Book 4
Concerning the visions of the prophet Daniel1
Chapter 11
1. And so as many of you all who reverently draw near to God, observe the person3 who long ago was shown to the people by Moses and was manifested on the mountain and was proclaimed by the prophets and was seen as a man by the blessed Daniel, concerning whom he says, “I was looking into the vision of the night, and behold, one was coming like a son of man with the clouds of heaven, and he reached the Ancient of Days and was brought near to him and to him was given power and honor and the kingdom and all peoples, tribes, and tongues served him. His authority is an eternal authority, which shall not pass away and his kingdom shall not be destroyed.”4
2. And so he does not speak of another Ancient of Days, but indeed the Lord and God and Master of all, the Father of even Christ himself, who is the Ancient of Days5, he who does not grow old under time or days, concerning whom was spoken above, “Thrones were set and the Ancient of Days sat and his clothes were white as snow and the hair of his head was as pure wool. His throne was a flame of fire, its1 wheels blazing fire. A river of fire gushed2 from before it. A thousand thousands attended him and myriad myriads stood before him.”3
3. The Son of Man was brought to him, being borne by a cloud and being carried by archangels, so that he may receive from him every rule and authority and power and kingdom, so that all peoples, tribes, and tongues may serve him.
4. And so that one may not understand that his kingdom, which was given to him by the Father, was
temporary or earthly, the prophet says, “His authority is an eternal authority, which shall not pass away and his kingdom shall not be destroyed.”4
5. And so the Father, having subjected all things to his own Son, the things in the heavens and the things of the earth and the things under the earth, through all of them he exhibited him as being firstborn in all things, firstborn from God so that the Son of God, being second after the Father5, may be displayed, firstborn before angels, so that also he may be shown as Lord of angels, firstborn from a virgin, so that he may be shown as reforming first-formed Adam in himself, firstborn also from the dead so that he himself may be the first fruits of our resurrection.
3 Or: things
4 Daniel 7:13-14
5 τὸν παλαιοῦντα τὰς ἡµέρας
1 Or: his
2 Lit: derived
3 Daniel 7:9-10
4 Daniel 7:14
5 ἵνα δεύτερος µετὰ τὸν πατέρα υἱὸς θεοῦ ὢν
Chapter 12
1. And so since all the prophets and apostles testify to this, but because the lawless disobey him and blaspheme and set at nothing what has been spoken and persecute and oppress his slaves, and because they do not expect these things1 which will be, let us ourselves see1 what will be, we who believe in the Word of truth and who are led by his Word to eternal life, who are taught by the prophets and who by the Spirit are illuminated, so that we, becoming wise through his grace, may observe the ancient things which were proclaimed and in due time happened and will happen. Holding before our eyes the judgment of God, we guard ourselves from all evil so that we may flee from the eternal fire and incessant punishment.
2. For if even now these things do not come upon us because the times are not yet fulfilled, it is still necessary to pray that we not be found in such times in which these things shall happen, lest one, having become weak from the great persecution which comes to the world, should fall from eternal life.
3. For it is needful to observe what the prophet says, “And I precisely sought concerning the fourth beast, because he was different than every other beast, and was exceedingly fearful. His iron teeth and his bronze claws were eating and grinding and he tramples the remainder with his feet and concerning his ten horns which were on his head and concerning the other which arose and rooted out three former2 horns, the eyes and the mouth of whom were speaking great things and his appearance was greater than the rest. I was watching and that horn made war with the saints and prevailed upon them, until the Ancient of Days came and gave judgment to the saints of the Most High, and the season arrived and the saints possessed the kingdom.”3
4. And so we already arrived at this point and said that it is clear that this is the fourth kingdom, from which no other greater kingdom or even such a kingdom like it has arisen on the earth, from which ten horns are about to spring forth. For it will be divided into ten kingdoms1 and in them another small horn shall arise, which is that of the Antichrist and he shall root out three who were before him, that is he shall destroy the three kings of Egypt and of the Libyans and of the Ethiopians, wishing to possess for himself every kingdom.
5. Who having mastered the remaining seven horns, he rules the remainder, having in himself been endowed under an unnatural2 and evil spirit to rouse war against the saints and to persecute all of them everywhere, wishing to be glorified and to be worshipped as God by all.
6. Just as also Ezekiel says concerning him, “Against whom your heart was lifted up and you have said ‘I am God’”3 and again “Will you,4 while speaking to those whom are killing you, say ‘I am a God’? You are a man and not God.”5
7. And Isaiah says similarly, “But you say in your mind, ‘I will ascend to heaven, I will set my throne upon the clouds of heaven, I will encamp on the holy mountain, I will be like the Most High.’”6
1 Or: attend to
2 Or: before, foremost
3 Daniel 7:19-22
1 Lit: diadems
2 Or: hostile
3 Ezekiel 28:2
4 Lit: Do you not
5 Ezekiel 28:9
6 Isaiah 14:13-14
Chapter 13
1. And so if one wishes to meticulously discuss concerning him, these things are more clearly exhibited in another book, so that we may not be about to compose an account concerning him a second time.
2. But now let us speak of what lies ahead concerning the beast which now is instituted7.
3. For Daniel speaks in this way, “And the angel told me that the fourth beast shall be a fourth kingdom upon the earth which prevails over all the kingdoms and devours all the earth and tramples it and breaks it into pieces. And his ten horns shall arise as ten kings and after them another shall arise who shall surpass all others who were before in wickedness and shall speak words against the Most High and shall deceive the saints of the Most High and shall suppose to change times and law and it shall be given in his hand for a time and times and half a time. And judgment sat and they shall remove the dominion to abolish it and to destroy completely1, and the kingdom and the authority and the greatness of the kings, which are under all of heaven, was given to the saints of the Most High, and his kingdom is an eternal kingdom and all chiefs shall slave to him and obey him. This is the end of the account.”2
7 Or: established
1 Lit: unto the end
2 Daniel 7:23-28
Chapter 14
1. And so when the prophet, wishing to persuade us according to all things and to examine the truth of what was seen by him, he inquired from one of the angels who stood near, that he himself also may be more precisely taught concerning the fourth beast, for he says, “I sought more precisely concerning it because he was fearful and terrible.”3 And so the angel teaching him, but rather persuading us also through him to believe in what was rightly seen by him, he described to him all which was about to happen in the end, both the division of the fourth beast into the ten horns which arose from it, and the manifestation of the Antichrist in them and his war against the saints and his time, which is about to commence4.
2. For he says, “It was given into his hand for time and times and half a time,”5 which signals three-and-a-half years, and after these things the coming judgment6, for he says, “thrones were set and the judgment sat and the kingdom was given to the saints of the Most High, but the body of the beast was given to the burning of fire.”1
3. For, “the time approached,”2 that is, all at once the time was fulfilled and the saints possessed the kingdom, when the Judge of judges and the King of kings in the future comes from heaven, who shall remove every chief and power which opposes him and shall consume all in an eternal fire, punishing the unrighteous, but he shall give to his slaves both prophets and martyrs and to all who fear him the eternal kingdom.
4. As the prophet says, “This is the end of the account. I, Daniel, my thoughts greatly troubling me, and my form was changed and I kept the matter in my heart.”3
3 Daniel 7:19
4 Lit: prevail
5 Daniel 7:25
6 Lit: the judgment which shall be
1 Daniel 7:9-11, 26-27 mixture of quotes
2 Daniel 7:22
3 Daniel 7:27-28
Chapter 15
1. And so it is necessary for every man who reads the godly writings to imitatate the prophet Daniel and not to be rash and heedless, seeking a time before the due time and desiring to see the fruit of the fig, but to hold with fear the mystery of God in his heart, so that he himself may not, having ensnared himself4 with his own lips, his own soul become liable.5
2. For the time shall come when the almond shall blossom and the caper-berry shall grow rough and the grasshopper shall multiply, the fig shall sprout and the fruit of apostasy shall prosper. Then the door of life shall be shut and the water pots from the spring shall be shattered and the wheel shall run afoul in the pit and the crowd shall be idle because they mourn and all shall arise at the sound of a sparrow and all the daughters of song shall be troubled and the mourners shall be gathered in the market and man shall depart to his eternal home.6.
4 Lit: by himself become ensared
5 ἔνοχος γένηται τῆς ἰδίας ψυχῆς
6 Ecclesiastes 12:3-6
Chapter 16
1. But one will say, “And when will these things be? In what season or time is the deceiver about to be revealed? And what shall be the day of the appearing of the Lord?”
2. The disciples also similarly sought to learn these things from the Lord, but he concealed the day from them, so that he may render them all as watchful for what is to come, always meditating and expecting each day the heavenly cloud, lest men, ever on account of the long time, neglecting what was prescribed by him, and growing sluggish while he tarries, fall from the life of heaven.1
3. For he says, “Be watchful for you do not know what day or what hour your Lord comes, either evening, or midnight, or morning.”2
4. On account of this he says, “Blessed is that slave, whom when his Lord comes, he finds him awake. Truly I say to you that he will appoint him over all his possessions. But if the wicked slave says in his heart, ‘My Lord tarries to come,’ and he begins to beat his serving boys and serving girls, and to eat and to drink with drunkards, his Lord will come in a day which he does not expect and in an hour which he does not know and cut him in two and set his portion with the unbelievers. For there will be weeping
and gnashing of teeth.”3 “On account of this I say to you: be watchful.”4
5. And so our Lord himself in the Gospel, teaching these things, displays them to the disciples.
6. Similarly, also after his resurrection, the disciples broached these same things, “Asking him saying, ‘Lord, will you at this time restore the kingdom to Israel?’ But he said to them, ‘It is not for you to know the times or seasons which the Father has set in his own authority, but you shall receive power when the Holy Spirit comes upon you and you will be for me martyrs1 in both Jerusalem and in Galilee and all the land of Samaria and unto the ends of the earth.’”2
1 Or: heavenly life
2 Matthew 24:42
3 Matthew 24:46-51
4 Matthew 24:44
1 Or: witnesses
2 Acts 1:6-8
IChapter 17
1. And so since he hid the day from them, but through the signs which have happened, through which a man3 will easily discover the time of the end, he declares that we ought to know the events according to their time, and when we see them, to be silent.
2. But it is necessary for these things to be even if we do not want them happen. For the truth never lies.
3. For just as he said concerning the city of Jerusalem, “When you see Jerusalem encircled by armies, then you know that her desolation draws near,”4 and what was spoken about her has come, in this way it is needful to also now expect the rest to follow.
4. He says, “For whenever you see the abomination of desolation standing in the holy place, let the reader understand, then let those in Judea flee to the mountains, and he who is on the rooftop not descend to take anything from his house, and he who is in the field not return back to take his clothes. Woe to those who are pregnant5 and nursing in those days. For then there will be a great tribulation such which has not been from the beginning of the world nor shall ever be. And unless those days were shortened not any flesh would be saved.”6
5. And so in this he made it clear to us, so that we may never doubt anything.
6. And again he says, “Whenever you see the abomination of desolation standing in the holy place,” and, “whenever you see a fig sprouting its leaves know that the harvest is near. In this way also whenever you see all these things happen, know that it is near the doors.”1
7. And so while the abomination has not yet appeared, but while only the fourth beast still reigns, how is the manifestation of the Lord able to be?
8. But one will say, “It is written, ‘Whenever you see wars and anarchy, then you will know that it is near.’”2 Yes it is written, he says, “Nation will be roused against nation and kingdom against kingdom and there will be earthquakes and hunger and plague in many places,”3 which already has happened and will happen.
9. “But all these things are the beginning of birth pangs,” 4 he says, “But the end is not yet in them,”5 for first it is necessary for the Gospel of the Lord to be preached in the whole world for a witness to all nations and in this way the end shall come, when all at once the time is fulfilled.
3 Lit: the man
4 Luke 21:20
5 Lit: who have in the womb
6 Matthew 24:15-19, 19:21-22
1 Matthew 24:15, 32-33; Mark 13:28-29
2 Luke 21: 31
3 Matthew 24:7 Mark 13:8
4 Matthew 24:8
5 Matthew 24:6
Chapter 18
1. For I will describe also what happened not a long time ago in Syria.
2. For there was one who governed6 the church there and he, having not laboriously read the godly Scriptures, nor having followed the voice of the Lord, was deceived and he himself also deceived others.
3. For while the Lord said, “There shall arise many false Christs and false prophets and they shall give signs and wonders in order to deceive if possible even the elect.7 Then if someone says to you, ‘Behold Christ is here or there.’ 8 Do not believe. ‘Behold, he is in the desert,’ do not go out, ‘Behold, he is in the storehouses,’ do not go in.”9 That man having not considered these things persuaded many of the
brothers, with their wives and children, to go out into the desert in order to meet with Christ, and who were even led astray in the mountains and onto roads, wandering aimlessly. So that after a little while it was necessary for them that they all be apprehended as robbers by the commander in order to be killed, except that his wife happened to be a believer, and he was appealed to by her and put in order that matter so that a persecution did not come upon all Christians through them.
4. How great their foolishness and stupidity, so that they entered into the desert and sought Christ, in which manner also in the times of Elisha the prophet the sons of the prophets sought Elijah for three days in the mountains, though he was assumed into heaven.1
5. And so while the Lord says, “Just as lightning comes out from the east and flashes unto the west, in this way will be the advent of the Son of Man,”2 plainly and clearly signaling in this that he himself is destined to arrive with the power and glory of his Father from heaven, but they sought him in the mountains and in the desert.
6. For in this way his second advent will not be like his first. Before, as a simple man only he appeared, but now as a judge of all the world he arrives. And then, he arrived to save man3, but now he arrives to punish all who trespass and who commit sacrilege against him.
7. But we say these things to support4 the faithful brothers, so that they may not have a misconception of the plan of God, knowing that for each one, on whichever day he departs from this world, he has been already judged.1 For the consummation has come upon him.
6 Or: was preeminent
7 Matthew 24:24
8 Matthew 24:23
9 Matthew 24:26
1 2 Kings 2:17
2 Matthew 24:27
3 Lit: the man
4 Lit: buttress, fix, stand still
1 Hippolytus is probably referring to Hebrews 9:27 and seems to equate
this individual judgment with the universal judgment at the end of the
world.
Darius casts Daniel into the lion’s den
Chapter 19
1. But a certain other man was similarly in Pontus, and he himself governed2 the church, being a reverent and humble man, though not applying himself unfailingly to the Scriptures but rather believing dreams which he saw.
2. For when a first and second and a third dream happened to him, he began to foretell the future to the brothers as a prophet, “This I saw and this is about to be.”
3. And once, having been led astray he said, “Brothers, know that after one year the judgment is about to be.”
4. They who heard him who predicted, “The day of the Lord is imminent,” with weeping and lamenting they begged the Lord night and day holding before their eyes the approaching day of judgment.
5. And he led the brothers to such fear and terror so to allow their lands and fields to be desolate, and the wealthy to destroy their possessions.
6. But he said to them, “If it does not happen just as I said, do not believe the Scriptures anymore but do whatever each of you wishes.”
7. But they waited for the result and after a year nothing was fulfilled of what that man said happened, and he himself was shamed as a deceiver, but the Scriptures were shown as true, but the brothers were found scandalized3 so that henceforth their virgins were married and their men dwelt in fields. They, who sold their possessions without plan, were found later begging.
2 Or: was preeminent
3 Lit: to stumble, take offense
Chapter 20
1. These things happen to ignorant and simple men, as many as do not attend precisely to the Scriptures, but more pleasurably obey human traditions and their illusions and their dreams and mythologies and gnawing words.
2. For also the same happened to the sons of Israel, who setting at naught, they added to the law of God, and being well pleased they were obedient to the traditions of the elders.
3. And now some undertake1 the same things, clinging to vain visions and to the teachings of demons and often determining a fast both on the Sabbath and the Lord's day, which Christ did not determine, so that they dishonor the Gospel of Christ.
1 Or: dare
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