Lesson 9:
Those Who Have Been Persecuted for Righteousness' Sake
Matthew 5:10-12 [10]
Blessed are those who have been persecuted for righteousness’ sake,
for theirs is the Kingdom of Heaven. [11] “Blessed are you when
people reproach you, persecute you, and say all kinds of evil against
you falsely, for my sake. [12] Rejoice, and be exceedingly glad, for
great is your reward in heaven. For that is how they persecuted the
prophets who were before you.
2 Timothy 3:12 Yes,
and all who desire to live godly in Christ Jesus will suffer
persecution.
PERSECUTED
Harassed by
troubles or punishments unjustly inflicted, particularly for
religious opinions.
"persecuted."
Noah Webster's 1828 American Dictionary of the English Language.
2014. http://1828.mshaffer.com/d/word/persecuted
(24 June 2014).
The main
points for this lesson:
Remember,
beatitude means happy or blessed. Jesus is telling us the way to true
happiness and blessedness. The beatitudes teach us who will be happy
and why that person will be happy.
Persecuted for
righteousness' sake. Jesus says that those who suffer for doing what
is good and right, for living obediently to God, will be blessed.
This suffering may include false accusations, physical mistreatment,
imprisonment, and even death. The Bible records many examples of
those who suffered for living a righteous life. Since the time of the
apostles, even to today, many Christians have suffered for Jesus'
sake. The apostle Peter reminds us that if we suffer for the name of
Jesus, we are blessed, but also exhorts us saying, “let none of you
suffer as a murderer, or a thief, or an evil doer, or a meddler in
other men’s matters” (1 Peter 4:14-15).
Remember those who are being persecuted. God reminds us as well that
we should remember and care for those who are being persecuted for
the sake of righteousness. We can remember and care for them through
our constant prayer for them, and also through practical help when
possible, such as providing for their needs. In some (perhaps many)
cases, it may mean helping the families of those enduring persecution
(or who have endured). Such families may have lost a father or
mother, a husband or wife. Let us remember those who are in bonds, as
though bound with them (Hebrews 13:3).
All the beatitudes
involve choice on our part. We must make the initial choice to, for
example, be pure in heart. Then, we must daily make choices to pursue
purity of heart, by putting out the evil and taking in the good. This
last beatitude is not different. What are the choices (both initial
and ongoing) in this case? We must choose to pursue righteousness and
live righteously before God and men. We must choose to treasure the
Kingdom of Heaven and its rewards far above any earthly treasure or
comfort. Finally, we must choose, especially when persecution comes,
to endure faithfully to the end, fearing and trusting God and not
fearing man.
Happy and blessed?
Jesus says that those who have been persecuted for righteousness'
sake will be happy and blessed. He even says they should rejoice and
be glad. Why? The Kingdom of Heaven is theirs. Their reward in heaven
is great. If we love the world and the things in it, if we count the
passing pleasures and treasures of the world of great value, we
cannot know the blessedness of suffering for Jesus' sake, for we will
not value or desire the promised reward of persecution. Moses
suffered ill treatment with the people of God (Hebrews 11:24-26). He
looked to the reward, and was received by God at last. Jesus endured
the cross and despised the shame (Hebrews 12:2). He looked to the joy
set before him, and has now sat down at the right hand of God. While
some who suffer for righteousness' sake are freed or even exalted in
this life, that is not the case with everyone, and perhaps not with
most. God makes no promise regarding the end of persecution in this
life. He offers a great promise for the next life to those who are
persecuted for Jesus' sake in this life.
Suffering and
humility. The first beatitude concerned being poor in spirit. That
has everything to do with this beatitude. To suffer for
righteousness' sake, we must have a proper view of earthly wealth and
possessions. Again, we must have humility. In Jesus' suffering, he
gave us no example of pride or malice to imitate. Instead we see
patient and humble endurance.
Suggestions:
Open each lesson with prayer for the
teacher and the students and this class time.
Read Matthew
5:10-12 with the children.
Give the children
a simple explanation of what it means to be persecuted for
righteousness' sake. It means to suffer for doing what is right and
good.
Read (or tell) the
stories of the apostles (Acts 5:12-42), King Asa and Hanani the seer
(2 Chronicles 16:1-10), and Paul and Silas (Acts 16:16-40). As you
read with them, you can ask the children such questions as: Who was
persecuted in this story and how? Why were they persecuted? How did
they respond to those who persecuted them (ie. with anger, kindness,
patience)? Why do you think they were willing to endure such
persecution? What happened at the end of the story to the person or
people who were persecuted?
You could ask the
children to think of as many people from the Bible who were
persecuted. Write out the list to see how many they think of. Near
the end of this lesson is a list
of those persecuted in the Bible.
Read 2 Timothy
3:12. Ask the children briefly what it means to live godly in Christ
Jesus. Remind them that this is a promise of God: “All who desire
to live godly in Christ Jesus will suffer persecution.” This is the
path to entering the kingdom of God (Acts 14:22).
Close the lesson with prayer related to
the subject and the students. Pray the Lord's Prayer together.
Stories:
Acts 5:12-42
[40] 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. [41] They therefore departed from the presence of the
council, rejoicing that they were counted worthy to suffer dishonor
for Jesus’ name. [42] Every day, in the temple and at home, they
never stopped teaching and preaching Jesus, the Christ.
The
apostles obeyed
God by preaching and teaching in the name of Jesus. For this reason
they were beaten and threatened. It seems that they understood and
practiced Jesus' words about those who are persecuted for
righteousness' sake. On the one hand they rejoiced when they were
persecuted. On the other hand, we find no pride or defiance in their
attitudes, but rather humility. Further, the apostles trusted in God
(Proverbs 29:25) and did not fear what man could do and did do to
them, but were faithful unto death.
2 Chronicles
16:1-10 – King Asa puts Hanani the seer in
prison.
Asa
began his reign as a king who did what was good and right in the eyes
of the Lord. He removed the idols from the land, and commanded the
people to seek the Lord (2 Chronicles 14:2-5). In the tenth year of
his reign, Asa cried to God for help when the Ethiopian army came
against them. God gave a great deliverance (2 Chronicles 14:11-12).
In the 36th
year of his reign, King Baasha came against him (2 Chronicles 16:1).
Rather than call to God for help, Asa sought help from the king of
Syria. Hanani the
seer came to Asa and rebuked him and told him the consequences for
trusting in man instead of God. Rather than humbly confess his sin,
King Asa became very angry and threw Hanani the seer in prison.
Hanani is one of many examples of Jesus' words, “that is how they
persecuted the prophets who were before you” (Matthew 5:12).
Acts 16:16-40
[20] When they had brought them to the magistrates, they said,
“These men, being Jews, are agitating our city, [21] and advocate
customs which it is not lawful for us to accept or to observe, being
Romans.” [22] The multitude rose up together against them, and the
magistrates tore their clothes off of them, and commanded them to be
beaten with rods. [23] When they had laid many stripes on them, they
threw them into prison, charging the jailer to keep them safely, [24]
who, having received such a command, threw them into the inner
prison, and secured their feet in the stocks.
In
Philippi, the apostle Paul and those with him taught men about the
narrow path that leads to life. When Paul
cast a troublesome but profitable
(for some) demon out of a slave girl, it was too much for the masters
of the slave girl to bear. Paul and
Silas were falsely accused,
beaten and locked in prison. They did not give up. Trusting in God,
they endured their sufferings for righteousness' sake by praying and
singing hymns to God (Acts 16:25). God used their patient endurance
in persecution to bring salvation to the jailer and his family.
More Stories
and Examples:
Genesis 4:1-12
[1] The man knew Eve his wife. She conceived, and gave birth
to Cain, and said, “I have gotten a man with Yahweh’s help.”
[2] Again she gave birth, to Cain’s brother Abel. Abel was a keeper
of sheep, but Cain was a tiller of the ground. [3] As time passed,
Cain brought an offering to Yahweh from the fruit of the ground. [4]
Abel also brought some of the firstborn of his flock and of its fat.
Yahweh respected Abel and his offering, [5] but he didn’t respect
Cain and his offering. Cain was very angry, and the expression on his
face fell. [6] Yahweh said to Cain, “Why are you angry? Why has the
expression of your face fallen? [7] If you do well, won’t it be
lifted up? If you don’t do well, sin crouches at the door. Its
desire is for you, but you are to rule over it.” [8] Cain said to
Abel, his brother, “Let’s go into the field.” While they were
in the field, Cain rose up against Abel, his brother, and killed him.
[9] Yahweh said to Cain, “Where is Abel, your brother?” He said,
“I don’t know. Am I my brother’s keeper?” [10] Yahweh said,
“What have you done? The voice of your brother’s blood cries to
me from the ground. [11] Now you are cursed because of the ground,
which has opened its mouth to receive your brother’s blood from
your hand. [12] From now on, when you till the ground, it won’t
yield its strength to you. You will be a fugitive and a wanderer in
the earth.”
Matthew 23:34-35 [34] Therefore
behold, I send to you prophets, wise men, and scribes. Some of them
you will kill and crucify; and some of them you will scourge in your
synagogues, and persecute from city to city; [35] that on you may
come all the righteous blood shed on the earth, from the
blood of righteous Abel to the blood of Zachariah son of
Barachiah, whom you killed between the sanctuary and the altar.
1 John 3:11-15 [11] For this is
the message which you heard from the beginning, that we should love
one another; [12] unlike Cain, who was of the evil one, and killed
his brother. Why did he kill him? Because his works were evil, and
his brother’s righteous. [13] Don’t be surprised, my
brothers, if the world hates you. [14] We know that we have passed
out of death into life, because we love the brothers. He who doesn’t
love his brother remains in death. [15] Whoever hates his brother is
a murderer, and you know that no murderer has eternal life remaining
in him.
Hebrews 11:4 By faith, Abel
offered to God a more excellent sacrifice than Cain, through which he
had testimony given to him that he was righteous, God
testifying with respect to his gifts; and through it he, being dead,
still speaks.
In Genesis
4, we read the story of Cain killing Abel. The apostles taught us
that Abel was killed for the sake of righteousness.
Job 1-2
Job
was a righteous man (Job 1:8). He was persecuted by Satan because he
feared God and turned away from evil. At least two things stand out
regarding Job's persecution in this story. First, it was not clear to
Job or his friends that he was being persecuted for the sake of
righteousness. He did not understand why God would send such
sufferings upon him. Second, even amidst questions and uncertainty,
through his trials Job was faithful to the Lord.
1 Kings 19:1-3
After
God sent down fire from heaven, and Elijah slew the prophets of Baal
(1 Kings 18:38-40), Jezebel let
Elijah know that she would quickly put him to death.
2 Kings 1:1-18
In
this story, it appears that King Ahaziah intended to capture and
perhaps mistreat Elijah. In this instance, God protected the prophet
Elijah.
Jeremiah
38:1-13,14-23
Jeremiah
the prophet spoke God's word to the people. He showed them the way to
live and not die. For doing this, Jeremiah
was let
down into a muddy
cistern/dungeon. He sank in the mud and was left there to die. After
he was rescued out of the mire, Jeremiah
did not give up, but continued to
serve God and his people by speaking to them the words from God.
2 Samuel
11:1-15
David
had
Uriah the Hittite killed. If Uriah had been selfish, or had
been willing to please and
satisfy his own flesh, David
would not have touched him. In
this sense, Uriah was put to death for righteousness' sake.
1 Kings
22:1-28; 2 Chronicles 18:1-27
Micaiah
the prophet was persecuted
by King Ahab.
2 Chronicles
24:1-2,17-25
God
sent Zechariah the
son of Jehoiada to turn the people back to God. They would not
listen, but put Zechariah
to death in
the court of God's temple with
the approval of King Joash.
Acts 6-7
This
is the story of Stephen, his
persecution and death.
Acts 9:1-31
Paul
was first
going to Damascus to persecute the Christians there. After his
repentance and turning to God, he was persecuted in Damascus and also
in Jerusalem.
Acts 12:1-19
The
apostle James (the brother of John) was put to death by Herod,
who then
planned
to kill the apostle Peter.
Acts 13:50;
14:1-7,19
Paul
& Barnabas were persecuted on their first journey: 13:50 (Antioch
in Pisidia); 14:1-7 (Iconium); 14:19 (Lystra).
Hebrews 11:24-26
[24] By faith, Moses, when he had grown up, refused to be
called the son of Pharaoh’s daughter, [25] choosing rather to
share ill treatment with God’s people, than to enjoy the
pleasures of sin for a time; [26] accounting the reproach of
Christ greater riches than the treasures of Egypt; for he
looked to the reward.
Hebrews 11:35-38 [35] Women
received their dead by resurrection. Others were tortured, not
accepting their deliverance, that they might obtain a better
resurrection. [36] Others were tried by mocking and scourging, yes,
moreover by bonds and imprisonment. [37] They were stoned. They were
sawn apart. They were tempted. They were slain with the sword. They
went around in sheep skins and in goat skins; being destitute,
afflicted, ill-treated [38] (of whom the world was not worthy),
wandering in deserts, mountains, caves, and the holes of the earth.
2 Maccabees
6:18-31 – Eleazar the scribe is persecuted unto death for the
sake of righteousness.
2 Maccabees
7:1-42 – A mother and her sons are persecuted unto death for
the sake of righteousness.
Other
Verses:
Psalm 37:12 The wicked plots
against the just, and gnashes at him with his teeth.
Matthew 10:16-42 [16] “Behold,
I send you out as sheep in the midst of wolves. Therefore be wise as
serpents, and harmless as doves. [17] But beware of men: for they
will deliver you up to councils, and in their synagogues they will
scourge you. [18] Yes, and you will be brought before governors and
kings for my sake, for a testimony to them and to the nations.
[22] You will be hated by all men for
my name’s sake, but he who endures to the end will be saved. [23]
But when they persecute you in this city, flee into the next, for
most certainly I tell you, you will not have gone through the cities
of Israel, until the Son of Man has come.
[28] Don’t be afraid of those who
kill the body, but are not able to kill the soul. Rather, fear him
who is able to destroy both soul and body in Gehenna.
[32] Everyone therefore who confesses
me before men, him I will also confess before my Father who is in
heaven. [33] But whoever denies me before men, him I will also deny
before my Father who is in heaven.
[38] He who doesn’t take his cross
and follow after me, isn’t worthy of me. [39] He who seeks his life
will lose it; and he who loses his life for my sake will find it.
I have only
shown a few of the verses from this portion in Matthew. The whole
section has much to do with persecution for righteousness' sake.
Mark 10:29-31 [29] Jesus said,
“Most certainly I tell you, there is no one who has left house, or
brothers, or sisters, or father, or mother, or wife, or children, or
land, for my sake, and for the sake of the Good News, [30] but he
will receive one hundred times more now in this time, houses,
brothers, sisters, mothers, children, and land, with persecutions;
and in the age to come eternal life. [31] But many who are first will
be last; and the last first.”
Luke 6:22-23,26-30 [22] Blessed
are you when men shall hate you, and when they shall exclude and mock
you, and throw out your name as evil, for the Son of Man’s sake.
[23] Rejoice in that day, and leap for joy, for behold, your reward
is great in heaven, for their fathers did the same thing to the
prophets. [26] Woe, when men speak well of you, for their fathers did
the same thing to the false prophets. [27] “But I tell you who
hear: love your enemies, do good to those who hate you, [28] bless
those who curse you, and pray for those who mistreat you. [29] To him
who strikes you on the cheek, offer also the other; and from him who
takes away your cloak, don’t withhold your coat also. [30] Give to
everyone who asks you, and don’t ask him who takes away your goods
to give them back again.
Luke 21:10-19 [10] Then he said
to them, “Nation will rise against nation, and kingdom against
kingdom. [11] There will be great earthquakes, famines, and plagues
in various places. There will be terrors and great signs from heaven.
[12] But before all these things, they will lay their hands on you
and will persecute you, delivering you up to synagogues and
prisons, bringing you before kings and governors for my name’s
sake. [13] It will turn out as a testimony for you. [14] Settle it
therefore in your hearts not to meditate beforehand how to answer,
[15] for I will give you a mouth and wisdom which all your
adversaries will not be able to withstand or to contradict. [16] You
will be handed over even by parents, brothers, relatives, and
friends. They will cause some of you to be put to death. [17]
You will be hated by all men for my name’s sake. [18] And
not a hair of your head will perish. [19] “By your endurance you
will win your lives.
John 15:17-25 [17] “I command
these things to you, that you may love one another. [18] If the world
hates you, you know that it has hated me before it hated you. [19] 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. [20] Remember the word that I said to you: ‘A
servant is not greater than his lord.’ If they persecuted me,
they will also persecute you. If they kept my word, they will
keep yours also. [21] But all these things will they do to you for my
name’s sake, because they don’t know him who sent me. [22] If I
had not come and spoken to them, they would not have had sin; but now
they have no excuse for their sin. [23] He who hates me, hates my
Father also. [24] If I hadn’t done among them the works which no
one else did, they wouldn’t have had sin. But now have they seen
and also hated both me and my Father. [25] But this happened so that
the word may be fulfilled which was written in their law, ‘They
hated me without a cause.’
Acts 14:21-22 [21] When they had
preached the Good News to that city, and had made many disciples,
they returned to Lystra, Iconium, and Antioch, [22] confirming the
souls of the disciples, exhorting them to continue in the faith, and
that through many afflictions we must enter into the Kingdom of God.
An important
part of the message preached by Paul and Barnabas (important enough
to include in Acts) concerned persecution and afflictions.
Romans 8:35-39 [35] Who shall
separate us from the love of Christ? Could oppression, or
anguish, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or peril, or
sword? [36] Even as it is written, “For your sake we are killed all
day long. We were accounted as sheep for the slaughter.” [37] No,
in all these things, we are more than conquerors through him who
loved us. [38] For I am persuaded, that neither death, nor life, nor
angels, nor principalities, nor things present, nor things to come,
nor powers, [39] nor height, nor depth, nor any other created thing,
will be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ
Jesus our Lord.
Philippians 1:27-30 [27] 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; [28] and in nothing frightened by the
adversaries, which is for them a proof of destruction, but to you of
salvation, and that from God. [29] Because it has been granted
to you on behalf of Christ, not only to believe in him, but
also to suffer on his behalf, [30] having the same conflict which
you saw in me, and now hear is in me.
2 Thessalonians 1:3-7 [3] We are
bound to always give thanks to God for you, brothers, even as it is
appropriate, because your faith grows exceedingly, and the love of
each and every one of you towards one another abounds; [4] so that we
ourselves boast about you in the assemblies of God for your patience
and faith in all your persecutions and in the afflictions which you
endure. [5] This is an obvious sign of the righteous judgment of God,
to the end that you may be counted worthy of the Kingdom of God, for
which you also suffer. [6] Since it is a righteous thing with God to
repay affliction to those who afflict you, [7] 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,
2 Timothy 2:11-13 [11] This
saying is faithful: “For if we died with him, we will also live
with him. [12] If we endure, we will also reign with him. If we deny
him, he also will deny us. [13] If we are faithless, he remains
faithful. He can’t deny himself.”
2 Timothy 3:12 Yes, and all
who desire to live godly in Christ Jesus will suffer persecution.
2 Timothy 4:6-8
[6] For I am already being offered, and the time of my departure has
come. [7] I have fought the good fight. I have finished the course. I
have kept the faith. [8] From now on, there is stored up for me the
crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous judge, will
give to me on that day; and not to me only, but also to all those who
have loved his appearing.
In other,
earlier epistles, the apostle Paul wrote of pursuing, of pressing on
toward the goal. He wrote that he had not yet attained or been made
perfect (Philippians 3:12-14). This last epistle (as we assume) has a
different word. The apostle now has a confidence regarding the
judgment. Why? Perhaps two reasons (among others) may be given. Jesus
and the apostles taught that he who endures to the end shall be
saved. Paul had endured faithfully to the end. The time of his death
had come. His confidence may also have come as a result of the reason
of his death. He was being put to death because he walked in
obedience to the almighty God as a disciple of Jesus Christ, and the
kingdom of heaven belongs to those who are persecuted for
righteousness' sake, for Jesus' sake. While the apostle had been
persecuted many times, it was perhaps the combination of these two
reasons that gave him the willingness to speak confidently of the
crown of righteousness now stored up for him.
Hebrews 10:32-39 [32] But
remember the former days, in which, after you were enlightened, you
endured a great struggle with sufferings; [33] partly, being
exposed to both reproaches and oppressions; and partly,
becoming partakers with those who were treated so. [34] 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.
[35] Therefore don’t throw away your boldness, which has a great
reward. [36] For you need endurance so that, having done the will of
God, you may receive the promise. [37] “In a very little while, he
who comes will come, and will not wait. [38] But the righteous will
live by faith. If he shrinks back, my soul has no pleasure in him.”
[39] But we are not of those who shrink back to destruction, but of
those who have faith to the saving of the soul.
The people
to whom the writer of the Hebrews wrote knew about this beatitude
(Matthew 5:10-12). They both endured sufferings themselves, and cared
for those who were suffering persecutions. These Christians were
reproached and oppressed. Their property and possessions was taken
from them. They endured knowing that they had a better and lasting
possession in the heavens.
Hebrews 13:3 Remember those
who are in bonds, as bound with them, and those who are
ill-treated, since you are also in the body.
We are
exhorted to remember others who are persecuted, whether imprisoned or
mistreated. We ought to remember them in our constant prayers, as
well as in practical care and help for them and for their family.
1 Peter 3:13-18 [13] Now who is
he who will harm you, if you become imitators of that which is good?
[14] But even if you should suffer for righteousness’ sake, you are
blessed. “Don’t fear what they fear, neither be troubled.” [15]
But sanctify the Lord God in your hearts; and always be ready to give
an answer to everyone who asks you a reason concerning the hope that
is in you, with humility and fear: [16] 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. [17] For it
is better, if it is God’s will, that you suffer for doing well than
for doing evil. [18] Because Christ also suffered for sins once, the
righteous for the unrighteous, that he might bring you to God; being
put to death in the flesh, but made alive in the spirit;
The apostle
Peter counsels up regarding persecution and preparation for it.
1 Peter 4:12-19 [12] 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. [13] But because
you are partakers of Christ’s sufferings, rejoice; that at the
revelation of his glory you also may rejoice with exceeding joy. [14]
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. [15] For let none of
you suffer as a murderer, or a thief, or an evil doer, or a meddler
in other men’s matters. [16] But if one of you suffers for being a
Christian, let him not be ashamed; but let him glorify God in this
matter. [17] For the time has come for judgment to begin with the
household of God. If it begins first with us, what will happen to
those who don’t obey the Good News of God? [18] “If it is hard
for the righteous to be saved, what will happen to the ungodly and
the sinner?” [19] 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.
The apostle
Peter offers encouragement, comfort, and exhortation to God's people
regarding persecution.
Revelations 2:8-11 [8] “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: [9] “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. [10] Don’t be afraid of the things which you
are about to suffer. Behold, the devil is about to throw some of you
into prison, that you may be tested; and you will have oppression for
ten days. Be faithful to death, and I will give you the crown of
life. [11] He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to
the assemblies. He who overcomes won’t be harmed by the second
death.
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Old Testament
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Abel (Genesis 4:3-12; Matthew 23:34-35; Hebrews 11:4; 1 John 3:12) – killed by his brother Cain
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Joseph (Genesis 39) – imprisoned for refusing to sin against God
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Caleb & Joshua (Numbers 14:6-10) – when they exhorted the people to enter the land
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Job – he was blameless and upright
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David – persecuted by King Saul
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Elijah (1 Kings 17-19) – Ahab, Jezebel persecuted
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Micaiah the son of Imlah (1 Kings 22:26-27) – imprisoned by Ahab for speaking the message from God
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Hanani the Seer (2 Chronicles 16:10) – put in prison by King Asa
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Zechariah tthe son of Jehoiada the priest (2 Chronicles 24:21) – King Joash commanded to stone him
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Jeremiah – put into well to die; prison; etc.
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Three friends of Daniel (Daniel 3) – fiery furnace
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Daniel (Daniel 6) – lions’ den
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Apocrypha/Deuterocanonical Books
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Susanna (Daniel 13) – persecuted for standing fast in righteousness
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Eleazar the Scribe (2 Maccabees 6:18-31) – refused to disobey God’s command
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Mother with seven sons (2 Maccabees 7) – refused to disobey God’s command
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New Testament
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John the Baptist – Herod put in prison
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Jesus – suffered under Pontius Pilate
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Peter & John (Acts 3-4) – threatened by the leaders of Jerusalem for healing and teaching in Jesus’ name
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Apostles (Acts 5)
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Stephen (Acts 6-7)
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Church in Jerusalem (Acts 8:1)
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Saul/Paul – in Damascus
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Apostle James (Acts 12:1-2)
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Apostle Peter (Acts 12:1-19)
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Barnabas & Paul (Acts 13:50; 14) – in Antioch of Pisidia; and other places on first missionary journey
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Paul (Acts 14:19) – stoned at Lystra
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Paul & Silas (Acts 16) – in Philippi beaten and but in prison
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Jason and some of the brothers (Acts 17:6) – dragged out in Thessalonica
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Apostle Paul (Acts 21:27 – Acts 28:31) – Paul persecuted in Jerusalem
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Hebrews (Hebrews 10:32-34) – mocking, oppression, loss of possessions
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Apostle John (Revelation 1:9) – exiled to isle called Patmos
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ADDITIONAL READING
Polycarp was a bishop in the church in
Smyrna. He wrote an epistle and was put to death for his faith. It is
said that he sat at the feet of the apostle John. He is often
referred to as an early church father. An account of his death was
written and passed on and is known today as The
Martyrdom of Polycarp. I recommend reading account.
