11 Bible Verses about Martyrdom, Reasons For

And power was granted him to give breath to the statue of the Wild Beast, so that the statue of the Wild Beast could even speak and cause all who refuse to worship it to be put to death.

and he said to his courtiers, "This is John the Baptist: he has come back to life--and that is why these miraculous Powers are working in him." For Herod had arrested John, and had put him in chains, and imprisoned him, for the sake of Herodias his brother Philip's wife, because John had persistently said to him, "It is not lawful for you to have her."read more.
And he would have liked to put him to death, but was afraid of the people, because they regarded John as a Prophet. But when Herod's birthday came, the daughter of Herodias danced before all the company, and so pleased Herod that with an oath he promised to give her whatever she asked. So she, instigated by her mother, said, "Give me here on a dish the head of John the Baptist." The king was deeply vexed, yet because of his repeated oath and of the guests at his table he ordered it to be given her, and he sent and beheaded John in the prison. The head was brought on a dish and given to the young girl, and she took it to her mother. Then John's disciples went and removed the body and buried it, and came and informed Jesus.

For Herod himself had sent and had had John arrested and had kept him in prison in chains, for the sake of Herodias, his brother Philip's wife; because he had married her. For John had repeatedly told Herod, "You have no right to be living with your brother's wife." Therefore Herodias hated him and wished to take his life, but could not;read more.
for Herod stood in awe of John, knowing him to be an upright and holy man, and he protected him. After listening to him he was in great perplexity, and yet he found a pleasure in listening. At length Herodias found her opportunity. Herod on his birthday gave a banquet to the nobles of his court and to the tribunes and the principal people in Galilee, at which Herodias's own daughter came in and danced, and so charmed Herod and his guests that he said to her, "Ask me for anything you please, and I will give it to you." He even swore to her, "Whatever you ask me for I will give you, up to half my kingdom." She at once went out and said to her mother: "What shall I ask for?" "The head of John the Baptizer," she replied. The girl immediately came in, in haste, to the King and made her request. "My desire is," she said, "that you will give me, here and now, on a dish, the head of John the Baptist." Then the King, though intensely sorry, yet for the sake of his oaths, and of his guests, would not break faith with her. He at once sent a soldier of his guard with orders to bring John's head. So he went and beheaded him in the prison, and brought his head on a dish and gave it to the young girl, who gave it to her mother. When John's disciples heard of it, they came and took away his body and laid it in a tomb.

"O stiff-necked men, uncircumcised in heart and ears, you also are continually at strife with the Holy Spirit--just as your forefathers were. Which of the Prophets did not your forefathers persecute? Yes, they killed those who announced beforehand the advent of the righteous One, whose betrayers and murderers you have now become-- you who received the Law given through angels, and yet have not obeyed it."read more.
As they listened to these words, they became infuriated and gnashed their teeth at him. But, full of the Holy Spirit and looking up to Heaven, Stephen saw the glory of God, and Jesus standing at God's right hand. "I can see Heaven wide open," he said, "and the Son of Man standing at God's right hand." Upon this, with a loud outcry they stopped their ears, rushed upon Stephen in a body, dragged him out of the city, and stoned him, the witnesses throwing off their outer garments and giving them into the care of a young man called Saul.

"And when they have fully delivered their testimony, the Wild Beast which is to rise out of the bottomless pit will make war upon them and overcome them and kill them. And their dead bodies are to lie in the broad street of the great city which spiritually is designated 'Sodom' and 'Egypt,' where indeed their Lord was crucified. And men belonging to all peoples, tribes, languages and nations gaze at their dead bodies for three days and a half, but they refuse to let them be laid in a tomb.read more.
The inhabitants of the earth rejoice over them and are glad and will send gifts to one another; for these two Prophets had greatly troubled the inhabitants of the earth."

"At that time they will deliver you up to punishment and will put you to death; and you will be objects of hatred to all the nations because you are called by my name.

"Brother will betray brother to be killed, and fathers will betray children; and children will rise against their parents and have them put to death. You will be objects of universal hatred because you are called by my name, but those who stand firm to the End will be saved.

You will be betrayed even by parents, brothers, relatives, friends; and some of you they will put to death. You will be the objects of universal hatred because you are called by my name;

We are not to resemble Cain, who was a child of the Evil one and killed his own brother. And why did he kill him? Because his own actions were wicked and his brother's actions righteous.

And on her forehead was a name written: "I am a symbol of great Babylon, the mother of the harlots and of the abominations of the earth."

When the Lamb broke the fifth seal, I saw at the foot of the altar the souls of those whose lives had been sacrificed because of the word of God and of the testimony which they had given.