35 Bible Verses about Persecution, Forms Of

This aroused bitter indignation among the high priest and his followers who were of the sect of the Sadducees, and they apprehended the apostles, and threw them into the public prison.

He knew well that it was because of enmity that they had brought Jesus before him.

When they saw the crowds, the Jews were filled with jealousy, and began to contradict Paul's statements, and to abuse him.

For wherever jealousy and faction exist, there is confusion and every evil deed.

The high priest and the Scribes continually sought means to put him to death.

When King Herod heard this he was troubled, and all Jerusalem with him.

Now just at this time, there arose no small commotion concerning the Way. There was a man named Demetrius, a silversmith, who made silver shrines of Diana, and brought rich profit to his workmen. He gathered them together with others of like occupation, and said: "Men, you know that by this business we make our money.read more.
"And you see and hear that not only in Ephesus, but almost throughout all of Asia, this fellow Paul has persuaded and turned away many people, by telling them that they are no gods at all who are made with hands. "So there is danger not only that our trade come into disrepute, but also that the temple of the great goddess Diana will be brought into disrepute, and that she herself may even be deposed from her magnificence, she whom all Asia and the world now worships."

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.

"The world cannot hate you, but me it does hate, because I am bearing testimony against it, that its ways are wicked.

"Blessed are you when they shall revile you, and persecute you, and say all manner of evil against you falsely, for my name's sake.

and there was much disputing about him among the crowd. Some would say, "He is a good man." Others. "No! he is misleading the people." "While I was with them I kept them by the power of thy name which thou hast given me. I guarded them, and none of them was lost except the son of perdition, that the Scripture might be fulfilled.

Then they instigated some to say, "We have heard him speaking blasphemy against Moses and against God;" and in this way they excited the people.

"Now what they have been told about you, again and again, is that you teach all the Jews who are among the Gentiles, to forsake Moses, and not to circumcise their children, nor to follow the old customs.

"For we have found this fellow a pest, an inciter of insurrection among all the Jews of the empire, and a ringleader in the heresy of the Nazarenes.

This his parents said because they were afraid of the Jews, for the Jews had already agreed that if any one should confess that he was the Christ, he should be expelled from the synagogue.

"But that the matter may spread no further among the people, let us threaten them not to speak to any one hereafter about this name."

When reviled, we bless; when persecuted, we endure; when defamed, we conciliate. We have been made, as it were, scum-o'-the-earth, the very refuse of the world, to this very hour!

Let us then go forth to him outside the camp, bearing his reproach.

I know your persecution and your poverty??ut you are rich! I know the reviling of those who say that they themselves are Jews, when they are not, but are a synagogue of Satan.

"You will be hated by all men because of my name; and he who endures to the end shall be saved.

"We know that God spoke to Moses. But this fellow! We do not know where he comes from."

Nevertheless, even among the rulers many believed on him, but did not confess in on account of the Pharisees, for fear lest they be put out of the Synagogue.

"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.

What shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall anguish, or calamity, or persecution, or famine? Shall nakedness, or peril, or sword?

"But beware of men! For they will give you up to the Sanhedrin, and flog you in their synagogues.

"You yourselves must be on your guard. They will hand you over to the courts, and you will be flogged on the synagogues; and you will stand before rulers and kings for my sake, to witness to them for me.

"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."

They gave in to him; and called the apostles in, and after flogging them, released them, with instructions not to speak about the name of Jesus.

But Paul said: "They have flogged us publicly, uncondemned, men that are Roman citizens; and have thrown us into prison. Are they now going to get rid of us secretly? No, indeed! Let them come here, themselves and take us out."

Three times I have been scourged by the Romans; once I have been stoned; three times have I been shipwrecked; a night and a day have I been adrift in the open sea.

From this time forth let no one trouble me, for I bear branded in my body the marks of Jesus, my Master.

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. Yet, though these all had witness borne to them by their faith, they received not the promise;

although I had formerly been a blasphemer and a persecutor and a doer of outrage. But I obtained mercy because I acted ignorantly in unbelief.

Now, at about that time, Herod the king put forth his hands to ill-treat certain members of the church;

only they used to hear it said, "He who was once persecuting us is now preaching the gospel of the very faith which he once tried to ruin."