72 Bible Verses about Persecution, Nature Of

The wicked in his pride persecutes the poor; let them be taken in the devices that they have imagined.

Thus hath the LORD said: For three transgressions of Gaza and for the fourth, I will not convert her because they carried away captive the whole captivity, to deliver them up to Edom:

Thus hath the LORD said: For three transgressions of Moab and for the fourth, I will not convert her because she burned the bones of the king of Edom into lime;

For, behold, I raise up the Chaldeans, that bitter and hasty nation, which march through the breadth of the earth to possess the dwellingplaces that are not theirs. She is terrible and dreadful: from her herself shall go forth their rights and their grandeur. Their horses shall be swifter than tigers and are sharper than the evening wolves, and their horsemen shall multiply themselves, and their horsemen shall come from far; they shall fly as eagles that hasten to eat.read more.
All of her shall come for the prey, before their faces an east wind, and they shall gather the captives as the sand. And he shall scoff at the kings, and the princes shall be a scorn unto him, he shall deride every fortress and shall heap dust and take it. Then he shall become arrogant against God, and he shall pass ahead and shall be found guilty, imputing this his power unto his god.

And I looked and, behold, a green horse, and he that was seated upon him was named Death, and Hades followed with him. And power was given unto him over the fourth part of the earth, to kill with sword and with hunger and with death and with the beasts of the earth.

And the appearance of the locusts was like unto horses prepared unto battle; and on their heads were as it were crowns like gold, and their faces were as the faces of men. And they had hair as the hair of women, and their teeth were as the teeth of lions. And they had breastplates, as it were breastplates of iron; and the sound of their wings was as the sound of chariots of many horses running to battle.read more.
And they had tails like unto scorpions, and there were stings in their tails; and their power was to hurt men five months.

and I will put enmity between thee and the woman and between thy seed and her seed; that seed shall bruise thy head, and thou shalt bruise his heel.

And the LORD said unto Satan, Behold, he is in thy hand, but preserve his life. So Satan went forth from the presence of the LORD and smote Job with sore boils from the sole of his foot unto the crown of his head.

And he showed me Joshua the high priest, standing before the angel of the LORD, and Satan standing at his right hand to resist him.

Then Satan entered into Judas surnamed Iscariot, being of the number of the twelve. And he went and spoke with the princes of the priests and captains, how he might betray him unto them.

Be temperate and vigilant because your adversary the devil, as a roaring lion, walks about, seeking whom he may devour,

Fear none of those things which thou shalt suffer; behold, the devil shall cast some of you into prison, that ye may be tried; and ye shall have tribulation ten days; be thou faithful unto death, and I will give thee the crown of life.

If the world hates you, ye know that it hated me before it hated you.

Marvel not, my brethren, if the world hates you.

But those husbandmen said among themselves, This is the heir; come, let us kill him, and the place shall be ours.

Therefore the Jews sought the more to kill him, because he not only had broken the sabbath but also called God his own Father, making himself equal with God.

If ye were of the world, the world would love its own; but because ye are not of the world, but I have chosen you out of the world, therefore the world hates you.

I have given them thy word, and the world has hated them because they are not of the world, even as I am not of the world.

confirming the souls of the disciples and exhorting them to remain in the faith, and that we must through much tribulation enter into the kingdom of God.

For ye, brethren, have been imitators in Christ Jesus of the congregations of God which are in Judaea, for ye also have suffered like things of your own nation, even as they have of the Jews, who killed both the Lord Jesus and their own prophets and have persecuted us, and they do not please God and are contrary to all men,

Behold, what charity the Father has given us, that we should be called the sons of God; therefore the world does not know us, because it does not know him.

But take heed to yourselves, for they shall deliver you up in the councils, and in the synagogues ye shall be beaten; and ye shall be called before rulers and kings for my sake for a testimony unto them.

Then Jezebel sent a messenger unto Elijah, saying, So let the gods do to me, and more also, if by tomorrow at this time I have not made thy person as one of them.

Now it came to pass when Sanballat and Tobiah and Geshem, the Arabian, and the rest of our enemies, heard that I had built the wall and that there was no breach left in it (though at that time I had not set up the doors upon the gates),

SCHIN. Princes have persecuted me without a cause, but my heart stands in awe of thy words.

Then they took Jeremiah and cast him into the dungeon of Malchiah the son of Hammelech, that was in the court of the guard: and they let down Jeremiah with cords. And in the dungeon there was no water, but mire; so Jeremiah sunk in the mire.

Then Nebuchadnezzar in his rage and fury commanded to bring Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego. Then they brought these men before the king. Nebuchadnezzar spoke and said unto them, Is it true, O Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, that ye do not honour my gods, nor worship the statue of gold which I have set up? Now, are ye ready when ye hear the sound of the cornet, flute, harp, sackbut, psaltery, and dulcimer, and of every musical instrument to fall down and worship the statue which I made? For if ye do not worship, ye shall be cast the same hour into the midst of a burning fiery furnace; and who is that god that shall deliver you out of my hands?read more.
Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, answered and said to King Nebuchadnezzar, We are not careful to answer thee in this matter. Behold, our God whom we serve is able to deliver us from the burning fiery furnace, and he will deliver us out of thine hand, O king.

But keep yourselves from men, for they will deliver you up in councils, and they will scourge you in their synagogues;

Now at that time Herod the king stretched forth his hands to mistreat certain of the congregation . And he killed James the brother of John with the sword. And because he saw it pleased the Jews, he proceeded further to take Peter also. (Then were the days of unleavened bread.)

For this cause also we thank God without ceasing, that having received from us the word to hear from God, ye received it not as the word of men, (but as it is in truth) the word of God, which effectually works in you that believe. For ye, brethren, have been imitators in Christ Jesus of the congregations of God which are in Judaea, for ye also have suffered like things of your own nation, even as they have of the Jews, who killed both the Lord Jesus and their own prophets and have persecuted us, and they do not please God and are contrary to all men,read more.
forbidding us to speak to the Gentiles that they might be saved, to fill up the measure of their sins always, for the wrath of God has come upon them to the uttermost.

Now it came to pass, when Jeremiah had made an end of speaking all that the LORD had commanded him to speak unto all the people that the priests and the prophets and all the people took him, saying, Thou shalt surely die.

And Amaziah said unto Amos, O thou seer, go, flee thee away into the land of Judah, and eat thy bread there, and prophesy there: but do not prophesy any more in Bethel: for it is the king's sanctuary, and the head of the kingdom.

Therefore, behold, I send unto you prophets and wise men and scribes, and some of them ye shall kill and crucify, and some of them ye shall scourge in your synagogues and persecute them from city to city, that upon you may come all the righteous blood shed upon the earth from the blood of righteous Abel unto the blood of Zacharias son of Barachias, whom ye murdered between the temple and the altar. Verily I say unto you, All these things shall come upon this generation.read more.
O Jerusalem, Jerusalem, thou that didst kill the prophets and stone those who are sent unto thee, how often I desired to gather thy children together, even as a hen gathers her chickens under her wings, and ye would not!

For of a truth against thy holy servant Jesus, whom thou hast anointed, both Herod and Pontius Pilate, with the Gentiles and the people of Israel, were gathered together (in this city), to do that which thy hand and thy counsel had determined beforehand must be done. And now, Lord, behold their threatenings and grant unto thy slaves that with all boldness they may speak thy word,

Then the prince of the priests rose up, and all those that were with him (which is the sect of the Sadducees) were filled with jealousy and laid their hands on the apostles and put them in the common prison.

And I persecuted this way unto the death, binding and delivering into prisons both men and women.

And it was given unto it to make war with the saints and to overcome them; and power was given it over all kindreds and tongues and nations.

And I saw the woman drunken with the blood of the saints and with the blood of the martyrs of Jesus; and when I saw her, I marvelled with great surprise.

And a man's foes shall be those of his own household.

For the son dishonours the father, the daughter rises up against her mother, the daughter-in-law against her mother-in-law; and a man's enemies are those of his own house.

And Cain talked with Abel his brother, and it came to pass when they were in the field, that Cain rose up against Abel his brother and slew him.

And brother shall deliver up brother unto death, and the father the child, and children shall rise up against their parents and cause them to be put to death.

And when his friends and family heard of it, they went out to lay hold on him; for they said, He is beside himself.

But as then he that was born according to the flesh persecuted him that was born according to the Spirit, even so it is now.

Therefore I am content in weaknesses, in reproaches, in necessities, in persecutions, in distresses for Christ's sake, for when I am weak, then am I strong.

After whom is the king of Israel come out? After whom dost thou pursue? After a dead dog? After a flea?

Deliver me from my enemies, O my God; defend me from those that rise up against me. Deliver me from the workers of iniquity and save me from bloodthirsty men. For, behold, they lie in wait for my soul; the strong are gathered against me; I am not in rebellion, nor in sin, O LORD.read more.
They run and prepare themselves when I have committed no iniquity; awake to help me and behold.

Hear my voice, O God, in my prayer; preserve my life from fear of the enemy. Hide me from the secret counsel of the wicked, from the insurrection of the workers of iniquity: Who whet their tongue like a sword and bend their bows to shoot their arrows, even bitter wordsread more.
That they may shoot in secret at the perfect; suddenly do they shoot at him and fear not.

We are troubled on every side, yet not distressed; we are unsure of our lives, but not in despair; persecuted, but not forsaken; cast down, but not destroyed; always bearing about in the body the dying of the Lord Jesus, that the life also of Jesus might be made manifest in our body.read more.
For we who live are always delivered unto death for Jesus' sake that the life also of Jesus might be made manifest in our mortal flesh. So then death works in us, but life in you.

Are they ministers of Christ? (I speak as a fool) I am more, in labours more abundant, in stripes above measure, in prisons more frequent, in deaths often. Of the Jews five times I received forty stripes less one. Three times I was beaten with rods, once I was stoned; three times I suffered shipwreck, night and day I have been in the deep;read more.
in journeyings often, in perils of waters, in perils of robbers, in perils by those of my nation, in perils of the Gentiles, in perils in the city, in perils in the wilderness, in perils in the sea, in perils among false brethren;

And what shall I more say? For the time would fail me to tell of Gedeon and of Barak and of Samson and of Jephthae, of David also and Samuel and of the prophets, who by faith won kingdoms, wrought righteousness, obtained promises, stopped the mouths of lions, quenched the violence of fire, escaped the edge of the sword, recovered from infirmities, were made valiant in battle, turned to flight the armies of foreign enemies;read more.
women received their dead raised to life again, and others were tortured, not accepting deliverance that they might obtain a better resurrection; and others experienced cruel mockings and scourgings, and added to this, bonds and imprisonment; they were stoned; they were sawn asunder, were tempted, were slain with the sword; they wandered about in sheepskins and goatskins; poor, afflicted, mistreated, (of whom the world was not worthy); they wandered in deserts and in mountains and in dens and caves of the earth.

And all that desire to live godly in Christ Jesus shall also suffer persecution.

yet he has no root in himself but is temporal, for when affliction or persecution arises because of the word, by and by he is offended.

And answering him, Jesus said, Verily I say unto you, There is no one that has left house or brethren or sisters or father or mother or wife or children or lands for my sake and the gospel's who shall not receive one hundredfold now in this time: houses and brethren and sisters and mothers and children and lands, with persecutions, and in the world to come eternal life.

For even when we were with you, we told you in advance that we must pass through tribulations, even as it has come to pass, and ye know.

For nation shall rise against nation and kingdom against kingdom, and there shall be famines and pestilences and earthquakes in different places. All these are the beginning of sorrows. Then they shall deliver you up to be afflicted and shall kill you, and ye shall be hated of all nations for my name's sake.read more.
And then shall many be offended and shall betray one another and shall hate one another.

Let no one deceive you by any means: for that day shall not come except there come a falling away first and that man of sin be revealed, the son of perdition, opposing and exalting himself against all that is called God, or divinity, so that he as God sits in the temple of God, making himself appear to be God.

And white robes were given unto each one of them; and it was said unto them, that they should rest yet for a little while until their fellow servants and their brethren, that should be killed as they were, should be fulfilled.

Pe The anger of the LORD has separated them; he will never look upon them again. They did not respect the countenance of the priests, nor did they have compassion on the elders. Ain As for us, our eyes have failed in seeking our vain help; in our watching we have watched for people that cannot save us. Tzaddi They hunt our steps that we cannot walk in our streets; our end came near; our days were fulfilled; for our end is come.read more.
Koph Our persecutors were swifter than the eagles of the heaven; they pursued us upon the mountains; they laid wait for us in the wilderness.

Thus hath the LORD said, Behold, a people come from the land of the north wind, and a great nation shall be raised from the sides of the earth. They shall lay hold on bow and spear; they are cruel, and they shall have no mercy; their voice shall roar like the sea; and they shall ride upon horses set in array as men for war against thee, O daughter of Zion. We have heard the fame thereof; our hands wax feeble; anguish has taken hold of us, and pain as of a woman in travail.read more.
Do not go forth into the field, nor walk by the way; for the sword of the enemy and fear is on every side. O daughter of my people, gird thee with sackcloth and wallow thyself in ashes; make thee mourning, as for an only son, most bitter lamentation; for the destroyer shall suddenly come upon us.

Then came the word of the LORD unto Jeremiah, saying, Behold, I am the LORD, the God of all flesh: peradventure shall any thing be covered unto me? Therefore thus hath the LORD said; Behold, I give this city into the hand of the Chaldeans, and into the hand of Nebuchadrezzar king of Babylon, and he shall take it:read more.
and the Chaldeans, that fight against this city, shall come and set fire on this city, and burn it with the houses, upon whose roofs they have offered incense unto Baal, and poured out drink offerings unto other gods, to provoke me to anger.

But the Chaldeans' army pursued after them, and overtook Zedekiah in the plains of Jericho; and when they had taken him, they brought him up to Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon to Riblah in the land of Hamath, where he sentenced him. Then the king of Babylon slew the sons of Zedekiah in Riblah before his eyes; also the king of Babylon slew all the nobles of Judah. Moreover he put out Zedekiah's eyes and bound him with chains, to carry him to Babylon.read more.
And the Chaldeans burned the king's house and the houses of the people with fire and broke down the walls of Jerusalem. Then Nebuzaradan the captain of the guard carried away captive into Babylon the remnant of the people that remained in the city, and those that had come over to him, with the rest of the people that remained. But Nebuzaradan the captain of the guard left of the poor of the people, which had nothing, in the land of Judah, and gave them vineyards and fields at the same time.

For they persecute him whom thou hast smitten, and they boast that thou hast slain their enemies.

And for this reason the Jews persecuted Jesus and sought to kill him: because he had done these things on a sabbath.

I gave my back to the smiters and my cheeks to those that plucked off the hair: I did not hide my face from shame and spitting.

He was oppressed, and he was afflicted, yet he did not open his mouth; he was brought as a lamb to the slaughter, and as a sheep before her shearers is dumb, so he did not open his mouth.

who shall not receive one hundredfold now in this time: houses and brethren and sisters and mothers and children and lands, with persecutions, and in the world to come eternal life.

But before all these, they shall lay their hands on you and persecute you, delivering you up to the synagogues and into prisons, being brought before kings and governors for my name's sake.

Remember the word that I said unto you, The slave is not greater than his lord. If they have persecuted me, they will also persecute you; if they have kept my word, they will keep yours also.

O LORD, thou knowest: remember me and visit me and revenge me of my enemies; do not take me away in the prolongation of thy anger, know that for thy sake I have suffered rebuke.

For thus hath the LORD of the hosts said; After the glory he shall send me unto the Gentiles which spoiled you, for he that touches you touches the apple of his eye.

and falling to the earth, he heard a voice saying unto him, Saul, Saul, why dost thou persecute me? And he said, Who art thou, Lord? And the Lord said, I AM Jesus whom thou dost persecute; it is hard for thee to kick against the pricks.