Thematic Bible: Who shall face persecution


Thematic Bible




For it seems to me that God has put us apostles on display in last place, like men condemned to death. We have become a spectacle for the world, for angels, and for people to stare at. We are fools for the Messiah's sake, but you are wise in the Messiah. We are weak, but you are strong. You are honored, but we are dishonored. We are hungry, thirsty, dressed in rags, brutally treated, and homeless, right up to the present. read more.
We wear ourselves out from working with our own hands. When insulted, we bless. When persecuted, we endure. When slandered, we answer with kind words. Even now we have become the filth of the world, the scum of the universe.

As Jesus was leaving the Temple, one of his disciples told him, "Look, Teacher, what large stones and what beautiful buildings!" "Do you see these large buildings?" Jesus responded. "Not one stone here will be left on another that will not be torn down." As Jesus was sitting on the Mount of Olives facing the Temple, Peter, James, John, and Andrew were asking him privately, read more.
"Tell us, when will these things happen, and what will be the sign when these things will be put into effect?" Jesus began to say to them, "See to it that no one deceives you. Many will come in my name and say, "I AM,' and they will deceive many people. But when you hear of wars and rumors of wars, stop being alarmed. These things must take place, but the end hasn't come yet, because nation will rise up in arms against nation, and kingdom against kingdom. There will be earthquakes and famines in various places. These things are only the beginning of the birth pains." "As for yourselves, be on your guard! People will hand you over to local councils, and you will be beaten in their synagogues. You will stand before governors and kings to testify to them because of me. But first, the gospel must be proclaimed to all nations. When they take you away and hand you over for trial, don't worry ahead of time about what you will say. Instead, say whatever is given to you at that time, because it won't be you speaking, but the Holy Spirit. Brother will betray brother to death, and a father his child. Children will rebel against their parents and have them put to death. You will be hated continuously by everyone because of my name. But the person who endures to the end will be saved."

"Pay attention, now! I am sending you out like sheep among wolves. So be as cunning as serpents and as innocent as doves. Watch out for people who will hand you over to the local councils and whip you in their synagogues. You will be brought before governors and kings because of me, to testify to them and to unbelievers. read more.
When they hand you over, don't worry about how you are to speak or what you are to say, because in that hour what you are to say will be given to you. It won't be you speaking, but the Spirit of your Father speaking through you. "Brother will hand brother over for execution, and a father his child. Children will rebel against parents and have them put to death. You will be hated by everyone because of my name. But the person who endures to the end will be saved. So when they persecute you in one town, flee to the next, because I tell all of you with certainty that you will not have gone through the towns of Israel before the Son of Man comes. "A disciple is not above his teacher, and a slave is not above his master. It is enough for a disciple to be like his teacher and a slave to be like his master. If they have called the head of the house Beelzebul, how much more will they do the same to those of his household!"

As Jesus left the Temple and was walking away, his disciples came up to him to point out to him the Temple buildings. But he told them, "You see all these things, don't you? I tell all of you with certainty, there isn't a single stone here that will be left standing on top of another. They will all be torn down." While Jesus was sitting on the Mount of Olives, the disciples came to him privately and said, "Tell us, when will these things take place, and what will be the sign of your coming and of the end of the age?" read more.
Jesus answered them, "See to it that no one deceives you, because many will come in my name and say, "I'm the Messiah,' and they will deceive many people. You'll hear of wars and rumors of wars. See to it that you aren't alarmed. These things must take place, but the end hasn't come yet, because nation will rise up in arms against nation, and kingdom against kingdom. There will be famines and earthquakes in various places. But all these things are only the beginning of the birth pains." "Then they'll hand you over to suffer and will kill you, and you'll be hated by all the nations because of my name. Then many people will fall away, will betray one another, and will hate one another.

Now while some people were talking about the Temple how it was decorated with beautiful stones and gifts dedicated to God he said, "As for these things that you see, the time will come when not one stone will be left on another that won't be knocked down." Then they asked him, "Teacher, when will these things take place, and what will be the sign that these things are about to take place?" read more.
He said, "Be careful that you are not deceived, because many will come in my name and say, "I AM' and, "The time has come.' Don't follow them. When you hear of wars and revolutions, never be alarmed, because these sort of things must take place first, but the end won't come right away." Then he went on to say to them, "Nation will rise up in arms against nation, and kingdom against kingdom. There will be great earthquakes, famines, and plagues in various places, and there will be fearful events and awful signs from heaven." "But before all these things take place, people will arrest you and persecute you. They will hand you over to synagogues and prisons, and you will be brought before kings and governors for my name's sake. It will give you an opportunity to testify. So purpose in your hearts not to prepare your defense ahead of time, because I will give you the ability to speak, along with wisdom, that none of your opponents will be able to resist or refute. You will be betrayed even by parents, brothers, relatives, and friends, and they will put some of you to death. You will be hated continuously by everyone because of my name. And yet not a hair on your head will be lost. By your endurance you will protect your lives."

"I am the true vine, and my Father is the vintner. He cuts off every branch that does not produce fruit in me, and he cuts back every branch that does produce fruit, so that it might produce more fruit. You are already clean because of what I've spoken to you. read more.
"Abide in me, and I will abide in you. Just as the branch cannot produce fruit by itself unless it abides in the vine, neither can you unless you abide in me. I am the vine, you are the branches. The one who abides in me while I abide in him produces much fruit, because apart from me you can do nothing. Unless a person abides in me, he is thrown away like a pruned branch and dries up. People gather such branches, throw them into a fire, and they are burned up. "If you abide in me and my words abide in you, you can ask for anything you want, and you'll receive it. This is how my Father is glorified, when you produce a lot of fruit and so prove to be my disciples. Just as the Father has loved me, so I have loved you. So abide in my love. If you keep my commandments, you'll abide in my love, just as I have kept my Father's commandments and abide in his love. I've told you this, so that my joy may be in you, and that your joy may be complete. "This is my commandment: that you love one another as I have loved you. No one shows greater love than when he lays down his life for his friends. You are my friends, if you do what I command you. I don't call you servants anymore, because a servant doesn't know what his master is doing. But I've called you friends, because I've made known to you everything that I've heard from my Father. "You have not chosen me, but I have chosen you. I have appointed you to go and produce fruit that will last, so that whatever you ask the Father in my name, he will give it to you. I am giving you these commandments so that you may love one another." "If the world hates you, you should realize that it hated me before you. If you belonged to the world, the world would love you as one of its own. But because you do not belong to the world and I have chosen you out of it, the world hates you. Remember what I told you: "A servant is not greater than his master.' If they persecuted me, they will also persecute you. If they kept my word, they will also keep yours.

"I have told you this to keep you from falling away. You'll be thrown out of the synagogues. Yes, a time is coming when the one who kills you will think he's serving God. They'll do this because they haven't known the Father or me. read more.
But I've told you this, so that when the time comes you'll remember that I told you about them. I didn't tell you this in the beginning, because I was still with you."


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