72 Bible Verses about Persecution, Nature Of

While the ungodly hath the overhand, the poor must suffer persecution; let them be taken in the crafty wiliness that they have imagined!

Thus sayeth the LORD, 'For three and four wickednesses of Gaza, I will not spare her: because they make the prisoners yet more captive, and have driven them into the land of Edom.

Thus sayeth the LORD, 'For three and four wickednesses of Moab, I will not spare him: because he burnt the bones of the king of Edom to ashes.

For lo, I will raise up the Chaldeans, that bitter and swift people: which shall go as wide as the land is, to take possession of dwelling places that be not their own. A grim and boisterous people is it, these shall sit in judgment and punish. Their horses are swifter than the cats of the mountain, and bite sorer than the wolves in the evening. Their horsemen come by great heaps from far, they flee hastily to devour as the Eagle.read more.
They come all to spoil: out of them cometh an east wind, which bloweth and gathereth their captives, like as the sand. They shall mock the kings, and laugh the princes to scorn. They shall not set by any strong hold, for they shall lay ordinance against it, and take it. Then shall they take a fresh courage unto them, to go forth and do more evil, and so ascribe that power unto their God.

And I looked. And behold, a green horse; and his name that sat on him was Death, and hell followed after him, and power was given unto them over the fourth part of the earth, to kill with sword, and with hunger, and with death, that cometh of vermin of the earth.

And the similitude of the locusts was like unto horses prepared unto battle, and on their heads were as it were crowns, like unto gold: and their faces were as it had been the faces of men. And they had hairs as the hairs of women. And their teeth were as the teeth of lions. And they had habergeons, as it were habergeons of iron. And the sound of their wings, was as the sound of chariots when many horses run together to battle.read more.
And they had tails like unto scorpions, and there were stings in their tails. And their power was to hurt men five months.

Moreover, I will put hatred between thee and the woman, and between thy seed and her seed. And that seed shall tread thee on the head, and thou shalt tread it on the heel."

Then said the LORD unto Satan, "Lo, there hast thou him in thy power, but spare his life." So went Satan forth from the LORD, and smote Job with marvelous sore boils, from the sole of the foot unto his crown;

And he showed me Joshua the high priest, standing before the angel of the LORD, and Satan stood at his righthand to resist him.

Then entered Satan into Judas, whose surname was Iscariot, which was of the number of the twelve: and he went his way, and communed with the high priests and officers, how he might betray him to them.

Be sober, and watch. For your adversary the devil, as a roaring lion, walketh about, seeking whom he may devour:

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.

"If the world hate you, ye know that he hated me before he hated you.

Marvel not, my brethren, though the world hate you.

But the tenants said amongst themselves, 'This is the heir: come, let us kill him and the inheritance shall be ours.'

Therefore the Jews sought the more to kill him, not only because he had broken the Sabbath: but said also that God was his father and made himself equal with God.

If ye were of the world, the world would love his own. Howbeit, because ye are not of the world, but I have chosen you out of the world, therefore hateth you the world.

I have given them thy words, and the world hath hated them: because they are not of the world, even as I am not of the world.

and strengthened the disciples souls: exhorting them to continue in the faith, affirming that we must through much tribulation enter into the kingdom of God.

For ye brethren became followers of the congregations of God which in Jewry are in Christ Jesus: for ye have suffered like things of your kinsmen, as we ourselves have suffered of the Jews, which as they killed the Lord Jesus and their own prophets, even so have they persecuted us, and God they please not, and are contrary to all men:

Behold what love the father hath showed on us, that we should be called the sons of God. For this cause the world knoweth you not; because it knoweth not him.

But take ye heed to yourselves. For they shall bring you up to the councils, and into the synagogues, and ye shall be beaten, and ye shall be brought before rulers and kings, for my sake, for a testimonial unto them.

Then Jezebel sent a messenger unto Elijah, saying, "So do God to me, and so thereto, except I make thy soul like one of theirs by tomorrow this time."

And when Sanballat, Tobiah, and Geshem the Arabian, and the others of our enemies heard that I had builded the wall, and that there were no more gaps therein - howbeit at the same time had I not hanged the doors upon the gates -

{Shin} The princes persecute me without cause; but my heart standeth in awe of thy word.

Then took they Jeremiah, and cast him into the dungeon of Malchiah the son of Hammelech, that dwelt in the fore entry of the prison. And they let down Jeremiah with cords into a dungeon, where there was no water, but mire.

Then Nebuchadnezzar in a cruel wrath and displeasure, commanded that Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego should be brought unto him. So these men were brought before the king. Then Nebuchadnezzar spake unto them, and said, "What? O Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego: will not ye serve my gods? Nor bow yourselves to the golden Image, that I have set up? Well, be ready hereafter, when ye hear the noise of the trumpets blow with the harps, shawmes psalteries, symphonies and all the other melodies: that ye fall down, and worship the Image which I have made. But if ye worship it not, ye shall be cast immediately in to a hot burning oven. Let's see what God is there, that may deliver you out of my hands!"read more.
Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego answered the king, an said, "O Nebuchadnezzar, we ought not to consent unto thee in this matter. For why? Our God whom we serve, is able to keep us from the hot burning oven, O king, and can right well deliver us out of thy hands:

Beware of men: for they shall deliver you up to the councils, and shall scourge you in their synagogues;

In that time Herod the king stretched forth his hands to vex certain of the congregation. And he killed James the brother of John with the sword: and because he saw that it pleased the Jews, he proceeded further, and took Peter also. Then were the days of sweetbread.

For this cause thank we God without ceasing, because that when ye received of us the word, wherewith God was preached, ye received it not as the word of man: but even as it was, indeed, the word of God; which worketh in you that believe. For ye brethren became followers of the congregations of God which in Jewry are in Christ Jesus: for ye have suffered like things of your kinsmen, as we ourselves have suffered of the Jews, which as they killed the Lord Jesus and their own prophets, even so have they persecuted us, and God they please not, and are contrary to all men:read more.
and forbid us to preach unto the gentiles, that they might be saved, to fulfill their sins always: For the wrath of God is come on them, even to the utmost.

Now when he had spoken out all the words that the LORD commanded him to preach unto all the people, then the priests, the prophets and all the people took hold upon him, and said, "Thou shalt die.

And Amaziah said unto Amos, "Get thee hence, thou that canst see so well, and flee into the land of Judah. Get thee there thy living, and prophesy there: and prophesy no more at Bethel, for it is the king's chapel, and the king's court.

"Wherefore, Behold, I send unto you prophets, wise men, and scribes. And of them: some shall ye kill and crucify, and some of them shall ye scourge in your synagogues, and persecute from city to city; that upon you may come all the righteous blood that was shed upon the earth: from the blood of righteous Abel, unto the blood of Zachariah the son of Barachiah, whom ye slew between the temple and the altar: Verily I say unto you, all these things shall light upon this generation.read more.
Jerusalem, Jerusalem, which killest prophets, and stonest them which are sent to thee: how often would I have gathered thy children together, as the hen gathereth her chicks under her wings? But ye would not.

For of a truth, against thy holy child Jesus, whom thou hast anointed, both Herod and also Pontius Pilate with the gentiles, and the people of Israel, gathered themselves together: for to do whatsoever thy hand and thy counsel determined before to be done. And now Lord behold their threatenings, and grant unto thy servants with all confidence to speak thy word.

Then the chief priest rose up, and all they that were with him: which is the sect of the Sadducees: and were full of indignation, and laid hands on the apostles, and put them in the common prison.

and I persecuted this way unto the death: binding, and delivering into prison both men and women,

And it was given unto him to make war with the saints, and to overcome them. And power was given him over all kindred, tongue, and nation:

And I saw the wife drunken with the blood of saints, and with the blood of the witnesses of Jesus. And when I saw her, I wondered with great marvel.

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

for the son shall put his father to dishonour, the daughter shall rise against her mother, the daughter-in-law against her mother-in-law: and a man's foes shall be even they of his own household.

And Cain talked with Abel his brother. And as soon as they were in the fields, Cain fell upon Abel his brother and slew him.

The brother shall betray the brother to death, and the father the son: and the children shall arise against their fathers, and mothers, and shall put them to death,

And when they that longed unto him heard of it, they went out to hold him. For they said, "He is too fervent."

But as then he that was born carnally, persecuted him that was born spiritually; Even so is it now.

Therefore have I delectation in infirmities, in rebukes, in need, in persecutions, in anguish, for Christ's sake. For when I am weak, then am I strong.

After whom art thou come out, thou king of Israel? After whom chasest thou? Even after a dead dog, and after a flea!

{To the Chanter, Destroy Not, Michtam of David, when Saul sent to watch the house, to the intent to kill him} Deliver me from mine enemies, O my God, and defend me from them that rise up against me. O deliver me from the wicked doers, and save me from the bloodthirsty men. For lo, they lie in waiting for my soul; the mighty men are gathered together against me, without any offense or fault of me, O LORD.read more.
They run and prepare themselves, without my fault; Arise thou therefore to help me, and behold.

{To the Chanter, a Psalm of David} Hear my voice, O God, in my complaint; preserve my life from fear of the enemy. Hide me from the gathering together of the froward, and from the insurrection of wicked doers, who have whet their tongue like a sword, and shoot out their arrows, even bitter words,read more.
That they may privily hurt the innocent, and suddenly hit him without any fear.

We are troubled on every side, yet are we not without shift. We are in poverty: but not utterly without somewhat. We are persecuted: but are not forsaken. We are cast down: nevertheless we perish not. And we always bear in our bodies the dying of the Lord Jesus, that the life of Jesus might appear in our bodies.read more.
For we which live, are always delivered unto death for Jesus' sake, that the life also of Jesus might appear in our mortal flesh. So then death worketh in us, and life in you.

They are the ministers of Christ - I speak as a fool - I am more: In labors more abundant, in stripes above measure, in prison more plenteously, in death often. Of the Jews, five times received I, every time, forty stripes, save one. Thrice was I beaten with rods. I was once stoned. I suffered thrice shipwreck. Night and day have I been in the deep of the sea.read more.
In journeying often, in perils of waters, in perils of robbers; in jeopardies of mine own nation, in jeopardies among the heathen. I have been in perils in cities, in perils in wilderness, in perils in the sea, in perils among false brethren;

And what shall I more say? The time would be too short for me to tell of Gideon, of Barach, and of Samson, and of Jephthah. Also of David and Samuel, and of the prophets, which through faith subdued kingdoms, wrought righteousness, obtained the promises, stopped the mouths of lions, quenched the violence of fire, escaped the edge of the sword, of weak were made strong, waxed valiant in fight, turned to flight the armies of the aliens.read more.
And the women received their dead raised to life again. Others were racked, and would not be delivered, that they might receive a better resurrection. Others tasted of mockings, and scourgings, moreover of bonds and prisonment: were stoned, were hewn asunder, were tempted, were slain with swords, walked up and down in sheep skins, in goat skins, in need, tribulation, and vexation, which the world was not worthy of: They wandered in wilderness, in mountains, in dens and caves of the earth.

Yea, and all that will live godly in Christ Jesus, must suffer persecutions.

yet hath no roots in himself, and therefore dureth but a season: for as soon as tribulation or persecution ariseth because of the word, by and by he falleth.

Jesus answered and said, "Verily I say unto you, there is no man that hath forsaketh house, or brethren, or sisters, or father, or mother, or wife, other children, or lands, for my sake and the gospel's, which shall not receive a hundred fold now in this life, houses, and brethren, and sisters, and mothers and children, and lands with persecutions, and in the world to come eternal life.

For verily when I was with you, I told you before that we should suffer tribulation even as it came to pass, and as ye know.

For nation shall rise against nation, and realm against realm: and there shall be pestilence, and hunger, and earthquakes in all quarters. All these are the beginning of sorrows. Then shall they put you to trouble, and shall kill you, and ye shall be hated of all nations for my name's sake:read more.
And then shall many be offended, and shall betray one another, and shall hate one the other.

Let no man deceive you by any means, for the Lord cometh not, except there come a departing first, and that that sinful man be opened, the son of perdition; which is an adversary, and is exalted above all that is called God, or that is worshipped: so that he shall sit as God in the temple of God, and show himself as God.

And long white garments were given unto every one of them. And it was said unto them that they should rest for a little season until the number of their fellows, and brethren, and of them that should be killed as they were, were fulfilled.

{Ayin} The countenance of the LORD hath banished them, and shall never look more upon them: For they themselves neither regarded the priests, nor pitied the elders. {Pe} Wherefore yet our eyes fail us, while we look for vain help: seeing we be ever waiting upon a people that can do us no good. {Tsadi} They lay so sharp wait for us, that we can not go safe upon the streets: for our end is come, our days are fulfilled, our end is here.read more.
{Kuf} Our persecutors are swifter than the Eagles of the air, they followed upon us over the mountains, and laid wait for us in the wilderness.

Moreover, thus sayeth the LORD, "Behold, there shall come a people from the North, and a great people shall arise from the ends of the earth; with bows and with darts shall they be weaponed. It is a rough and fierce people, an unmerciful people: their voice roareth like the sea, they ride upon horses well appointed to the battle against thee, O daughter Zion!" Then shall this cry be heard, "Our arms are feeble! Heaviness and sorrow is come upon us, as upon a woman travailing with child!read more.
No man go forth into the field, no man come upon the high street: for the sword and fear of the enemy shall be on every side!" Wherefore, gird a sackcloth about thee, O daughter of my people; sprinkle thyself with ashes, mourn and weep bitterly, as upon the only beloved son: for the destroyer shall suddenly fall upon us.

"Then came the word of the LORD unto me, saying, 'Behold, I am the LORD God of all flesh, is there anything then too hard for me?' Therefore thus said the LORD, 'Behold, I shall deliver this city into the power of the Chaldeans, and into the power of Nebuchadnezzar the king of Babylon: they shall take it in.read more.
For the Chaldeans shall come, and win this city, and set fire upon it, and burn it: with the gorgeous houses in whose parlors they have made sacrifice unto Baal, and poured drink offerings unto strange gods, to provoke me unto wrath.

But the Chaldeans' Host followed fast after them, and took Zedekiah in the field of Jericho, and brought him prisoner to Nebuchadnezzar the king of Babylon unto Riblah, that lieth in the land of Hamath where he gave judgment upon him. So the king of Babylon caused the children of Zedekiah and all the nobles of Judah be slain before his face at Riblah. And made Zedekiah's eyes to be put out, and bound him with chains, and sent him to Babylon.read more.
Moreover, the Chaldeans burnt up the king's palace, with the other houses of the people, and brake down the walls of Jerusalem. As for the remnant of the people that were in the city, and such as were come to help them, whatsoever was left of the common sort, Nebuzaradan the chief captain carried them to Babylon. But Nebuzaradan the chief captain let the rascal people, and those that had nothing, dwell still in the land of Judah, and gave them vineyards and corn fields at the same time.

For they persecute him whom thou hast smitten; and they talk how they may vex them whom thou hast wounded.

And therefore the Jews did persecute Jesus, and sought the means to slay him, because he had done these things on the Sabbath day.

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.

which shall not receive a hundred fold now in this life, houses, and brethren, 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 into prison: and bring you before kings and rulers for my name's sake.

Remember the saying, that I said unto you, 'The servant is not greater than the Lord.' If they have persecuted me, so will they persecute you. If they have kept my saying, so will they keep yours.

"O LORD," said I then, "thou knowest all things. Therefore remember me, and visit me, deliver me from my persecutors: Receive not my cause in thy long wrath; yet thou knowest, that for thy sake I suffer rebuke.

For thus sayeth the LORD of Hosts: With a glorious power hath he sent me out to the Heathen, which spoiled you: for whoso toucheth you, shall touch the apple of his own eye.

And he fell to the earth, and heard a voice saying to him, "Saul, Saul, why persecutest thou me?" And he said, "What art thou, Lord?" And the Lord said, "I am Jesus whom thou persecutest: it shall be hard for thee to kick against the prick."