1367 verses about Persecution

My defense to those who examine me is this.

For I am the least of the apostles, who is not worthy to be called an apostle, because I persecuted the assembly of God.

Why do we also stand in jeopardy every hour?

for a great and effective door has opened to me, and there are many adversaries.

We are pressed on every side, yet not crushed; perplexed, yet not to despair;

pursued, yet not forsaken; struck down, yet not destroyed;

So then death works in us, but life in you.

but in everything commending ourselves, as servants of God, in great endurance, in afflictions, in hardships, in distresses,

in beatings, in imprisonments, in riots, in labors, in watchings, in fastings;

by glory and dishonor, by evil report and good report; as deceivers, and yet true;

as unknown, and yet well known; as dying, and behold, we live; as punished, and not killed;

For even when we had come into Macedonia, our flesh had no relief, but we were afflicted on every side. Fightings were outside. Fear was inside.

For, “His letters”, they say, “are weighty and strong, but his bodily presence is weak, and his speech is despised.”

Are they servants of Christ? (I speak as one beside himself) I am more so; in labors more abundantly, in prisons more abundantly, in stripes above measure, in deaths often.

Five times from the Jews I received forty stripes minus one.

Three times I was beaten with rods. Once I was stoned. Three times I suffered shipwreck. I have been a night and a day in the deep.

I have been in travels often, perils of rivers, perils of robbers, perils from my countrymen, perils from the Gentiles, perils in the city, perils in the wilderness, perils in the sea, perils among false brothers;

in labor and travail, in watchings often, in hunger and thirst, in fastings often, and in cold and nakedness.

In Damascus the governor under King Aretas guarded the Damascenes’ city, desiring to arrest me.

Through a window I was let down in a basket by the wall, and escaped his hands.

Therefore I take pleasure in weaknesses, in injuries, in necessities, in persecutions, in distresses, for Christ’s sake. For when I am weak, then am I strong.

For you have heard of my way of living in time past in the Jews’ religion, how that beyond measure I persecuted the assembly of God, and ravaged it.

I advanced in the Jews’ religion beyond many of my own age among my countrymen, being more exceedingly zealous for the traditions of my fathers.

but they only heard: “He who once persecuted us now preaches the faith that he once tried to destroy.”

I went up by revelation, and I laid before them the Good News which I preach among the Gentiles, but privately before those who were respected, for fear that I might be running, or had run, in vain.

to whom we gave no place in the way of subjection, not for an hour, that the truth of the Good News might continue with you.

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

But I, brothers, if I still preach circumcision, why am I still persecuted? Then the stumbling block of the cross has been removed.

As many as desire to make a good impression in the flesh compel you to be circumcised; just so they may not be persecuted for the cross of Christ.

From now on, let no one cause me any trouble, for I bear the marks of the Lord Jesus branded on my body.

For this cause I, Paul, am the prisoner of Christ Jesus on behalf of you Gentiles,

Therefore I ask that you may not lose heart at my troubles for you, which are your glory.

for which I am an ambassador in chains; that in it I may speak boldly, as I ought to speak.

It is even right for me to think this way on behalf of all of you, because I have you in my heart, because, both in my bonds and in the defense and confirmation of the Good News, you all are partakers with me of grace.

Now I desire to have you know, brothers, that the things which happened to me have turned out rather to the progress of the Good News;

so that it became evident to the whole palace guard, and to all the rest, that my bonds are in Christ;

and that most of the brothers in the Lord, being confident through my bonds, are more abundantly bold to speak the word of God without fear.

The former insincerely preach Christ from selfish ambition, thinking that they add affliction to my chains;

according to my earnest expectation and hope, that I will in no way be disappointed, but with all boldness, as always, now also Christ will be magnified in my body, whether by life, or by death.

Only let your way of life be worthy of the Good News of Christ, that, whether I come and see you or am absent, I may hear of your state, that you stand firm in one spirit, with one soul striving for the faith of the Good News;

and in nothing frightened by the adversaries, which is for them a proof of destruction, but to you of salvation, and that from God.

Because it has been granted to you on behalf of Christ, not only to believe in him, but also to suffer on his behalf,

having the same conflict which you saw in me, and now hear is in me.

concerning zeal, persecuting the assembly; concerning the righteousness which is in the law, found blameless.

Now I rejoice in my sufferings for your sake, and fill up on my part that which is lacking of the afflictions of Christ in my flesh for his body’s sake, which is the assembly;

praying together for us also, that God may open to us a door for the word, to speak the mystery of Christ, for which I am also in bonds;

Aristarchus, my fellow prisoner, greets you, and Mark, the cousin of Barnabas (concerning whom you received commandments, “if he comes to you, receive him”),

You became imitators of us, and of the Lord, having received the word in much affliction, with joy of the Holy Spirit,

but having suffered before and been shamefully treated, as you know, at Philippi, we grew bold in our God to tell you the Good News of God in much conflict.

For you, brothers, became imitators of the assemblies of God which are in Judea in Christ Jesus; for you also suffered the same things from your own countrymen, even as they did from the Jews;

who killed both the Lord Jesus and their own prophets, and drove us out, and didn’t please God, and are contrary to all men;

forbidding us to speak to the Gentiles that they may be saved; to fill up their sins always. But wrath has come on them to the uttermost.

that no one be moved by these afflictions. For you know that we are appointed to this task.

For most certainly, when we were with you, we told you beforehand that we are to suffer affliction, even as it happened, and you know.

so that we ourselves boast about you in the assemblies of God for your perseverance and faith in all your persecutions and in the afflictions which you endure.

Since it is a righteous thing with God to repay affliction to those who afflict you,

and to give relief to you who are afflicted with us, when the Lord Jesus is revealed from heaven with his mighty angels in flaming fire,

although I was before a blasphemer, a persecutor, and insolent. However, I obtained mercy, because I did it ignorantly in unbelief.

For to this end we both labor and suffer reproach, because we have set our trust in the living God, who is the Savior of all men, especially of those who believe.

Therefore don’t be ashamed of the testimony of our Lord, nor of me his prisoner; but endure hardship for the Good News according to the power of God,

For this cause I also suffer these things. Yet I am not ashamed, for I know him whom I have believed, and I am persuaded that he is able to guard that which I have committed to him against that day.

You therefore must endure hardship, as a good soldier of Christ Jesus.

in which I suffer hardship to the point of chains as a criminal. But God’s word isn’t chained.

Therefore I endure all things for the chosen ones’ sake, that they also may obtain the salvation which is in Christ Jesus with eternal glory.

If we endure, we will also reign with him. If we deny him, he also will deny us.

persecutions, and sufferings: those things that happened to me at Antioch, Iconium, and Lystra. I endured those persecutions. The Lord delivered me out of them all.

Yes, and all who desire to live godly in Christ Jesus will suffer persecution.

But you be sober in all things, suffer hardship, do the work of an evangelist, and fulfill your ministry.

of whom you also must beware; for he greatly opposed our words.

At my first defense, no one came to help me, but all left me. May it not be held against them.

But the Lord stood by me, and strengthened me, that through me the message might be fully proclaimed, and that all the Gentiles might hear; and I was delivered out of the mouth of the lion.

Epaphras, my fellow prisoner in Christ Jesus, greets you,

But remember the former days, in which, after you were enlightened, you endured a great struggle with sufferings;

partly, being exposed to both reproaches and oppressions; and partly, becoming partakers with those who were treated so.

For you both had compassion on me in my chains, and joyfully accepted the plundering of your possessions, knowing that you have for yourselves a better possession and an enduring one in the heavens.

choosing rather to share ill treatment with God’s people, than to enjoy the pleasures of sin for a time;

Women received their dead by resurrection. 1 Kings 17:17-23; 2 Kings 4:32-37 Others were tortured, not accepting their deliverance, that they might obtain a better resurrection.

Others were tried by mocking and scourging, yes, moreover by bonds and imprisonment.

They were stoned. 2 Chronicles 24:20-21 They were sawn apart. They were tempted. They were slain with the sword. Jeremiah 26:20-23; 1 Kings 19:10 They went around in sheep skins and in goat skins; being destitute, afflicted, ill-treated

(of whom the world was not worthy), wandering in deserts, mountains, caves, and the holes of the earth.

Remember those who are in bonds, as bound with them; and those who are ill-treated, since you are also in the body.

Let us therefore go out to him outside of the camp, bearing his reproach.

Peter, an apostle of Jesus Christ, to the chosen ones who are living as foreigners in the Dispersion in Pontus, Galatia, Cappadocia, Asia, and Bithynia,

having good behavior among the nations, so in that of which they speak against you as evildoers, they may by your good works, which they see, glorify God in the day of visitation.

For it is commendable if someone endures pain, suffering unjustly, because of conscience toward God.

For what glory is it if, when you sin, you patiently endure beating? But if, when you do well, you patiently endure suffering, this is commendable with God.

Now who is he who will harm you, if you become imitators of that which is good?

But even if you should suffer for righteousness’ sake, you are blessed. “Don’t fear what they fear, neither be troubled.” Isaiah 8:12

having a good conscience; that, while you are spoken against as evildoers, they may be disappointed who curse your good way of life in Christ.

They think it is strange that you don’t run with them into the same excess of riot, blaspheming:

Beloved, don’t be astonished at the fiery trial which has come upon you, to test you, as though a strange thing happened to you.

But because you are partakers of Christ’s sufferings, rejoice; that at the revelation of his glory you also may rejoice with exceeding joy.

If you are insulted for the name of Christ, you are blessed; because the Spirit of glory and of God rests on you. On their part he is blasphemed, but on your part he is glorified.

But if one of you suffers for being a Christian, let him not be ashamed; but let him glorify God in this matter.

Therefore let them also who suffer according to the will of God in doing good entrust their souls to him, as to a faithful Creator.

Withstand him steadfast in your faith, knowing that your brothers who are in the world are undergoing the same sufferings.

Don’t be surprised, my brothers, if the world hates you.

I John, your brother and partner with you in the oppression, Kingdom, and perseverance in Christ Jesus, was on the isle that is called Patmos because of God’s Word and the testimony of Jesus Christ.

“To the angel of the assembly in Smyrna write: “The first and the last, who was dead, and has come to life says these things:

“I know your works, oppression, and your poverty (but you are rich), and the blasphemy of those who say they are Jews, and they are not, but are a synagogue of Satan.