35 Bible Verses about Persecution, Forms Of

This roused the High Priest. He and all his party--the sect of the Sadducees--were filled with angry jealousy and laid hands upon the Apostles, and put them into the public jail.

For he knew that it was from envious hatred that Jesus had been brought before him.

Seeing the crowds, the Jews, filled with angry jealousy, opposed Paul's statements and abused him.

For where envy and rivalry are, there also are unrest and every vile deed.

and the High Priests and the Scribes were contriving how to destroy Him. But they feared the people.

Reports of this soon reached the king, and greatly agitated not only him but all the people of Jerusalem.

Now just at that time there arose no small commotion about the new faith. There was a certain Demetrius, a silversmith, who made miniature silver sanctuaries of Diana, a business which brought great gain to the mechanics in his employ. He called his workmen together, and others who were engaged in similar trades, and said to them, "You men well know that our prosperity depends on this business of ours;read more.
and you see and hear that, not in Ephesus only but throughout almost the whole province of Asia, this fellow Paul has led away a vast number of people by inducing them to believe that they are not gods at all that are made by men's hands. There is danger, therefore, not only that this our trade will become of no account, but also that the temple of the great goddess Diana will fall into utter disrepute, and that before long she will be actually deposed from her majestic rank--she who is now worshipped by the whole province of Asia; nay, by the whole world."

We are not to resemble Cain, who was a child of the Evil one and killed his own brother. And why did he kill him? Because his own actions were wicked and his brother's actions righteous.

It is impossible for the world to hate you; but me it does hate, because I give testimony concerning it that its conduct is evil.

"Blessed are you when they have insulted and persecuted you, and have said every cruel thing about you falsely for my sake.

Among the mass of the people there was much muttered debate about Him. Some said, "He is a good man." Others said, "Not so: he is imposing on the people."

Then they privately put forward men who declared, "We have heard him speak blasphemous things against Moses and against God."

Now what they have been repeatedly told about you is that you teach all the Jews among the Gentiles to abandon Moses, and that you forbid them to circumcise their children or observe old-established customs.

For we have found this man Paul a source of mischief and a disturber of the peace among all the Jews throughout the Empire, and a ringleader in the heresy of the Nazarenes.

Such was their answer, because they were afraid of the Jews; for the Jews had already settled among themselves that if any one should acknowledge Jesus as the Christ, he should be excluded from the synagogue.

But to prevent the matter spreading any further among the people, let us stop them by threats from speaking in the future in this name to any one whatever."

when slandered, we try to conciliate. We have come to be regarded as the mere dirt and filth of the world--the refuse of the universe, even to this hour.

Therefore let us go to Him outside the camp, sharing the insults directed against Him.

Your sufferings I know, and your poverty--but you are rich--and the evil name given you by those who say that they themselves are Jews, and are not, but are Satan's synagogue.

And you will be objects of universal hatred because you are called by my name; but he who holds out to the End--he will be saved.

We know that God spoke to Moses; but as for this fellow we do not know where he comes from."

Nevertheless even from among the Rulers many believed in Him. But because of the Pharisees they did not avow their belief, for fear they should be shut out from the synagogue.

You will be excluded from the synagogues; nay more, the time is coming when any one who has murdered one of you will suppose he is offering service to God.

Who shall separate us from Christ's love? Shall affliction or distress, persecution or hunger, nakedness or danger or the sword?

But beware of men; for they will deliver you up to appear before Sanhedrins, and will flog you in their synagogues;

"You yourselves must be on your guard. They will deliver you up to Sanhedrins; you will be brought into synagogues and cruelly beaten; and you will stand before governors and kings for my sake, to be witnesses to them for me.

"In most solemn truth I tell you that whereas, when you were young, you used to put on your girdle and walk whichever way you chose, when you have grown old you will stretch out your arms and some one else will put a girdle round you and carry you where you have no wish to go." This He said to indicate the kind of death by which that disciple would bring glory to God; and after speaking thus He said to him, "Follow me."

His advice carried conviction. So they called the Apostles in, and--after flogging them--ordered them not to speak in the name of Jesus, and then let them go.

But Paul said to them, "After cruelly beating us in public, without trial, Roman citizens though we are, they have thrown us into prison, and are they now going to send us away privately? No, indeed! Let them come in person and fetch us out."

Three times I have been beaten with Roman rods, once I have been stoned, three times I have been shipwrecked, once for full four and twenty hours I was floating on the open sea.

From this time onward let no one trouble me; for, as for me, I bear, branded on my body, the scars of Jesus as my Master.

Others again were tested by cruel mockery and by scourging; yes, and by chains and imprisonment. They were stoned, they were sawn asunder, they were tried by temptation, they were killed with the sword. They went from place to place in sheepskins or goatskins, enduring want, oppression and cruelty. They wandered across deserts and mountains, or hid themselves in caves and in holes in the ground.read more.
And although by their faith all these people won God's approval, none of them received the fulfilment of His great promise;

though I was previously a blasphemer and a persecutor and had been insolent in outrage. Yet mercy was shown me, because I had acted ignorantly, not having as yet believed;

Now, about that time, King Herod arrested certain members of the Church, in order to ill-treat them;

They only heard it said, "He who was once our persecutor is now telling the Good News of the faith of which he formerly made havoc."