57 Bible Verses about Suffering, Hardship
Most Relevant Verses
The substance of the rich, is his strong city, the terror of the poor, is their poverty.
For the needy will not cease out of the midst of the land - for this cause, am I commanding thee, saying, Thou shalt open, thy hand unto thy brother to thy poor and to thy needy, in thy land.
Lo! as wild asses in the wilderness, they go forth with their work, eager seekers for prey, the waste plain, yieldeth them food for their young; In the field - -a man's fodder, they cut down, and, the vineyard of the lawless, they strip of its late berries; Ill-clad, they are left to lodge without clothing, and have no covering in the cold;read more.
With the sweeping rain of the mountains, are they wet, and, through having no shelter, they embrace a rock. Men tear, from the breast, the fatherless, and, over the poor, they take a pledge; Naked, they go about without clothing, and, famished, they carry the sheaves; Between their walls, are they exposed to the sun, Wine-presses, they tread, and yet are thirsty;
For, always, have ye, the destitute, with you, and whensoever ye please, ye can, unto them, at any timedo well! But, me, not, always, have ye.
For, the destitute, always, have ye with you, whereas, me, not always, have ye.
They wandered about in the desert - in a waste, Way to a city to dwell in, found they none; Hungry - yea thirsty, their soul, within them, fainted:
Then came to an end the seven years of the plenty, - which was in the land of Egypt; and the seven years of famine began to come in, according as Joseph had said, - and it came to pass that there was a famine in all the lands, but in all the land of Egypt, there was bread. Yet was famine felt in all the land of Egypt, and the people made outcry; unto Pharaoh for bread, - and Pharaoh said to all Egypt, - Go ye unto Joseph, that which he saith to you, shall ye do.read more.
Now, the famine, was over all the face of the land, - so Joseph opened all places wherein it was and sold corn to the Egyptians, and the famine laid fast hold of the land of Egypt. All the earth also, came in to Egypt to buy corn, unto Joseph, - because the famine had laid fast hold on an the earth.
And Moses caused Israel to break up from the Red Sea, and they went out into the desert of Shur, - and journeyed three days in the desert and found no water; and, when they came in towards Marah they could not drink the waters of Marah, for they were bitter, - for this taut, was the name thereof called Marah. So the people murmured against Moses - saying, What are we to drink?
Then did all the assembly of the sons of Israel murmur against Moses and against Aaron in the desert; and the sons of Israel said unto them - Oh that we had died by the hand of Yahweh, in the land of Egypt, when we remained by the pot of flesh, when we did eat bread to the full, - for ye have brought us forth into this desert, to cause all this multitude to die by famine.
And all the assembly of the sons of Israel set forward out of the desert of Sin, by their removings, at the bidding of Yahweh, - and encamped in Rephidim, and there was no water for the people to drink. And the people found fault with Moses, and said - Give us water, that we may drink. And Moses said to them, Why should ye find fault with me? Why should ye put Yahweh to the proof? So the people thirsted, there for water, and the people murmured against Moses, - and said - Wherefore is it that thou hast brought us up out of Egypt, to kill me and my sons and my cattle, with thirst?
Moreover the mixed multitude that was in their midst concealed not their lusting, - and so even the sons of Israel, fell away and wept, and said: Who will grant us to eat flesh? We remember the fish that we did eat in Egypt, without money, - the cucumbers, and the water-melons, and the leeks and the onions, and the garlick. But, now, our soul is dried up, there is nothing at all, - unless, unto the manna, we turn our eyes.
But it came to pass, at the end of certain days, that the torrent dried up, - because there had been no rain in the land. Then came the word of Yahweh unto him, saying - Arise, get thee to Zarephath, which belongeth to Zidon, and dwell there, - Lo! I have commanded, there, a widow woman, to sustain thee.read more.
So he arose and went to Zarephath, and, when he came to the entrance of the city, lo! there, a widow woman gathering sticks, - and he called to her, and said, Fetch me, I pray thee, a little water in a vessel, that I may drink. And, as she went to fetch it, he called to her and said, Bring me, I pray thee, a morsel of bread, in thy hand. And she said - By the life of Yahweh, thy God, verily I have not a cake, only a handful of meal in the jar, and a little oil in the cruse, - and lo! I have been gathering a couple of sticks, so I shall go in and make it ready for me and for my son, that we may eat it - and die!
Then came there to be a great outcry of the people and their wives, - against their brethren the Jews. And there were some who were saying, Our sons and our daughters, are we pledging, - that we may obtain corn, and eat, and keep ourselves alive. And there were some who were saying, Our fields and our vineyards and our houses, are we pledging, - -that we may obtain corn in the dearth.read more.
And there were others who were saying, We have borrowed silver, for the king's tribute, - upon our lands and our vineyards. Now, therefore, as is the flesh of our brethren, so is our flesh, as are their children, so are our children. Yet lo! we are putting in subjection our sons and our daughters, for bondservants, yea there are some of our daughters already trodden down, and we are powerless, and, our fields and our vineyards, belong to others.
forty days, - being tempted by the adversary; and he did eat nothing in those days, - and, when they were concluded, he hungered.
And, to the man, he said, Because thou didst hearken to the voice of thy wife, and so didst eat of the tree as to which I commanded thee, saying, Thou shalt not eat of it, Accursed be the ground for thy sake, In pain, shalt thou eat of it, all the days of thy life; Thorn also and thistle, shall it shoot forth to thee, - when thou hast come to eat of the herb of the field: In the sweat of thy face, shalt thou eat bread, until thou return to the ground, because therefrom, wast thou taken, - For, dust, thou art, And, unto dust, shalt thou return.
This twenty years' time, have, I, been with thee - Thy ewes and thy she-goats, have not cast their young, - And the rams of thy flock, have I not eaten, The torn, have I not brought in unto thee - I bare the loss, At my hand, didst thou require it, - Stolen by day, or stolen by night. Thus have I been - By day, drought hath consumed me, And, frost, by, night, - So that my sleep fled away from mine eyes.read more.
This, hath been my lot twenty years in thy house, - I served thee fourteen years for thy two daughters, And six years for thy sheep - And thou didst change my wages ten times: - But that the God of my father - The God of Abraham, and the Dread of Isaac - Proved to he mine, Surely even now, empty, hadst thou let me go? My humiliation and the wearying toil of my hands, God had seen, And therefore gave sentence last night!
And they sent, and called him, so Jeroboam and all Israel came, - and spake unto Rehoboam, saying: Thy father, made our yoke oppressive, - now, therefore, lighten thou somewhat the oppressive servitude of thy father and his heavy yoke which he put upon us, and we will serve thee.
For ye remember, brethren, our toil and hardship: night and day, working, so as not to be a burden unto any of you, we proclaimed unto you the glad-message of God,
By reason of the multitude of oppressions, men make outcry, They cry for help, by reason of the arm of the mighty;
So they set over them chiefs of tribute, to the end they might humiliate them with their burdens, - and they built store-cities for Pharaoh, even Pithom and Raamses.
And it came to pass, during those many days, that the king of Egypt died, and the sons of Israel sighed by reason of the servitude and lamented, - and their cry for help went up to God, by reason of the servitude.
Nevertheless, the fixed number of bricks, which they have been making heretofore, shall ye lay upon them, ye shall not diminish therefrom, - for idle, they are, on this account, it is that they are making an outcry, saying, We must go our way, we must sacrifice to our God. The service must be made heavy on the men that they may labour on it, - and let them not pay regard to words of falsehood.
Now, a certain woman of the wives of the sons of the prophets, made outcry unto Elisha, saying - Thy servant, my husband, is dead, and, thou, knowest that, thy servant, was one who revered Yahweh, - now, the creditor, hath come to take my two boys to himself as bondmen.
Because of violence done to the poor, because of the crying of the needy, Now, will I arise! O may Yahweh say, - I will place him in safety - let him puff at him!
Show me favour, O Yahweh, for in distress am I, - Wasted with vexation, is mine eye - my soul and my body; For, consumed with sorrow, is my life, and my years with sighing, - My strength hath staggered with my humiliation, and, my bones, are without marrow. By reason of all mine adversaries, have I become a reproach. Even to my neighbours, altogether, and a dread to mine acquaintance, - They who have seen me abroad, have fled from me:read more.
I have been forgotten, like one dead - out of mind, I have been as a missing vessel. For I have heard the whispering of many - A terror round about! When they have sat in conclave together against me, to take away my life, have they intrigued.
For, Thus, saith Yahweh of hosts, Cut ye down timber, And cast up, against Jerusalem a mound, - That, is the city to be punished! There is, nothing, but oppression in her midst;
Announce it over the palaces in Ashdod, and over the palaces in the land of Egypt, - and say ye - Gather yourselves together upon the mountains of Samaria, and behold ye - the great disorders in the midst thereof, and the oppressed within her.
Lo, the wage of the workers who have out down your fields - that which hath been kept back, by you, is crying out; and, the outcries of them who reaped, into the ears of the Lord of hosts, have entered:
So, we, were working at the work, - one half of them, grasping the spears, from the uprisings of the dawn, until the coming out of the stars. Moreover, at that time, I said to the people, Let, every one with his young man, lodge for the night in the midst of Jerusalem, - so shall they serve us, in the night, as a watch, and, the day, for work. So neither I, nor my brethren, nor my young men, nor the men of the watch that followed me, none of us, put off our clothes, - every one went with his weapon to the water.
Then Moses recounted to his father-in-law, all that Yahweh had done to Pharaoh and to the Egyptians, for Israel's sake, - all the hardship which had befallen them by the way, and how Yahweh had delivered them.
Also, unto Abiathar the priest, said the king - To Anathoth, get thee unto thine own fields, for, death-doomed, thou art, - but, this day, will I not put thee to death, because thou didst bear the ark of My Lord, Yahweh, before David my father, and because thou wast afflicted in all wherein my father was afflicted.
And three of the thirty chiefs went down upon the rock, unto David, into the cave of Adullam, - a host of Philistines, being encamped in the vale of Rephaim. Now, David, then was in the stronghold, - and, a garrison of Philistines, then was in Bethlehem. And David longed, and said - Who will give me to drink of the water, out of the well of Bethlehem, that is within the gate?read more.
And the three brake through the host of the Philistines, and drew water out of the well of Bethlehem, that was within the gate, and bare it, and brought it in unto David, - yet would not David drink it, but poured it out unto Yahweh; and said - Far be it from me, of my God, that I should do this! The blood of these men, shall I drink, with their lives? For, with their lives, have they brought it! So he would not drink it. These things, did the three heroes.
And, when, the fourteenth night, had come, and we were being driven to and fro in the Adriatic, about midnight, the sailors suspected that some country was, nearing, them; and, sounding, they found twenty fathoms, - and, going a little further, and again sounding, they found fifteen fathoms. And, fearing lest haply, on rocky places, we should be wrecked, out of stern, cast they four anchors, - and began praying that day might dawn.read more.
But, when, the sailors, were seeking to flee out of the ship, and had lowered the boat into the sea, by pretext, as though out of the prow they had been about to reach anchors, Paul said unto the centurion, and unto the soldiers - Except, these, abide in the ship, ye yourselves, cannot be saved! Then, the soldiers cut away the ropes of the boat, and let her fall off. And, until day was about to dawn, Paul continued to beseech one and all to take some food, saying - This day is, the fourteenth day, that, suspense, fasting, ye are completing, - having helped yourselves, to nothing. Wherefore, I beseech you to take some food, - for, this, lays a foundation for your safety; for, of no one of you, shall a hair of the head perish. And, having said these things, and taken a loaf, he gave thanks unto God before all, and, breaking it, began to eat. And, all becoming, of good cheer, they also, helped themselves to food. Now we were, in the ship, in all, about seventy-six souls. And, when they were satisfied with food, they began lightening the ship, casting out the wheat into the sea. And, when day came, they could not recognise, the land; but perceived, a certain bay, having a beach, - upon which they were minded, if they could, safely to bring the ship. And, casting off the anchors, they let them go into the sea, - at the same time, loosening the lashings of the rudders, and, hoisting up the foresail to the wind, they made for the beach. But, falling into a place where two seas met, they ran the ship aground; and, the foreship sticking fast, remained immoveable, while, the stern, began to break up, from the violence of the waves . Now, the soldiers counsel, turned out to be, that they should kill, the prisoners, lest any one should swim out and escape; but, the centurion, being minded to bring Paul safely through, hindered them of their purpose, and ordered such as were able to swim, to cast themselves overboard and, get first to the land, - and, the rest, some, on planks, and, some, on other things from the ship, -- and, so, it came to pass, that, all, were brought safely through, on to the land.
Because thou servedst not Yahweh thy God, with rejoicing, and with gladness of heart, for abundance of all things, therefore shalt thou serve thine enemies, whom Yahweh will send against thee, with hunger and with thirst and with nakedness, and with want of all things, - and he, will put a yoke of iron upon thy neck, until he hath destroyed thee.
who caused thee to journey through the great and terrible desert, of fiery serpents and scorpions, and thirsty wastes where was no water, - who brought forth for thee water out of the flinty rock;
and the Egyptians, badly entreated us, and humiliated us, - and put upon us harsh service; so we made outcry unto Yahweh God of our fathers, - and Yahweh hearkened unto our voice, and looked upon our humiliation and our toil, and our oppression;
But, in everything, commending ourselves as God's ministers, - in much endurance, in tribulations, in necessities, in straits, in stripes, in imprisonments, in tumults, in toilings, in watchings, in fastings,
For ye are taking knowledge of the favour of our Lord Jesus Christ, - how that, for your sakes, he became destitute - although he was, rich, in order that, ye, by his destitution, might be enriched.
Delivering the good news unto that city also, and making a good number of disciples, they returned unto Lystra, and unto Iconium, and unto Antioch, - confirming the souls of the disciples, beseeching them to abide in the faith, and declaring that, through many tribulations, must we enter into the kingdom of God.
Until the present hour, we both hunger and thirst, and are naked, and are buffeted, and are wanderers, And toil, working with our own hands: being reviled, we bless, being persecuted, we hold on, Being defamed, we beseech: as the sweepings of the world have we become, the offscouring of all - until even now.
For we do not wish you to be ignorant, brethren, as to our tribulation which happened in Asia, - that, exceedingly, beyond power, were we weighed down, so that we despaired, even of life. But, we ourselves, within ourselves, have had the sentence of death, that we might not rest our confidence upon ourselves, but upon God, who raiseth the dead,
Ministers of Christ, are they? As one deranged I am talking, I, above measure! - in toils, superabundantly, in prisons, superabundantly, in stripes, to excess, in deaths, oft, - From Jews, five times, forty-save-one, have I received, Thrice, have I been beaten with rods, once, have I been stoned, thrice, have I been shipwrecked, a day and night, in the deep, have I spent;read more.
In journeyings oft, in perils of rivers, in perils of robbers, in perils from my own race, in perils from Gentiles, in perils in the city, in perils in the desert, in perils by the sea, in perils among false brethren, in toil and hardship, in watchings, oft, in hunger and thirst, in fasting, oft, in cold and nakedness: - Apart from the things without, my daily care, - my anxiety for all the assemblies; - Who is weak, and I am not weak? Who is caused to stumble, and, I, am not burning?
Not that, as to coming short, I am speaking, for, I, have learned, in whatsoever circumstances I am, to be, independent: I know what it is even to be kept low, and I know what it is to have more than enough, - in every way, and in all things, have I been let into the secret - both to be well fed, and to be hungering, both to have more than enough, and to be coming short: I have might, for all things, in him that empowereth me.read more.
Nevertheless, nobly, have ye done, in taking fellowship with me in my tribulation.
For, even with them who were in bonds, ye sympathised, and, unto the seizure of your goods, with joy, ye bade welcome, - knowing that ye have yourselves, for a better possession and an abiding.
They were stoned, were pierced through, were sawn asunder, by murder, with a sword, died, went about in sheep-skins, in goat-hides, - being in want, suffering tribulation, enduring ill-treatment: Of whom the world, was not worthy - upon deserts, wandering, and mountains, and in caves, - and in the caverns of the earth.
For the sake of discipline, persevere! As towards sons, God, beareth himself, towards you; for who is a son whom a father doth not discipline?
And thou hast, endurance, and hast borne for the sake of my name, and hast not grown weary.
But, we ourselves, within ourselves, have had the sentence of death, that we might not rest our confidence upon ourselves, but upon God, who raiseth the dead,
And ye will be hated by all, because of my name, - but, he that endureth throughout, the same, shall be saved.
And ye will be men hated by all, because of my name; but, he that hath endured throughout, the same, shall be saved.
Happy the man who endureth temptation! Because, becoming approved, he shall receive the crown of life - which he hath promised unto them that love him.
Lo! we pronounce them happy who have endured; - Of the endurance of Job, ye have heard, and, the end of the Lord, have ye seen, - that, of much tender affection, is the Lord, and full of compassion,
For, this, is thankworthy, - If, for the sake of conscience towards God, one beareth griefs, suffering wrongfully, -
