Thematic Bible: Religious Intolerance


Thematic Bible



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

This offended the Jews and they gathered some unprincipled loafers, formed a mob and started a riot in the town. They attacked Jason's house, to find them and bring them out among the people. Verse ConceptsEnvyIntoleranceJealousyMarketsUnbelieversEnvy, Example OfUnbelief, Examples OfDisorder Among PeopleBringing People Out Of Other PlacesIsrael HardenedMaking Israel Jealous

"This fellow," they said, "is trying to induce people to worship God in ways that are against the law." Verse ConceptsIntoleranceInciting To EvilHow Not To WorshipBreaking God's Law

But the Jews stirred up the well-to-do religious women and the leading men of the town, and they 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

shouting, "Men of Israel, help! This is the man who teaches everybody everywhere against our people and the Law and this place, and besides he has actually brought Greeks into the Temple and desecrated this sacred place." For they had previously seen Trophimus of Ephesus with him in the city, and they supposed that Paul had brought him into the Temple. The whole city was thrown into confusion, and the people hurried together, and seized Paul and dragged him outside of the Temple, the gates of which were immediately shut. read more.
They were trying to kill him when the news reached the colonel of the regiment that all Jerusalem was in a tumult.

They had listened to him until he said that, but then they shouted, "Kill him and get him out of the world! A creature like that ought not to be allowed to live!" As they were shouting and throwing their clothes about and flinging dust into the air,

And Saul entirely approved of his being put to death. A great persecution of the church in Jerusalem broke out that day, and they were all scattered over Judea and Samaria except the apostles. Some pious men buried Stephen and loudly lamented him. But Saul harassed the church. He went into one house after another, and dragging out men and women, put them in prison.

But members of the synagogue known as that of the Libyans, Cyreneans, and Alexandrians, and men from Cilicia and Asia undertook to debate with Stephen, but they could not meet his wisdom and the inspiration with which he spoke. So they instigated people to say, "We have heard him use abusive language about Moses and about God." read more.
They aroused the people, the elders, and the scribes, and they set upon him and seized him, and brought him before the council. Then they brought forward false witnesses, who said, "This man is constantly 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 that have been handed down to us by Moses." Everyone who sat in the council fixed his eyes on him, and they saw that his face was like that of an angel.

But they uttered a great shout and stopped their ears, and they rushed upon him all together, and dragged him out of the city and stoned him, the witnesses throwing down their clothes at the feet of a young man named Saul. As they stoned Stephen, he prayed, "Lord Jesus, receive my spirit!"



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

As they were talking in this way to the people, the high priests, the commander of the Temple, and the Sadducees came up to them, greatly disturbed because they were teaching the people and declaring that in the case of Jesus there had been a resurrection from the dead. They arrested them, and as it was already evening, they shut them up until next morning.

But they ordered them out of the presence of the council and conferred together. They said, "What are we to do with these men? For it is plain to everyone in Jerusalem that an extraordinary wonder has been done by them. We cannot deny that. But to keep it from spreading farther among the people, let us warn them to say nothing to anyone else at all 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 help telling of what we have seen and heard." But after further threats they let them go, as they could find no way to punish them, on account of the people, who were all giving honor to God for what had happened,

John answered, "Master, we saw a man driving out demons with your name, and we told him not to do so, for he does not go with us." 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, "Master, we saw a man driving out demons with your name, and we told him not to do so, for he was not one of our followers." But Jesus said, "Do not tell him not to do so, for there is no one who will use my name to do a mighty act, and be able soon after to abuse me.