who then<n id="1" /> testified to everything that he saw concerning the word of God and the testimony about<n id="2" /> Jesus Christ.

<t /><p class="bodytext">&#8220;To<n id="1" /> the angel of the church in Smyrna write the following:<n id="2" />p> <p class="bodytext">&#8220;This is the solemn pronouncement of<n id="3" /> the one who is the first and the last, the one who was dead, but<n id="4" /> came to life:

He<n id="1" /> seized the dragon &#8211; the ancient serpent, who is the devil and Satan &#8211; and tied him up for a thousand years.

But I have a few things against you: You have some people there who follow the teaching of Balaam,<n id="1" /> who instructed Balak to put a stumbling block<n id="2" /> before the people<n id="3" /> of Israel so they would eat food sacrificed to idols and commit sexual immorality.<n id="4" />

So<n id="1" /> the woman gave birth to a son, a male child,<n id="2" /> who is going <i>to rulei><n id="3" /> <i>over all the nationsi><n id="4" /> <i>with an iron rodi>.<n id="5" /> Her<n id="6" /> child was suddenly caught up to God and to his throne,

&#8216;I know<n id="1" /> where you live &#8211; where Satan&#8217;s throne is. Yet<n id="2" /> you continue to cling<n id="3" /> to my name and you have not denied your<n id="4" /> faith in me,<n id="5" /> even in the days of Antipas, my faithful witness,<n id="6" /> who was killed in your city<n id="7" /> where Satan lives.

and swore by the one who lives forever and ever, who created heaven and what is in it, and the earth and what is in it, and the sea and what is in it, &#8220;There will be no more delay!<n id="1" />

and, by the signs he was permitted to perform on behalf of the beast, he deceived those who live on the earth. He told<n id="1" /> those who live on the earth to make an image to the beast who had been wounded by the sword, but still lived.