12. Then he continued, ‘Do not be afraid, Daniel. Since the first day that you set your mind to gain understanding and to humble yourself before your God, your words were heard, and I have come in response to them.
13. But the prince of the Persian kingdom resisted me twenty-one days. Then Michael, one of the chief princes, came to help me, because I was detained there with the king of Persia.
14. Now I have come to explain to you what will happen to your people in the future, for the vision concerns a time yet to come.’
15. While he was saying this to me, I bowed with my face towards the ground and was speechless.
16. Then one who looked like a man touched my lips, and I opened my mouth and began to speak. I said to the one standing before me, ‘I am overcome with anguish because of the vision, my lord, and I feel very weak.
17. How can I, your servant, talk with you, my lord? My strength is gone and I can hardly breathe.’