9 Bible Verses about Martyrdom, Methods Of

So, he sent [word to his officers] and had John decapitated in the prison.

But when King Herod heard [about Jesus], he said, "John, whom I [had] decapitated, has risen."

Then Herod said, "I had John decapitated, so who is this person about whom I hear such things?" And he became eager to see Jesus.

Then I saw thrones, with individuals sitting on them who had been given [authority] to judge. And I [also] saw the souls of those who had been decapitated because they had testified about Jesus and [had proclaimed] the message of God. [They are] the ones who had refused to worship the beast or his statue, and had not received his mark on their foreheads or on their hands. And these ones lived again and ruled with Christ for a thousand years.

And if I donate all my possessions to feed poor people, and if I surrender my body to be burned [Note: This probably refers to becoming a martyr, but some manuscripts read, "that I may be able to boast"], but do not have love [for people], it is no benefit to me.

They were stoned; they were sawed in two; they were executed by the sword. They traveled around in sheepskin and goatskin clothing; they were destitute, afflicted and mistreated.

They threw him out of the city and stoned him [to death]. Those who witnessed [the incident] placed their clothes at the feet of a young man named Saul.

He had James, the brother of John, killed with the sword.

Women received their dead [loved ones] back to life. Others were tortured but refused to be rescued, so they could obtain a better resurrection.