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Bible Verses About Persecution and Adversity

Bible Verses About Persecution and Adversity

Discover Bible Verses About Persecution and Adversity. In as much as we can live wonderful, joyous, and beautiful moments in life, we can as well encounter and live unspeakable and often unexplainable persecution, hardship, loss, and tragedy. Isaiah 43:2 says, “When you pass through the waters, I will be with you; and through the rivers, they shall not overwhelm you; when you walk through fire you shall not be burned, and the flame shall not consume you.” Notice that the Lord God did not say through prophet Isaiah “if” we go through “fire and flood;” He spoke of “when.” As such it is clear that there are moments in life when we are likely going to face adversity. However, the Lord God reassures us that even in the face of adversity He will not forsake nor abandon us. In the face of adversity, the Lord God strengthens His people for victory.

What is Adversity? Adversity refers to a difficult or unpleasant situation. It comes in many forms and to all. Matthew 5:45 says, “so that you may [show yourselves to] be the children of your Father who is in heaven; for He makes His sun rise on those who are evil and on those who are good, and makes the rain fall on the righteous [those who are morally upright] and the unrighteous [the unrepentant, those who oppose Him].” Sometimes, trouble in life is of our own making. The tragic aftermath of King David’s affair with Bathsheba was the result of his sin of lust. However, prior to becoming king, David was unfairly maligned and hunted by King Saul, not because of any sin on his part, but because of King Saul’s fear and insecurity. Similarly, bad things sometimes happen to good people for reasons which are beyond our understanding.

Bible Verses About Persecution and Adversity

When the days of adversity and persecution come, it is easy to lose hope and feel overwhelmed or even discouraged. Amazingly, the Bible has a lot to teach us about the subject of adversity that can provide perspective and hope to those living through life’s greatest storms of hardship, loss, and tragedy. Behold, one of the greatest misconceptions about the Christian faith is that, for those who Accept Jesus Christ as their Personal Lord and Savior, their life is free from the storms of hardship, loss, tragedy, and all forms of adversity. Brethren, such is not the case. In fact, Christians are never exempt from fire and flood. However, the advantage Christians have in the face of adversity is the promise that they will never go through such alone. They have God who loves and cares for them, is for them, and is with them in and through all forms of adversity.
Deuteronomy 31:6 says, “Be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid or terrified because of them, for the LORD your God goes with you; he will never leave you nor forsake you.”
Hebrews 13:5 says, Keep your lives free from the love of money and be content with what you have, because God has said, “Never will I leave you; never will I forsake you.”

Isaiah 43:1-2 says, “Do not fear, for I (the Lord) have redeemed you; I have called you by name; you are Mine! When you pass through the waters, I will be with you; and through the rivers, they will not overflow you. When you walk through the fire, you will not be scorched, nor will the flame burn you.”
Although a person becomes a New Creation in Christ by His Divine saving grace, thereby obtaining Eternal Hope, a Christian will still encounter adversity.

What the Scriptures Say About Adversity and Persecution

Christians are not exempted from sickness, maltreatment, and other forms of adversity. Behold, they also make mistakes, encounter loss, and lose friends as well as loved ones. As a matter of fact, adversity is a part of life, for the Christian as well as the non-believer. In addition, Jesus Christ explicitly warned His soon-to-be disciples of the cost of following Him. Matthew 16:24-25 says, Then Jesus said to his disciples, “Whoever wants to be my disciple must deny themselves and take up their cross and follow me. For whoever wants to save their life will lose it, but whoever loses their life for me will find it. Likewise, Jesus also promised that persecution would come to those who have makeup their minds to Follow Him.
Matthew 5:10 says, “Blessed are those who are persecuted because of righteousness, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.
John 15:18 says, “If the world hates you, keep in mind that it hated me first.
John 16:33 says, “I have told you these things, so that in me you may have peace. In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world.

Brothers and Sisters in the Faith, Following and Serving Jesus Christ has never been for the faint of heart. Throughout the Bible, many faithful servants of the Lord God Almighty faced adversity, were rejected, persecuted, and even killed for their faith.
2 Timothy 3:12 says, “In fact, everyone who wants to live a godly life in Christ Jesus will be persecuted,
Matthew 5:44 says, “But I say to you, Love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you,
Galatians 6:9 says, “Let us not become weary in doing good, for at the proper time we will reap a harvest if we do not give up.

Is God with us in the Face of Persecution and Adversity?

Yes, even in the face of adversity, the Lord God is with His children. He has promised never to leave nor forsake them (Hebrews 13:5). Likewise, 1 Peter 4:12-14 says, “Dear friends, do not be surprised at the fiery ordeal that has come on you to test you, as though something strange were happening to you. But rejoice inasmuch as you participate in the sufferings of Christ, so that you may be overjoyed when his glory is revealed. If you are insulted because of the name of Christ, you are blessed, for the Spirit of glory and of God rests on you.” Notice that this was a reminder to Christians that, in spite of their affliction, they are never alone. Behold, the spirit of God rests upon them and will strengthen them in the midst of the different forms of adversity plaguing them.

Jesus said, “Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. Blessed are those who mourn, for they will be comforted” (Matthew 5:3-4). Thus, life is not guaranteed to be easy or pain-free. Nonetheless, the invitation from Christ still remains true: “Come to Me, all who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. Take My yoke upon you and learn from Me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For My yoke is comfortable, and My burden is light” (Matthew 11:28-30). The Bible teaches us that the Lord God sometimes uses adversity and hardship to grow, teach, and strengthen His children. Likewise, He often disciplines those He loves just as a good father will do to his children (Proverbs 29:15; Hebrews 12:6). There are times that discipline can come in the form of adversity.

More Biblical Facts About Adversity and Persecution

James 1:2-4 says, “Consider it pure joy, my brothers and sisters, whenever you face trials of many kinds, because you know that the testing of your faith produces perseverance. Let perseverance finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything.” In other words, prophet Malachi compared God’s love to a refiner’s fire or fuller’s soap (Malachi 3:2-4). God can use the friction of a strong soap to cleanse us from anything that does not produce holiness. Likewise, He can use the fires of life to melt away our impurities and make us pure through Christ His beloved Son. Note that the Lord God is not the author of every bad thing that happens in this life. Nevertheless, Romans 8:28 says, “And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose.

What others mean for evil, the Lord God often turns to good for those who love Him. Genesis 50:20 says, “You intended to harm me, but God intended it for good to accomplish what is now being done, the saving of many lives.” Likewise, Jeremiah 29:11 says, For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the Lord, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future. Notice that these plans may include momentary adversity. However, the affliction of Christians is temporal (2 Corinthians 4:17-18). In the Christian race, life’s trials produce endurance (Romans 5:3-4), and endurance in Christ is what leads us to eternal life. Hebrews 10:36 says, “You need to persevere so that when you have done the will of God, you will receive what he has promised.

Some Bible Characters Who Went Through Persecution and Adversity

In Christ, we do not need to be afraid of adversity. Rather, we should be encouraged and inspired by the faith of men like Job who was upright and unwavering in his commitment to God despite having lost everything – his children, wealth, and eventually his health. In the face of all these adversities, Job concluded “Though he slay me, yet will I hope in him; I will surely defend my ways to his face” (Job 13:15). Notice that in the face of all these tremendous tragedies, Job’s hope is still in the Lord God, his maker.

The Bible also recounts the story of prophet Habakkuk, who, through difficult times, wrote, “even if the fig tree does not blossom, and there is no fruit on the vines, if the yield of the olive fails, and the fields produce no food, even if the flock disappears from the fold, and there are no cattle in the stalls, yet I will triumph in the Lord, I will rejoice in the God of my salvation. The Lord God is my strength, and He has made my feet like deer’s feet, and has me walk on my high places” (Habakkuk 3:17-19).
Some other people in the Bible who went through tremendous adversities yet still had their trust in the Lord God Almighty are Moses, Esther, David, Daniel, Meshach, Shadrach, Abednego, Paul, and the other Prophets, Apostles and Servants of Jesus Christ.

Bible Verses About Persecution and Adversity

Proverbs 24:10 – “If you faint in the day of adversity, your strength is small.

2 Corinthians 4:8-9 – “We are afflicted in every way, but not crushed; perplexed, but not driven to despair; persecuted, but not forsaken; struck down, but not destroyed;

1 Peter 5:10 – “And after you have suffered a little while, the God of all grace, who has called you to his eternal glory in Christ, will himself restore, confirm, strengthen, and establish you.”

2 Corinthians 12:9But he said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.” Therefore I will boast all the more gladly of my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ may rest upon me.

Joshua 1:9 – “Have I not commanded you? Be strong and courageous. Do not be frightened, and do not be dismayed, for the Lord your God is with you wherever you go.

Philippians 4:12-13 – “I know how to be brought low, and I know how to abound. In any and every circumstance, I have learned the secret of facing plenty and hunger, abundance and need. I can do all things through him who strengthens me.

James 1:2-4 – “Count it all joy, my brothers, when you meet trials of various kinds, for you know that the testing of your faith produces steadfastness. And let steadfastness have its full effect, that you may be perfect and complete, lacking in nothing.”

Group 1 – Bible Verses About Persecution and Adversity

Psalm 34:19 – “Many are the afflictions of the righteous, but the Lord delivers him out of them all.”

Revelation 21:4 – “He will wipe away every tear from their eyes, and death shall be no more, neither shall there be mourning, nor crying, nor pain anymore, for the former things have passed away.

Romans 12:2 – “Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that by testing you may discern what is the will of God, what is good and acceptable and perfect.

2 Chronicles 15:7 – “But you, take courage! Do not let your hands be weak, for your work shall be rewarded.”

1 Peter 5:8 – “Be sober-minded; be watchful. Your adversary the devil prowls around like a roaring lion, seeking someone to devour.”

Romans 8:28 – “And we know that for those who love God all things work together for good, for those who are called according to his purpose.

Proverbs 3:4-6 – “So you will find favor and good success in the sight of God and man. Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and do not lean on your own understanding. In all your ways acknowledge him, and he will make straight your paths.”

James 5:11 – “Behold, we consider those blessed who remained steadfast. You have heard of the steadfastness of Job, and you have seen the purpose of the Lord, how the Lord is compassionate and merciful.

Group 2 – Bible Verses About Persecution and Adversity

James 1:12 – “Blessed is the man who remains steadfast under trial, for when he has stood the test he will receive the crown of life, which God has promised to those who love him.”

Proverbs 3:4-5 – “So you will find favor and good success in the sight of God and man. Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and do not lean on your own understanding.”

1 Peter 4:12-13 – “Beloved, do not be surprised at the fiery trial when it comes upon you to test you, as though something strange were happening to you. But rejoice insofar as you share Christ’s sufferings, that you may also rejoice and be glad when his glory is revealed.

Proverbs 17:17 – “A friend loves at all times, and a brother is born for adversity.

Isaiah 45:7 – “I form light and create darkness, I make well-being and create calamity, I am the Lord, who does all these things.”

2 Corinthians 1:4 – “Who comforts us in all our affliction, so that we may be able to comfort those who are in any affliction, with the comfort with which we ourselves are comforted by God.

Proverbs 3:4-5 – “So you will find favor and good success in the sight of God and man. Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and do not lean on your own understanding.”

Group 3 – Bible Verses About Persecution and Adversity

Romans 8:31 – “What then shall we say to these things? If God is for us, who can be against us?

1 Peter 4:1 – “Since therefore Christ suffered in the flesh, arm yourselves with the same way of thinking, for whoever has suffered in the flesh has ceased from sin,”

Jeremiah 29:11 – “For I know the plans I have for you, declares the Lord, plans for welfare and not for evil, to give you a future and a hope.

1 Corinthians 10:13 – “No temptation has overtaken you that is not common to man. God is faithful, and he will not let you be tempted beyond your ability, but with the temptation he will also provide the way of escape, that you may be able to endure it.

Isaiah 43:18 – “Remember not the former things, nor consider the things of old.”

Romans 5:1-5 – “Therefore, since we have been justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ. Through him we have also obtained access by faith into this grace in which we stand, and we rejoice in hope of the glory of God. More than that, we rejoice in our sufferings, knowing that suffering produces endurance, and endurance produces character, and character produces hope, and hope does not put us to shame, because God’s love has been poured into our hearts through the Holy Spirit who has been given to us.”

Group 4 – Bible Verses About Persecution and Adversity

Exodus 14:14 – “The Lord will fight for you, and you have only to be silent.”

Proverbs 15:32 – “Whoever ignores instruction despises himself, but he who listens to reproof gains intelligence.”

Ecclesiastes 10:10 – “If the iron is blunt, and one does not sharpen the edge, he must use more strength, but wisdom helps one to succeed.

James 1:13Let no one say when he is tempted, “I am being tempted by God,” for God cannot be tempted with evil, and he himself tempts no one.

Isaiah 40:2 – “Speak tenderly to Jerusalem, and cry to her that her warfare is ended, that her iniquity is pardoned, that she has received from the Lord’s hand double for all her sins.

Psalm 118:5-6 – “Out of my distress I called on the Lord; the Lord answered me and set me free. The Lord is on my side; I will not fear. What can man do to me?

Job 2:10But he said to her, “You speak as one of the foolish women would speak. Shall we receive good from God, and shall we not receive evil?” In all this Job did not sin with his lips.

Hebrews 12:2 – “Looking to Jesus, the founder and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is seated at the right hand of the throne of God.”

Group 5 – Bible Verses About Persecution and Adversity

Isaiah 41:10 – “Fear not, for I am with you; be not dismayed, for I am your God; I will strengthen you, I will help you, I will uphold you with my righteous right hand.”

1 Corinthians 14:33 – “For God is not a God of confusion but of peace. As in all the churches of the saints,

Psalm 119:67 – “Before I was afflicted I went astray, but now I keep your word.”

Revelation 1:1 – “The revelation of Jesus Christ, which God gave him to show to his servants the things that must soon take place. He made it known by sending his angel to his servant John,

Ephesians 3:20 – “Now to him who is able to do far more abundantly than all that we ask or think, according to the power at work within us,

Hebrews 10:26-31 – “For if we go on sinning deliberately after receiving the knowledge of the truth, there no longer remains a sacrifice for sins, but a fearful expectation of judgment, and a fury of fire that will consume the adversaries. Anyone who has set aside the law of Moses dies without mercy on the evidence of two or three witnesses. How much worse punishment, do you think, will be deserved by the one who has spurned the Son of God, and has profaned the blood of the covenant by which he was sanctified, and has outraged the Spirit of grace? For we know him who said, “Vengeance is mine; I will repay.” And again, “The Lord will judge his people.” ...”

Group 6 – Bible Verses About Persecution and Adversity

1 Corinthians 15:26 – “The last enemy to be destroyed is death.”

Isaiah 30:20 – “And though the Lord give you the bread of adversity and the water of affliction, yet your Teacher will not hide himself anymore, but your eyes shall see your Teacher.”

Hebrews 11:1 – “Now faith is the assurance of things hoped for, the conviction of things not seen.”

Romans 8:38-39 – “For I am sure that neither death nor life, nor angels nor rulers, nor things present nor things to come, nor powers, nor height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord.

Ecclesiastes 7:14 – “In the day of prosperity be joyful, and in the day of adversity consider: God has made the one as well as the other, so that man may not find out anything that will be after him.

Mark 11:23 – “Truly, I say to you, whoever says to this mountain, ‘Be taken up and thrown into the sea,’ and does not doubt in his heart, but believes that what he says will come to pass, it will be done for him.

Romans 8:38-39 – “For I am sure that neither death nor life, nor angels nor rulers, nor things present nor things to come, nor powers, nor height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord.”

Group 7 – Bible Verses About Persecution and Adversity

Hebrews 9:27 – “And just as it is appointed for man to die once, and after that comes judgment,

1 Corinthians 9:25-27 – “Every athlete exercises self-control in all things. They do it to receive a perishable wreath, but we an imperishable. So I do not run aimlessly; I do not box as one beating the air. But I discipline my body and keep it under control, lest after preaching to others I myself should be disqualified.

Isaiah 65:8Thus says the Lord: “As the new wine is found in the cluster, and they say, ‘Do not destroy it, for there is a blessing in it,’ so I will do for my servants’ sake, and not destroy them all.

Colossians 1:24 – “Now I rejoice in my sufferings for your sake, and in my flesh I am filling up what is lacking in Christ’s afflictions for the sake of his body, that is, the church,

Isaiah 35:4Say to those who have an anxious heart, “Be strong; fear not! Behold, your God will come with vengeance, with the recompense of God. He will come and save you.”

Isaiah 58:10-11 – “If you pour yourself out for the hungry and satisfy the desire of the afflicted, then shall your light rise in the darkness and your gloom be as the noonday. And the Lord will guide you continually and satisfy your desire in scorched places and make your bones strong; and you shall be like a watered garden, like a spring of water, whose waters do not fail.

Group 8 – Bible Verses About Persecution and Adversity

Exodus 3:7Then the Lord said, “I have surely seen the affliction of my people who are in Egypt and have heard their cry because of their taskmasters. I know their sufferings,

Joshua 1:5 – “No man shall be able to stand before you all the days of your life. Just as I was with Moses, so I will be with you. I will not leave you or forsake you.

Philippians 4:6-7 – “Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.

Proverbs 3:5-6 – “Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and do not lean on your own understanding. In all your ways acknowledge him, and he will make straight your paths.

Hebrews 11:1-40 – “Now faith is the assurance of things hoped for, the conviction of things not seen. For by it the people of old received their commendation. By faith we understand that the universe was created by the word of God, so that what is seen was not made out of things that are visible. By faith Abel offered to God a more acceptable sacrifice than Cain, through which he was commended as righteous, God commending him by accepting his gifts. And through his faith, though he died, he still speaks. By faith Enoch was taken up so that he should not see death, and he was not found, because God had taken him. Now before he was taken he was commended as having pleased God. …

Group 9 – Bible Verses About Persecution and Adversity

Psalm 23:4 – “Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil, for you are with me; your rod and your staff, they comfort me.

Hebrews 13:1-25 – “Let brotherly love continue. Do not neglect to show hospitality to strangers, for thereby some have entertained angels unawares. Remember those who are in prison, as though in prison with them, and those who are mistreated, since you also are in the body. Let marriage be held in honor among all, and let the marriage bed be undefiled, for God will judge the sexually immoral and adulterous. Keep your life free from love of money, and be content with what you have, for he has said, “I will never leave you nor forsake you.” …

Isaiah 26:3 – “You keep him in perfect peace whose mind is stayed on you, because he trusts in you.

John 14:27 – “Peace I leave with you; my peace I give to you. Not as the world gives do I give to you. Let not your hearts be troubled, neither let them be afraid.”

Psalm 27:1-3 – “Of David. The Lord is my light and my salvation; whom shall I fear? The Lord is the stronghold of my life; of whom shall I be afraid? When evildoers assail me to eat up my flesh, my adversaries and foes, it is they who stumble and fall. Though an army encamp against me, my heart shall not fear; though war arise against me, yet I will be confident.

Group 10 – Bible Verses About Persecution and Adversity

2 Timothy 1:7 – “For God gave us a spirit not of fear but of power and love and self-control.

Titus 3:9-11 – “But avoid foolish controversies, genealogies, dissensions, and quarrels about the law, for they are unprofitable and worthless. As for a person who stirs up division, after warning him once and then twice, have nothing more to do with him, knowing that such a person is warped and sinful; he is self-condemned.”

Ecclesiastes 7:13 – “Consider the work of God: who can make straight what he has made crooked?

James 1:2 – “Count it all joy, my brothers, when you meet trials of various kinds,

Psalm 50:15 – “And call upon me in the day of trouble; I will deliver you, and you shall glorify me.

Psalm 34:1-22 – “Of David, when he changed his behavior before Abimelech, so that he drove him out, and he went away. I will bless the Lord at all times; his praise shall continually be in my mouth. My soul makes its boast in the Lord; let the humble hear and be glad. Oh, magnify the Lord with me, and let us exalt his name together! I sought the Lord, and he answered me and delivered me from all my fears. Those who look to him are radiant, and their faces shall never be ashamed. ...”

Group 11 – Bible Verses About Persecution and Adversity

Psalm 56:3 – “When I am afraid, I put my trust in you.

Psalm 9:9 – “The Lord is a stronghold for the oppressed, a stronghold in times of trouble.”

2 Corinthians 4:16-17 – “So we do not lose heart. Though our outer self is wasting away, our inner self is being renewed day by day. For this light momentary affliction is preparing for us an eternal weight of glory beyond all comparison,”

1 Peter 5:6-7 – “Humble yourselves, therefore, under the mighty hand of God so that at the proper time he may exalt you, casting all your anxieties on him, because he cares for you.

Philippians 4:13 – “I can do all things through him who strengthens me.”

1 Peter 5:8-9 – “Be sober-minded; be watchful. Your adversary the devil prowls around like a roaring lion, seeking someone to devour. Resist him, firm in your faith, knowing that the same kinds of suffering are being experienced by your brotherhood throughout the world.

John 16:33 – “I have said these things to you, that in me you may have peace. In the world you will have tribulation. But take heart; I have overcome the world.

Group 12 – Bible Verses About Persecution and Adversity

Psalm 55:22 – “Cast your burden on the Lord, and he will sustain you; he will never permit the righteous to be moved.

1 Peter 1:6 – “In this you rejoice, though now for a little while, if necessary, you have been grieved by various trials,

Nehemiah 1:1-11 – “The words of Nehemiah the son of Hacaliah. Now it happened in the month of Chislev, in the twentieth year, as I was in Susa the capital, that Hanani, one of my brothers, came with certain men from Judah. And I asked them concerning the Jews who escaped, who had survived the exile, and concerning Jerusalem. And they said to me, “The remnant there in the province who had survived the exile is in great trouble and shame. The wall of Jerusalem is broken down, and its gates are destroyed by fire.” As soon as I heard these words I sat down and wept and mourned for days, …

Job 15:1-35 – “Then Eliphaz the Temanite answered and said: “Should a wise man answer with windy knowledge, and fill his belly with the east wind? Should he argue in unprofitable talk, or in words with which he can do no good? But you are doing away with the fear of God and hindering meditation before God. For your iniquity teaches your mouth, and you choose the tongue of the crafty. …

Ecclesiastes 7:2-4 – “It is better to go to the house of mourning than to go to the house of feasting, for this is the end of all mankind, and the living will lay it to heart. Sorrow is better than laughter, for by sadness of face the heart is made glad. The heart of the wise is in the house of mourning, but the heart of fools is in the house of mirth.”

Group 13 – Bible Verses About Persecution and Adversity

Colossians 1:11-12 – “May you be strengthened with all power, according to his glorious might, for all endurance and patience with joy, giving thanks to the Father, who has qualified you to share in the inheritance of the saints in light.”

1 Peter 1:6-7 – “In this you rejoice, though now for a little while, if necessary, you have been grieved by various trials, so that the tested genuineness of your faith—more precious than gold that perishes though it is tested by fire—may be found to result in praise and glory and honor at the revelation of Jesus Christ.”

1 Peter 5:7 – “Casting all your anxieties on him, because he cares for you.

Psalm 34:17 – “When the righteous cry for help, the Lord hears and delivers them out of all their troubles.”

Job 1:1-22 – “There was a man in the land of Uz whose name was Job, and that man was blameless and upright, one who feared God and turned away from evil. There were born to him seven sons and three daughters. He possessed 7,000 sheep, 3,000 camels, 500 yoke of oxen, and 500 female donkeys, and very many servants, so that this man was the greatest of all the people of the east. His sons used to go and hold a feast in the house of each one on his day, and they would send and invite their three sisters to eat and drink with them. …

Group 14 – Bible Verses About Persecution and Adversity

Daniel 1:1-10 – “In the third year of the reign of Jehoiakim king of Judah, Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon came to Jerusalem and besieged it. And the Lord gave Jehoiakim king of Judah into his hand, with some of the vessels of the house of God. And he brought them to the land of Shinar, to the house of his god, and placed the vessels in the treasury of his god. Then the king commanded Ashpenaz, his chief eunuch, to bring some of the people of Israel, both of the royal family and of the nobility, youths without blemish, of good appearance and skillful in all wisdom, endowed with knowledge, understanding learning, and competent to stand in the king’s palace, and to teach them the literature and language of the Chaldeans. …

Isaiah 1:1-31 – “The vision of Isaiah the son of Amoz, which he saw concerning Judah and Jerusalem in the days of Uzziah, Jotham, Ahaz, and Hezekiah, kings of Judah. Hear, O heavens, and give ear, O earth; for the Lord has spoken: “Children have I reared and brought up, but they have rebelled against me. The ox knows its owner, and the donkey its master’s crib, but Israel does not know, my people do not understand.” Ah, sinful nation, a people laden with iniquity, offspring of evildoers, children who deal corruptly! They have forsaken the Lord, they have despised the Holy One of Israel, they are utterly estranged. Why will you still be struck down? Why will you continue to rebel? The whole head is sick, and the whole heart faint. …

Group 15 – Bible Verses About Persecution and Adversity

1 Samuel 21:1-30:31 – “Then David came to Nob to Ahimelech the priest. And Ahimelech came to meet David trembling and said to him, “Why are you alone, and no one with you?” And David said to Ahimelech the priest, “The king has charged me with a matter and said to me, ‘Let no one know anything of the matter about which I send you, and with which I have charged you.’ I have made an appointment with the young men for such and such a place. Now then, what do you have on hand? Give me five loaves of bread, or whatever is here.” And the priest answered David, “I have no common bread on hand, but there is holy bread—if the young men have kept themselves from women.” And David answered the priest, “Truly women have been kept from us as always when I go on an expedition. …

Hebrews 12:1-29 – “Therefore, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us also lay aside every weight, and sin which clings so closely, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us, looking to Jesus, the founder and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is seated at the right hand of the throne of God. Consider him who endured from sinners such hostility against himself, so that you may not grow weary or fainthearted. In your struggle against sin you have not yet resisted to the point of shedding your blood. And have you forgotten the exhortation that addresses you as sons? “My son, do not regard lightly the discipline of the Lord, nor be weary when reproved by him. …

Group 16 – Bible Verses About Persecution and Adversity

Mark 13:13 – “And you will be hated by all for my name’s sake. But the one who endures to the end will be saved.

Psalm 46:1 – “To the choirmaster. Of the Sons of Korah. According to Alamoth. A Song. God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble.”

Ecclesiastes 3:1-8 – “For everything there is a season, and a time for every matter under heaven: a time to be born, and a time to die; a time to plant, and a time to pluck up what is planted; a time to kill, and a time to heal; a time to break down, and a time to build up; a time to weep, and a time to laugh; a time to mourn, and a time to dance; a time to cast away stones, and a time to gather stones together; a time to embrace, and a time to refrain from embracing; …

Psalm 145:14 – “The Lord upholds all who are falling and raises up all who are bowed down.”

Deuteronomy 31:6 – “Be strong and courageous. Do not fear or be in dread of them, for it is the Lord your God who goes with you. He will not leave you or forsake you.”

John 3:16-17 – “For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life. For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but in order that the world might be saved through him.

Group 17 – Bible Verses About Persecution and Adversity

2 Corinthians 12:17 – “Did I take advantage of you through any of those whom I sent to you?

Genesis 39:20-23 – “And Joseph’s master took him and put him into the prison, the place where the king’s prisoners were confined, and he was there in prison. But the Lord was with Joseph and showed him steadfast love and gave him favor in the sight of the keeper of the prison. And the keeper of the prison put Joseph in charge of all the prisoners who were in the prison. Whatever was done there, he was the one who did it. The keeper of the prison paid no attention to anything that was in Joseph’s charge, because the Lord was with him. And whatever he did, the Lord made it succeed.”

Psalm 25:2 – “O my God, in you I trust; let me not be put to shame; let not my enemies exult over me.

Job 42:1-17 – “Then Job answered the Lord and said: “I know that you can do all things, and that no purpose of yours can be thwarted. ‘Who is this that hides counsel without knowledge?’ Therefore I have uttered what I did not understand, things too wonderful for me, which I did not know. ‘Hear, and I will speak; I will question you, and you make it known to me.’ I had heard of you by the hearing of the ear, but now my eye sees you; …

Psalm 9:9-10 – “The Lord is a stronghold for the oppressed, a stronghold in times of trouble. And those who know your name put their trust in you, for you, O Lord, have not forsaken those who seek you.”

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Bible Verses About Persecution

Bible Verses About Persecution

Learning the Best Bible Verses About Persecution is something worth the time and effort of all followers of Jesus Christ. Behold, there is just no doubt that persecution is a stark reality of living the Christian life. Following Jesus has never been the easiest thing to do. Faithfulness to His ways comes with lots of persecutions, rejections, and life obstacles. However, He had already won victory over the world and we know that in Him, we are victors. As Christians, we can expect to face persecutions for having believed in Jesus Christ, the Lamb of God that takes away the sins of those who come to Him and gives them everlasting life. Hence, you should not find persecution against your faith strange when it comes. Even Apostle Paul warned that “everyone who wants to live a godly life in Christ Jesus will be persecuted” (2 Timothy 3:12).

Jesus Christ Himself said that, if they persecuted Him, they will also persecute His followers (John 15:20). It’s not strange that Christians are hated by the world. Remember that the world first hated Christ and persecuted Him although He had done no wrong. If the master was hated, persecuted, and even killed, what more of His servants? However, the strength of His Resurrection is sufficient for us to successfully go through all challenges that stand in the way of our faith. And behold, successfully running the Christian race leads to Eternal Life in the presence of God Almighty. And behold, successfully running the Christian race has to do with Believing, Sincerely Repenting, and obeying the Key Teachings of Jesus Christ.

Bible Verses About Persecution

What does the Scripture say about Persecution?

One might ask, “why the persecution?” In simple terms, if Christians were like the world – earthly, canal, vain, sensual, and given to unregulated pleasure, ambition, and wealth, the world will not oppose them the way they are currently doing. Christians are persecuted because they do not belong to the world (see John 15:18–19). Someone might ask, “how?” It is important to understand that although Christians dwell in this world, they are not part of it because they are governed by different principles from those of the world. Unlike the world that is driven by the love of sin, evil, and wickedness, Christians are motivated by the Love of God and the desire for Holiness through Christ. It is our separation from the world that arouses its animosity (1 Peter 4:3–4).

Facts about Christian Persecution that you should know

1. The persecution of Christians allows them to share in a unique fellowship with the Lord Jesus Christ

It is high time for Christians to learn what it takes to recognize the value of persecution for their faith or believe in God. In short, they should even learn to rejoice during moments of persecutions. We can learn from the book of Acts 16:16-40 that the more Paul and Silas were persecuted, the more they rejoiced and gave praise to God for His goodness. Although their bodies were covered with wounds from intense torturing and whipping, they kept praying and thanking God. They found their suffering in prison as a reason to pray the more, sing and praise God the more.

Apostle Paul went forth to outline a good number of things that he had surrendered for the cause of Christ. As for these losses, he viewed them as “rubbish” or “dung” (Philippians 3:8) that he might be granted the honor by God to share in the “fellowship of [Christ’s] sufferings” (Philippians 3:10). Apostle Paul viewed his chains as a favor (grace) that God had bestowed upon him (Philippians 1:7).

2. Christian persecution is good for believers

Truth be told, Christian persecution is good for believers. Apostle James taught in support of the fact that Christian persecution is good for believers. He pointed out that trials test the Christian’s faith, develop endurance in his life, and boost the growth of his spiritual life leading to maturity in the faith (James 1:2–4). Just as steel is tempered in the forge, trials and persecutions serve to strengthen the character of believers. A Christian yielding graciously to persecution actually demonstrates that he is of superior quality when compared to his advisories (see Hebrews 11:38).

We all know how easy it is to be hateful, and wicked but Christ-likeness produces compassion, love, kindness, and blessing in the face of evil opposition. Apostle Peter says of Jesus Christ, “When they hurled their insults at Him, He did not retaliate; when He suffered, He made no threats. Instead, He entrusted Himself to Him who judges justly” (1 Peter 2:23).

3. Christian persecution enables believers to better value the support of true friends

Behold, conflict has the ability to bring together the faithful children of God in an encouraging and supportive way they might not have known otherwise. Here, we are trying to say that hardship can stimulate the Lord’s people towards a greater resolve to love and comfort one another as they lift one another to the throne of grace in prayer. Truth be told, there is just nothing like an unpleasant event or incident to help us reach a greater level of brotherly love.

4. Persecution must come

While in the prison yard awaiting execution, Apostle Paul wrote to Timothy saying, “Indeed, all who desire to live a godly life in Christ Jesus will be persecuted” (2 Tim. 3:12). It is important to understand here that “All” is not a throwaway word in this verse. Brethren, let no one deceive you because Apostle Paul meant it. Any person who publicly lives as a Christian will definitely experience some form of persecution, or resistance from the world.

This verse from Apostle Paul ought to re-calibrate our expectations and align them according to God’s will. That is, we should actually be surprised when we do not face persecutions, not when we do, because God’s word promises us that they are bound to come. However, this does not make experiencing persecution easier any more than knowing your due date makes giving birth less painful. Whatever the case, we know that God is our strength and He will see us through.

5. There is blessing in persecution

In the Sermon on the Mount, Jesus pointed to the fact that persecutions unlock heavenly blessings. He encouraged His disciples to remain strong on their feet, and firm as they hold to the ways of God for such brings mercy and favor. Let’s support this message by reading from Matthew 5:10 – “Blessed are those who are persecuted for righteousness’ sake, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.” Jesus views persecution as being troubled because f your believe or faith, being reviled, and having false things uttered about you. Brethren, could there be a better blessing anywhere else than membership in the kingdom of Heaven? Hence, those who endure opposition in this world for the sake of Christ and His teachings can be certain of the fact that they belong to the world to come which happens to be the best.

6. God manifests His Strength to those being persecuted for the sake of His Kingdom

In ignorance, the Corinthians were looking down on Paul’s persecutions as a sign that God’s blessing and favor were not upon his ministry. This pushed many of them to thinking that Paul was not an Apostle to follow. Paul corrected their thinking by saying that, “For the sake of Christ, then, I am content with weaknesses, insults, hardships, persecutions, and calamities. For when I am weak, then I am strong” (2 Cor. 12:10).

It is rather unfortunate but common that many Christians define success in life as triumphalism and do equate strength with accomplishment. This is a mistake that we should all avoid. Apostle Paul turns this common thinking on its head. Behold brethren, let no one deceive you, for experiencing good health and wealth is not always a sign that God’s power is with you, but rather than you are successfully enduring persecution through the strength that He gives you.

7. God sees the purity of those who have given their lives for the sake of Christ

In Apostle John’s vision of the seal judgments, the fifth seal depicts/reveals the souls of those who had been martyred because of their witness or testimony about Jesus Christ. John says in Revelation 6:10-11 – “They cried out with a loud voice, ‘O Sovereign Lord, holy and true, how long before you will judge and avenge our blood on those who dwell on the earth?’ Then they were each given a white robe and told to rest a little longer.” In the book of Revelation written by John under the instructions of Christ, white clothing represents a pure life (see also Revelation 3:4-5; 7:9-14; 19:8).

All those who are persecuted are viewed to be on the wrong, even evil, by their persecutors. However, when we face persecutions because of our faith or believe in Christ, we can be sure that God perceives us as righteous before His presence. Knowing that God is pleased with us helps to keep the flame of hope burning in us even in the face of life-threatening situations.

8. God will vindicate those who are persecuted

Later in Revelation, Apostle John sees the moment that the souls mentioned in Revelation 6:10-11 had been waiting for. Let’s get what he saw by reading from Revelation 19:1-3 – “Hallelujah! Salvation and glory and power belong to our God, for his judgments are true and just; for he has judged the great prostitute who corrupted the earth with her immorality, and has avenged on her the blood of his servants…Hallelujah, the smoke from her goes up forever.” One might say that it sounds odd for God’s people to celebrate His vengeance and judgement. Chances are high that anyone who sees things from this angle hasn’t assisted the persecution and execution of a loved one for the sake of the Gospel.

It is rather unfortunate that many have lost their sense of God’s judgement as being “true and just.” This happens to be a comforting verse for all those who have assisted the persecution and execution of their loved ones, brothers, sisters, parents, and friends for the sake of Christ and His teachings. It restores their hope and reassures them that God’s judgement is true and just.

To cut things short, we should continuously press on even in the face of Christian persecution. For Christ holds a reward for each and everyone of us who successfully runs the Christian race. In everything, we should thank God for His Grace and Patience. In this light, we should learn to express gratitude for those whom we love in the lord and those who stand with us in times of distress or persecutions. We should also forgive, and pray for those who persecute us, misuse or abuse us ( Romans 10:1; 2 Corinthians 11:24).

Best Bible Verses About Persecution

Matthew 5:10 – “Blessed are those who are persecuted because of righteousness, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.”

2 Timothy 3:12 – “In fact, everyone who wants to live a godly life in Christ Jesus will be persecuted.

2 Corinthians 12:10 – “That is why, for Christ’s sake, I delight in weaknesses, in insults, in hardships, in persecutions, in difficulties. For when I am weak, then I am strong.”

Luke 6:22 – “Blessed are you when people hate you, when they exclude you and insult you and reject your name as evil, because of the Son of Man.”

John 15:18 – “If the world hates you, keep in mind that it hated me first.

Romans 8:35 – “Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall trouble or hardship or persecution or famine or nakedness or danger or sword?

Matthew 5:11 – “Blessed are you when people insult you, persecute you and falsely say all kinds of evil against you because of me.”

Matthew 5:44 – “But I tell you, love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you.

Romans 12:14 – “Bless those who persecute you; bless and do not curse.”

Psalm 31:15 – “My times are in your hands; deliver me from the hands of my enemies, from those who pursue me.”

Group 1 – Bible Verses About Persecution

Mark 10:29-30 – “Truly I tell you,” Jesus replied, “no one who has left home or brothers or sisters or mother or father or children or fields for me and the gospel will fail to receive a hundred times as much in this present age: homes, brothers, sisters, mothers, children and fields—along with persecutions—and in the age to come eternal life.

Psalm 23:4 – “Even though I walk through the darkest valley, I will fear no evil, for you are with me; your rod and your staff, they comfort me.

1 Peter 5:8 – “Be alert and of sober mind. Your enemy the devil prowls around like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour.”

Acts 22:7 – “I fell to the ground and heard a voice say to me, ‘Saul! Saul! Why do you persecute me?’”

2 Timothy 3:12 – “Indeed, all who desire to live a godly life in Christ Jesus will be persecuted,

Matthew 5:10 – “Blessed are those who are persecuted for righteousness’ sake, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.”

John 15:18 – “If the world hates you, know that it has hated me before it hated you.”

Matthew 5:44 – “But I say to you, Love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you,

1 Peter 4:12-14 – “Beloved, do not be surprised at the fiery trial when it comes upon you to test you, as though something strange were happening to you. But rejoice insofar as you share Christ’s sufferings, that you may also rejoice and be glad when his glory is revealed. If you are insulted for the name of Christ, you are blessed, because the Spirit of glory and of God rests upon you.”

Group 2 – Bible Verses About Persecution

2 Corinthians 12:10 – “For the sake of Christ, then, I am content with weaknesses, insults, hardships, persecutions, and calamities. For when I am weak, then I am strong.

Matthew 5:10-12 – “Blessed are those who are persecuted for righteousness’ sake, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. “Blessed are you when others revile you and persecute you and utter all kinds of evil against you falsely on my account. Rejoice and be glad, for your reward is great in heaven, for so they persecuted the prophets who were before you.”

Luke 6:22 – “Blessed are you when people hate you and when they exclude you and revile you and spurn your name as evil, on account of the Son of Man!

1 Peter 3:17 – “For it is better to suffer for doing good, if that should be God’s will, than for doing evil.

Romans 8:35 – “Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or danger, or sword?

1 John 3:13 – “Do not be surprised, brothers, that the world hates you.

1 Peter 3:14 – “But even if you should suffer for righteousness’ sake, you will be blessed. Have no fear of them, nor be troubled,

John 15:20 – “Remember the word that I said to you: ‘A servant is not greater than his master.’ If they persecuted me, they will also persecute you. If they kept my word, they will also keep yours.”

Group 3 – Bible Verses About Persecution

Romans 12:14 – “Bless those who persecute you; bless and do not curse them.”

1 Peter 3:16 – “Having a good conscience, so that, when you are slandered, those who revile your good behavior in Christ may be put to shame.”

1 Peter 4:16 – “Yet if anyone suffers as a Christian, let him not be ashamed, but let him glorify God in that name.

John 16:33 – “I have said these things to you, that in me you may have peace. In the world you will have tribulation. But take heart; I have overcome the world.

Acts 14:22 – “Strengthening the souls of the disciples, encouraging them to continue in the faith, and saying that through many tribulations we must enter the kingdom of God.”

John 15:19 – “If you were of the world, the world would love you as its own; but because you are not of the world, but I chose you out of the world, therefore the world hates you.

1 Peter 4:19 – “Therefore let those who suffer according to God’s will entrust their souls to a faithful Creator while doing good.

Galatians 5:11 – “But if I, brothers, still preach circumcision, why am I still being persecuted? In that case the offense of the cross has been removed.

Psalm 23:4 – “Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil, for you are with me; your rod and your staff, they comfort me.”

Group 4 – Bible Verses About Persecution

Revelation 6:9-11 – “When he opened the fifth seal, I saw under the altar the souls of those who had been slain for the word of God and for the witness they had borne. They cried out with a loud voice, “O Sovereign Lord, holy and true, how long before you will judge and avenge our blood on those who dwell on the earth?” Then they were each given a white robe and told to rest a little longer, until the number of their fellow servants and their brothers should be complete, who were to be killed as they themselves had been.”

Romans 12:17-21– “Repay no one evil for evil, but give thought to do what is honorable in the sight of all. If possible, so far as it depends on you, live peaceably with all. Beloved, never avenge yourselves, but leave it to the wrath of God, for it is written, “Vengeance is mine, I will repay, says the Lord.” To the contrary, “if your enemy is hungry, feed him; if he is thirsty, give him something to drink; for by so doing you will heap burning coals on his head.” Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good.

Group 5 – Bible Verses About Persecution

Revelation 2:10 – “Do not fear what you are about to suffer. Behold, the devil is about to throw some of you into prison, that you may be tested, and for ten days you will have tribulation. Be faithful unto death, and I will give you the crown of life.

2 Corinthians 4:8-12 – “We are afflicted in every way, but not crushed; perplexed, but not driven to despair; persecuted, but not forsaken; struck down, but not destroyed; always carrying in the body the death of Jesus, so that the life of Jesus may also be manifested in our bodies. For we who live are always being given over to death for Jesus’ sake, so that the life of Jesus also may be manifested in our mortal flesh. So death is at work in us, but life in you.

Revelation 1:9 – “I, John, your brother and partner in the tribulation and the kingdom and the patient endurance that are in Jesus, was on the island called Patmos on account of the word of God and the testimony of Jesus.

1 Peter 5:8 – “Be sober-minded; be watchful. Your adversary the devil prowls around like a roaring lion, seeking someone to devour.”

Matthew 5:11 – “Blessed are you when others revile you and persecute you and utter all kinds of evil against you falsely on my account.

Acts 8:1 – “And Saul approved of his execution. And there arose on that day a great persecution against the church in Jerusalem, and they were all scattered throughout the regions of Judea and Samaria, except the apostles.

Group 6 – Bible Verses About Persecution

Matthew 10:22 – “And you will be hated by all for my name’s sake. But the one who endures to the end will be saved.

Mark 4:17 – “And they have no root in themselves, but endure for a while; then, when tribulation or persecution arises on account of the word, immediately they fall away.”

John 16:2 – “They will put you out of the synagogues. Indeed, the hour is coming when whoever kills you will think he is offering service to God.”

Mark 10:29-30Jesus said, “Truly, I say to you, there is no one who has left house or brothers or sisters or mother or father or children or lands, for my sake and for the gospel, who will not receive a hundredfold now in this time, houses and brothers and sisters and mothers and children and lands, with persecutions, and in the age to come eternal life.”

Romans 8:35-39 – “Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or danger, or sword? As it is written, “For your sake we are being killed all the day long; we are regarded as sheep to be slaughtered.” No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us. For I am sure that neither death nor life, nor angels nor rulers, nor things present nor things to come, nor powers, nor height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord.

Philippians 1:29 – “For it has been granted to you that for the sake of Christ you should not only believe in him but also suffer for his sake,

Group 7 – Bible Verses About Persecution

1 Peter 4:12-16 – “Beloved, do not be surprised at the fiery trial when it comes upon you to test you, as though something strange were happening to you. But rejoice insofar as you share Christ’s sufferings, that you may also rejoice and be glad when his glory is revealed. If you are insulted for the name of Christ, you are blessed, because the Spirit of glory and of God rests upon you. But let none of you suffer as a murderer or a thief or an evildoer or as a meddler. Yet if anyone suffers as a Christian, let him not be ashamed, but let him glorify God in that name.

Mark 10:30 – “Who will not receive a hundredfold now in this time, houses and brothers and sisters and mothers and children and lands, with persecutions, and in the age to come eternal life.

Psalm 31:15 – “My times are in your hand; rescue me from the hand of my enemies and from my persecutors!

John 15:18-20 – “If the world hates you, know that it has hated me before it hated you. If you were of the world, the world would love you as its own; but because you are not of the world, but 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 master.’ If they persecuted me, they will also persecute you. If they kept my word, they will also keep yours.

1 John 3:1 – “See what kind of love the Father has given to us, that we should be called children of God; and so we are. The reason why the world does not know us is that it did not know him.”

Group 8 – Bible Verses About Persecution

Jeremiah 20:11 – “But the Lord is with me as a dread warrior; therefore my persecutors will stumble; they will not overcome me. They will be greatly shamed, for they will not succeed. Their eternal dishonor will never be forgotten.”

Matthew 13:21 – “Yet he has no root in himself, but endures for a while, and when tribulation or persecution arises on account of the word, immediately he falls away.”

John 17:14 -“I have given them your word, and the world has hated them because they are not of the world, just as I am not of the world.

Romans 8:7 – “For the mind that is set on the flesh is hostile to God, for it does not submit to God’s law; indeed, it cannot.”

Romans 8:35-37 – “Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or danger, or sword? As it is written, “For your sake we are being killed all the day long; we are regarded as sheep to be slaughtered.” No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us.

Revelation 17:6 – “And I saw the woman, drunk with the blood of the saints, the blood of the martyrs of Jesus. When I saw her, I marveled greatly.”

1 Peter 4:12 – “Beloved, do not be surprised at the fiery trial when it comes upon you to test you, as though something strange were happening to you.”

Group 9 – Bible Verses About Persecution

John 15:18-21 – “If the world hates you, know that it has hated me before it hated you. If you were of the world, the world would love you as its own; but because you are not of the world, but 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 master.’ If they persecuted me, they will also persecute you. If they kept my word, they will also keep yours. But all these things they will do to you on account of my name, because they do not know him who sent me.

Hebrews 12:3 – “Consider him who endured from sinners such hostility against himself, so that you may not grow weary or fainthearted.”

Matthew 13:20-21 – “As for what was sown on rocky ground, this is the one who hears the word and immediately receives it with joy, yet he has no root in himself, but endures for a while, and when tribulation or persecution arises on account of the word, immediately he falls away.

Philippians 1:12-14 – “I want you to know, brothers, that what has happened to me has really served to advance the gospel, so that it has become known throughout the whole imperial guard and to all the rest that my imprisonment is for Christ. And most of the brothers, having become confident in the Lord by my imprisonment, are much more bold to speak the word without fear.”

Group 10 – Bible Verses About Persecution

2 Corinthians 4:8-11 – “We are afflicted in every way, but not crushed; perplexed, but not driven to despair; persecuted, but not forsaken; struck down, but not destroyed; always carrying in the body the death of Jesus, so that the life of Jesus may also be manifested in our bodies. For we who live are always being given over to death for Jesus’ sake, so that the life of Jesus also may be manifested in our mortal flesh.”

Psalm 34:19 – “Many are the afflictions of the righteous, but the Lord delivers him out of them all.”

Acts 11:19 – “Now those who were scattered because of the persecution that arose over Stephen traveled as far as Phoenicia and Cyprus and Antioch, speaking the word to no one except Jews.”

Revelation 20:4 – “Then I saw thrones, and seated on them were those to whom the authority to judge was committed. Also I saw the souls of those who had been beheaded for the testimony of Jesus and for the word of God, and those who had not worshiped the beast or its image and had not received its mark on their foreheads or their hands. They came to life and reigned with Christ for a thousand years.

Acts 14:21-22 – “When they had preached the gospel to that city and had made many disciples, they returned to Lystra and to Iconium and to Antioch, strengthening the souls of the disciples, encouraging them to continue in the faith, and saying that through many tribulations we must enter the kingdom of God.”

Group 11 – Bible Verses On Persecution

Acts 13:50 – “But the Jews incited the devout women of high standing and the leading men of the city, stirred up persecution against Paul and Barnabas, and drove them out of their district.”

John 16:1-4 – “I have said all these things to you to keep you from falling away. They will put you out of the synagogues. Indeed, the hour is coming when whoever kills you will think he is offering service to God. And they will do these things because they have not known the Father, nor me. But I have said these things to you, that when their hour comes you may remember that I told them to you. “I did not say these things to you from the beginning, because I was with you.”

Psalm 91:1-16 – “He who dwells in the shelter of the Most High will abide in the shadow of the Almighty. I will say to the Lord, “My refuge and my fortress, my God, in whom I trust.” For he will deliver you from the snare of the fowler and from the deadly pestilence. He will cover you with his pinions, and under his wings you will find refuge; his faithfulness is a shield and buckler. You will not fear the terror of the night, nor the arrow that flies by day, …

1 Peter 4:12-13 – “Beloved, do not be surprised at the fiery trial when it comes upon you to test you, as though something strange were happening to you. But rejoice insofar as you share Christ’s sufferings, that you may also rejoice and be glad when his glory is revealed.

Group 12 – Bible Verses On Persecution

2 Timothy 3:10-12 – “You, however, have followed my teaching, my conduct, my aim in life, my faith, my patience, my love, my steadfastness, my persecutions and sufferings that happened to me at Antioch, at Iconium, and at Lystra—which persecutions I endured; yet from them all the Lord rescued me. Indeed, all who desire to live a godly life in Christ Jesus will be persecuted,

Revelation 6:10They cried out with a loud voice, “O Sovereign Lord, holy and true, how long before you will judge and avenge our blood on those who dwell on the earth?”

Mark 13:13 – “And you will be hated by all for my name’s sake. But the one who endures to the end will be saved.”

Psalm 23:1-6 – “A Psalm of David. The Lord is my shepherd; I shall not want. He makes me lie down in green pastures, He leads me beside still waters. He restores my soul, He leads me in paths of righteousness for his name’s sake. Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil, for you are with me; your rod and your staff, they comfort me. You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies; you anoint my head with oil; my cup overflows. ...”

Matthew 23:34 – “Therefore I send you prophets and wise men and scribes, some of whom you will kill and crucify, and some you will flog in your synagogues and persecute from town to town,”

Group 13 – Bible Verses On Persecution

1 Peter 4:1 – “Since therefore Christ suffered in the flesh, arm yourselves with the same way of thinking, for whoever has suffered in the flesh has ceased from sin,”

Acts 7:59-60 – “And as they were stoning Stephen, he called out, “Lord Jesus, receive my spirit.” And falling to his knees he cried out with a loud voice, “Lord, do not hold this sin against them.” And when he had said this, he fell asleep.”

Amos 5:10 – “They hate him who reproves in the gate, and they abhor him who speaks the truth.”

Revelation 7:14I said to him, “Sir, you know.” And he said to me, “These are the ones coming out of the great tribulation. They have washed their robes and made them white in the blood of the Lamb.”

Isaiah 53:1-12 – “Who has believed what he has heard from us? And to whom has the arm of the Lord been revealed? For he grew up before him like a young plant, and like a root out of dry ground; he had no form or majesty that we should look at him, and no beauty that we should desire him. He was despised and rejected by men; a man of sorrows, and acquainted with grief; and as one from whom men hide their faces he was despised, and we esteemed him not. Surely he has borne our griefs and carried our sorrows; yet we esteemed him stricken, smitten by God, and afflicted. But he was wounded for our transgressions; he was crushed for our iniquities; upon him was the chastisement that brought us peace, and with his stripes we are healed. ...”

Group 14 – Bible Verses On Persecution

Revelation 1:1-20 – “The revelation of Jesus Christ, which God gave him to show to his servants the things that must soon take place. He made it known by sending his angel to his servant John, who bore witness to the word of God and to the testimony of Jesus Christ, even to all that he saw. Blessed is the one who reads aloud the words of this prophecy, and blessed are those who hear, and who keep what is written in it, for the time is near. John to the seven churches that are in Asia: Grace to you and peace from him who is and who was and who is to come, and from the seven spirits who are before his throne, and from Jesus Christ the faithful witness, the firstborn of the dead, and the ruler of kings on earth. ...”

1 Peter 2:1-25 – “So put away all malice and all deceit and hypocrisy and envy and all slander. Like newborn infants, long for the pure spiritual milk, that by it you may grow up into salvation— if indeed you have tasted that the Lord is good. As you come to him, a living stone rejected by men but in the sight of God chosen and precious, you yourselves like living stones are being built up as a spiritual house, to be a holy priesthood, to offer spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through Jesus Christ. …

Luke 6:23 – “Rejoice in that day, and leap for joy, for behold, your reward is great in heaven; for so their fathers did to the prophets.

Psalm 10:2 – “In arrogance the wicked hotly pursue the poor; let them be caught in the schemes that they have devised.

Group 15 – Bible Verses On Christian Persecution

Mark 13:11-13 – “And when they bring you to trial and deliver you over, do not be anxious beforehand what you are to say, but say whatever is given you in that hour, for it is not you who speak, but the Holy Spirit. And brother will deliver brother over to death, and the father his child, and children will rise against parents and have them put to death. And you will be hated by all for my name’s sake. But the one who endures to the end will be saved.”

Luke 21:19 – “By your endurance you will gain your lives.

Galatians 4:29 – “But just as at that time he who was born according to the flesh persecuted him who was born according to the Spirit, so also it is now.

Matthew 4:17 From that time Jesus began to preach, saying, “Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand.”

Philippians 3:6 – “As to zeal, a persecutor of the church; as to righteousness under the law, blameless.”

Romans 8:17 – “And if children, then heirs—heirs of God and fellow heirs with Christ, provided we suffer with him in order that we may also be glorified with him.”

Luke 21:13-15 – “This will be your opportunity to bear witness. Settle it therefore in your minds not to meditate beforehand how to answer, for I will give you a mouth and wisdom, which none of your adversaries will be able to withstand or contradict.

Group 16 – Bible Verses On Christian Persecution

Acts 7:54-60 – “Now when they heard these things they were enraged, and they ground their teeth at him. But he, full of the Holy Spirit, gazed into heaven and saw the glory of God, and Jesus standing at the right hand of God. And he 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 together at him. Then they cast him out of the city and stoned him. And the witnesses laid down their garments at the feet of a young man named Saul.”

Revelation 2:8-10 – “And to the angel of the church in Smyrna write: ‘The words of the first and the last, who died and came to life. “‘I know your tribulation and your poverty (but you are rich) and the slander of those who say that they are Jews and are not, but are a synagogue of Satan. Do not fear what you are about to suffer. Behold, the devil is about to throw some of you into prison, that you may be tested, and for ten days you will have tribulation. Be faithful unto death, and I will give you the crown of life.”

Group 17 – Bible Verses On Christian Persecution

John 15:19-21 – “If you were of the world, the world would love you as its own; but because you are not of the world, but 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 master.’ If they persecuted me, they will also persecute you. If they kept my word, they will also keep yours. But all these things they will do to you on account of my name, because they do not know him who sent me.”

Luke 21:12-13 – “But before all this they will lay their hands on you and persecute you, delivering you up to the synagogues and prisons, and you will be brought before kings and governors for my name’s sake. This will be your opportunity to bear witness.

2 Timothy 1:8 –Therefore do not be ashamed of the testimony about our Lord, nor of me his prisoner, but share in suffering for the gospel by the power of God,

Romans 10:2 – “For I bear them witness that they have a zeal for God, but not according to knowledge.”

Psalm 3:1-8 – “A Psalm of David, when he fled from Absalom his son. O Lord, how many are my foes! Many are rising against me; many are saying of my soul, there is no salvation for him in God. Selah But you, O Lord, are a shield about me, my glory, and the lifter of my head. I cried aloud to the Lord, and he answered me from his holy hill. Selah I lay down and slept; I woke again, for the Lord sustained me. …

Group 18 – Bible Verses About Christian Persecution

Matthew 5:12 – “Rejoice and be glad, for your reward is great in heaven, for so they persecuted the prophets who were before you.

Revelation 2:9 – “‘I know your tribulation and your poverty (but you are rich) and the slander of those who say that they are Jews and are not, but are a synagogue of Satan.”

Matthew 5:11-12 – “Blessed are you when others revile you and persecute you and utter all kinds of evil against you falsely on my account. Rejoice and be glad, for your reward is great in heaven, for so they persecuted the prophets who were before you.

Luke 21:12 – “But before all this they will lay their hands on you and persecute you, delivering you up to the synagogues and prisons, and you will be brought before kings and governors for my name’s sake.”

Matthew 24:21 – “For then there will be great tribulation, such as has not been from the beginning of the world until now, no, and never will be.

1 Peter 4:4 – “With respect to this they are surprised when you do not join them in the same flood of debauchery, and they malign you;

Romans 5:3 – “More than that, we rejoice in our sufferings, knowing that suffering produces endurance,

Acts 7:52 – “Which of the prophets did your fathers not persecute? And they killed those who announced beforehand the coming of the Righteous One, whom you have now betrayed and murdered,

Group 19 – Bible Verses About Christian Persecution

1 Peter 4:14 – “If you are insulted for the name of Christ, you are blessed, because the Spirit of glory and of God rests upon you.

James 5:10 – “As an example of suffering and patience, brothers, take the prophets who spoke in the name of the Lord.”

John 15:18-25 – “If the world hates you, know that it has hated me before it hated you. If you were of the world, the world would love you as its own; but because you are not of the world, but 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 master.’ If they persecuted me, they will also persecute you. If they kept my word, they will also keep yours. But all these things they will do to you on account of my name, because they do not know him who sent me. If I had not come and spoken to them, they would not have been guilty of sin, but now they have no excuse for their sin. …

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