8 “To the angel of the church in Smyrna write:“This is the message from the one who is the first and the last, who died and lived again.
9 I know your troubles; I know that you are poor—but really you are rich! I know the evil things said against you by those who claim to be Jews but are not; they are a group that belongs to Satan!
10 Don't be afraid of anything you are about to suffer. Listen! The Devil will put you to the test by having some of you thrown into prison, and your troubles will last ten days. Be faithful to me, even if it means death, and I will give you life as your prize of victory.
11 “If you have ears, then, listen to what the Spirit says to the churches!“Those who win the victory will not be hurt by the second death.
12 “To the angel of the church in Pergamum write:“This is the message from the one who has the sharp two-edged sword.
13 I know where you live, there where Satan has his throne. You are true to me, and you did not abandon your faith in me even during the time when Antipas, my faithful witness, was killed there where Satan lives.
14 But there are a few things I have against you: there are some among you who follow the teaching of Balaam, who taught Balak how to lead the people of Israel into sin by persuading them to eat food that had been offered to idols and to practice sexual immorality.