48 Bible Verses about Missionaries, Support For

Be on your guard against your fellow men, for they will betray you to courts of law, and scourge you in their Synagogues; And you will be brought before governors and kings for my sake, that you may witness for me before them and the nations. Whenever they betray you, do not be anxious as to how you shall speak or what you shall say, for what you shall say will be given you at the moment;read more.
For it will not be you who speak, but the Spirit of your Father that speaks within you. Brother will betray brother to death, and the father his child; and children will turn against their parents, and cause them to be put to death; And you will be hated by every one on account of my Name. Yet the man that endures to the end shall be saved. But, when they persecute you in one town, escape to the next; for, I tell you, you will not have come to the end of the towns of Israel before the Son of Man comes.

Whenever they betray you and hand you over for trial, do not be anxious beforehand as to what you shall say, but say whatever is given you at the moment; for it will not be you who speak, but the Holy Spirit. Brother will betray brother to death, and the father his child; and children will turn against their parents, and cause them to be put to death; And you will be hated by every one on account of my Name. Yet the man that endures to the end shall be saved.

Before all this, they will lay hands on you and persecute you, and they will betray you to Synagogues and put you in prison, when you will be brought before kings and governors for the sake of my Name. Then will be your opportunity of witnessing for me. Make up your minds, therefore, not to prepare your defense;read more.
For I will myself give you words, and a wisdom which all your opponents together will be unable to resist or defy. You will be betrayed even by your parents and brothers and relations and friends, and they will cause some of you to be put to death, And you will be hated by every one on account of my Name. Yet not a single hair of your heads shall be lost! By your endurance you shall win yourselves Life.

Ever since we reached Macedonia, we have had no rest in body or mind; on every side there have been troubles--conflicts without, anxieties within.

Who is there to separate us from the love of the Christ? Will trouble, or difficulty, or persecution, or hunger, or nakedness, or danger, or the sword? Scripture says-'For thy sake we are being killed all the day long, We are regarded as sheep to be slaughtered.'

Indeed, we who still live are continually being given over to death for Jesus' sake, so that the Life also of Jesus may be exhibited in our mortal nature. And so, while death is at work within us, Life is at work within you. But, in the same spirit of faith as that expressed in the words--'I believed, and therefore I spoke,' we, also believe, and therefore speak.

Never do we put an obstacle in any one's way, that no fault may be found with our ministry. No, we are trying to commend ourselves under all circumstances, as God's ministers should--in many an hour of endurance, in troubles, in hardships, in difficulties, In floggings, in imprisonments, in riots, in toils, in sleepless nights, in fastings;

Are they 'Servants of Christ'? Though it is madness to talk like this, I am more so than they! I have had more of toil, more of imprisonment! I have been flogged times without number. I have been often at death's door. Five times I received at the hands of the Jews forty lashes, all but one. Three times I was beaten with rods. Once I was stoned. Three times I was shipwrecked. I have spent a whole day and night in the deep.read more.
My journeys have been many. I have been through dangers from rivers, dangers from robbers, dangers from my own people, dangers from the Gentiles, dangers in towns, dangers in the country, dangers on the sea, dangers among false Brothers. I have been through toil and hardship. I have passed many a sleepless night; I have endured hunger and thirst; I have often been without food; I have known cold and nakedness. And, not to speak of other things, there is my daily burden of anxiety about all the Churches. Who is weak without my being weak? Who is led astray without my burning with indignation?

I know how to face humble circumstances, and I know how to face prosperity. Into all and every human experience I have been initiated--into plenty and hunger, into prosperity and want.

For a great opening for active work has presented itself, and there are many opponents.

But, to prevent this thing from spreading further among the people, let us warn them not to speak in this Name any more to any one whatever." So they called the Apostles in, and ordered them not to speak or teach in the Name of Jesus.

But some members of the Synagogue known as that of Libertines, Cyrenians, Alexandrians, and Visitors from Cilicia and Roman Asia, were roused to action and began disputing with Stephen;

After passing through the whole island, they reached Paphos, where they found an astrologer who pretended to be a Prophet--a Jew by birth, whose name was Barjoshua. He was at the court of the Governor, Sergius Paulus, a man of intelligence, who sent for Barnabas and Saul and asked to be told God's Message. But Elymas, the astrologer (for that is the meaning of the word), opposed them, eager to divert the Governor's attention from the Faith.

For, although we had experienced suffering and ill-treatment, as you know, at Philippi, we had the courage, by the help of our God, to tell you God's Good News in spite of great opposition.

Again Jesus said to them: "Peace be with you. As the Father has sent me as his Messenger, so I am sending you." After saying this, he breathed on them, and said: "Receive the Holy Spirit;

And now I am myself about to send upon you that which my Father has promised. But you must remain in the city until you have been invested with power from above."

But you shall receive power, when the Holy Spirit shall have descended upon you, and shall be witnesses for me not only in Jerusalem, but throughout Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth."

For I will not dare to speak of anything but what Christ has done through me to win the obedience of the Gentiles-- By my words and actions, through the power displayed in signs and marvels, and through the power of the Holy Spirit. And so, starting from Jerusalem and its neighborhood, and going as far as Illyria, I have told in full the Good News of the Christ;

My Message and my Proclamation were not delivered in the persuasive language of philosophy, but were accompanied by the manifestation of spiritual power, So that your faith should be based, not on the philosophy of man, but on the power of God.

And teaching them to lay to heart all the commands that I have given you; and, remember, I myself am with you every day until the close of the age."

But they set out, and made the proclamation everywhere, the Lord working with them, and confirming the Message by the signs which attended it.

For I am with you, and no one shall do you harm, for I have many People in this city."

From there they sailed to Antioch--the place where they had been committed to the gracious care of God for the work which they had now finished.

Accordingly, after fasting and prayer, they placed their hands on them and dismissed them.

While Paul chose Silas for his companion and, after he had been committed by the Brethren to the gracious care of the Lord,

When he wanted to cross to Greece, the Brethren furthered his plans, and wrote to the disciples there to welcome him. On his arrival he proved of great assistance to those who had, through the loving-kindness of God, become believers in Christ,

For my hope is to visit you on my journey, and then to be sent on my way by you, after I have first partly satisfied myself by seeing something of you.

If I must say anything about Titus, he is my intimate companion, and he shares my work for you; if it is our Brothers, they are delegates of the Churches, an honor to Christ. Show them, therefore--so that the Churches may see it-- the proof of your affection, and the ground for our boasting to them about you.

Do your best to help Zenas, the Teacher of the Law, and Apollos, on their way, and see that they want for nothing.

When the Apostles at Jerusalem heard that the Samaritans had welcomed God's Message, they sent Peter and John to them;

The news about them reached the ears of the Church at Jerusalem, and they sent Barnabas to Antioch. On coming there he saw to his great joy these tokens of the loving-kindness of God, and encouraged them all to make up their minds to be faithful to the Lord--

So the bearers of this letter were sent on their way, and went down to Antioch. There they called a meeting of all the brethren, And delivered the letter, the reading of which caused great rejoicing by its encouraging contents. Judas and Silas, who were themselves Prophets, further encouraged the Brethren by many an address, and strengthened their faith.

On the contrary, they saw that I had been entrusted with the Good News for the Gentiles, just as Peter had been for the Jews. For he who gave Peter power for his mission to the Jews gave me, also, power to go to the Gentiles. Recognizing the charge entrusted to me, James, Peter, and John, who were regarded as pillars of the Church, openly acknowledged Barnabas and me as fellow-workers, agreeing that we should go to the Gentiles, and they to the Jews.

Yet you have acted nobly in sharing my troubles. And you at Philippi know, as well as I, that in the early days of the Good News--at the time when I had just left Macedonia--no Church, with the one exception of yourselves, had anything to do with me as far as giving and receiving are concerned. Indeed, even while I was still in Thessalonica, you sent more than once to relieve my wants.read more.
It is not that I am anxious for your gifts, but I am anxious to see the abundant return that will be placed to your account. I have enough of everything, and to spare. My wants are fully satisfied, now that I have received from Epaphroditus the gifts which you sent me--the sweet fragrance of a sacrifice acceptable and pleasing to God.

Still I think it necessary to send Epaphroditus to you now, for he is my brother, fellow-worker, and fellow-soldier, and he was also your messenger to help me in my need.

Since we, then, sowed spiritual seed for you, is it too much that we should reap from you an earthly harvest? If others share in this right over you, do not we even more? Still we did not avail ourselves of this right. No, we endure anything rather than impede the progress of the Good News of the Christ. Do not you know that those who do the work of the Temple live on what comes from the Temple, and that those who serve at the altar share the offerings with the altar?read more.
So, too, the Master has appointed that those who tell the Good News should get their living from the Good News.

I will come to you as soon as I have been through Macedonia- -for I am going through Macedonia- And I shall probably make some stay with you or, perhaps, remain for the winter, so that you may yourselves send me on my way, wherever I may be going.

He, however, who is being instructed in the Message ought always to share his blessings with the man who instructs him.

Nor did we seek to win honour from men, whether from you or from others, although, as Apostles of Christ, we might have burdened you with our support. But we lived among you with the simplicity of a child; we were like a woman nursing her own children. In our strong affection for you, that seemed to us the best way of sharing with you, not only God's Good news, but our very lives as well--so dear had you become to us.

And at the same time pray for us, that God may give us an opening for our Message, so that we may speak of the truths hidden in the Christ--the truths for which I am in chains!

And on my behalf also, that, when I begin to speak, words may be given me, so that I may fearlessly make known the inmost truth of the Good News, On behalf of which I am an Ambassador--in chains! Pray that, in telling it, I may speak fearlessly as I ought.

Yes, and I will rejoice, for I know that, through your prayers and through a rich supply of the Spirit of Jesus Christ, 'all this will make for my Salvation.'

Brothers, pray for us.

In conclusion, Brothers, pray for us--pray that the Lord's Message may spread rapidly, and be received everywhere with honour, as it was among you;

The Brethren there had heard about us, and came out as far as the Market of Appius and the Three Taverns to meet us. At sight of them Paul thanked God and was much cheered.

I hope, however, as one who trusts in the Lord Jesus, to send Timothy to you before long, so that I may myself be cheered by receiving news of you.

Do your utmost to come to me soon; for Demas, in his love for the world, has deserted me. He has gone to Thessalonica, Crescens to Galatia, and Titus to Dalmatia. There is no one but Luke with me. Pick up Mark on your way, and bring him with you, for he is useful to me in my work.

As soon as I send Artemas or Tychicus to you, join me as quickly as possible at Nicopolis, for I have arranged to spend the winter there.