Persecution has long been a challenge for believers. Yet, the Bible offers words of strength, hope, and resilience. In the Bible, we find stories of unshakeable faith and of courage in the face of adversity. This collection of 125 Bible verses about persecution highlights unwavering faith and God’s divine promises that comfort and guide us.

Faith Amid Persecution

• Matthew 5:44 – “But I tell you, love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you.”
• John 15:20 – “Remember what I told you: ‘A servant is not greater than his master.’ If they persecuted me, they will persecute you also. If they obeyed my teaching, they will obey yours also.”
• 2 Timothy 3:12 – “In fact, everyone who wants to live a godly life in Christ Jesus will be persecuted.”
• 1 Peter 4:12-13 – “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.”
• Acts 14:22 – “Strengthening the disciples and encouraging them to remain true to the faith. ‘We must go through many hardships to enter the kingdom of God,’ they said.”
• Romans 12:14 – “Bless those who persecute you; bless and do not curse.”
• 1 Peter 3:14 – “But even if you should suffer for what is right, you are blessed. ‘Do not fear their threats; do not be frightened.’”
• 1 Peter 5:9 – “Resist him, standing firm in the faith, because you know that the family of believers throughout the world is undergoing the same kind of sufferings.”
• Luke 21:12-13 – “But before all this, they will lay hands on you and persecute you. They will deliver you to synagogues and prisons, and you will be brought before kings and governors, and all on account of my name. And so you will bear testimony to me.”
• Acts 7:52 – “Was there ever a prophet your ancestors did not persecute? They even killed those who predicted the coming of the Righteous One. And now you have betrayed and murdered him.”

Strength in Suffering and Persecution

• 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?”
• 2 Corinthians 4:8-9 – “We are hard pressed on every side, but not crushed; perplexed, but not in despair; persecuted, but not abandoned; struck down, but not destroyed.”
• James 1:2-3 – “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.”
• Matthew 10:22 – “You will be hated by everyone because of me, but the one who stands firm to the end will be saved.”
• Philippians 1:29 – “For it has been granted to you on behalf of Christ not only to believe in him, but also to suffer for him.”
• Hebrews 11:25 – “He chose to be mistreated along with the people of God rather than to enjoy the fleeting pleasures of sin.”
• 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.’”
• 1 Thessalonians 3:3-4 – “So that no one would be unsettled by these trials. For you know quite well that we are destined for them.”
• Acts 5:41 – “The apostles left the Sanhedrin, rejoicing because they had been counted worthy of suffering disgrace for the Name.”
• 1 Peter 2:20-21 – “But how is it to your credit if you receive a beating for doing wrong and endure it? But if you suffer for doing good and you endure it, this is commendable before God.”

Perseverance in Trials and Persecution

• 2 Thessalonians 1:4-5 – “Therefore, among God’s churches we boast about your perseverance and faith in all the persecutions and trials you are enduring.”
• Hebrews 10:33 – “Sometimes you were publicly exposed to insult and persecution; at other times you stood side by side with those who were so treated.”
• Acts 13:50 – “But the Jews incited the God-fearing women of high standing and the leading men of the city. They stirred up persecution against Paul and Barnabas, and expelled them from their region.”
• 1 Corinthians 4:12 – “We work hard with our own hands. When we are cursed, we bless; when we are persecuted, we endure it.”
• 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.”
• Galatians 6:12 – “Those who want to impress people by means of the flesh are trying to compel you to be circumcised. The only reason they do this is to avoid being persecuted for the cross of Christ.”
• Matthew 24:9 – “Then you will be handed over to be persecuted and put to death, and you will be hated by all nations because of me.”
• Luke 11:49 – “Because of this, God in his wisdom said, ‘I will send them prophets and apostles, some of whom they will kill and others they will persecute.’”
• Revelation 12:13 – “When the dragon saw that he had been hurled to the earth, he pursued the woman who had given birth to the male child.”
• Acts 8:1 – “And Saul approved of their killing him. On that day a great persecution broke out against the church in Jerusalem, and all except the apostles were scattered throughout Judea and Samaria.”

Blessed for Enduring Persecution

• Matthew 5:10 – “Blessed are those who are persecuted because of righteousness, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.”
• 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.”
• 1 Peter 4:14 – “If you are insulted because of the name of Christ, you are blessed, for the Spirit of glory and of God rests on you.”
• 1 Peter 4:16 – “However, if you suffer as a Christian, do not be ashamed, but praise God that you bear that name.”
• Acts 9:16 – “I will show him how much he must suffer for my name.”
• John 15:21 – “They will treat you this way because of my name, for they do not know the one who sent me.”
• 2 Timothy 1:12 – “That is why I am suffering as I am. Yet this is no cause for shame, because I know whom I have believed, and am convinced that he is able to guard what I have entrusted to him until that day.”
• Philippians 3:10 – “I want to know Christ—yes, to know the power of his resurrection and participation in his sufferings, becoming like him in his death.”
• Acts 20:23-24 – “I only know that in every city the Holy Spirit warns me that prison and hardships are facing me. However, I consider my life worth nothing to me; my only aim is to finish the race and complete the task the Lord Jesus has given me—the task of testifying to the good news of God’s grace.”
• Romans 5:3-4 – “Not only so, but we also glory in our sufferings, because we know that suffering produces perseverance; perseverance, character; and character, hope.”

Courage in Conflict and Persecution

• Acts 4:29 – “Now, Lord, consider their threats and enable your servants to speak your word with great boldness.”
• 1 Corinthians 15:32 – “If I fought wild beasts in Ephesus with no more than human hopes, what have I gained? If the dead are not raised, ‘Let us eat and drink, for tomorrow we die.'”
• Philippians 1:28 – “Without being frightened in any way by those who oppose you. This is a sign to them that they will be destroyed, but that you will be saved—and that by God.”
• Hebrews 13:6 – “So we say with confidence, ‘The Lord is my helper; I will not be afraid. What can mere mortals do to me?'”
• Acts 4:17 – “But to stop this thing from spreading any further among the people, we must warn them to speak no longer to anyone in this name.”
• Mark 13:13 – “Everyone will hate you because of me, but the one who stands firm to the end will be saved.”
• 1 Corinthians 4:9 – “For it seems to me that God has put us apostles on display at the end of the procession, like those condemned to die in the arena. We have been made a spectacle to the whole universe, to angels as well as to human beings.”
• 2 Corinthians 6:4-5 – “Rather, as servants of God we commend ourselves in every way: in great endurance; in troubles, hardships and distresses; in beatings, imprisonments and riots; in hard work, sleepless nights and hunger.”
• Acts 12:1 – “It was about this time that King Herod arrested some who belonged to the church, intending to persecute them.”
• Acts 16:37 – “But Paul said to the officers: ‘They beat us publicly without a trial, even though we are Roman citizens, and threw us into prison. And now do they want to get rid of us quietly? No! Let them come themselves and escort us out.'”

Faithful Witness of Persecution

• Revelation 1:9 – “I, John, your brother and companion in the suffering and kingdom and patient endurance that are ours in Jesus, was on the island of Patmos because of the word of God and the testimony of Jesus.”
• Acts 22:20 – “And when the blood of your martyr Stephen was shed, I stood there giving my approval and guarding the clothes of those who were killing him.”
• Acts 26:10 – “And that is just what I did in Jerusalem. Not only did I lock up many of the saints in prison after receiving authority from the chief priests, but when they were put to death, I cast my vote against them.”
• 2 Timothy 4:16-17 – “At my first defense, no one came to my support, but everyone deserted me. May it not be held against them. But the Lord stood at my side and gave me strength, so that through me the message might be fully proclaimed and all the Gentiles might hear it.”
• Acts 14:7 – “And there they continued to preach the gospel.”
• Luke 21:17-18 – “Everyone will hate you because of me. But not a hair of your head will perish.”
• Acts 18:9-10 – “One night the Lord spoke to Paul in a vision: ‘Do not be afraid; keep on speaking, do not be silent. For I am with you, and no one is going to attack and harm you, because I have many people in this city.'”
• Acts 19:28 – “When they heard this, they were furious and began shouting: ‘Great is Artemis of the Ephesians!'”
• Hebrews 10:34 – “You suffered along with those in prison and joyfully accepted the confiscation of your property, because you knew that you yourselves had better and lasting possessions.”
• Revelation 6:9 – “When he opened the fifth seal, I saw under the altar the souls of those who had been slain because of the word of God and the testimony they had maintained.”

Promise of God’s Presence Amid Persecution

• Isaiah 43:2 – “When you pass through the waters, I will be with you; and when you pass through the rivers, they will not sweep over you. When you walk through the fire, you will not be burned; the flames will not set you ablaze.”
• 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.”
• Deuteronomy 31:6 – “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.”
• Joshua 1:9 – “Have I not commanded you? Be strong and courageous. Do not be terrified; do not be discouraged, for the LORD your God will be with you wherever you go.”
• Psalm 46:1 – “God is our refuge and strength, an ever-present help in trouble.”
• Matthew 28:20 – “And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.”
• 2 Corinthians 4:9 – “Persecuted, but not abandoned; struck down, but not destroyed.”
• Psalm 27:1 – “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?”
• 1 Corinthians 10:13 – “No temptation has overtaken you except what is common to mankind. And God is faithful; he will not let you be tempted beyond what you can bear. But when you are tempted, he will also provide a way out so that you can endure it.”
• Psalm 91:15 – “He will call on me, and I will answer him; I will be with him in trouble, I will deliver him and honor him.”

Victory Through Suffering and Persecution

• Romans 8:37 – “No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us.”
• John 16:33 – “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.”
• 1 John 5:4 – “For everyone born of God overcomes the world. This is the victory that has overcome the world, even our faith.”
• Revelation 3:21 – “To the one who is victorious, I will give the right to sit with me on my throne, just as I was victorious and sat down with my Father on his throne.”
• 2 Corinthians 2:14 – “But thanks be to God, who always leads us as captives in Christ’s triumphal procession and uses us to spread the aroma of the knowledge of him everywhere.”
• 1 Peter 5:10 – “And the God of all grace, who called you to his eternal glory in Christ, after you have suffered a little while, will himself restore you and make you strong, firm and steadfast.”
• Revelation 21:7 – “Those who are victorious will inherit all this, and I will be their God and they will be my children.”
• Philippians 2:10-11 – “That at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, and every tongue acknowledge that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.”
• Revelation 2:26 – “To the one who is victorious and does my will to the end, I will give authority over the nations.”
• 2 Timothy 2:12 – “If we endure, we will also reign with him. If we disown him, he will also disown us.”

Comfort in Suffering and Persecution

• 2 Corinthians 1:3-4 – “Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of compassion and the God of all comfort, who comforts us in all our troubles, so that we can comfort those in any trouble with the comfort we ourselves receive from God.”
• Psalm 119:50 – “My comfort in my suffering is this: Your promise preserves my life.”
• Romans 15:4 – “For everything that was written in the past was written to teach us, so that through the endurance taught in the Scriptures and the encouragement they provide we might have hope.”
• Psalm 34:19 – “The righteous person may have many troubles, but the LORD delivers him from them all.”
• 2 Thessalonians 2:16-17 – “May our Lord Jesus Christ himself and God our Father, who loved us and by his grace gave us eternal encouragement and good hope, encourage your hearts and strengthen you in every good deed and word.”
• Isaiah 51:12 – “I, even I, am he who comforts you. Who are you that you fear mere mortals, human beings who are but grass?”
• Lamentations 3:31-33 – “For no one is cast off by the Lord forever. Though he brings grief, he will show compassion, so great is his unfailing love.”
• Hebrews 6:10 – “God is not unjust; he will not forget your work and the love you have shown him as you have helped his people and continue to help them.”
• Psalm 94:19 – “When anxiety was great within me, your consolation brought me joy.”
• Isaiah 66:13 – “As a mother comforts her child, so will I comfort you; and you will be comforted over Jerusalem.”

Faithful through Persecution and until Death

• Revelation 2:10 – “Do not be afraid of what you are about to suffer. I tell you, the devil will put some of you in prison to test you, and you will suffer persecution for ten days. Be faithful, even to the point of death, and I will give you life as your victor’s crown.”
• Luke 14:27 – “Whoever does not carry their cross and follow me cannot be my disciple.”
• Mark 8:35 – “For whoever wants to save their life will lose it, but whoever loses their life for me and for the gospel will save it.”
• Acts 21:13 – “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.'”
• Philippians 1:21 – “For to me, to live is Christ and to die is gain.”
• Hebrews 11:35-37 – “Women received back their dead, raised to life again. There were others who were tortured, refusing to be released so that they might gain an even better resurrection. Some faced jeers and flogging, and even chains and imprisonment.”
• Revelation 12:11 – “They triumphed over him by the blood of the Lamb and by the word of their testimony; they did not love their lives so much as to shrink from death.”
• Matthew 16:25 – “For whoever wants to save their life will lose it, but whoever loses their life for me will find it.”
• 2 Corinthians 5:8 – “We are confident, I say, and would prefer to be away from the body and at home with the Lord.”
• Revelation 20:4 – “I saw thrones on which were seated those who had been given authority to judge. And I saw the souls of those who had been beheaded because of their testimony about Jesus and because of the word of God.”

Justice and Vindication from Persecution

• Psalm 37:28 – “For the LORD loves the just and will not forsake his faithful ones. Wrongdoers will be completely destroyed; the offspring of the wicked will perish.”
• Isaiah 54:17 – “No weapon forged against you will prevail, and you will refute every tongue that accuses you. This is the heritage of the servants of the LORD, and this is their vindication from me,” declares the LORD.”
• Proverbs 21:15 – “When justice is done, it brings joy to the righteous but terror to evildoers.”
• Psalm 7:9 – “Bring to an end the violence of the wicked and make the righteous secure— you, the righteous God who probes minds and hearts.”
• Micah 7:8-9 – “Do not gloat over me, my enemy! Though I have fallen, I will rise. Though I sit in darkness, the LORD will be my light.”
• Revelation 6:10 – “They called out in a loud voice, ‘How long, Sovereign Lord, holy and true, until you judge the inhabitants of the earth and avenge our blood?’”
• Romans 12:19 – “Do not take revenge, my dear friends, but leave room for God’s wrath, for it is written: ‘It is mine to avenge; I will repay,’ says the Lord.”
• Luke 18:7-8 – “And will not God bring about justice for his chosen ones, who cry out to him day and night? Will he keep putting them off? I tell you, he will see that they get justice, and quickly.”
• Psalm 9:9 – “The LORD is a refuge for the oppressed, a stronghold in times of trouble.”
• Amos 5:24 – “But let justice roll on like a river, righteousness like a never-failing stream!”

Prophetic Warnings for Persecution and Assurance

• Matthew 24:9-10 – “Then you will be handed over to be persecuted and put to death, and you will be hated by all nations because of me. At that time many will turn away from the faith and will betray and hate each other.”
• Mark 13:9 – “You must be on your guard. You will be handed over to the local councils and flogged in the synagogues. On account of me you will stand before governors and kings as witnesses to them.”
• Luke 21:12 – “But before all this, they will lay hands on you and persecute you. They will deliver you to synagogues and prisons, and you will be brought before kings and governors, and all on account of my name.”
• 2 Timothy 3:1-5 – “But mark this: There will be terrible times in the last days. People will be lovers of themselves, lovers of money, boastful, proud, abusive, disobedient to their parents, ungrateful, unholy, without love, unforgiving, slanderous, without self-control, brutal, not lovers of the good.”
• Revelation 13:7 – “It was given power to wage war against God’s holy people and to conquer them. And it was given authority over every tribe, people, language and nation.”
• Matthew 5:11-12 – “Blessed are you when people insult you, persecute you and falsely say all kinds of evil against you because of me. Rejoice and be glad, because great is your reward in heaven, for in the same way they persecuted the prophets who were before you.”
• John 16:2 – “They will put you out of the synagogue; in fact, the time is coming when anyone who kills you will think they are offering a service to God.”
• Revelation 2:9 – “I know your afflictions and your poverty—yet you are rich! I know about the slander of those who say they are Jews and are not, but are a synagogue of Satan.”
• 2 Corinthians 4:17 – “For our light and momentary troubles are achieving for us an eternal glory that far outweighs them all.”
• Hebrews 10:36 – “You need to persevere so that when you have done the will of God, you will receive what he has promised.”

Resilience Amid Persecution

• Acts 11:19 – “Now those who had been scattered by the persecution that broke out when Stephen was killed traveled as far as Phoenicia, Cyprus and Antioch, spreading the word only among Jews.”
• 2 Timothy 3:11 – “persecutions, sufferings—what kinds of things happened to me in Antioch, Iconium and Lystra, the persecutions I endured. Yet the Lord rescued me from all of them.”
• Mark 10:30 – “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.”
• Acts 9:4 – “He fell to the ground and heard a voice say to him, ‘Saul, Saul, why do you persecute me?'”
• Matthew 10:23 – “When you are persecuted in one place, flee to another. Truly I tell you, you will not finish going through the towns of Israel before the Son of Man comes.”

Conclusion

Though challenges and persecution may come, these Bible verses offer strength and hope. Let these 125 Bible verses about persecution inspire you to remain steadfast and trust in God’s promises. Draw courage from the faith of those who endured before us. Remember, in every trial, God will always be with you and never abandon you.