20. I kept looking, and after a while the other small wings on the right side rose up to seize power. Some of them governed briefly and quickly disappeared,
21. while others rose up but were never able to govern.
22. Then I noticed that the twelve large wings and two of the small wings had disappeared.
23. Nothing was left on the eagle's body except the three sleeping heads and the six small wings.
24. I kept watching, and suddenly two of the six small wings left the others and moved under the head on the right side, while the other four remained where they were.
25. Then I saw that these four small wings were plotting to rise up and seize power.
26. One of them rose up, but it quickly disappeared.
27. The second one also rose up, but it disappeared even more quickly than the first.
28. I saw that the two remaining small wings were also plotting to seize control for themselves.
29. While they were making their plans, one of the sleeping heads suddenly awoke. It was the one in the middle, the one that was larger than the other two.
30. Then I saw that it was joined by the other heads,
31. and when it turned to eat up the two little wings that were planning to seize power, the two other heads helped it.
32. This head gained power over the whole world, established an oppressive rule over people everywhere, and exercised more power over the world than any of the other wings had done before.
33. Then, as I watched, the middle head disappeared just as suddenly as the wings had done.
34. Two heads were left, and they also gained power over the earth and its people;
35. but while I was still watching, the head on the right ate up the head on the left.
36. Then I heard a voice which said, “Ezra, look straight ahead and think about what you see.”
37. I looked and saw what appeared to be an angry lion come roaring out of the forest. I heard it speak in human language to the eagle and say,
38. “Listen, Eagle, to what I have to say to you; it is the message of God Most High:
39. you are the only one left of the four animals that I appointed to govern my world and to bring the ages of this world to an end.
40. You are the fourth animal and you have conquered all the animals that came before you. As long as you have been in this world, you have ruled it through terror, oppression, and deceit,