Lectionary Calendar
Tuesday, April 7th, 2026
Tuesday in Easter Week
Attention!
Take your personal ministry to the Next Level by helping StudyLight build churches and supporting pastors in Uganda.
Click here to join the effort!

Read the Bible

World English Bible

Daniel 12:8

I heard, but I didn't understand: then said I, my lord, what shall be the issue of these things?

Bible Study Resources

Concordances:

- Nave's Topical Bible - Church;   Curiosity;   The Topic Concordance - Abomination;   Last Days;  

Dictionaries:

- Bridgeway Bible Dictionary - Apocalyptic literature;   Baker Evangelical Dictionary of Biblical Theology - Understanding;   Fausset Bible Dictionary - Book;   Prophet;   Holman Bible Dictionary - Daniel, Book of;   Hastings' Dictionary of the Bible - Apocrypha;   Brook;   Magi;   Thessalonians, Second Epistle to the;   People's Dictionary of the Bible - Kingdom of christ of heaven;   Kingdom of god;   Kingdom of heaven;   Watson's Biblical & Theological Dictionary - Inspiration;  

Encyclopedias:

- Condensed Biblical Cyclopedia - Babylonish Captivity, the;   International Standard Bible Encyclopedia - Bel and the Dragon (2);   Daniel, Book of;   End;  

Parallel Translations

Christian Standard Bible®
I heard but did not understand. So I asked, “My lord, what will be the outcome of these things?”
Hebrew Names Version
I heard, but I didn't understand: then said I, my lord, what shall be the issue of these things?
King James Version
And I heard, but I understood not: then said I, O my Lord, what shall be the end of these things?
English Standard Version
I heard, but I did not understand. Then I said, "O my lord, what shall be the outcome of these things?"
New American Standard Bible
But as for me, I heard but did not understand; so I said, "My lord, what will be the outcome of these events?"
New Century Version
I heard the answer, but I did not really understand, so I asked, "Master, what will happen after all these things come true?"
Amplified Bible
As for me, I heard, but I did not understand; so I said, "My lord, what will be the outcome of these things?"
Geneva Bible (1587)
The I heard it, but I vnderstood it not: the said I, O my Lord, what shalbe ye end of these things?
New American Standard Bible (1995)
As for me, I heard but could not understand; so I said, "My lord, what will be the outcome of these events?"
Berean Standard Bible
I heard, but I did not understand. So I asked, "My lord, what will be the outcome of these things?"
Contemporary English Version
I heard what the angel said, but I didn't understand. So I asked, "Sir, how will it all end?" The angel in my vision then replied:
Complete Jewish Bible
I heard this, but I couldn't understand what it meant; so I asked, "Lord, what will be the outcome of all this?"
Darby Translation
And I heard, but I understood not. And I said, My lord, what shall be the end of these things?
Easy-to-Read Version
I heard the answer, but I really didn't understand. So I asked, "Sir, what will happen after all this comes true?"
George Lamsa Translation
And I, Daniel, heard something, but I did not understand; then I said, O my lord, what shall come after these things?
Good News Translation
I heard what he said, but I did not understand it. So I asked, "But, sir, how will it all end?"
Lexham English Bible
Now I myself heard, but I did not understand, and I said, "My lord, what will be the outcome of these things?"
Literal Translation
And I heard, but I did not understand. And I said, O my lord, what shall be the end of these things ?
Miles Coverdale Bible (1535)
I herde it well, but I vnderstode it not. Then sayde I: O my lorde, what shal happen after that?
American Standard Version
And I heard, but I understood not: then said I, O my lord, what shall be the issue of these things?
Bible in Basic English
And the words came to my ears, but the sense of them was not clear to me: then I said, O my lord, what is the sense of these things?
JPS Old Testament (1917)
And I heard, but I understood not; then said I: 'O my Lord, what shall be the latter end of these things?'
King James Version (1611)
And I heard, but I vnderstood not: then said I, O my Lord, what shalbe the end of these things?
Bishop's Bible (1568)
Then I hearde it, but I vnderstoode it not: then sayde I, O my Lord, what shall be the ende of these thinges?
Brenton's Septuagint (LXX)
And I heard, but I understood not: and I said, O Lord, what will be the end of these things?
English Revised Version
And I heard, but I understood not: then said I, O my lord, what shall be the issue of these things?
Wycliffe Bible (1395)
And Y herde, and vndurstood not; and Y seide, My lord, what schal be aftir these thingis?
Update Bible Version
And I heard, but I didn't understand: then I said, O my lord, what shall be the issue of these things?
Webster's Bible Translation
And I heard, but I understood not: then said I, O my Lord, what [shall be] the end of these [things]?
New English Translation
I heard, but I did not understand. So I said, "Sir, what will happen after these things?"
New King James Version
Although I heard, I did not understand. Then I said, "My lord, what shall be the end of these things?"
New Living Translation
I heard what he said, but I did not understand what he meant. So I asked, "How will all this finally end, my lord?"
New Life Bible
I heard, but I did not understand. So I said, "My lord, how will it all end?"
New Revised Standard
I heard but could not understand; so I said, "My lord, what shall be the outcome of these things?"
J.B. Rotherham Emphasized Bible
And, I, heard, but could not understand, - so I said, O my lord! what shall be the issue of these things?
Douay-Rheims Bible
And I heard, and understood not. And I said: O my lord, what shall be after these things?
Revised Standard Version
I heard, but I did not understand. Then I said, "O my lord, what shall be the issue of these things?"
Young's Literal Translation
And I have heard, and I do not understand, and I say, `O my lord, what [is] the latter end of these?'
THE MESSAGE
"I heard all this plainly enough, but I didn't understand it. So I asked, ‘Master, can you explain this to me?'

Contextual Overview

5 Then I, Daniel, looked, and, behold, there stood other two, the one on the brink of the river on this side, and the other on the brink of the river on that side. 6 One 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? 7 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 made an end of breaking in pieces the power of the holy people, all these things shall be finished. 8 I heard, but I didn't understand: then said I, my lord, what shall be the issue of these things? 9 He said, Go your way, Daniel; for the words are shut up and sealed until the time of the end. 10 Many shall purify themselves, and make themselves white, and be refined; but the wicked shall do wickedly; and none of the wicked shall understand; but those who are wise shall understand. 11 From 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. 12 Blessed is he who waits, and comes to the one thousand three hundred thirty-five days. 13 But go you your way until the end be; for you shall rest, and shall stand in your lot, at the end of the days.

Bible Verse Review
  from Treasury of Scripure Knowledge

but: Luke 18:34, John 12:16, Acts 1:7, 1 Peter 1:11

what: Daniel 12:6, Daniel 10:14

Reciprocal: Isaiah 48:6 - showed Daniel 8:15 - sought Daniel 8:19 - the last Daniel 10:16 - my Lord Zechariah 4:4 - What Mark 13:4 - General Luke 21:7 - when John 13:7 - What Revelation 5:4 - because Revelation 17:9 - here

Cross-References

Genesis 4:26
There was also born a son to Seth, and he named him Enosh. Then men began to call on Yahweh's name.
Genesis 12:12
It will happen, when the Egyptians will see you, that they will say, 'This is his wife.' They will kill me, but they will save you alive.
Genesis 12:14
It happened that when Abram had come into Egypt, the Egyptians saw that the woman was very beautiful.
Genesis 12:15
The princes of Pharaoh saw her, and praised her to Pharaoh; and the woman was taken into Pharaoh's house.
Genesis 12:16
He dealt well with Abram for her sake. He had sheep, and oxen, and he-asses, and men-servants, and maid-servants, and she-asses, and camels.
Genesis 13:4
to the place of the altar, which he had made there at the first. There Abram called on the name of Yahweh.
Genesis 21:33
Abraham planted a tamarisk tree in Beersheba, and called there on the name of Yahweh, the Everlasting God.
Genesis 28:19
He called the name of that place Bethel, but the name of the city was Luz at the first.
Genesis 35:3
Let us arise, and go up to Bethel. I will make there an altar to God, who answered me in the day of my distress, and was with me in the way which I went."
Joshua 7:2
Joshua sent men from Jericho to Ai, which is beside Beth-aven, on the east side of Bethel, and spoke to them, saying, Go up and spy out the land. The men went up and spied out Ai.

Gill's Notes on the Bible

And I heard, but understood not,.... Daniel heard what Christ said, in answer to the angel, but he did not understand the meaning of it, which he ingenuously confesses; he did not understand what was meant by "time", and "times", and "half a time"; what kind of time this was, and when and how it would end, and which he was very desirous of knowing:

then said I, O my Lord, what shall be the end of these things? he applied not to the angel that put the above question, but to the man clothed with linen; to Christ, whom he perceived to be a divine Person, a Person of dominion, power, and authority, superior to angels, and his Lord and God; and who only could resolve the question he puts, which is somewhat different from that of the angel's, Daniel 12:6, that respects the length of time, to the accomplishment of these things; this the quality at the end of them, what kind of end they should have; or what the signs, symptoms, and evidences of the end of them, by which the true end of them might be known. Mr. Mede renders it, "what are these latter times?" perhaps it might be rendered better, "what is the last of these things?" o what is the last thing that will be done, that so it may be known when all is over?

o מה אחרית אלה "quid erit novissimum horum?" Munster; "postremum horum?" Calvin.

Barnes' Notes on the Bible

And I heard, but I understood not - He understood not the full significance of the language employed - “a time, and times, and an half.” This would make it probable that there was something more intended than merely three years and a half as the period of the continuation of these troubles. Daniel saw, apparently from the manner of the angel, as well as from the terms which he used, that there was something mystical and unusual in those terms, and he says, therefore, that he could not understand their full import.

Then said I, O my Lord - A term of civil address. The language is such as would be used by an inferior when respectfully addressing one of superior rank. It is not a term that is peculiarly appropriate to God, or that implies a Divine nature, but is here given to the angel as an appellation of respect, or as denoting one of superior rank.

What shall be the end of these things? - Indicating great anxiety to know what was to be the termination of these wonders. The “end” had been often referred to in the communication of the angel, and now he had used an enigmatical expression as referring to it, and Daniel asks, with great emphasis, when the end was to be.

Clarke's Notes on the Bible

Verse Daniel 12:8. I heard, but I understand not — Could not comprehend what the time, times, and half time should refer to. These make three years and a half of prophetic time, answering to one thousand two hundred and sixty years.


 
adsfree-icon
Ads FreeProfile