TO and FRO

 

Daniel 12:4

King James Version

4 But thou, O Daniel, 

shut up the words, 

and seal the book, 

even to the time of the end: 

many shall run to and fro, 

and knowledge shall be increased.

In these end times, what does it mean "many shall run to and fro, and knowledge shall be increased"?

We turn to other Bible versions for clarity:

Daniel 12:4

Amplified Bible

4 But as for you, Daniel, conceal these words and seal up the scroll until the end of time. Many will go back and forth and search anxiously [through the scroll], and knowledge [of the purpose of God as revealed by His prophets] will [greatly] increase.”

Daniel 12:4

Amplified Bible, Classic Edition

4 But you, O Daniel, shut up the words and seal the Book until the time of the end. [Then] many shall run to and fro and search anxiously [through the Book], and knowledge [of God’s purposes as revealed by His prophets] shall be increased and become great.

Daniel 12:4

Christian Standard Bible

4 “But you, Daniel, keep these words secret and seal the book until the time of the end. Many will roam about, and knowledge will increase.

Daniel 12:4

Common English Bible

4 But you, Daniel, must keep these words secret! Seal the scroll until the end time! Many will stray far, but knowledge will increase.”

Daniel 12:4

Complete Jewish Bible

4 “But you, Dani’el, keep these words secret, and seal up the book until the time of the end. Many will rush here and there as knowledge increases.”

Daniel 12:4

Contemporary English Version

4  Daniel, I now command you to keep the message of this book secret until the end of time, even though many people will go everywhere, searching for the knowledge to be found in it.

Daniel 12:4

Douay-Rheims 1899 American Edition

4 But thou, O Daniel, shut up the words, and seal the book, even to the time appointed: many shall pass over, and knowledge shall be manifold.

Daniel 12:4

Easy-to-Read Version

4 “But you, Daniel, keep this message a secret. You must close the book and keep this secret until the time of the end. Many people will go here and there looking for true knowledge, and the true knowledge will increase.”

Daniel 12:4

Evangelical Heritage Version

4 Now you, Daniel, close up the words and seal the scroll until the time of the end. Many will continue running back and forth, and knowledge will increase.

Daniel 12:4

Expanded Bible

4 “But you, Daniel, ·close up the book and seal it [L keep the words secret and seal the book]. ·These things will happen at the time of the end [L …until the time of the end]. Many people will go here and there to ·find true [L increase] knowledge [Amos 8:12].”

Daniel 12:4

GOD’S WORD Translation

4 “But you, Daniel, keep these words secret, and seal the book until the end times. Many will travel everywhere, and knowledge will grow.”

Daniel 12:4

Good News Translation

4 He said to me, “And now, Daniel, close the book and put a seal on it until the end of the world. Meanwhile, many people will waste their efforts trying to understand what is happening.”

Daniel 12:4

International Children’s Bible

4 “But you, Daniel, close up the book and seal it. These things will happen at the time of the end. Many people will go here and there to find true knowledge.”

Daniel 12:4

International Standard Version

4 Now as for you, Daniel, roll up your scroll and seal your words until the time of the end. Many will rush around, while knowledge increases.’”

Daniel 12:4

Jubilee Bible 2000

4 But thou, O Daniel, shut up the words, and seal the book until the time of the end: many shall pass by, and knowledge shall be multiplied.

Daniel 12:4

Lexham English Bible

4 But you, Daniel, keep the words secret and seal the scroll[a] until the time of the end; many will run back and forth and knowledge will increase.”

Daniel 12:4

Living Bible

4 “But Daniel, keep this prophecy a secret; seal it up so that it will not be understood until the end times, when travel and education shall be vastly increased!”

Daniel 12:4

The Message

4 “‘This is a confidential report, Daniel, for your eyes and ears only. Keep it secret. Put the book under lock and key until the end. In the interim there is going to be a lot of frantic running around, trying to figure out what’s going on.’

Daniel 12:4

Names of God Bible

4 “But you, Daniel, keep these words secret, and seal the book until the end times. Many will travel everywhere, and knowledge will grow.”

Daniel 12:4

New American Bible (Revised Edition)

4 “As for you, Daniel, keep secret the message and seal the book until the end time; many shall wander aimlessly and evil shall increase.”

Daniel 12:4

New Catholic Bible

4 As for you, Daniel,

    keep these words secret,

    and seal the book until the time of the end.

Many shall fall away,

    and evils shall increase.”

Daniel 12:4

New Century Version

4 “But you, Daniel, close up the book and seal it. These things will happen at the time of the end. Many people will go here and there to find true knowledge.”

Daniel 12:4

New English Translation

4 “But you, Daniel, close up these words and seal the book until the time of the end. Many will dash about,[a] and knowledge will increase.”

Daniel 12:4

New International Reader's Version

4 But I want you to roll up this scroll, Daniel. Seal it until the time of the end. Many people will go here and there to increase their knowledge.”

Daniel 12:4

New Life Version

4 But as for you, Daniel, keep these words hidden and lock up the Book until the end of time. Many will travel here and there and knowledge will be more and more.”

Daniel 12:4

New Living Translation

4 But you, Daniel, keep this prophecy a secret; seal up the book until the time of the end, when many will rush here and there, and knowledge will increase.”

Daniel 12:4

New Revised Standard Version, Anglicised

4 But you, Daniel, keep the words secret and the book sealed until the time of the end. Many shall be running back and forth, and evil[a] shall increase.’

Daniel 12:4

Orthodox Jewish Bible

4 But thou, O Daniel, shut up the devarim (words), and seal the sefer, until the Et Ketz (Time of the End): rabbim shall run to and fro, that da’as (knowledge) may be increased.

Daniel 12:4

The Voice

4 As for you, Daniel, keep these visions and their meaning a secret. Write down what you have seen and heard, then seal the scroll until the time of the end. Many will wander here and there, and knowledge will expand.

Daniel 12:4

Wycliffe Bible

4 But thou, Daniel, close the words, and aseal the book, till to the time ordained; full many men shall pass, and knowing shall be manyfold. (But thou, Daniel, close up the words, and seal the book, until the time ordained; yea, a great many shall live and die, and knowledge shall be manifold.)

In SUMMARY, "many shall run to and fro, and knowledge shall be increased" means:

Many will go back and forth and search anxiously [through the scroll], and knowledge [of the purpose of God as revealed by His prophets] will [greatly] increase.

many shall run to and fro and search anxiously [through the Book], and knowledge [of God’s purposes as revealed by His prophets] shall be increased and become great

Many will roam about, and knowledge will increase.

Many will stray far, but knowledge will increase.

Many will rush here and there as knowledge increases.

many people will go everywhere, searching for the knowledge to be found in it

many shall pass over, and knowledge shall be manifold

Many people will go here and there looking for true knowledge, and the true knowledge will increase.

Many will continue running back and forth, and knowledge will increase.

Many people will go here and there to ·find true [L increase] knowledge

Many will travel everywhere, and knowledge will grow.

many people will waste their efforts trying to understand what is happening

Many people will go here and there to find true knowledge.

Many will rush around, while knowledge increases.

many shall pass by, and knowledge shall be multiplied

many will run back and forth and knowledge will increase

travel and education shall be vastly increased

there is going to be a lot of frantic running around, trying to figure out what’s going on

Many will travel everywhere, and knowledge will grow.

many shall wander aimlessly and evil shall increase

Many shall fall away, and evils shall increase.

Many people will go here and there to find true knowledge.

Many will dash about,[a] and knowledge will increase.

Many people will go here and there to increase their knowledge.

Many will travel here and there and knowledge will be more and more.

many will rush here and there, and knowledge will increase

Many shall be running back and forth, and evil[a] shall increase.

rabbim shall run to and fro, that da’as (knowledge) may be increased

Many will wander here and there, and knowledge will expand.

a great many shall live and die, and knowledge shall be manifold

The Expanded Bible version also relates another verse, which gives greater clarity to the verse above:

Amos 8:12

King James Version

12 And they shall wander from sea to sea, 

and from the north even to the east, 

they shall run to and fro 

to seek the word of the Lord, 

and shall not find it.

Related material:

END times

The Shocking Truth About the Explosion of Knowledge | Marking the End Times with Dr. Mark Hitchcock

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