66 Bible Verses about Persecution, Attitudes To

They have almost made an end of me upon earth, but I forsake not thy commandments.

and ye shall be hated of all men, for my name: but he that shall endureth unto the end, shall be saved.

and labour working with our own hands. We are reviled, and yet we bless. We are persecuted, and suffer it.

so that we ourselves rejoice of you in the congregations of God, over your patience and faith in all your persecutions, and tribulations that ye suffer:

Be ye also patient therefore, and settle your hearts, for the coming of the Lord draweth nigh.

Wherefore let us also - seeing that we are compassed with so great a multitude of witnesses - lay away all that presseth down, and the sin that hangeth on us, and let us run with patience, unto the battle that is set before us,

Finally, my brethren, be strong in the Lord, and in the power of his might. Put on the armour of God, that ye may stand steadfast against the crafty assaults of the devil. For we wrestle not against flesh and blood: but against rule, against power, and against worldly rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness for heavenly things.read more.
For this cause, take unto you the armour of God, that ye may be able to resist in the evil day, and to stand perfect in all things. Stand, therefore, and your loins gird about with verity, having on the breastplate of righteousness, and shod with shoes prepared by the gospel of peace. Above all, take to you the shield of faith, wherewith ye may quench all the fiery darts of the wicked. And take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the spirit, which is the word of God, and pray always with all manner prayer and supplication - and that in the spirit - and watch thereunto with all instance and supplication for all saints, and for me, that utterance may be given unto me, that I may open my mouth boldly, to utter the secrets of the gospel, whereof I am a messenger in bonds, that therein I may speak freely, as it becometh me to speak.

Thou therefore suffer affliction as a good soldier of Jesus Christ.

whom resist, steadfast in the faith, remembering that ye do but fulfill the same afflictions which are appointed to your brethren that are in the world.

And didst wash thyself, and hast patience: and for my name's sake hast laboured and hast not fainted.

and see that ye have honest conversation among the gentiles, that they which backbite you as evil doers, may see your good works and praise God in the day of visitation.

But I say unto you, Love your enemies. Bless them that curse you. Do good to them that hate you. Pray for them which do you wrong and persecute you;

Dearly beloved, avenge not yourselves but give room unto the wrath of God. For it is written, "Vengeance is mine, and I will reward, saith the Lord." Therefore, if thine enemy hunger, feed him: if he thirst, give him drink. For in so doing thou shalt heap coals of fire on his head.

For so is the will of God, that ye put to silence the ignorance of the foolish men:

having a good conscience, that when they backbite you as evil doers, they may be ashamed, forasmuch as they have falsely accused your good conversation in Christ.

Neither do we so, only: but also we rejoice in tribulation: For we know that tribulation bringeth patience, patience bringeth experience, experience bringeth hope, and hope maketh not ashamed: for the love of God is shed abroad in our hearts, by the holy ghost, which is given unto us.

For his wrath endureth but the twinkling of an eye, and in his pleasure is life; heaviness may well endure for a night, but joy cometh in the morning.

Blessed are ye when men shall revile you, and persecute you, and shall falsely say all manner of evil sayings against you for my sake. Rejoice, and be glad: for great is your reward in heaven: For so persecuted they the prophets which were before your days.

Blessed are ye when men hate you, and thrust you out of their company, and rail on you, and abhor your name, as an evil thing, for the son of man's sake. Rejoice ye then, and be glad: for behold, your reward is great in heaven. After this manner their fathers entreated the prophets.

And they departed from the council rejoicing that they were counted worthy to suffer rebuke for his name.

And the people ran on them, and the officers rent their clothes, and commanded them to be beaten with rods, and when they had beaten them sore, they cast them into prison commanding the jailer to keep them surely. Which jailer, when he had received such commandment, thrust them into the inner prison, and made their feet fast in the stocks.read more.
At midnight, Paul and Silas prayed, and lauded God. And the prisoners heard them.

Be merry with them that are merry. Weep with them that weep.

Now joy I in my sufferings which I suffer, for you; and fulfill that which is behind of the passions of Christ in my flesh for his body's sake, which is the congregation -

in the which time ye shall rejoice, though now for a season - if need require - ye are in heaviness, through manifold temptations,

Dearly beloved, be not troubled in this heat, which now is come among you to try you, as though some strange thing had happened unto you:

{Khet} Namely, that the mercies of the LORD are not clean gone, and that his loving-kindness ceaseth not. His faithfulness is great and reneweth itself as the morning.

He shall deliver me from my strongest enemy, and from them which hate me; for they are too mighty for me. {TYNDALE: He delivered me from my mighty enemy, and from them that hated me and were too strong for me.} They prevented me in the day of my trouble, but the LORD was my upholder. {TYNDALE: When they had compassed me in the day of my tribulation, the LORD stayed me up.} He brought me forth also into a place of liberty: he brought me forth, even because he had a favor unto me. {TYNDALE: And he brought me out into roomth, and delivered me, because he delighted in me.}

Full gracious is the LORD, and a stronghold in time of trouble. He knoweth them that put their trust in him: when the flood runneth over, and destroyeth the place; and when the darkness followeth still upon his enemies.

For I suppose that the afflictions of this life are not worthy of the glory which shall be showed upon us.

But thou hast seen the experience of my doctrine, fashion of living, purpose, faith, long suffering, love, patience, persecutions, and afflictions which happened unto me at Antioch, at Iconium, and at Lystra: which persecutions I suffered patiently; And from them all the Lord delivered me.

That we may boldly say, "The Lord is my helper, and I will not fear what man doeth unto me."

Because thou hast kept the words of my patience, therefore I will keep thee from the hour of temptation, which will come upon all the world, to tempt them that dwell upon the earth.

Let your conversation be without covetousness, and be content with that ye have already. For he verily said, "I will not fail thee, neither forsake thee."

Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil, for thou art with me: thy rod and thy staff comfort me.

If thou goest through the water, I will be with thee, that the strong floods should not pluck thee away. When thou walkest in the fire, it shall not burn thee, and the flame shall not kindle upon thee.

teaching them to observe all things, whatsoever I commanded you. And lo, I am with you always even until the end of the world."

We are persecuted: but are not forsaken. We are cast down: nevertheless we perish not.

and pray always with all manner prayer and supplication - and that in the spirit - and watch thereunto with all instance and supplication for all saints,

Judge me, O LORD my God, according to thy righteousness, and let them not triumph over me.

For in thee, O LORD, is my trust; thou shalt hear me, O LORD my God. My desire is that mine enemies triumph not over me; for if my foot slip, they rejoice greatly against me.

All them that have an evil will to Zion shall be confounded, and made to turn back from it.

Deliver me, O LORD, from mine enemies, for I resort unto thee to hide me.

Nevertheless, I will look up unto the LORD; I will patiently abide God my saviour: my God shall hear me. O thou enemy of mine, rejoice not at my fall, for I shall get up again: and though I sit in darkness, yet the LORD is my light.

Bless them that curse you. And pray for them which wrongfully trouble you.

And shall not God avenge his elect, which cry night and day unto him? Yea though he defer them: I tell you, he will avenge them, and that quickly. Nevertheless, when the son of man cometh, suppose ye that he shall find faith on the earth?"

The end of all things is at hand. Be ye therefore discreet, and sober, that ye may be apt to prayers.

For he must reign till he have put all his enemies under his feet.

But our conversation is in heaven, from whence we look for a saviour, even the Lord Jesus Christ, which shall change into another fashion our vile bodies, that they may be fashioned like unto his glorious body, according to the working whereby he is able to subdue all things unto himself.

It is verily a righteous thing with God to recompense tribulation to them that trouble you, and to you which are troubled, rest with us; when the Lord Jesus shall show himself from heaven, with his mighty angels, in flaming fire, rendering vengeance unto them that know not God, and to them that obey not unto the gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ,

And the seventh angel blew, and there were made great voices in heaven, saying, "The kingdoms of this world are our Lord's and his Christ's, and he shall reign for evermore."

I have commanded also, what shall be done to the Elders of Judah for the building of the house of God, that there shall diligently be taken of the king's goods, even of the rents beyond the water, and given unto the men, and that they be not hindered.

{A song of the stairs} When the LORD turneth again the captivity of Zion, then were we like unto them that dream.

My commandment is, in all my dominion and kingdom, that men fear and stand in awe of Daniel's God. For he is the living God, which abideth ever: his kingdom shall not fail and his power is everlasting.

and overthrow the seat of the kingdoms, yea and destroy the mighty kingdom of the Heathen. I will overthrow the chariots, and those that sit upon then, so that both horse and man shall fall down, every man through his neighbour's sword. And as for thee, O Zerubbabel, sayeth the LORD of Hosts, thou son of Shealtiel my servant: I will take thee, sayeth the LORD, at the same time: and make thee as a seal. For I have chosen thee, sayeth the LORD of Hosts.'"

for the which cause I also suffer these things. Nevertheless, I am not ashamed. For I know whom I have believed, and am sure that he is able keep that which I have committed to his keeping against that day.

Fear none of those things which thou shalt suffer. Behold, the devil shall cast of you into prison, to tempt you, and ye shall have tribulation ten days. Be faithful unto the death, and I will give thee a crown of life.

And one of the elders answered, saying unto me, "What are these which are arrayed in long white garments, and whence came they?" And I said unto him, "Lord, thou knowest." And he said unto me, "These are they which came out of great tribulation and made their garments large, and made them white in the blood of the lamb: therefore are they in the presence of the seat of God and serve him day and night in his temple, and he that sitteth in the seat will dwell among them.read more.
They shall hunger no more neither thirst, neither shall the sun light on them, neither any heat. For the lamb which is in the midst of the seat, shall feed them, and shall lead them unto fountains of living water, and God shall wipe away all tears from their eyes."

And they overcame him by the blood of the lamb, and by the word of their testimony, and they loved not their lives unto the death.

{To the Chanter, upon Aijeleth of the dawning, a Psalm of David} My God, my God: why hast thou forsaken me, and art so far from my health and from the words of my complaint? O my God, I cry in the daytime, but thou hearest not: and in the night season also I take no rest. And thou continuest holy, O thou worship of Israel.read more.
Our fathers hoped in thee; they trusted in thee, and thou didst deliver them. They called upon thee, and were helped: they put their trust in thee, and were not confounded. But as for me, I am a worm and no man: a very scorn of men and the outcast of the people. All they that see me, laugh me to scorn: they shoot out their lips, and shake their heads. "He trusted in the LORD, that he would deliver him; let him deliver him, if he will have him." But thou art he that took me out of my mother's womb; thou wast my hope, when I hanged yet upon my mother's breasts. I have been left unto thee ever since I was born; thou art my God, even from my mother's womb. O go not far from me then, for trouble is hard at hand, and here is none to help me. Many oxen are come about me; fat bulls of Bashan close me in on every side. They gape upon me with their mouths, as it were a rampaging and a roaring lion. I am poured out like water, and all my bones are out of joint: my heart also in the midst of my body is even like melting wax. My strength is dried up like a potsherd, and my tongue cleaveth to my gums, and thou shalt bring me into the dust of death. For many dogs are come about me, the counsel of the wicked layeth siege against me. They pierced my hands and my feet; I may tell all my bones. They stand staring and looking upon me. They part my garments among them, and cast lots upon my vesture.

But I offer my back unto the smiters, and my cheeks to the nippers. I turn not my face from shame and spitting,

He suffered wrong and was evil entreated, and yet opened not his mouth: he was as a sheep led to be slain: and as a lamb before his shearer, he was dumb and opened not his mouth. By the reason of the affliction, he was not esteemed: and yet his generation who can number? When he is taken from the earth of living men: for my people's transgression he was plagued. He put his sepulchre with the wicked, and with the rich in his death: because he did none iniquity, neither was guile found in his mouth.read more.
And yet the LORD determined to bruise him with infirmities. His soul giving herself for trangression, he shall see seed of long continuance; and the will of the LORD shall prosper in his hand. Because of the labour of his soul, he shall see and be satisfied. With his knowledge, he, being just, shall justify my servants: and that a great number. And he shall bear their iniquities. Therefore I will give him his part in many, and the spoil of the rich he shall divide: because he gave his soul to death, and was numbered with the trespassers, and he bare the sin of many, and made intercession for transgressors.

Then let he Barabbas loose unto them, and scourged Jesus, and delivered him to be crucified. Then the soldiers of the deputy took Jesus unto the common hall, and gathered unto him all the company. And they stripped him, and put on him a purple robe,read more.
and plaited a crown of thorns and put upon his head, and a reed in his right hand. And bowed their knees before him, and mocked him, saying, "Hail, King of the Jews," and spitted upon him, and took the reed and smote him on the head. And when they had mocked him, they took the robe off him again, and put his own raiment on him, and led him away to crucify him.

And so Pilate, willing to content the people, loosed them Barabbas; And delivered Jesus, when he had scourged him, for to be crucified. And the soldiers led him away into the common hall, and called together the whole multitude, and they clothed him with purple, and they plaited a crown of thorns and crowned him withal;read more.
And began to salute him, "Hail, King of the Jews." And they smote him on the head with a reed, and spat upon him, and kneeled down and worshipped him. And when they had mocked him, they took the purple off him, and put his own clothes on him, and led him out, to crucify him.

For what praise is it, if when ye be buffeted for your faults, ye take it patiently? But and if when ye do well, ye suffer wrong and take it patiently, then is there thanks with God. For hereunto verily were ye called, for Christ also suffered for us: leaving us an example that ye should follow his steps, which did no sin, neither was there guile found in his mouth:read more.
which when he was reviled, reviled not again: when he suffered, he threatened not: but committed the cause to him that judgeth righteously,

Notwithstanding, happy are ye if ye suffer for righteousness' sake. Yea, and fear not though they seem terrible unto you, neither be troubled: but sanctify the Lord God in your hearts. Be ready always to give an answer to every man that asketh you a reason of the hope that is in you, and that with meekness and fear: having a good conscience, that when they backbite you as evil doers, they may be ashamed, forasmuch as they have falsely accused your good conversation in Christ.read more.
It is better - if the will of God be so - that ye suffer for well doing, than for evil doing.

but rejoice, inasmuch as ye are partakers of Christ's passions, that when his glory appeareth, ye may be merry and glad. If ye be railed upon for the name of Christ; happy are ye. For the spirit of glory and the spirit of God resteth upon you. On their part he is evil spoken of: but on your part he is glorified.