72 Bible Verses about Persecution, Nature Of

The wicked in his pride persecutes the poor; let them be taken in the plans that they have imagined.

So says Jehovah: For three transgressions of Gaza, yea for four, I will not turn away from it; because they deported as exiles to deliver up a complete population to Edom.

So says Jehovah: For three transgressions of Moab, yea for four, I will not turn away from it; because he burned the bones of the king of Edom into lime.

For lo, I raise up the Chaldeans, the bitter and hasty nation, which shall march through the breadth of the land to possess homes not their own. He is terrible and fearful; his judgment and his majesty comes forth from Himself. His horses also are swifter than the leopards, and are more fierce than the evening wolves. And their horsemen shall spread themselves, and their horsemen shall come from afar. They shall fly like the eagle hurrying to eat.read more.
All of him shall come for violence; the gathering of their faces is forward; and they gather captives like the sand. And they shall scoff at the kings, and the rulers shall be a scorn to them. They shall laugh at every stronghold, for he shall heap up dust and capture it. Then he sweeps on like a wind, and he transgresses and is guilty, crediting his power to his god.

And I looked, and behold, a pale horse. And the name of him sitting on it was Death, and Hell followed with him. And authority was given to them over the fourth part of the earth, to kill with the sword and with hunger and with death and by the beasts of the earth.

And the shapes of the locusts were like horses prepared for battle. And on their heads were as it were crowns like gold, and their faces were like the faces of men. And they had hairs like the hairs of women, and their teeth were like the teeth of lions. And they had breastplates like breastplates of iron. And the sound of their wings was like the sound of chariots of many horses running to battle.read more.
And they had tails like scorpions, and there were stings in their tails. And their authority was to hurt men five months.

And I will put enmity between you and the woman, and between your seed and her Seed; He will bruise your head, and you shall bruise His heel.

And Jehovah said to Satan, Behold, he is in your hand, but save his life. And Satan went forth from the presence of Jehovah and struck Job with sore boils from the sole of his foot to the top of his head.

And He showed me Joshua the high priest standing before the Angel of Jehovah, and Satan standing at his right hand to accuse him.

And Satan entered into Judas, surnamed Iscariot, being of the number of the Twelve. And going, he talked with the chief priests and captains, how he might betray Him to them.

Be sensible and vigilant, because your adversary the Devil walks about like a roaring lion, seeking someone he may devour;

Do not at all fear what you are about to suffer. Behold, the Devil will cast some of you into prison, so that you may be tried. And you will have tribulation ten days. Be faithful to death, and I will give you the crown of life.

If the world hates you, you know that it hated Me before it hated you.

Do not marvel, my brothers, if the world hates you.

But those vinedressers said among themselves, This is the heir! Come, let us kill him and the inheritance shall be ours.

Then, because of this, the Jews sought the more to kill Him, because He not only had broken the sabbath, but also said that God was His father, making Himself equal with God.

If you were of the world, the world would love its own. But because you are not of the world, but I have chosen you out of the world, therefore the world hates you.

I have given them Your Word, and the world has hated them because they are not of the world, even as I am not of the world.

confirming the souls of the disciples, calling on them to continue in the faith and that through much tribulation we must enter into the kingdom of God.

For you, brothers, became imitators of the churches of God which are in Judea in Christ Jesus. For you also have suffered these things by your own countrymen, even as they also by the Jews; who both killed the Lord Jesus and their own prophets, also driving us out and they do not please God and being contrary to all men,

Behold what manner of love the Father has given us, that we should be called children of God. Therefore the world does not know us, because it did not know Him.

But take heed to yourselves. For they shall deliver you up to sanhedrins, and in the synagogues you shall be beaten. And you shall be brought before rulers and kings for My sake, for a testimony against them.

And Jezebel sent a messenger to Elijah saying, So let the gods do to me, and more also, if I do not make your life like the life of one of them by tomorrow about this time.

And it happened, when Sanballat, and Tobiah and Geshem the Arabian, and the rest of our enemies heard that I had built the wall, and that there was no break left in it (though at that time I had not set the doors on the gates),

SHIN: Princes have persecuted me without a cause, but my heart stands in fear of Your Word.

And they took Jeremiah and threw him into the pit of Malchiah the son of Hammelech, which was in the court of the prison. And they let Jeremiah down with ropes. And there was no water in the pit, only mud. So Jeremiah sank into the mud.

Then Nebuchadnezzar in anger and wrath commanded them to bring Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego. Then they brought these men before the king. Nebuchadnezzar spoke and said to them, Is it true, O Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego? Do you not serve my gods, nor worship the golden image which I have set up? Now if you are ready, at the time you hear the sound of the horn, the pipe, zither, the lyre, harp, and bagpipe, and all kinds of music, fall down and worship the image which I have made. But if you do not worship, in that moment you shall be thrown into the middle of a burning fiery furnace. And who is that god who shall deliver you out of my hand?read more.
Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego answered and said to the king, O Nebuchadnezzar, we have no need to return a word to you on this matter. If it is so that our God whom we serve is able to deliver us from the burning fiery furnace, then He will deliver us out of your hand, O king.

But beware of men, for they will deliver you up to the sanhedrins, and they will scourge you in their synagogues.

And at that time Herod the king threw on his hands to oppress some of those of the church. And he killed James the brother of John with the sword. And because he saw it pleased the Jews, he went further to seize Peter also. (And they were days of Unleavened Bread.)

And for this cause we thank God without ceasing, that when you received the Word of hearing, of God, you welcomed it as the Word of God, not as a word of men, but as it is, truly the Word of God, which also effectually works in you who believe. For you, brothers, became imitators of the churches of God which are in Judea in Christ Jesus. For you also have suffered these things by your own countrymen, even as they also by the Jews; who both killed the Lord Jesus and their own prophets, also driving us out and they do not please God and being contrary to all men,read more.
forbidding us to speak to the nations that they might be saved, to fill up their sins always; but the wrath has come upon them to the uttermost.

And it happened when Jeremiah had made an end of speaking all that Jehovah had commanded him to speak to all the people, the priests and the prophets and all the people took him, saying, You shall surely die!

And Amaziah said to Amos, O seer, go, flee for yourself into the land of Judah; and eat bread there, and prophesy there. But do not prophesy again any more at Bethel; for it is the king's temple, and it is the king's royal house.

Therefore, behold, I send prophets and wise men and scribes to you. And you will kill and crucify some of them. And some of them you will scourge in your synagogues and persecute from city to city; so that on you may come all the righteous blood shed on the earth, from the blood of righteous Abel to the blood of Zechariah the son of Berachiah, whom you killed between the temple and the altar. Truly I say to you, All these things shall come on this generation.read more.
O Jerusalem, Jerusalem, the one killing the prophets and stoning those who are sent to her, how often would I have gathered your children together, even as a hen gathers her chicks under her wings, and you would not!

For truly, against Your holy child Jesus, whom You have anointed, both Herod and Pontius Pilate, with the nations, and the people of Israel, were gathered together in order to do whatever Your hand and Your counsel determined before to be done. And now, Lord, behold their threatenings, and grant to Your servants that with all boldness they may speak Your Word,

And rising up, the high priest, and all those who were with him (which is the sect of the Sadducees) were filled with anger, And laid their hands on the apostles and put them in the public custody.

I persecuted this Way as far as death, binding and delivering both men and women into prisons;

And it was given to it to war with the saints and to overcome them. And authority was given to it over every tribe and tongue and nation.

And I saw the woman drunk with the blood of the saints and with the blood of the martyrs of Jesus. And when I saw her, I marveled with a great marveling.

And a man's foes shall be those of his own household.

For the son dishonors the father; the daughter rises up against her mother, the daughter-in-law against her mother-in-law. A man's enemies are the men of his own household.

And Cain talked with his brother Abel. And it happened when they were in the field, Cain rose up against his brother Abel and killed him.

And brother will deliver up brother to death, and the father his child. And the children shall rise up against their parents and cause them to be put to death.

And hearing, those with Him went out to take hold of Him; for they said, He is insane.

But then even as he born according to flesh persecuted him born according to the Spirit, so it is also now.

Therefore I am pleased in weaknesses, in insults, in necessities, in persecutions, in distresses for Christ's sake; for when I am weak, then I am powerful.

After whom has the king of Israel come out? After whom do you pursue? After a dead dog? After a flea?

To the Chief Musician. Do not destroy. A secret treasure of David, when Saul sent, and they watched the house to kill him. Deliver me from my enemies, O my God; defend me from those who rise up against me. Deliver me from the workers of evil and save me from bloody men. For, lo, they lie in wait for my soul; the mighty are gathered against me; not for my transgression, nor for my sin, O Jehovah.read more.
Without my fault they run and prepare themselves; awaken to help me, and look on me.

To the Chief Musician. A Psalm of David. Hear my voice, O God, in my complaint; guard my life from fear of the enemy. Hide me from the council of those who injure, from the rebelling of the workers of iniquity, who sharpen their tongue like a sword, they tread their arrows, even a bitter word,read more.
so that they may shoot at the blameless one from a lurking place; suddenly they shoot at him, and fear not.

in every way having been troubled, but not having been hemmed in; having been perplexed, but not utterly at a loss; having been persecuted, but not having been forsaken; having been thrown down, but not having been destroyed; always bearing about the dying of the Lord Jesus in the body, so that the life of Jesus also might be revealed in our body.read more.
For we who live are always being delivered to death for Jesus' sake, so that the life of Jesus might also be revealed in our body. So then death works in us, but life in you.

Are they ministers of Christ? (I speak as beside myself,) I am more! I have been in labors more abundantly, in stripes above measure, in prisons more, in deaths many times. Five times from the Jews I received forty stripes minus one. Three times I was beaten with rods, once I was stoned, three times I was shipwrecked. I have spent a night and a day in the deep.read more.
I have been in travels often; in dangers from waters; in dangers from robbers; in dangers from my race; in dangers from the heathen; in dangers in the city; in dangers in the wilderness; in dangers on the sea; in dangers among false brothers.

And what more shall I say? For the time would fail me to tell of Gideon and Barak and Samson and Jephthah; also David, and Samuel and the prophets, who through faith subdued kingdoms, wrought righteousness, obtained promises, stopped the mouths of lions, quenched the violence of fire, escaped the edge of the sword, out of weakness were made strong, became valiant in fight, turned to flight the armies of the strangers.read more.
Women received their dead raised to life again, and others were tortured, not accepting deliverance, that they might obtain a better resurrection. And others had trial of cruel mockings and scourgings; yes, more, of bonds and imprisonments. They were stoned, they were sawed in two, were tempted, were slain with the sword. They wandered about in sheepskins and goatskins, being destitute, afflicted, tormented. The world was not worthy of them. They wandered in deserts and mountains and dens and caves of the earth.

Yea, and all who desire to live godly in Christ Jesus will be persecuted.

But he has no root in himself, and is temporary. For when tribulation or persecution arises on account of the Word, he immediately stumbles.

And Jesus answered and said, Truly I say to you, There is no man that has left house or brothers or sisters or father or mother or wife or children or lands for my sake and the gospel's sake, but he shall receive a hundredfold now in this time, houses and brothers and sisters and mothers and children and lands with persecutions, and in the world to come, eternal life.

For truly, when we were with you, we told you before that we were going to suffer affliction, as it also happened, even you know.

For nation will rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom. And there will be famines and pestilences and earthquakes in different places. All these are the beginning of sorrows. Then they will deliver you up to be afflicted and will kill you. And you will be hated of all nations for My name's sake.read more.
And then many will be offended, and will betray one another, and will hate one another.

Let not anyone deceive you by any means. For that Day shall not come unless there first comes a falling away, and the man of sin shall be revealed, the son of perdition, who opposes and exalts himself above all that is called God, or that is worshiped, so that he sits as God in the temple of God, setting himself forth, that he is God.

And white robes were given to each one of them. And it was said to them that they should rest yet for a little time, until both their fellow servants and their brothers (those about to be killed as they were) should have their number made complete.

The face of Jehovah has shared them out; He will no longer look on them; they did not respect the persons of the priests; they did not favor the elders. While we are, our eyes fail, for our help is vain; in our watching we have watched for a nation; it does not save. They hunted our steps from going in our streets; our end was near, our days were fulfilled, for our end has come.read more.
Our pursuers were swifter than the eagles of the heavens; they pursued us on the mountains, they lay in wait for us in the wilderness.

So says Jehovah, Behold, a people comes from the north country, and a great nation shall be stirred from the sides of the earth. They shall lay hold on bow and spear; they are cruel and have no mercy; their voice roars like the sea; and they ride on horses, set in order like a man for war against you, O daughter of Zion. We have heard the rumor of it; our hands become feeble; anguish has taken hold of us, and pain, like a woman in labor.read more.
Do not go out into the field, nor walk by the way; for the sword of the enemy and fear are on every side. O daughter of my people, put on sackcloth, and wallow in ashes; make mourning for yourself, as for an only son, most bitter weeping; for the ravager shall suddenly come on us.

Then the Word of Jehovah came to Jeremiah, saying, Behold, I am Jehovah, the God of all flesh. Is there anything too hard for Me? Therefore so says Jehovah: Behold, I will give this city into the hand of the Chaldeans, and into the hand of Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon, and he shall take it.read more.
And the Chaldeans who fight against this city shall come up and set this city on fire, and burn it with the houses on whose roofs they have offered incense to Baal, and poured out drink offerings to other gods, to provoke Me to anger.

But the Chaldean army pursued them and overtook Zedekiah in the plains of Jericho. And they took him, and made him go up to Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon, to Riblah in the land of Hamath, where he gave judgment on him. Then the king of Babylon killed the sons of Zedekiah before his eyes in Riblah. Also the king of Babylon killed all the rulers of Judah. And he blinded Zedekiah's eyes and bound him with chains, to carry him to Babylon.read more.
And the Chaldeans burned the king's house and the houses of the people, with fire, and broke down the walls of Jerusalem. Then Nebuzaradan the chief of the executioners exiled to Babylon the rest of the people who remained in the city, and those who fell away, who fell to him with the rest of the people that remained. But Nebuzaradan, the chief of the executioners, left some of the poor people, who had nothing, in the land of Judah, and gave them vineyards and fields on that day.

For they persecute him whom You have stricken, and they talk to the grief of those You pierced.

And therefore the Jews persecuted Jesus and sought to kill Him, because He had done these things on the sabbath day.

I gave My back to the strikers, and My cheeks to pluckers; I did not hide My face from shame and spitting.

He was oppressed, and He was afflicted; yet He opened not His mouth. He is brought as a lamb to the slaughter; and as a sheep before its shearers is dumb, so He opened not His mouth.

but he shall receive a hundredfold now in this time, houses and brothers and sisters and mothers and children and lands with persecutions, and in the world to come, eternal life.

But before all these, they shall lay their hands on you and persecute you, delivering you up to the synagogues and prisons, being brought before kings and rulers for My name's sake.

Remember the word that I said to you, The servant is not greater than his master. If they have persecuted Me, they will also persecute you. If they have kept My saying, they will also keep yours.

O Jehovah, You know; remember me and visit me, and take vengeance for me on those who seek to hurt me. Do not take me away in Your long-suffering; know that for Your sake I have suffered rebuke.

For so says Jehovah of Hosts: He has sent me after glory, to the nations who stripped you; for he who touches you touches the pupil of His eye.

And he fell to the earth and heard a voice saying to him, Saul, Saul, why do you persecute Me? And he said, Who are you, lord? And the Lord said, I am Jesus whom you persecute. It is hard for you to kick against the goads.