47 Bible Verses about Persecution, Attitudes To

and ye shall be hated by all the world for professing my name: but he that perseveres unto the end, shall escape.

we are fatigu'd by our manual toil: when reviled, we pray: when persecuted, we don't repine:

so that you are the subject of our glorying in the churches of God, for the constancy of your faith, under all the persecutions and afflictions you endure from men,

be you equally patient, and exercise your fortitude, for the advent of the Lord is nigh.

Wherefore, since we are surrounded with so great a cloud of witnesses, let us lay aside every incumbrance, and the sin which does so easily embarrass us, and let us pursue with constancy the course that is proposed to us:

Finally, my brethren, place your strength in the transcendent power of the Lord. put on the set of divine armour, that ye may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil. for our conflict is not barely with men, but with principalities, with potentates, with the princes of darkness, with wicked aereal spirits.read more.
wherefore invest yourselves with the set of divine armour, that ye may be able to withstand in the difficult day, and having overcome all to maintain your ground. stand firm, the belt of truth round your waist, let justice invest you like mail: wing your feet with the gospel of peace: cover all with the shield of faith, to repel all the fiery darts of the adversary: let salvation be your helmet, and the divine doctrine your spiritual sword. Pour out your souls unto God upon all occasions, watching in prayer with all perseverance and supplication for all christians: in particular for me, that I may have leave to speak without any restraint, and make known the mystery of the gospel, for which I am an embassador, tho' in chains: that I may duely represent it to the full.

bravely endure hardships, like a soldier of Jesus Christ.

resist him by the steadiness of your faith, considering that your brethren among the Gentiles, suffer the same persecutions as you do.

thou hast suffer'd, hast patience, for my name's sake thou hast laboured, and hast not fainted.

souls. Let your behaviour among the Gentiles be virtuous, that instead of inveighing against you as vicious, they may observe your honest behaviour,

but I say unto you, Love your enemies, bless them that curse you, do good to them that hate you, and pray for them who traduce you, and persecute you:

dear brethren, avenge not yourselves, but leave that to the resentment of another: for it is written, "vengeance is mine; I will repay, saith the Lord." therefore if thine enemy hunger, feed him; if he thirst, give him drink: for in so doing, you will heap coals of fire on his head .

and to encourage those who do well. for such is the divine pleasure, that by your good conduct you obviate the cavils of inconsiderate

always maintaining a good conscience, that instead of inveighing against you as evildoers, they may be cover'd with confusion, who traduce your virtuous behaviour as Christians.

and not only so, but we triumph in tribulation also, knowing that tribulation worketh patience; and patience, probation; and probation, hope: now hope will not deceive us, because the love of God is diffused thro' our hearts, by the holy spirit which is given to us;

Blessed shall you be when men shall revile and persecute you, and falsely charge you with all manner of evil for your attachment to me. Rejoice, and be exceeding glad: for great will be your reward in heaven: for so they persecuted the prophets who were before you.

blessed are you, when men shall hate you, discard you, reproach you, and treat you as infamous, for your attachment to the son of man. then you may triumph with joy; secure of being greatly rewarded in heaven: for such was the treatment the prophets received from their forefathers.

full of joy, that they were counted worthy to suffer shame for the name of Jesus.

upon this the populace rose upon them, and the Officers order'd them to be stript and scourg'd. after they had been severely lash'd, they were thrown into prison, the jayler being charg'd to keep them safe. in consequence of this order he thrust them into the inner prison, and made their feet fast in the stocks.read more.
At midnight Paul and Silas went to prayers, and sang praises to God, which the other prisoners heard:

bless them, but curse not. rejoice with those that do rejoice, and weep with those that weep.

Now I rejoice in my sufferings for you, and am filling up the measure of those remaining afflictions, which in my turn I am to suffer in this life, in the cause of Christ, for the sake of his body, which is the church:

This it is that fills you with joy, notwithstanding the various tryals, which still necessarily afflict you,

My dear brethren, don't be surpriz'd at your being brought as it were to the test of fire; as if some strange thing had happen'd to you.

for I consider, that the sufferings of this present life are infinitely over-ballanc'd by that glory which shall hereafter be discovered to us.

As for me, you are perfectly acquainted with my doctrine, my conduct, my designs, my temper, my benevolence, my constancy, my persecutions, and the sufferings that befel me at Antioch, at Iconium, at Lystra; what persecutions did I endure? but the Lord deliver'd me out of them all: yes,

so that we may boldly say, " the Lord is my helper, and I will not fear what man shall do unto me."

because you have kept my precept about patience, I also will keep you in the time of persecution, which shall happen to all the world, to try the inhabitants of the earth.

let your morals be free from avarice, being contented with what you have: for he hath said, "I will never leave thee, nor forsake thee."

teaching them to observe every thing which I have enjoin'd you: and be assured I shall be always with you to the end of the world.

persecuted, but not forsaken; dejected, but not destroyed;

Pour out your souls unto God upon all occasions, watching in prayer with all perseverance and supplication for all christians:

and pray for those, who maliciously abuse you.

and will not God avenge his own elect, who cry to him night and day? will he delay their cause? I tell you, he will speedily avenge them. however, when the son of man comes, how few of the faithful will he find in the land?

The consummation of all things draws nigh. be temperate, be vigilant in prayer.

for he must reign, "till God has cast all his enemies under his feet."

but we are the denisons of heaven, from whence we expect the saviour Jesus Christ our Lord. it is he, that will change our vile body into a like form with his glorious body, by displaying that power which is able to subdue all things unto himself.

since it is agreeable to his justice to afflict those in their turn, who afflict you: and that you, who are distress'd, should obtain your repose, together with us, when the Lord Jesus, with his angels, the ministers of his power, shall descend from heaven, in flaming fire, to take vengeance on those, who know not God, and do not obey the gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ:

The seventh angel sounded, and there were great voices in heaven, crying, "the kingdom of this world is become the kingdom of our Lord, and of his Christ, and he shall reign for ever and ever."

yet I am not ashamed, for I know in whom I have confided, and I am persuaded he is able to keep what I have committed to him against that day.

fear none of those things which thou shalt suffer: behold, the devil shall cast some of you into prison, that ye may be tried; and ye shall have tribulation ten days: be thou faithful unto death, and I will give thee a crown of life.

Then one of the elders spake, and said to me, who are those that are arrayed in white robes? and whence do they come? my Lord, answer'd I, you can tell. and he said to me, these are they who came out of great tribulation, and have washed their robes, and made them white in the blood of the lamb. therefore are they before the throne of God, and serve him day and night in his temple: and he that sitteth on the throne shall cover them, as a pavillion.read more.
they shall no more suffer hunger or thirst, neither shall the sun dart on them, nor any heat molest them. for the lamb who is in the midst before the throne, shall feed them, and shall lead them to living fountains of waters: and God shall wipe away all tears from their eyes.

they overcame him by the blood of the lamb, and by the word to which they gave testimony; for their lives they expos'd to the last.

Then he released to them Barabbas: but he order'd Jesus to be scourged, and delivered up to be crucified. after this the soldiers of the governor took Jesus into the common hall, and gathered all the foot-guards about him. and having stripp'd him, they put on him a scarlet robe.read more.
then pleating a crown of thorns, they set it on his head, and a reed in his right hand: and they bowed the knee before him, in mockery, saying, hail king of the Jews. and they spit upon him, and took the reed, and smote him on the head. and after they had thus insulted him, they took the robe off, and put his own raiment on him, and led him away to crucify him.

Pilate therefore willing to humour the people, released to them Barabbas, and having caused Jesus to be scourg'd, he deliver'd him to be crucified. Then the soldiers took Jesus away into the hall, call'd Pretorium; and summon'd their whole company together. and they put on him a purple cloth, and set a wreath of thorns upon his head for a crown;read more.
then they began to salute him, saying, "Hail king of the Jews!" and they struck him on the head with a cane, spit upon him, and bowing their knees, made a show of reverence. Their mockery ended, they stript him of his purple, and put his own cloaths on him; then led him away to be crucified.

from a principle of conscience. what glory is there in suffering corporal punishment for real offences? but if you meet with ill usage for doing your duty, and bear it with constancy, this will conciliate the divine favour. and this is the condition of your vocation, since Christ himself has suffer'd for us, leaving an example for your exact imitation, he who never offended, and from whose lips no fallacy was ever utter'd,read more.
who, when he was reviled, did not revile again: when he was in his sufferings, he did not threat, but referr'd his cause to the righteous judge.

However, if you suffer in the cause of virtue, it is your happiness: and instead of being over-awed by their threats, and struck with concern, adore the Lord God in your hearts, and be ready to show with modesty and respect to every one that asks it, what ground there is for the expectations you have: always maintaining a good conscience, that instead of inveighing against you as evildoers, they may be cover'd with confusion, who traduce your virtuous behaviour as Christians.read more.
for since it is the will of heaven you should suffer, it is better you should suffer for your virtue, than for any crimes.

on the contrary, rejoice at the share you have of sufferings, as well as Christ: that you may likewise triumph, when he shall appear in his glory. if you suffer indignities in the cause of Christ, you are happy: for the glorious spirit of God rests upon you.