Thematic Bible: Religious Intolerance


Thematic Bible



At this the high priest Ananias ordered the people standing near him to strike him on the mouth. Verse ConceptsConfrontationHigh Priest, In NtSmitingSmiting Of The RighteousOther References To MouthsRivers

But this enraged the Jews; so they got together some wicked loafers about the public square, formed a mob, and set the town in an uproar. Verse ConceptsEnvyIntoleranceJealousyMarketsUnbelieversEnvy, Example OfUnbelief, Examples OfDisorder Among PeopleBringing People Out Of Other PlacesIsrael HardenedMaking Israel Jealous

and said, "This fellow is inducing people to worship God in ways that violate our laws." Verse ConceptsIntoleranceInciting To EvilHow Not To WorshipBreaking God's Law

But the Jews stirred up the devout women of high rank and the men of first rank in town, and so started a persecution against Paul and Barnabas, and drove them out of their district. Verse ConceptsDevout MenIntoleranceInciting To EvilUnbelief, As Response To GodPersecution, OriginPersecution Of The Apostle Paul

as they kept shouting, "Men of Israel, help! help! This is the man who teaches everybody everywhere against our people and the law and this place; yea, more than that, he has actually brought Greeks into the temple and desecrated this sacred place." For they had previously seen Trophimus of Ephesus in the city with him, and so they supposed that Paul had brought him into the temple. The whole city was stirred with excitement, and all at once the people rushed together, and seized Paul and dragged him out of the temple, and its gates at once were shut. read more.
Now while they were trying to kill him, news reached the colonel of the regiment that all Jerusalem was in a ferment.

They listened to him until he said this, and then all at once they shouted, "Away with such a fellow from the earth! He is certainly not fit to live!" While they were shouting and tossing their clothes about and flinging dust into the air,

Saul heartily approved of his being put to death. So on that day a severe persecution broke out against the church in Jerusalem, and all of them, except the apostles, were scattered over Judea and Samaria. Some devout men buried Stephen and made loud lamentation for him. But Saul continued to harass the church, and by going from house to house and dragging off men and women he continued to put them into prison.

But members of the synagogue known as that of the Libyans, Cyreneans, and Alexandrians, and men from Cilicia and Asia, got to debating with Stephen, but they could not cope with his good practical sense and the spiritual power with which he usually spoke. So they instigated men to say, "We have heard him speaking abusive words against Moses and God." read more.
By this means they excited the people, the elders, and the scribes, and so they rushed upon him, seized him, and brought him before the council. Then they put up false witnesses who said, "This man never stops saying things against this holy place and against the law, for we have heard him say that Jesus of Nazareth will tear this place down, and change the customs which Moses handed down to us." Then all who were seated in the council fixed their eyes upon him and saw that his face was like that of an angel.

But they raised a great shout and held their ears, and all together rushed upon him, and dragged him out of the city and continued stoning him. The witnesses, in the meantime, laid their clothes at the feet of a young man named Saul. They continued stoning Stephen as he continued praying, "Lord Jesus, receive my spirit!"



But when the Jews at Thessalonica learned that God's message had been proclaimed at Berea by Paul, they came there too to excite the masses and stir up a riot. Verse ConceptsGospel, Responses ToPreaching, Effects OfInciting To EvilSpiritual Warfare, Causes OfUnbelief, As Response To GodIsrael Hardened

While they were talking to the people, the high priests, the military commander of the temple, and the Sadducees came down upon them, because they were very much disturbed over their continuing to teach the people and to declare in the case of Jesus the resurrection from the dead. So they arrested them and put them into prison until next morning, for it was already evening.

But they ordered the prisoners to step outside the council, and they conferred together and repeated, "What shall we do with these men? For it is evident to everybody living in Jerusalem that an unmistakable wonder-work has been done by them; and we cannot deny it. But to keep it from spreading farther among the people, let us severely threaten them not to say anything at all to anyone else about this person." read more.
So they called them in and ordered them not to speak or teach at all about the name of Jesus. But Peter and John answered them, "You must decide whether it is right in the sight of God to obey you instead of Him, for we cannot keep from telling what we have seen and heard." So, after further threatening them, they turned them loose, because they could not find any way to punish them, on account of the people, because they all continued to praise God for what had taken place,

Then John answered, "Master, we saw a man driving out demons by the use of your name, and we tried to stop him, because he does not belong to our followers." Verse Conceptsdriving outIntoleranceMiracles, Nature OfPeople Casting Out DemonsIn The Name Of ChristNot With PeopleMan's Authority Over The DevilCasting Out DemonsgroupsDemonic Influence

John said to Him, "Teacher, we saw a man using your name to drive out demons, and we tried to stop him, for he was not one of our followers." Jesus said, "Do not try to stop him, for there is no one who will use my name to do a mighty deed, and then be able soon to abuse me.