16 Bible Verses about Martyrdom, Reasons For

Anyone who does not fall down and worship is immediately to be thrown into the blazing fire furnace."

Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego answered King Nebuchadnezzar, "It's not necessary for us to respond in this matter. Your majesty, if it be his will, our God whom we serve can deliver us from the blazing fire furnace, and he will deliver us from you. But if not, rest assured, your majesty, that we won't serve your gods, and we won't worship the golden statue that you have set up."

All of the royal administrators, prefects, regional authorities, scribes, and governors have concluded that the king should establish and enforce an edict that anyone who prays to any god or man for the next 30 days (except to you, your majesty) is to be thrown into the lions' pit.

because ships will come against him from the Mediterranean islands. Disheartened, he'll return, incited to vehemence against the holy covenant, and he'll take action. As he returns, he'll show deference to those who abandon the holy covenant. Armed forces will arise from his midst, and they'll desecrate the fortified Sanctuary, abolish the daily sacrifice, and establish the destructive desecration. Through flattery he'll corrupt those who act wickedly toward the covenant, but people who know their God will be strong and take action. read more.
Insightful people will impart understanding to many, though they'll fall by sword, by fire, by captivity, and as war booty for a while.

The second beast was allowed to impart life to the image of the first beast so that the image of the beast could talk and order the execution of those who would not worship the image of the beast.

"Then they disobeyed, rebelled against you, and threw your Law behind their backs. They murdered your prophets who had admonished the people to return to you, committing terrible blasphemies.

told his servants, "This is John the Baptist! He has been raised from the dead, and that's why these miracles are being done by him." Herod had arrested John, bound him with chains, and put him in prison on account of Herodias, his brother Philip's wife. John had been telling him, "It is not lawful for you to have her." read more.
Although Herod wanted to kill him, he was afraid of the crowd, since they regarded John as a prophet. But when Herod's birthday celebration was held, the daughter of Herodias danced before the guests. She pleased Herod so much that he promised with an oath to give her whatever she asked for. Prompted by her mother, she said, "Give me, right here on a platter, the head of John the Baptist." Under pressure because of his promises and his assembled guests, the king ordered that it be done. So he sent word and had John beheaded in prison. His head was brought on a platter and given to the girl, and she took it to her mother. When John's disciples came, they carried off the body and buried it. Then they went and told Jesus.

because Herod himself had sent men who arrested John, bound him with chains, and put him in prison on account of Herodias, his brother Philip's wife, whom Herod had married. John had been telling Herod, "It's not lawful for you to have your brother's wife." So Herodias bore a grudge against John and wanted to kill him. But she couldn't do it read more.
because Herod was afraid of John. He knew that John was a righteous and holy man, and so he protected him. Whenever he listened to John, he did much of what he said. In fact, he liked listening to him. An opportunity came during Herod's birthday celebration, when he gave a banquet for his top officials, military officers, and the most important people of Galilee. When the daughter of Herodias came in and danced, she pleased Herod and his guests. So the king told the girl, "Ask me for anything you want, and I'll give it to you." He swore with an oath to her, "I'll give you anything you ask for, up to half of my kingdom." So she went out and asked her mother, "What should I ask for?" Her mother replied, "The head of John the Baptist." Immediately the girl hurried back to the king with her request, "I want you to give me right now the head of John the Baptist on a platter." The king was deeply saddened, yet because of his oaths and his guests he was reluctant to refuse her. So without delay the king sent a soldier and ordered him to bring John's head. The soldier went and beheaded him in prison. Then he brought John's head on a platter and gave it to the girl, and the girl gave it to her mother. When John's disciples heard about this, they came and carried off his body and laid it in a tomb.

"You stubborn people with uncircumcised hearts and ears! You are always opposing the Holy Spirit, just as your ancestors used to do. Which of the prophets did your ancestors fail to persecute? They killed those who predicted the coming of the Righteous One, and now you have become his betrayers and murderers. You received the Law as ordained by angels, and yet you haven't obeyed it!"read more.
While they were listening to these things, they became more and more furious and began to grind their teeth at him. But Stephen, filled with the Holy Spirit, looked straight into heaven and saw the glory of God and Jesus standing at the right hand of God. He said, "Look! I see the heavens opened and the Son of Man standing at the right hand of God!" But they shouted out loud, stopped listening, and together they all rushed at him, ran him outside of the city, and began to stone him to death. Meanwhile, the witnesses laid their coats at the feet of a young man named Saul.

When they have finished their testimony, the beast that comes up from the bottomless pit will wage war against them, conquer them, and kill them. Their dead bodies will lie in the street of the great city that is spiritually called Sodom and Egypt, where their Lord was crucified. For three and a half days some members of the nations, tribes, languages, and nations will look at their dead bodies and will not allow them to be placed in a tomb. read more.
Those living on earth will gloat over them, celebrate, and send gifts to each other, because these two prophets had tormented those living on earth.

"Then they'll hand you over to suffer and will kill you, and you'll be hated by all the nations because of my name.

Brother will betray brother to death, and a father his child. Children will rebel against their parents and have them put to death. You will be hated continuously by everyone because of my name. But the person who endures to the end will be saved."

You will be betrayed even by parents, brothers, relatives, and friends, and they will put some of you to death. You will be hated continuously by everyone because of my name.

Do not be like Cain, who was from the evil one and murdered his brother. And why did he murder him? Because what he was doing was evil and his brother's actions were righteous.

On her forehead was written a secret name: BABYLON THE GREAT, THE MOTHER OF PROSTITUTES AND DETESTABLE THINGS OF THE EARTH

When the lamb opened the fifth seal, I saw under the altar the souls of those who had been slaughtered because of the word of God and the testimony they had given.