29 Bible Verses about Popularity

And there were so many people gathered to listen to His message that there was no room for any more [in the courtyard] around the doorway.

For He had healed so many people that large numbers of them who were plagued with serious illnesses were crowding around Him in hope of getting to touch Him.

So, Jesus went along with the man, and was being thronged by a large crowd that followed Him.

Now it happened while Jesus was standing on the shore of Lake Genneseret [i.e., Lake Galilee] that the crowd was pushing closer to Him to hear God's message.

Then Jesus' mother and [half-] brothers came to Him, but they could not get near Him because of the [large] crowd.

Large crowds followed Him from Galilee, Decapolis, Jerusalem, Judea and from beyond [i.e., the east side of] the Jordan River.

Great crowds gathered around Him so that He went and sat down in a boat [just off shore], while the crowd stood on the beach.

Large crowds came to Him, bringing crippled, blind, deaf-mute, disabled and many other [sick] people and laid them down at His feet. And He healed [all of] them,

And people from all over the city [of Capernaum] gathered at the door of the house,

Then Jesus went out again, walking along the shore of the lake, and [when] all the crowd came out to Him, He taught them.

About this time, while a crowd of many thousands had assembled, [so large that] people were trampling on one another, Jesus first began telling His disciples, "Watch out for the leavening [effect] of the Pharisees, which is hypocrisy.

For they loved the honor they received from people more than the honor they [could] receive from God.

It is too bad for you people when everyone speaks well about you, because the forefathers said the same thing about the false prophets.

You slaves should obey your earthly masters in everything, [and] do not do it just when they are looking [at you], or to gain their favor, but do it with a sincere heart, out of reverence for the Lord.

Now about that time King Herod began a persecution of certain people in the [Jerusalem] church. [Note: This man was the grandson of Herod the Great. See Matt. 2:1]. He had James, the brother of John, killed with the sword. When he realized that this act pleased the Jews, he proceeded to have Peter arrested also. [This happened] during the Festival of Unleavened Bread [See Exodus 12:15ff].

So, Felix allowed Paul to remain in chains, because he wanted to gain favor with the Jews [during that period of time]. Two years passed and Felix was succeeded by Portius Festus.

But Festus, wanting to gain favor with the Jews [See 24:27], answered Paul, "Are you willing to go up to Jerusalem and stand trial before me there?"

Now consider how you were when you were called, brothers. Not many of you were wise by human standards; not many were influential; not many were from prominent families. But God chose what the world considers foolish [i.e., people with little apparent ability], in order to shame the "wise people." And He chose what the world considers weak in order to shame what it considers strong. And He chose what the world considers insignificant and contemptible, and [even] what it considers "nothing," in order to nullify what appears to be something.read more.
This was all done so that no human being could boast in front of God.

However, we speak [divine] wisdom among people who are [spiritually] mature, yet it is not a wisdom of this current age, nor of [its] current rulers, who are coming to nothing. But we [apostles] speak God's secret wisdom, which has been hidden [through the ages], which God predetermined for our honor before time began.

What shall we say then? Is the law of Moses sinful? Certainly not! For I would not have known what sin was if it had not been for the law. For [example]; I would not have known [what it meant] to covet [i.e., have a strong desire for what belongs to someone else] except that the law said [Ex. 20:17], "You must not covet."

You should rebuke in front of everyone [in the church] those elders who continue to sin, so that the rest [of the congregation] will be afraid [of sinning].

If we claim to have no sinful practices [in our lives], we are self-deceived and are not being truthful about the matter.

When many of Mary's Jewish friends, who had come to console her, saw what Jesus had done, they believed in Him. But some of them went to the Pharisees and told them what Jesus had done. So, the leading priests and the Pharisees assembled the Council [Note: This was the Jewish governing body called "the Sanhedrin"] and said, "What should we do, for this man is performing many [miraculous] signs?read more.
If we allow him to go on [doing this], everyone will believe in him, and the Romans will come and destroy our Temple and our nation [i.e., its people]."

About that time a large disturbance arose [in Ephesus] concerning "the Way." [Here is what happened]: A certain manufacturer of silver objects named Demetrius, who made silver replicas of the temple of Artemis [i.e., a Greek goddess], brought much business to his workmen. He called a meeting of his men and others involved in the same work and said to them, "Fellows, you know that we have made a good living from this work [of making temple replicas].read more.
And now you have seen and heard, not only here in Ephesus, but throughout almost all of [the province of] Asia, that this Paul has been convincing people, [even] to the point of turning many away [from idol worship]. [He is] saying that hand-made gods [like we make] are not real [gods at all]. And not only is there a [real] danger that our trade will be discredited but also that the temple of our great goddess Artemis will be considered worthless and that even she [herself] will be dethroned from her magnificent place of being adored by all [in the province of] Asia and the world." When they heard this they became extremely angry and shouted out, "Great is [the goddess] Artemis, of the Ephesians." The city became full of confusion; they grabbed Gaius and Aristarchus, Paul's Macedonian traveling companions, and everyone together rushed into the amphitheater. And when Paul decided to go before the crowd [to talk with them], the disciples would not allow him. Some of his friends, who were officers in the province of Asia, sent word urging him not to take a chance by entering the amphitheater. Some [in the crowd] were shouting one thing and some another; there was mass confusion, with most of the people not [even] knowing why they had assembled. [It appears that] Alexander was appointed out of the crowd by the Jews [i.e., to be their spokesman in defending them from the charges being made against Paul]. He motioned with his hand [to get attention] and attempted to speak to the assembly in defense [of the Jewish viewpoint]. But when the crowd realized that he was a Jew, they all joined together for about two hours shouting, "Great is [the goddess] Artemis, of the Ephesians." When the town clerk had quieted down the crowd, he said, "You people of Ephesus, who among you does not know that the city of Ephesus is caretaker of the temple of the great Artemis and of her image, which fell down from the sky? Since no one can [really] say anything against these things, just calm down and do not do anything foolish. For you have brought these men here --- [men] who have neither desecrated our temple nor defamed our goddess. If therefore Demetrius, and the workmen associated with him, have a charge against anyone, the courts are open and there are magistrates [to judge such cases]; let them file their charges against each other. But if you want to address other matters, they can be settled in the regular, scheduled assembly. For we are truly in danger of being accused of inciting a riot here today when there is [really] no reason for it to happen. Then concerning this problem, we will not be able to explain how it all came about."

But the head priest and the Jewish sect of the Sadducees became very jealous, and arrested the apostles and put them in jail. But an angel from the Lord one night [miraculously] opened the jail doors and released them, saying,read more.
"You men, go and stand in the Temple and speak to all the people words about this Life [i.e., about Jesus]." [See John 14:6]. And when the apostles heard this, they entered the Temple about dawn and began teaching [about Jesus]. [A little later] the head priest and the Sadducees [see verse 17] called the Council [i.e., the Sanhedrin] and all of the ruling body of Jewish leaders together and sent to the jail to have the apostles brought in to them [for further questioning]. But when the officers arrived at the jail the apostles were gone, so they returned to the Council and reported, "We found the jail securely locked, with guards on duty at the doors, but when we went inside there was no one there!" Now when the captain of the Temple [guard] and the leading priests heard about this, they became frustrated over how far this [teaching] would [eventually] spread. [Just then] someone came in and said, "Look, the men you put in jail are [now] standing in the Temple teaching people." [Immediately] the captain, with his officers, went [to the Temple] and brought the apostles back again, but did not use any violence because they feared that the people might stone them. And so they brought them in [to their headquarters] to appear before the Council [for questioning]. The head priest spoke to them, [saying], "We strictly commanded you not to teach in this name [i.e., the name of Jesus] and look [what you have done]; you have filled Jerusalem with your teaching and you intend to hold us responsible for this man's [i.e., Jesus'] death." But Peter and the apostles answered them, "We must obey God instead of [you] men [in this situation]. The God of our forefathers raised up Jesus [from the dead], whom you put to death by hanging Him on a tree [i.e., the cross]. But God exalted Him at His right side to be a Prince and Savior and to give the people of Israel [an opportunity] to repent [i.e., change their hearts and lives] and [receive] forgiveness of [their] sins [through Him]. We apostles are witnesses of these things and so is the Holy Spirit whom God has given to every person who obeys Him." But when the Jewish officials heard this, they were deeply convicted in their hearts and determined to kill the apostles. But [then] Gamaliel, a Council member, who was a Pharisee [i.e., a strict sect of the Jewish religion], and an expert in the law of Moses and highly regarded by all the people, stood up and ordered the apostles to step outside [of the Council meeting] briefly. And he said [to the Council members], "Men of Israel, be careful how you deal with these men. For [remember that] some time ago Theudas appeared, claiming to be someone [important], and that about four hundred people rallied [to his cause], but he was killed and all his men left him and nothing ever came of it. Later on another man, named Judas of Galilee, appeared during the census [Note: The time and circumstances of this census were probably known to the original readers], and led [a group of] people away after him, but he also was killed and all of his followers were scattered. And so now I say, hold off your accusations and let these men alone, for if their planning and effort is [merely] of human origin, it will be defeated, but if [it happens to be] of God, you will not be able to defeat them. And [if you try to], you may [actually] be fighting against [the work of] God." And so the Council agreed [with Gamaliel's advice] and when they called the apostles back in, they had them beaten and ordered them never to speak in the name of Jesus [again]; then they released them. When the apostles left the Council meeting, they were rejoicing over being considered worthy to suffer [such] shame for the name [of Jesus].

When the seven days [required by the vow] were almost completed, the Jews from Asia saw Paul in the Temple. They incited the whole crowd and took hold of him, shouting, "[You] Israelites, help [us]! This man is teaching people everywhere [to be] against our people [i.e., the Jews], the law of Moses and this place [i.e., the Temple]; and in addition to that he has also brought Greeks [i.e., Gentiles] into the Temple and has [thereby] contaminated this holy place." (For the Jews had previously seen him on a city street with Trophimus, the Ephesian, whom they assumed Paul had taken into the Temple [with him]).read more.
[So], the entire city was stirred up, and the mob rushed together and attacked Paul, dragging him out of the Temple. Immediately the [Temple] doors were closed [i.e., to secure it from further intrusion]. And as they were attempting to kill Paul, the commander of the military unit was informed that the entire city of Jerusalem was rioting. So, immediately he rushed down on the people with his soldiers and officers, and when the mob saw the commander and his soldiers [coming], they stopped beating Paul. Then the commanding officer approached Paul, took hold of him and ordered him to be secured with two chains. He then questioned him as to who he was and what he had done. From the crowd, some shouted one thing and some another. When the commander could not hear what was being said because of the noise, he ordered Paul to be taken into the battalion headquarters. When they got to the stairway [of the headquarters building] the soldiers had to carry Paul because of the [unrestrained] violence of the mob, for the crowds that followed were [pressing in on them] shouting, "Kill him."

As Jesus was leaving to go on His way, a man ran to Him and kneeled down in front of Him and asked, "Good Teacher, what should I do in order to possess never ending life?" Jesus answered him, "Why are you calling me good? Nobody is good except One, that is, God. You know the commandments: Do not murder. Do not be sexually unfaithful to your mate. Do not steal. Do not give false testimony. Do not cheat. Show honor to your father and mother."read more.
And he replied, "Teacher, I have [already] been observing all these commandments since I was a young lad." And Jesus looked at him, and filled with love, said to him, "There is one thing you [still] lack. Go and sell your possessions and give [the money] to poor people; become my follower, then you will have treasure in heaven." But the man had a sad look on his face when he heard these words, and went away sorrowful, for he had many possessions. Then Jesus looked around Him and said to His disciples, "How difficult it is for rich people to enter the kingdom of God "