1367 verses about Persecution

The disciples told him, “Rabbi, the Jews were just trying to stone you, and are you going there again?”

But some of them went away to the Pharisees, and told them the things which Jesus had done.

If we leave him alone like this, everyone will believe in him, and the Romans will come and take away both our place and our nation.”

So from that day forward they took counsel that they might put him to death.

Now the chief priests and the Pharisees had commanded that if anyone knew where he was, he should report it, that they might seize him.

But the chief priests conspired to put Lazarus to death also,

The Pharisees therefore said among themselves, “See how you accomplish nothing. Behold, the world has gone after him.”

Nevertheless even of the rulers many believed in him, but because of the Pharisees they didn’t confess it, so that they wouldn’t be put out of the synagogue,

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

If you were of the world, the world would love its own. But because you are not of the world, since I chose you out of the world, therefore the world hates you.

Remember the word that I said to you: ‘A servant is not greater than his lord.’ John 13:16 If they persecuted me, they will also persecute you. If they kept my word, they will also keep yours.

But all these things will they do to you for my name’s sake, because they don’t know him who sent me.

He who hates me, hates my Father also.

But this happened so that the word may be fulfilled which was written in their law, ‘They hated me without a cause.’ Psalms 35:19; 69:4

They will put you out of the synagogues. Yes, the time comes that whoever kills you will think that he offers service to God.

They will do these things because they have not known the Father, nor me.

But I have told you these things, so that when the time comes, you may remember that I told you about them. I didn’t tell you these things from the beginning, because I was with you.

I have given them your word. The world hated them, because they are not of the world, even as I am not of the world.

Jesus therefore, knowing all the things that were happening to him, went out, and said to them, “Who are you looking for?”

So the detachment, the commanding officer, and the officers of the Jews, seized Jesus and bound him,

and led him to Annas first, for he was father-in-law to Caiaphas, who was high priest that year.

but Peter was standing at the door outside. So the other disciple, who was known to the high priest, went out and spoke to her who kept the door, and brought in Peter.

When he had said this, one of the officers standing by slapped Jesus with his hand, saying, “Do you answer the high priest like that?”

Jesus answered him, “If I have spoken evil, testify of the evil; but if well, why do you beat me?”

Annas sent him bound to Caiaphas, the high priest.

One of the servants of the high priest, being a relative of him whose ear Peter had cut off, said, “Didn’t I see you in the garden with him?”

Pilate therefore said to them, “Take him yourselves, and judge him according to your law.” Therefore the Jews said to him, “It is not lawful for us to put anyone to death,”

Pilate answered, “I’m not a Jew, am I? Your own nation and the chief priests delivered you to me. What have you done?”

Jesus answered, “My Kingdom is not of this world. If my Kingdom were of this world, then my servants would fight, that I wouldn’t be delivered to the Jews. But now my Kingdom is not from here.”

The soldiers twisted thorns into a crown, and put it on his head, and dressed him in a purple garment.

They kept saying, “Hail, King of the Jews!” and they kept slapping him.

Jesus therefore came out, wearing the crown of thorns and the purple garment. Pilate said to them, “Behold, the man!”

When therefore the chief priests and the officers saw him, they shouted, saying, “Crucify! Crucify!” Pilate said to them, “Take him yourselves, and crucify him, for I find no basis for a charge against him.”

The Jews answered him, “We have a law, and by our law he ought to die, because he made himself the Son of God.”

At this, Pilate was seeking to release him, but the Jews cried out, saying, “If you release this man, you aren’t Caesar’s friend! Everyone who makes himself a king speaks against Caesar!”

They cried out, “Away with him! Away with him! Crucify him!” Pilate said to them, “Shall I crucify your King?” The chief priests answered, “We have no king but Caesar!”

Most certainly I tell you, when you were young, you dressed yourself, and walked where you wanted to. But when you are old, you will stretch out your hands, and another will dress you, and carry you where you don’t want to go.”

As they spoke to the people, the priests and the captain of the temple and the Sadducees came to them,

being upset because they taught the people and proclaimed in Jesus the resurrection from the dead.

They laid hands on them, and put them in custody until the next day, for it was now evening.

Annas the high priest was there, with Caiaphas, John, Alexander, and as many as were relatives of the high priest.

When they had stood Peter and John in the middle of them, they inquired, “By what power, or in what name, have you done this?”

But so that this spreads no further among the people, let’s threaten them, that from now on they don’t speak to anyone in this name.”

They called them, and commanded them not to speak at all nor teach in the name of Jesus.

But Peter and John answered them, “Whether it is right in the sight of God to listen to you rather than to God, judge for yourselves,

for we can’t help telling the things which we saw and heard.”

When they had further threatened them, they let them go, finding no way to punish them, because of the people; for everyone glorified God for that which was done.

Being let go, they came to their own company, and reported all that the chief priests and the elders had said to them.

The kings of the earth take a stand, and the rulers take council together, against the Lord, and against his Christ.’ Psalm 2:1-2

“For truly, in this city against your holy servant, Jesus, whom you anointed, both Herod and Pontius Pilate, with the Gentiles and the people of Israel, were gathered together

Now, Lord, look at their threats, and grant to your servants to speak your word with all boldness,

None of the rest dared to join them, however the people honored them.

But the high priest rose up, and all those who were with him (which is the sect of the Sadducees), and they were filled with jealousy,

and laid hands on the apostles, and put them in public custody.

“Go stand and speak in the temple to the people all the words of this life.”

When they heard this, they entered into the temple about daybreak, and taught. But the high priest came, and those who were with him, and called the council together, and all the senate of the children of Israel, and sent to the prison to have them brought.

“We found the prison shut and locked, and the guards standing before the doors, but when we opened them, we found no one inside!”

Now when the high priest, the captain of the temple, and the chief priests heard these words, they were very perplexed about them and what might become of this.

One came and told them, “Behold, the men whom you put in prison are in the temple, standing and teaching the people.”

Then the captain went with the officers, and brought them without violence, for they were afraid that the people might stone them.

When they had brought them, they set them before the council. The high priest questioned them,

saying, “Didn’t we strictly command you not to teach in this name? Behold, you have filled Jerusalem with your teaching, and intend to bring this man’s blood on us.”

But Peter and the apostles answered, “We must obey God rather than men.

But they, when they heard this, were cut to the heart, and were determined to kill them.

But one stood up in the council, a Pharisee named Gamaliel, a teacher of the law, honored by all the people, and commanded to put the apostles out for a little while.

They agreed with him. Summoning the apostles, they beat them and commanded them not to speak in the name of Jesus, and let them go.

They therefore departed from the presence of the council, rejoicing that they were counted worthy to suffer dishonor for Jesus’ name.

But some of those who were of the synagogue called “The Libertines”, and of the Cyrenians, of the Alexandrians, and of those of Cilicia and Asia arose, disputing with Stephen.

They weren’t able to withstand the wisdom and the Spirit by which he spoke.

Then they secretly induced men to say, “We have heard him speak blasphemous words against Moses and God.”

They stirred up the people, the elders, and the scribes, and came against him and seized him, and brought him in to the council,

and set up false witnesses who said, “This man never stops speaking blasphemous words against this holy place and the law.

For we have heard him say that this Jesus of Nazareth will destroy this place, and will change the customs which Moses delivered to us.”

The same took advantage of our race, and mistreated our fathers, and forced them to throw out their babies, so that they wouldn’t stay alive.

Which of the prophets didn’t your fathers persecute? They killed those who foretold the coming of the Righteous One, of whom you have now become betrayers and murderers.

Now when they heard these things, they were cut to the heart, and they gnashed at him with their teeth.

and said, “Behold, I see the heavens opened, and the Son of Man standing at the right hand of God!”

But they cried out with a loud voice, and stopped their ears, and rushed at him with one accord.

They threw him out of the city, and stoned him. The witnesses placed their garments at the feet of a young man named Saul.

They stoned Stephen as he called out, saying, “Lord Jesus, receive my spirit!”

He kneeled down, and cried with a loud voice, “Lord, don’t hold this sin against them!” When he had said this, he fell asleep.

Saul was consenting to his death. A great persecution arose against the assembly which was in Jerusalem in that day. They were all scattered abroad throughout the regions of Judea and Samaria, except for the apostles.

Devout men buried Stephen, and lamented greatly over him.

But Saul ravaged the assembly, entering into every house, and dragged both men and women off to prison.

Therefore those who were scattered abroad went around preaching the word.

In his humiliation, his judgment was taken away. Who will declare His generation? For his life is taken from the earth.” Isaiah 53:7,8

But Saul, still breathing threats and slaughter against the disciples of the Lord, went to the high priest,

and asked for letters from him to the synagogues of Damascus, that if he found any who were of the Way, whether men or women, he might bring them bound to Jerusalem.

He fell on the earth, and heard a voice saying to him, “Saul, Saul, why do you persecute me?”

He said, “Who are you, Lord?” The Lord said, “I am Jesus, whom you are persecuting.

But Ananias answered, “Lord, I have heard from many about this man, how much evil he did to your saints at Jerusalem.

Here he has authority from the chief priests to bind all who call on your name.”

For I will show him how many things he must suffer for my name’s sake.”

All who heard him were amazed, and said, “Isn’t this he who in Jerusalem made havoc of those who called on this name? And he had come here intending to bring them bound before the chief priests!”

When many days were fulfilled, the Jews conspired together to kill him,

but their plot became known to Saul. They watched the gates both day and night that they might kill him,

but his disciples took him by night, and let him down through the wall, lowering him in a basket.

When Saul had come to Jerusalem, he tried to join himself to the disciples; but they were all afraid of him, not believing that he was a disciple.

preaching boldly in the name of the Lord Jesus. He spoke and disputed against the Hellenists, but they were seeking to kill him.

When the brothers knew it, they brought him down to Caesarea, and sent him off to Tarsus.