但你们要谨慎；因为人要把你们交给公会，并且你们在会堂里要受鞭打，又为我的缘故站在诸侯与君王面前，对他们作见证。

但你们自己要谨慎；因为有人要把你们交给议会，并且你们在会堂里要受鞭打，又为我的缘故站在统治者和君王面前，对他们作见证。

但你们自己要谨慎；因为有人要把你们交给议会，并且你们在会堂里要受鞭打，又为我的缘故站在统治者和君王面前，对他们作见证。

“你们要小心，因为你们将被送上法庭，将在会堂里受鞭打，又将为了我的缘故在官长和君王面前做见证。

但你们要小心！因为人要把你们交给公议会，你们要在会堂里被鞭打，又要为我的缘故站在总督和君王面前，向他们作见证。

“你们自己要当心。他们将要把你们送交议会；你们会在会堂里受鞭打。为我的缘故，你们将站在总督和君王面前，好对他们做见证。

但你們要謹慎；因為人要把你們交給公會，並且你們在會堂裏要受鞭打，又為我的緣故站在諸侯與君王面前，對他們作見證。

但你們自己要謹慎；因為有人要把你們交給議會，並且你們在會堂裏要受鞭打，又為我的緣故站在統治者和君王面前，對他們作見證。

但你們自己要謹慎；因為有人要把你們交給議會，並且你們在會堂裏要受鞭打，又為我的緣故站在統治者和君王面前，對他們作見證。

「你們要小心，因為你們將被送上法庭，將在會堂裡受鞭打，又將為了我的緣故在官長和君王面前做見證。

但你們要小心！因為人要把你們交給公議會，你們要在會堂裡被鞭打，又要為我的緣故站在總督和君王面前，向他們作見證。

『但是你們、要自己謹慎；因為人必把你們送交議會，你們必在會堂裏受打；你們必為我的緣故站在統治官和君王面前，對他們作見證。

「你們自己要當心。他們將要把你們送交議會；你們會在會堂裡受鞭打。為我的緣故，你們將站在總督和君王面前，好對他們做見證。

爾宜自慎、人將付爾於公會、撻爾於會堂、且為我故、將立於侯王前而為之證、

故當自謹、蓋為我故、人將解爾至公會、扑爾於會堂、立爾於侯王前以為證、

爾當自慎、蓋人將解爾於公會、撲爾於會堂、且為我故、爾將被解至侯王前、以為之證、

爾當戒慎、爾將因予之故、被人執交公會、撻於會堂、解至王侯之前、以證吾道。

“ 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.

“ Watch out! You will be handed over to the local courts. You will be whipped in the synagogues. You will stand in front of governors and kings because of me. In that way you will be witnesses to them.

“ But be on your guard. For they will deliver you over to councils, and you will be beaten in synagogues, and you will stand before governors and kings for my sake, to bear witness before them.

“ When these things begin to happen, watch out! You will be handed over to the local councils and beaten in the synagogues. You will stand trial before governors and kings because you are my followers. But this will be your opportunity to tell them about me.

“ But you, be on your guard! They will hand you over to local courts, and you will be flogged in the synagogues. You will stand before governors and kings because of me, as a witness to them.

“ But be on your guard; for they will hand you over to the courts, and you will be flogged in the synagogues, and you will stand before governors and kings for My sake, as a testimony to them.

“ But watch out for yourselves, for they will deliver you up to councils, and you will be beaten in the synagogues. You will be brought before rulers and kings for My sake, for a testimony to them.

But take ye heed to yourselves: for they shall deliver you up to councils; and in synagogues shall ye be beaten; and before governors and kings shall ye stand for my sake, for a testimony unto them.

“ But you, be on your guard! They will hand you over to sanhedrins, and you will be flogged in the synagogues. You will stand before governors and kings because of Me, as a witness to them.

But take heed to yourselves: for they shall deliver you up to councils; and in the synagogues ye shall be beaten: and ye shall be brought before rulers and kings for my sake, for a testimony against them.

“ You must watch out for yourselves. You will be handed over to councils and beaten in the synagogues. You will stand before governors and kings because of me, as a witness to them.

But watch yourselves, for they will deliver you up to councils. You will be beaten in synagogues. You will stand before rulers and kings for my sake, for a testimony to them.

Be on your guard; you will be handed over to the local councils and be flogged in the synagogues.On my account you will be brought before governors and kings as witnesses to them and to the Gentiles. (niv)

Jesus said to them:“ Watch out that no one deceives you. (niv)

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. (niv)

Three days after arriving in the province, Festus went up from Caesarea to Jerusalem,where the chief priests and the Jewish leaders appeared before him and presented the charges against Paul.They requested Festus, as a favor to them, to have Paul transferred to Jerusalem, for they were preparing an ambush to kill him along the way.Festus answered,“ Paul is being held at Caesarea, and I myself am going there soon.Let some of your leaders come with me, and if the man has done anything wrong, they can press charges against him there.”After spending eight or ten days with them, Festus went down to Caesarea. The next day he convened the court and ordered that Paul be brought before him.When Paul came in, the Jews who had come down from Jerusalem stood around him. They brought many serious charges against him, but they could not prove them.Then Paul made his defense:“ I have done nothing wrong against the Jewish law or against the temple or against Caesar.”Festus, wishing to do the Jews a favor, said to Paul,“ Are you willing to go up to Jerusalem and stand trial before me there on these charges?”Paul answered:“ I am now standing before Caesar’s court, where I ought to be tried. I have not done any wrong to the Jews, as you yourself know very well.If, however, I am guilty of doing anything deserving death, I do not refuse to die. But if the charges brought against me by these Jews are not true, no one has the right to hand me over to them. I appeal to Caesar!”After Festus had conferred with his council, he declared:“ You have appealed to Caesar. To Caesar you will go!”A few days later King Agrippa and Bernice arrived at Caesarea to pay their respects to Festus.Since they were spending many days there, Festus discussed Paul’s case with the king. He said:“ There is a man here whom Felix left as a prisoner.When I went to Jerusalem, the chief priests and the elders of the Jews brought charges against him and asked that he be condemned.“ I told them that it is not the Roman custom to hand over anyone before they have faced their accusers and have had an opportunity to defend themselves against the charges.When they came here with me, I did not delay the case, but convened the court the next day and ordered the man to be brought in.When his accusers got up to speak, they did not charge him with any of the crimes I had expected.Instead, they had some points of dispute with him about their own religion and about a dead man named Jesus who Paul claimed was alive.I was at a loss how to investigate such matters; so I asked if he would be willing to go to Jerusalem and stand trial there on these charges.But when Paul made his appeal to be held over for the Emperor’s decision, I ordered him held until I could send him to Caesar.”Then Agrippa said to Festus,“ I would like to hear this man myself.” He replied,“ Tomorrow you will hear him.”The next day Agrippa and Bernice came with great pomp and entered the audience room with the high- ranking military officers and the prominent men of the city. At the command of Festus, Paul was brought in.Festus said:“ King Agrippa, and all who are present with us, you see this man! The whole Jewish community has petitioned me about him in Jerusalem and here in Caesarea, shouting that he ought not to live any longer.I found he had done nothing deserving of death, but because he made his appeal to the Emperor I decided to send him to Rome.But I have nothing definite to write to His Majesty about him. Therefore I have brought him before all of you, and especially before you, King Agrippa, so that as a result of this investigation I may have something to write. (niv)

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. (niv)

Five days later the high priest Ananias went down to Caesarea with some of the elders and a lawyer named Tertullus, and they brought their charges against Paul before the governor.When Paul was called in, Tertullus presented his case before Felix:“ We have enjoyed a long period of peace under you, and your foresight has brought about reforms in this nation.Everywhere and in every way, most excellent Felix, we acknowledge this with profound gratitude.But in order not to weary you further, I would request that you be kind enough to hear us briefly.“ We have found this man to be a troublemaker, stirring up riots among the Jews all over the world. He is a ringleader of the Nazarene sectand even tried to desecrate the temple; so we seized him. (niv)

They brought them before the magistrates and said,“ These men are Jews, and are throwing our city into an uproarby advocating customs unlawful for us Romans to accept or practice.”The crowd joined in the attack against Paul and Silas, and the magistrates ordered them to be stripped and beaten with rods.After they had been severely flogged, they were thrown into prison, and the jailer was commanded to guard them carefully.When he received these orders, he put them in the inner cell and fastened their feet in the stocks. (niv)

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.We are fools for Christ, but you are so wise in Christ! We are weak, but you are strong! You are honored, we are dishonored!To this very hour we go hungry and thirsty, we are in rags, we are brutally treated, we are homeless.We work hard with our own hands. When we are cursed, we bless; when we are persecuted, we endure it;when we are slandered, we answer kindly. We have become the scum of the earth, the garbage of the world— right up to this moment. (niv)

For it has been granted to you on behalf of Christ not only to believe in him, but also to suffer for him, (niv)

Meanwhile, Saul was still breathing out murderous threats against the Lord’s disciples. He went to the high priestand asked him for letters to the synagogues in Damascus, so that if he found any there who belonged to the Way, whether men or women, he might take them as prisoners to Jerusalem. (niv)

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. (niv)

“ Lord,” Ananias answered,“ I have heard many reports about this man and all the harm he has done to your holy people in Jerusalem.And he has come here with authority from the chief priests to arrest all who call on your name.” (niv)

I know where you live— where Satan has his throne. Yet you remain true to my name. You did not renounce your faith in me, not even in the days of Antipas, my faithful witness, who was put to death in your city— where Satan lives. (niv)

I will show him how much he must suffer for my name.” (niv)

You will be betrayed even by parents, brothers and sisters, relatives and friends, and they will put some of you to death.Everyone will hate you because of me.But not a hair of your head will perish. (niv)

Are they servants of Christ?( I am out of my mind to talk like this.) I am more. I have worked much harder, been in prison more frequently, been flogged more severely, and been exposed to death again and again.Five times I received from the Jews the forty lashes minus one.Three times I was beaten with rods, once I was pelted with stones, three times I was shipwrecked, I spent a night and a day in the open sea,I have been constantly on the move. I have been in danger from rivers, in danger from bandits, in danger from my fellow Jews, in danger from Gentiles; in danger in the city, in danger in the country, in danger at sea; and in danger from false believers.I have labored and toiled and have often gone without sleep; I have known hunger and thirst and have often gone without food; I have been cold and naked. (niv)

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.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?”Then each of them was given a white robe, and they were told to wait a little longer, until the full number of their fellow servants, their brothers and sisters, were killed just as they had been. (niv)

While they were trying to kill him, news reached the commander of the Roman troops that the whole city of Jerusalem was in an uproar.He at once took some officers and soldiers and ran down to the crowd. When the rioters saw the commander and his soldiers, they stopped beating Paul.The commander came up and arrested him and ordered him to be bound with two chains. Then he asked who he was and what he had done.Some in the crowd shouted one thing and some another, and since the commander could not get at the truth because of the uproar, he ordered that Paul be taken into the barracks.When Paul reached the steps, the violence of the mob was so great he had to be carried by the soldiers.The crowd that followed kept shouting,“ Get rid of him!”As the soldiers were about to take Paul into the barracks, he asked the commander,“ May I say something to you?”“ Do you speak Greek?” he replied.“ Aren’t you the Egyptian who started a revolt and led four thousand terrorists out into the wilderness some time ago?”Paul answered,“ I am a Jew, from Tarsus in Cilicia, a citizen of no ordinary city. Please let me speak to the people.”After receiving the commander’s permission, Paul stood on the steps and motioned to the crowd. When they were all silent, he said to them in Aramaic: (niv)

And if any place will not welcome you or listen to you, leave that place and shake the dust off your feet as a testimony against them.” (niv)

If people do not welcome you, leave their town and shake the dust off your feet as a testimony against them.” (niv)

The priests and the captain of the temple guard and the Sadducees came up to Peter and John while they were speaking to the people.They were greatly disturbed because the apostles were teaching the people, proclaiming in Jesus the resurrection of the dead.They seized Peter and John and, because it was evening, they put them in jail until the next day.But many who heard the message believed; so the number of men who believed grew to about five thousand.The next day the rulers, the elders and the teachers of the law met in Jerusalem.Annas the high priest was there, and so were Caiaphas, John, Alexander and others of the high priest’s family.They had Peter and John brought before them and began to question them:“ By what power or what name did you do this?”Then Peter, filled with the Holy Spirit, said to them:“ Rulers and elders of the people!If we are being called to account today for an act of kindness shown to a man who was lame and are being asked how he was healed,then know this, you and all the people of Israel: It is by the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, whom you crucified but whom God raised from the dead, that this man stands before you healed.Jesus is“‘ the stone you builders rejected, which has become the cornerstone.’Salvation is found in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven given to mankind by which we must be saved.”When they saw the courage of Peter and John and realized that they were unschooled, ordinary men, they were astonished and they took note that these men had been with Jesus.But since they could see the man who had been healed standing there with them, there was nothing they could say.So they ordered them to withdraw from the Sanhedrin and then conferred together.“ What are we going to do with these men?” they asked.“ Everyone living in Jerusalem knows they have performed a notable sign, and we cannot deny it.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.”Then they called them in again and commanded them not to speak or teach at all in the name of Jesus.But Peter and John replied,“ Which is right in God’s eyes: to listen to you, or to him? You be the judges!As for us, we cannot help speaking about what we have seen and heard.”After further threats they let them go. They could not decide how to punish them, because all the people were praising God for what had happened. (niv)

“‘ Lord,’ I replied,‘ these people know that I went from one synagogue to another to imprison and beat those who believe in you.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.’ (niv)

“ 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, (niv)

Then the high priest and all his associates, who were members of the party of the Sadducees, were filled with jealousy.They arrested the apostles and put them in the public jail.But during the night an angel of the Lord opened the doors of the jail and brought them out.“ Go, stand in the temple courts,” he said,“ and tell the people all about this new life.”At daybreak they entered the temple courts, as they had been told, and began to teach the people. When the high priest and his associates arrived, they called together the Sanhedrin— the full assembly of the elders of Israel— and sent to the jail for the apostles.But on arriving at the jail, the officers did not find them there. So they went back and reported,“ We found the jail securely locked, with the guards standing at the doors; but when we opened them, we found no one inside.”On hearing this report, the captain of the temple guard and the chief priests were at a loss, wondering what this might lead to.Then someone came and said,“ Look! The men you put in jail are standing in the temple courts teaching the people.”At that, the captain went with his officers and brought the apostles. They did not use force, because they feared that the people would stone them.The apostles were brought in and made to appear before the Sanhedrin to be questioned by the high priest.“ We gave you strict orders not to teach in this name,” he said.“ Yet you have filled Jerusalem with your teaching and are determined to make us guilty of this man’s blood.”Peter and the other apostles replied:“ We must obey God rather than human beings!The God of our ancestors raised Jesus from the dead— whom you killed by hanging him on a cross.God exalted him to his own right hand as Prince and Savior that he might bring Israel to repentance and forgive their sins.We are witnesses of these things, and so is the Holy Spirit, whom God has given to those who obey him.”When they heard this, they were furious and wanted to put them to death.But a Pharisee named Gamaliel, a teacher of the law, who was honored by all the people, stood up in the Sanhedrin and ordered that the men be put outside for a little while.Then he addressed the Sanhedrin:“ Men of Israel, consider carefully what you intend to do to these men.Some time ago Theudas appeared, claiming to be somebody, and about four hundred men rallied to him. He was killed, all his followers were dispersed, and it all came to nothing.After him, Judas the Galilean appeared in the days of the census and led a band of people in revolt. He too was killed, and all his followers were scattered.Therefore, in the present case I advise you: Leave these men alone! Let them go! For if their purpose or activity is of human origin, it will fail.But if it is from God, you will not be able to stop these men; you will only find yourselves fighting against God.”His speech persuaded them. They called the apostles in and had them flogged. Then they ordered them not to speak in the name of Jesus, and let them go. (niv)

Coming over to us, he took Paul’s belt, tied his own hands and feet with it and said,“ The Holy Spirit says,‘ In this way the Jewish leaders in Jerusalem will bind the owner of this belt and will hand him over to the Gentiles.’” (niv)

When the members of the Sanhedrin heard this, they were furious and gnashed their teeth at him.But Stephen, full of the Holy Spirit, looked up to heaven and saw the glory of God, and Jesus standing at the right hand of God.“ Look,” he said,“ I see heaven open and the Son of Man standing at the right hand of God.”At this they covered their ears and, yelling at the top of their voices, they all rushed at him,dragged him out of the city and began to stone him. Meanwhile, the witnesses laid their coats at the feet of a young man named Saul.While they were stoning him, Stephen prayed,“ Lord Jesus, receive my spirit.”Then he fell on his knees and cried out,“ Lord, do not hold this sin against them.” When he had said this, he fell asleep.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.Godly men buried Stephen and mourned deeply for him.But Saul began to destroy the church. Going from house to house, he dragged off both men and women and put them in prison. (niv)

It was about this time that King Herod arrested some who belonged to the church, intending to persecute them.He had James, the brother of John, put to death with the sword.When he saw that this met with approval among the Jews, he proceeded to seize Peter also. This happened during the Festival of Unleavened Bread. (niv)

Paul looked straight at the Sanhedrin and said,“ My brothers, I have fulfilled my duty to God in all good conscience to this day.”At this the high priest Ananias ordered those standing near Paul to strike him on the mouth. (niv)

All this is evidence that God’s judgment is right, and as a result you will be counted worthy of the kingdom of God, for which you are suffering. (niv)

“ See that you don’t tell this to anyone. But go, show yourself to the priest and offer the sacrifices that Moses commanded for your cleansing, as a testimony to them.” (niv)

Therefore I am sending you prophets and sages and teachers. Some of them you will kill and crucify; others you will flog in your synagogues and pursue from town to town.And so upon you will come all the righteous blood that has been shed on earth, from the blood of righteous Abel to the blood of Zechariah son of Berekiah, whom you murdered between the temple and the altar.Truly I tell you, all this will come on this generation.“ Jerusalem, Jerusalem, you who kill the prophets and stone those sent to you, how often I have longed to gather your children together, as a hen gathers her chicks under her wings, and you were not willing. (niv)

Then they secretly persuaded some men to say,“ We have heard Stephen speak blasphemous words against Moses and against God.”So they stirred up the people and the elders and the teachers of the law. They seized Stephen and brought him before the Sanhedrin.They produced false witnesses, who testified,“ This fellow never stops speaking against this holy place and against the law.For we have heard him say that this Jesus of Nazareth will destroy this place and change the customs Moses handed down to us.”All who were sitting in the Sanhedrin looked intently at Stephen, and they saw that his face was like the face of an angel. (niv)

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. (niv)