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Christian Minister: Trials and Persecutions of 1 Kings 19:1–10

Now Ahab told Jezebel everything that Elijah had done and how he had killed all the prophets with the sword. / So Jezebel sent a messenger to Elijah, saying, “May the gods deal with me, and ever so severely, if by this time tomorrow I do not make your life like the lives of those you killed!” / And Elijah was afraid and ran for his life. When he came to Beersheba in Judah, he left his servant there,

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Christian Minister: Trials and Persecutions of Isaiah 20:2, 3

the LORD had already spoken through Isaiah son of Amoz, saying, “Go, remove the sackcloth from your waist and the sandals from your feet.” And Isaiah did so, walking around naked and barefoot. / Then the LORD said, “Just as My servant Isaiah has gone naked and barefoot for three years as a sign and omen against Egypt and Cush,

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Christian Minister: Trials and Persecutions of Ezekiel 24:15–18

Then the word of the LORD came to me, saying, / “Son of man, behold, I am about to take away the desire of your eyes with a fatal blow. But you must not mourn or weep or let your tears flow. / Groan quietly; do not mourn for the dead. Put on your turban and strap your sandals on your feet; do not cover your lips or eat the bread of mourners.”

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Christian Minister: Trials and Persecutions of Hosea 1:2

When the LORD first spoke through Hosea, He told him, “Go, take a prostitute as your wife and have children of adultery, because this land is flagrantly prostituting itself by departing from the LORD.”

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Christian Minister: Trials and Persecutions of Amos 5:10

There are those who hate the one who reproves in the gate and despise him who speaks with integrity.

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Christian Minister: Trials and Persecutions of Amos 7:10–17

Then Amaziah the priest of Bethel sent word to Jeroboam king of Israel, saying, “Amos has conspired against you in the midst of the house of Israel. The land cannot bear all his words, / for this is what Amos has said: ‘Jeroboam will die by the sword, and Israel will surely go into exile, away from their homeland.’” / And Amaziah said to Amos, “Go away, you seer! Flee to the land of Judah; earn your bread there and do your prophesying there.

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Christian Minister: Trials and Persecutions of Matthew 10:16–27

Behold, I am sending you out like sheep among wolves; therefore be as shrewd as snakes and as innocent as doves. / But beware of men; for they will hand you over to their councils and flog you in their synagogues. / On My account, you will be brought before governors and kings as witnesses to them and to the Gentiles.

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Christian Minister: Trials and Persecutions of Matthew 23:34

Because of this, I am sending you prophets and wise men and teachers. Some of them you will kill and crucify, and others you will flog in your synagogues and persecute in town after town.

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Christian Minister: Trials and Persecutions of John 13:16

Truly, truly, I tell you, no servant is greater than his master, nor is a messenger greater than the one who sent him.

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Christian Minister: Trials and Persecutions of 1 Corinthians 2:1–4

When I came to you, brothers, I did not come with eloquence or wisdom as I proclaimed to you the testimony about God. / For I resolved to know nothing while I was with you except Jesus Christ and Him crucified. / I came to you in weakness and fear, and with much trembling.

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Christian Minister: Trials and Persecutions of 1 Corinthians 4:9–13

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 are fools for Christ, but you are wise in Christ. We are weak, but you are strong. You are honored, but we are dishonored. / To this very hour we are hungry and thirsty, we are poorly clothed, we are brutally treated, we are homeless.

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Christian Minister: Trials and Persecutions of 2 Corinthians 6:4–10

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; / in purity, knowledge, patience, and kindness; in the Holy Spirit and in sincere love;

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Christian Minister: Trials and Persecutions of 2 Corinthians 7:5

For when we arrived in Macedonia, our bodies had no rest, but we were pressed from every direction—conflicts on the outside, fears within.

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Christian Minister: Trials and Persecutions of 2 Corinthians 11:23–33

Are they servants of Christ? I am speaking like I am out of my mind, but I am so much more: in harder labor, in more imprisonments, in worse beatings, in frequent danger of death. / Five times I received from the Jews the forty lashes minus one. / Three times I was beaten with rods, once I was stoned, three times I was shipwrecked. I spent a night and a day in the open sea.

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Christian Minister: Trials and Persecutions of 2 Corinthians 12:7–12

or because of these surpassingly great revelations. So to keep me from becoming conceited, I was given a thorn in my flesh, a messenger of Satan, to torment me. / Three times I pleaded with the Lord to take it away from me. / But He said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for My power is perfected in weakness.” Therefore I will boast all the more gladly in my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ may rest on me.

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Christian Minister: Trials and Persecutions of Galatians 4:13, 14

You know that it was because of an illness that I first preached the gospel to you. / And although my illness was a trial to you, you did not despise or reject me. Instead, you welcomed me as if I were an angel of God, as if I were Christ Jesus Himself.

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Christian Minister: Trials and Persecutions of Ephesians 3:1, 13

For this reason I, Paul, the prisoner of Christ Jesus for the sake of you Gentiles... / So I ask you not to be discouraged because of my sufferings for you, which are your glory.

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