28 Bible Verses about Martyrdom

"that upon your heads may come every drop of innocent blood spilt upon the earth, from the blood of Abel, the just, to the blood of Zechariah the son of Berechiah, whom you murdered between the Sanctuary and the altar.

"while the rest seized his slaves and maltreated and murdered them.

Lord, they have killed thy prophets, they have overthrown thine altars; And now I alone am left, and they seek my life.

And what more shall I say? for time would fail me to tell of Gideon, of Barak, of Samson, and of Jeptha; of David and Samuel and the prophets, who through faith conquered kingdoms, wrought righteousness, obtained promises, stopped the mouths of lions, quenched the power of fire, escaped the edge of the sword, out of weakness were made strong, proved valiant in warfare, and routed armies of aliens. read more.
Woman received their dear ones alive from the dead; and others were broken on the wheel, not accepting the offered deliverance, in order that they might obtain a better resurrection. Others again bore trial of mockings and scourgings, yes, even of chains and imprisonment. They were stoned, they were sawn asunder, they were tempted, they were slain with the sword, they wandered about in sheepskins and goatskins, being destitute, persecuted, tormented??38 of whom the world was not worthy??andering in deserts and mountains and caves and holes in the ground.

We are not to be like Cain, who belonged to the Evil One, and murdered his brother. And why did he murder him? It was because his own deeds were evil, and his brother's, righteous.

Meanwhile Saul, still breathing out threats of murder against the disciples of the Lord, went to the high priest

Then they will deliver you up to suffer affliction, and will put you to death, and you will be hated by all nations for my name's sake.

"They will excommunicate you from their synagogues; indeed the time is coming when any one who kills you will suppose that he is doing God's service.

"And brother will betray brother to death, and a father his child; and children will rise up against their parents and put them to death.

And I saw the woman drunk with the blood of the saints, and with the blood of the martyrs of Jesus, and I wondered with a great wonder.

And in you was found the blood of prophets and of saints, And of all who have been slain upon the earth."

Fear not what you are about to suffer! Behold, the devil is indeed going to put some of you in prison, that you may be tested, and you will have persecution for ten days. Be faithful even unto death, and I will give you the crown of life.

I know where you dwell, where the throne of Satan is; and yet you are holding fast my name, and you have not denied my faith, even in the days of Antipas, my witness, my faithful one, who was slain among you, where Satan has his dwelling.

Fear not what you are about to suffer! Behold, the devil is indeed going to put some of you in prison, that you may be tested, and you will have persecution for ten days. Be faithful even unto death, and I will give you the crown of life.

And there was given to each one of them a white robe; and they were told that they should rest for yet a little time, until the number should be completed by their fellow slaves and their brethren who were about to be put to death as they had been.

And I saw thrones, and those who sat on them, and they were permitted to judge; and I saw the souls of those who had been beheaded for the testimony of Jesus, and for the Word of God, those who did not worship the beast nor his image, and who did not receive his brand upon their brow, or hands. And they lived and reigned with Christ for a thousand years.

And when he opened the fifth seal, I saw underneath the altar the souls of those who had been slain for the word of God, and for the testimony which they bore.

Fear not what you are about to suffer! Behold, the devil is indeed going to put some of you in prison, that you may be tested, and you will have persecution for ten days. Be faithful even unto death, and I will give you the crown of life.

"Do not be afraid of those who kill the body, but cannot kill the soul; but fear rather him who can destroy both soul and body in Gehenna.

Then Jesus said to his disciples. "If any man wishes to come after me, let him renounce self, take up his cross, and follow me. For he who wants to save his life will lose it; but whoever loses his life for my sake will find it.

I know where you dwell, where the throne of Satan is; and yet you are holding fast my name, and you have not denied my faith, even in the days of Antipas, my witness, my faithful one, who was slain among you, where Satan has his dwelling.

"Feed my sheep," said Jesus. "In solemn truth I tell you that when you were young, you used to put on your own girdle, and walk wherever you wished; but when you grow old you will stretch out your hands for some one to gird you, and carry you where you do not wish to go." This he said to show by what kind of death Peter was to glorify God. After speaking thus, he said to him, "Follow me."

"so that the blood of all the prophets which was shed from the foundation of the world may be required from this generation, "from the blood of Abel to the blood of Zachariah, who perished between the alter and the sanctuary; yes; I tell you, it shall be required of this generation!

Not yet have you resisted unto blood in your fight against sin;

For John had often told Herod, "It is not right for you to live with your brother's wife." So Herodias hated him, and wished to put him to death; but she could not, for Herod was afraid of John because he knew that he was a just and holy man. So he kept him safe. When he listened to John he was much exercised, yet he found pleasure in listening to him. read more.
Then came a convenient day, when Herod on his birthday held a feast for his lords and generals and the leading men of Galilee, at which the daughter of Herodias herself came in and danced. She charmed Herod and his guests. "Ask me whatever you want," said the king to the young girl, "and I will give it to you." He even swore to her that whatever she asked, he would give it to her, up to half his kingdom. So she came out and said to her mother, "What shall I ask for?" "The head of John the Baptist," she replied. So she at once hurried in to the king and made her request, "I want you," she said, "to give me, without delay, the head of John the Baptist on a charger." Then the king was exceedingly sorry; yet on account of his oaths and his guests he was unwilling to disappoint her. So he sent at once a soldier of the guard with orders to bring his head. And he went and beheaded John in prison, brought his head on a platter, and gave it to the young girl, and she gave it to her mother.

dragged him outside the city, and stoned him, the witnesses throwing off their outer garments at the feet of a young man named Saul. So they stoned Stephen while he prayed, "Lord Jesus, receive my spirit." Then he knelt down and cried aloud, "Lord, lay not this sin to their charge."

So he sent at once a soldier of the guard with orders to bring his head.

dragged him outside the city, and stoned him, the witnesses throwing off their outer garments at the feet of a young man named Saul.

and beheaded James, the brother of John, with the sword.

and beheaded James, the brother of John, with the sword.

but emptied himself of his glory by taking the form of a slave, when he was born in the likeness of men.

I for my part am a libation already being poured in sacrifice; and the time of my unmooring is at hand.

"What do you mean by thus breaking my heart with your grief?" answered Paul. "For I am ready not to be bound only, but also to die at Jerusalem, for the name of the Lord Jesus."

And though I sell all my goods to feed the poor, and though I give my body to be burned, but have not love, it avails me nothing.

And I saw thrones, and those who sat on them, and they were permitted to judge; and I saw the souls of those who had been beheaded for the testimony of Jesus, and for the Word of God, those who did not worship the beast nor his image, and who did not receive his brand upon their brow, or hands. And they lived and reigned with Christ for a thousand years.

"And brother will betray brother to death, and a father his child; and children will rise up against their parents and put them to death.

And when he opened the fifth seal, I saw underneath the altar the souls of those who had been slain for the word of God, and for the testimony which they bore.