A Church Who Persevere in Persecution

Rowan Hilsden | Aug 07, 2022

Topics: Persecution

Scripture: Revelation 2:8-11 , 3:7-13

The Letter to Smyrna

“Write to the angel of the church in Smyrna: Thus says the First and the Last,(A) the one who was dead and came to life: I know your[a] affliction and poverty, but you are rich. I know the slander of those who say they are Jews and are not, but are a synagogue of Satan.(B) 10 Don’t be afraid of what you are about to suffer. Look, the devil(C) is about to throw some of you into prison to test you, and you will experience affliction for ten days.(D) Be faithful to the point of death,(E) and I will give you the crown[b] of life.(F)

11 “Let anyone who has ears to hear listen to what the Spirit says to the churches. The one who conquers will never be harmed by the second death.(G)

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Footnotes

  1. 2:9 Other mss add works and
  2. 2:10 Or wreath

The Letter to Philadelphia

“Write to the angel of the church in Philadelphia: Thus says the Holy One, the true one,(A) the one who has the key of David, who opens and no one will close, and who closes and no one opens: (B) I know your works. Look, I have placed before you an open door that no one can close because you have but little power; yet you have kept my word and have not denied my name.(C) Note this: I will make those from the synagogue of Satan, who claim to be Jews and are not, but are lying—I will make them come and bow down at your feet,(D) and they will know that I have loved you.(E) 10 Because you have kept my command to endure, I will also keep you from the hour of testing(F) that is going to come on the whole world to test those who live on the earth.(G) 11 I am coming soon.(H) Hold on to what you have,(I) so that no one takes your crown.(J)

12 “The one who conquers I will make a pillar(K) in the temple of my God, and he will never go out again. I will write on him the name of my God and the name of the city of my God—the new Jerusalem,(L) which comes down out of heaven from my God—and my new name.(M)

13 “Let anyone who has ears to hear listen to what the Spirit says to the churches.

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