

horn

waging

war

against

the

saints

,

and

prevailing

against

them

,

until

the

Ancient

of

days

came

;

and

He

gave

judgment

for

the

saints

of

the

Most

High

.

And

the

time

came

,

and

the

saints

of

the

Most

High

possessed

the

kingdom

.

And

it

was

told

me

concerning

the

fourth

beast

:

There

shall

be

a

fourth

kingdom

upon

earth

,

which

shall

prevail

over

all

these

kingdoms

,

and

shall

devour

the

whole

earth

,

and

shall

destroy

and

make

it

thoroughly

waste

.

And

the

ten

horns

are

ten

kings

that

shall

arise

;

and

one

shall

arise

after

them

;

and

he

shall

surpass

the

first

in

evil

deeds

,

and

he

shall

subdue

three

kings

,

and

he

shall

speak

words

against

the

Most

High

,

and

shall

overthrow

the

rest

of

the

saints

of

the

Most

High

,

and

shall

expect

to

change

the

seasons

and

the

times

.

And

it

shall

be

delivered

into

his

hands

for

a

time

,

and

times

,

and

half

a

time

.

And

the

judgment

sat

,

and

they

shall

take

away

his

dominion

,

to

consume

and

to

destroy

it

unto

the

end

.

And

the

kingdom

,

and

the

power

,

and

the

great

places

of

the

kingdoms

under

the

heavens

,

were

given

to

the

holy

people

of

the

Most

High

,

to

reign

in

an

everlasting

kingdom

:

and

all

powers

shall

be

subject

to

Him

,

and

shall

obey

Him

.

Hitherto

is

the

end

of

the

matter

.

I

,

Daniel

,

was

possessed

with

a

very

great

astonishment

,

and

my

speech

was

changed

in

me

;

yet

I

kept

the

matter

in

my

heart

.

’

“

Notes

80
Literally, “And the ten horns, ten kings shall arise after them.”
81
Dan. vii. 9–28.