Thematic Bible: Who shall face persecution


Thematic Bible




For I think that God has placed us apostles last as men appointed to death. We are made a spectacle to the world, and to angels, and to men. We are fools for Christ. But you are wise in Christ. We are weak, but you are strong. You are honorable, but we are despised. Even to this present hour we both hunger and thirst. We are naked. We are treated badly and we are homeless. read more.
We labor, working with our own hands. Being reviled, we bless; being persecuted, we suffer it; being slandered, we answer kindly. We are made as the filth of the world and are the refuse of all things to this day.

As he left the temple one of his disciples said to him: Teacher look at these stones and the great buildings! Jesus said: See these great buildings? Not one stone will be left upon another. They will all be thrown down. He sat on the Mount of Olives opposite the temple. Peter, James, John and Andrew asked him privately: read more.
Tell us when will these things be? What will be the sign when these things are all about to be accomplished? Jesus warned them: Take heed that no man lead you astray. Many will come in my name (Greek: onoma: claiming my authority), saying, I am he; and will lead many astray. When you hear of wars and rumors (reports) of wars do not be troubled. These things must come to pass, but the end is not yet. Nation will rise against nation and kingdom against kingdom. There will be earthquakes in various places. There will be famines. These things are the beginning of pain (sorrow) (trouble). Be on guard for they will deliver you up to courts. You will be beaten in the meeting places. You will be taken before governors and kings for a testimony to them for my sake. And the good news must first be preached to all the nations. When they deliver you up to judgment, do not worry before hand what you shall speak. Holy Spirit will give it to you at that time. Brother shall deliver up brother to death, and the father his child; and children shall rise up against parents, and cause them to be put to death. All men will hate you because of my name. He who endures to the end will be saved.

I send you as sheep in the midst of wolves. Be wise as serpents and harmless as doves. Beware of men! They will take you to court! They will have you beaten in their meeting places. You will be taken before governors and kings for my sake. This will serve as a testimony to them and to the people of the nations. read more.
When they hand you over, do not worry about what to say and how to say it. You will be given the words to speak at that time. You will not speak on your own. Your Father's Spirit will speak through you. People will hand over their brothers to be put to death. Parents will oppose children and children will oppose parents, causing them to be put to death. Men will hate you because of me. He who endures to the end will be saved. When they persecute you in this city, flee to the next. I tell you; before you have gone through all the cities of Israel the Son of man will come. A disciple is not greater than his teacher, nor a servant his master. It is enough for the disciple (student) that he is like his teacher, and the servant like his master. If they called the master of the house Beelzebub (Satan), others of the household could also be called the same!

After Jesus left the temple, his disciples came to him to show him the buildings of the temple. He said to them: Do you see these things? I tell you, not one stone will be left upon another. They will all be thrown down. He sat on the Mount of Olives. The disciples came to him privately, saying: Tell us when these things will be? What will be the sign of your presence and of the end of the age? read more.
Jesus answered: Be careful that no man misleads you. Many will come in my name, saying, 'I am the Christ,' and will deceive many. You will hear of wars and rumors of wars. Do not be troubled, for this must happen, but the end is not yet. Nation will rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom. There will be famines and earthquakes in many places. These things are the beginning of birth pains (Greek: odin': in the throws of pain, such as childbirth). People will cause you tribulation, and kill you. You will be hated by all the nations for my name's sake. Many will stumble and betray and hate one another.

Some spoke of how wonderful the temple was. How it was adorned with beautiful stones and offerings, Jesus replied: Concerning these things you see, the days will come, in which there shall not be left here one stone upon another, that shall not be thrown down. They asked him: Teacher, when would these things take place? What will be the sign when these things are about to come to pass? read more.
He said: Take heed that you are not led astray. Many will come in my name, saying, I am he but the time is not at hand. Do not follow them. When you hear of wars and disturbances do not be terrified. These things must occur first. The end is not immediate. Then he said: Nation will rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom. There will be great earthquakes. There will be famines and pestilences in various places. There shall be terrors and great signs from heaven. Even before all these things, they will capture you, and persecute you. You will be delivered to synagogues and prisons. You will be brought before kings and governors for my name's sake. It will give you an opportunity to witness. Do not think about what you will say before it happens. I will give you ability to talk and words of wisdom, which your adversaries shall not be able to resist or refute. Parent, brothers and sisters and friends will turn you over and cause you to be put to death. Men will hate you because of my name. Yet not a hair of your head will perish. You will gain your lives because of your endurance.

I am the true vine, and my Father is the cultivator. He takes away the branches in me that do not bear fruit. He cleans every branch that bears fruit. That way it may bear more fruit. You are clean because of the word that I have spoken to you. read more.
Remain with me, and I with you. The branch cannot bear fruit by itself. It must remain on the vine. Neither can you bear fruit unless you remain with me. I am the vine and you are the branches. He that remains with me, and I with him, the same bears much fruit. You can do nothing apart from me. If a man does not remain with me, he is removed as a branch, and withers. They gather them and throw them into the fire where they are burned (destroyed) (consumed). If you remain with me, and my words remain with you, ask whatever you will, and it will be done for you. My Father is glorified when you bear much fruit. You will be my disciples. I love you just as the Father has loved me. Remain in my love. If you obey my commandments you will remain in my love. I have obeyed my Father's commandments and remain in his love. I spoke these things in order that my joy may continue with you and your joy may be made full. This is my commandment, that you love one another, even as I have loved you. No man has greater love then this that a man lay down his life for his friends. You are my friends if you do the things that I command you. I no longer call you servants for the servant does not know what the lord does. I have called you friends; for all things that I heard from my Father, I have made known to you. You did not choose me. I chose you and appointed you. You should go and bear fruit and your fruit should remain. Whatever you ask the Father in my name, he may give it to you. These things I command you, that you may love one another. If the world hates you, you know that it has hated me before it hated you. If you were of the world, the world would love its own. I chose you out of the world. The world hates you because you are not of the world. Remember the word I said to you. A servant is not greater than his master. If they persecuted me, they will also persecute you. If they obeyed my word, they will obey yours also.

I have spoken these things to you that you should not be made to stumble. They will throw you out of the synagogues. Yes, the hour comes that whoever kills you will think that he offered service to God. But they do these things because they do not know the Father or me. read more.
I tell you these things so you will remember that I told you when the time comes. I did not tell this from the beginning because I was with you.