Paul: Persecutions Endured By

I will show him how much he must suffer for My name.”

After many days had passed, the Jews conspired to kill him, …

He talked and debated with the Grecian Jews, but they tried to kill him.

When the girl’s owners saw that their hope of making money was gone, they seized Paul and Silas and dragged them before the authorities in the marketplace. …

And now, compelled by the Spirit, I am going to Jerusalem, not knowing what will happen to me there. …

Then Paul answered, “Why are you weeping and breaking my heart? I am ready not only to be bound, but also to die in Jerusalem for the name of the Lord Jesus.”

When the seven days were almost over, some Jews from the province of Asia saw Paul at the temple. They stirred up the whole crowd and seized him, …

The crowd listened to Paul until he made this statement. Then they lifted up their voices and shouted, “Rid the earth of him! He is not fit to live!” …

The dispute grew so violent that the commander was afraid they would tear Paul to pieces. He ordered the soldiers to go down and remove him by force and bring him into the barracks.

Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall trouble or distress or persecution or famine or nakedness or danger or sword? …

For it seems to me that God has displayed us apostles at the end of the procession, like prisoners appointed for death. We have become a spectacle to the whole world, to angels as well as to men.

We do not want you to be unaware, brothers, of the hardships we encountered in the province of Asia. We were under a burden far beyond our ability to endure, so that we despaired even of life. …

We are hard pressed on all sides, but not crushed; perplexed, but not in despair; …

Rather, as servants of God we commend ourselves in every way: in great endurance; in troubles, hardships, and calamities;

…in beatings, imprisonments, and riots; in labor, sleepless nights, and hunger;

…through glory and dishonor, slander and praise; viewed as imposters, yet genuine; …

Are they servants of Christ? (I am speaking as if I were out of my mind.) I am so much more: in harder labor, in more imprisonments, in worse beatings, in frequent danger of death. …

In Damascus, the governor under King Aretas secured the city of the Damascenes in order to arrest me.

But I was lowered in a basket through a window in the wall and escaped his grasp.

That is why, for the sake of Christ, I delight in weaknesses, in insults, in hardships, in persecutions, in difficulties. For when I am weak, then I am strong.

Now, brothers, if I am still preaching circumcision, why am I still being persecuted? In that case the offense of the cross has been abolished.

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

…since you are encountering the same struggle you saw I had, and now hear that I still have.

But even if I am being poured out like a drink offering on the sacrifice and service of your faith, I am glad and rejoice with all of you.

So you too should be glad and rejoice with me.

Now I rejoice in my sufferings for you, and I fill up in my flesh what is lacking in regard to Christ’s afflictions for the sake of His body, which is the church.

As you are aware, we had already endured suffering and shameful treatment in Philippi. But in the face of strong opposition, we were bold in our God to speak to you the gospel of God.

For you, brothers, became imitators of the churches of God in Judea that are in Christ Jesus. You suffered from your own countrymen the very things they suffered from the Jews,

…who killed both the Lord Jesus and their own prophets and drove us out as well. They are displeasing to God and hostile to all men,

Indeed, when we were with you, we kept warning you that we would suffer persecution; and as you know, it has come to pass.

For this reason, even though I suffer as I do, I am not ashamed; for I know whom I have believed, and I am convinced that He is able to guard what I have entrusted to Him for that day.

…for which I suffer to the extent of being chained like a criminal. But the word of God cannot be chained!

For this reason I endure all things for the sake of the elect, so that they too may obtain the salvation that is in Christ Jesus, with eternal glory.

…my persecutions, and the sufferings that came upon me in Antioch, Iconium, and Lystra. What persecutions I endured! Yet the Lord rescued me from all of them.

Indeed, all who desire to live godly lives in Christ Jesus will be persecuted,

At my first defense, no one stood with me, but everyone deserted me. May it not be charged against them.

But the Lord stood by me and strengthened me, so that through me the message would be fully proclaimed, and all the Gentiles would hear it. So I was delivered from the mouth of the lion.