11 Bible Verses about Martyrdom, Reasons For

Now the [second] beast was given [the power] to give breath to the statue of the [first] beast, so that it could both speak and cause all those who refused to worship the statue of the [first] beast to be killed.

He told his servants, "This must be John, the Immerser; he has risen from the dead and [that explains how] these powers can work through him [i.e., Jesus]." For Herod had arrested John and had him chained and put in prison in order to please Herodias, his brother Philip's wife. For John had said to him, "It is not lawful for you to be married to her."read more.
Now Herod wanted to have him put to death, [but hesitated], fearing the crowd, because they considered John to be a prophet. But when Herod's birthday came, Herodias' daughter [Note: According to Josephus her name was Salome], pleased him by [her sensual] dancing in front of the party guests. [Herod was so pleased with her performance that] he promised, with an oath, to give her whatever she asked for [i.e., with limitations. See Mark 6:23]. Her mother persuaded her to say, "Give me the head of John, the Immerser, here on this [large] platter." Now King Herod became very distressed [over such a gruesome request]; but because he had [promised with] oaths and [to look good in front of] his party guests, he ordered John's head to be given [to her]. So, he sent [word to his officers] and had John decapitated in the prison. His head was brought on a [large] platter and given to the young woman [i.e., Salome], and she took it to her mother [i.e., Herodias]. Jesus' disciples came and took the body and buried it; then they went and told Jesus [all about the incident].

For it was Herod himself who had sent for John and had him arrested and chained up in prison. He did this to please Herodias, who was [i.e., had been] his brother Philip's wife, but whom Herod had married. For John had said to Herod, "It is unlawful for you to marry your brother's wife." Now [because of this] Herodias had a grudge against John and wanted to kill him, but had not been able to.read more.
It was because Herod was afraid of John, knowing he was a righteous and holy man, so he protected him. And Herod became very disturbed whenever he listened to John, yet he heard him gladly. Then an ideal opportunity arose [i.e., for Herodias to do away with John] when Herod gave a dinner on his birthday for his influential friends, military commanders and the prominent officials of Galilee. And when Herodias' daughter [Note: According to Josephus her name was Salome] came in and danced [in front of them, sensually], she pleased Herod and his party guests so much that the king said to the young woman, "Ask me for whatever you want and I will give it to you." And he vowed to her, "I will give you whatever you ask me for, up to one half [the wealth] of my kingdom." So, she went out and said to her mother, "What shall I ask for?" And her mother said, " [Ask for] the head of John the Immerser." At once she hurried in to the king and said, "I would like you to give me the head of John the Immerser on a [large] platter right away." And the king became very distressed [over such a gruesome request], but because he had promised her with oaths, and [to keep from looking bad] in front of his party guests, he did not refuse her [request]. And immediately the king sent a soldier who served as his guard and ordered him to bring John's head to him. So, he went and decapitated him in the prison, and brought his head on a [large] platter and gave it to the young woman. She [in turn] gave it to her mother [Herodias]. And when John's disciples heard [what had happened] they took his body and buried it in a grave.

You people are unbending and unrepentant in your hearts and [unwilling to listen with] your ears. You are always resisting [the desires of] the Holy Spirit just like your forefathers did. Which one of the prophets did your forefathers not persecute? They [even] killed those who predicted the coming of the Righteous One [i.e., Jesus], whom you people betrayed and murdered. You received the law that was ordained through [the medium of] angels [See Gal. 3:19] and yet have not obeyed its requirements."read more.
Now when the Council members heard these things they were enraged and ground their teeth at him. But Stephen, full of the Holy Spirit, gazed into heaven and saw God's splendor and Jesus standing at His right side. He said, "Look, I see heaven opened up and the Son of man standing at the right side of God." But they shouted loudly and refused to listen, and then all of them rushed at him. 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.

And when they have completed their testimony, the beast that comes up from the pit [See 13:1ff; 17:3,7] will wage war against them, and overpower and kill them. And their dead bodies will lie in the street of the great city [Note: See the following passages on this "great city," 14:8; 16:19; 17:5,18; 18:2,10,16,18,19,21] where the Lord was crucified, which is spiritually called Sodom, or Egypt. And people from among the races and tribes and language groups and nations will gaze at their dead bodies for three and a half days, and they will not permit their bodies to be buried.read more.
And those people living on the earth will be glad over the death of them [i.e., the two witnesses. See verse 3], and they will celebrate by sending gifts to one another, because these two prophets had tormented those living on earth.

At that time people will turn you over [to the authorities] for persecution and will [even] kill you. And people from all countries will hate you for being loyal to me.

And [at that time] a person will turn his brother over to be killed, and the father will do the same to his child. And children will rebel against their parents and will turn them over to be killed. You will be hated by all people because you belong to me, but the person who holds out [i.e., remains faithful to God] until the end [i.e., the end of this time of severe persecution] will be saved [from destruction].

But you will be turned over [i.e., to the authorities for punishment] even by [your own] parents and brothers and relatives and friends. And they will [even] put some of you to death. And you will be hated by all people for being loyal to me.

not [hate each other] the way Cain did, who belonged to the evil one [i.e., Satan], when he murdered his brother [Abel]. And why did he murder him? It was because his [own] actions were evil and his brother's were righteous [See Heb. 11:4].

And on her forehead was written a mysterious [name], "The great Babylon, the mother of the prostitutes and the disgusting things of the earth."

And when the Lamb broke open the fifth seal, I saw underneath the altar the souls of those who had been killed for [believing and preaching] God's message, and for the testimony [about Jesus] which they had maintained.