24 Bible Verses about Suffering, Causes Of

As Jesus was walking along He saw a man [who had been] blind from birth. His disciples asked Him, "Rabbi, did this man sin or was it his parents' [sin] that caused him to be born blind?" Jesus answered, "[It was] neither his sin nor his parents' [sin], but [it happened] so that the deeds of God could be seen in his life.

Therefore, just as sin came into the world through [the action of] one man [i.e., Adam] and [physical] death through that sin, so [physical] death has spread to all people, because all people have sinned. [Note: This difficult passage (verses 12-21) seems to be saying that the entire human race must experience physical death because of Adam's sin (I Cor. 5:22), which is somehow considered to be everyone's sin. See Murray, pp. 180-187, for a thorough discussion]. For even before the law of Moses, sin was [being committed] in the world. But man is not responsible for [his] sin when there is no law. Yet [physical] death ruled [over mankind] from the time of Adam to Moses, even over those people who had not sinned the way Adam did. [Now] Adam prefigured the coming of Jesus.

Then they spit in His face and hit Him [with their fists], while others slapped Him [in the face],

When Herod saw that he had been tricked by the astrologer/sages, he was furious and sent out [his soldiers] to kill all the baby boys in Bethlehem and its vicinity. This was done to those from two years old and under, basing [their decision] on the exact time determined from the astrologer/sages. This fulfilled what was spoken by Jeremiah the prophet, saying, [Jer. 31:15], "A voice was heard in [the town of] Ramah [Note: This was a village near Jerusalem, where Rachel was buried], with crying and deep mourning. It was Rachel crying for her children [Note: Initially this was a reference to the Israelites who were taken to Babylonian captivity. See Jer. 29-31]. She refused to be comforted because they were dead."

Jesus answered him, "A certain man was traveling down from Jerusalem to Jericho [Note: This was a town about eighteen miles northeast of Jerusalem], when he was attacked by robbers, who stripped him [of his clothing and belongings] and beat him up, then went away leaving him half dead.

Then the large crowd began attacking them, and the city officials had their clothes ripped off and ordered them to be beaten.

"So, when you see Jerusalem surrounded by [Roman] armies, then you will know that her total destruction is near. Then those [of you] in Judea are to run away into the [nearby] mountains. And those who are inside of the city are to leave it [immediately]. And those who are in the countryside should not enter the city. For these are times for punishment [i.e., to be inflicted on Jerusalem], so that everything written [i.e., by the prophets] may be fulfilled [i.e., about Jerusalem's destruction. See Dan. 9:26-27].read more.
It will be too bad for pregnant women and those who are nursing [babies] in those days! For there will be great distress in this land [i.e., Judea, and especially Jerusalem], and raging anger [will be shown] against these people [i.e., by the Roman armies]. And people will die by the sword and be led captive into all nations. And Jerusalem will be trampled on by the [unconverted] Gentiles [i.e., by the Romans and later by others] until the times of [domination by] the Gentiles are fulfilled.

Then another horse came out; it was a red one, and the man riding on it was given [the ability] to take peace from the earth so that people would kill one another. And he was given a large sword.

Come on now, you rich people, cry and wail over the miseries that are coming upon you. Your wealth has rotted and moths have eaten your clothing. Your gold and silver have tarnished and their tarnish will be a testimony against you [i.e., you have hoarded your wealth instead of using it to benefit others], and they will devour your flesh as fire [i.e., your riches will ultimately consume you]. You have hoarded up your riches in these last days.read more.
Look, the wages you have fraudulently refused to pay the workers who mowed your fields are crying out [against you]. And the cries of these harvest hands have reached the ears of the Lord of [heavenly] armies [i.e., Almighty God]. You people have basked in luxury [here] on earth and lived lives devoted to pleasure. You have fattened yourselves [as sacrificial oxen] for the day of slaughter. You have condemned and murdered the righteous man [i.e., the innocent person, See verse 4] and he does not [even] resist you.

"Do not store your valuables [here] on earth, where moths can eat them and where rust can corrode them, and where burglars can break in and steal [them].

A heated discussion developed [over this matter] so that Paul and Barnabas went their separate ways [over it], with Barnabas sailing for Cyprus and taking [John] Mark with him.

For we [Christians] were also once foolish, disobedient, deceived, enslaved to various kinds of [evil] desires and [sinful] pleasures. [We used to] live in malice and envy, hating people and being hated by them.

For he knew that the reason they had turned Jesus over to him was out of envy.

Remember what I said to you, 'A slave is not greater [in importance] than his master.' If they persecuted me, they will [also] persecute you, too; if they obeyed my teaching, they will obey yours also.

"Those persons who have suffered for trying to do what is right will be blessed because the kingdom of heaven belongs to them. You will be blessed when people speak against you and harm you and say bad things about you that are untrue, because of [your devotion to] me. Be happy and very glad, for your reward in heaven will be great. For they persecuted the prophets [who lived] before you in the same way.

For I came to set a person at odds against his father, and a daughter against her mother, and a daughter-in-law against her mother-in-law. [In fact] a person's enemies will be members of his own family [i.e., in some cases].

And when the Lamb broke open the fifth seal, I saw underneath the altar the souls of those who had been killed for [believing and preaching] God's message, and for the testimony [about Jesus] which they had maintained. And they called out with a loud voice, "How long, holy and true Master, [will it be] before you judge the people living on earth and take revenge on them for [shedding] our blood?" And a white robe was given to each one of them, and they were told to rest a little while longer, until the [full] number of their fellow servants and their brothers would be killed like they were.

Or do you think that those eighteen persons who were killed when the tower of Siloam fell on them were worse offenders than all the [other] men who lived in Jerusalem?

"Sir, my slave-boy is at home sick in bed with a paralyzing disease and in serious pain."

And it happened that Publius' father lay sick with a fever and dysentery. Paul went [to his house] and, after praying and placing hands on him, healed him.

And indeed, he was [so] sick that he almost died, but God had pity on him, and not only on him but also on me, so that I would not have one sorrow on top of another.

Erastus stayed on at Corinth, but I left Trophimus sick at Miletus.

Is anyone among you sick? [Then] he should call for the elders of the church and they should pray for him, after pouring [olive] oil on him in the name [i.e., by the authority] of the Lord.

For [when] I was hungry, you did not feed me; [when] I was thirsty, you did not give me anything to drink; [when] I came [to you as] a stranger, you did not give me a place to stay; [when I] did not have adequate clothing, you did not give me anything to wear; when I was sick, or in prison, you did not visit me.'