What the Bible says (and does not say) about persecution
In places like China, India, Nigeria, North Korea and many others around the globe, Christian persecution is on the rise. It comes in many forms, from arrests by police to oppression and shunning by community and family members.
There are many examples of Christian persecution in Scripture and throughout history, from persecution of the first disciples to that of believers today in hostile areas and restricted nations. As followers of Christ, we must anchor our understanding in what God’s Word says and, just as important, does not say about persecution.
The Bible says Christians should expect persecution
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The Bible speaks directly about the reality of persecution, preparing believers to expect and endure it. In 2 Timothy 3:12, Paul writes, “Indeed, all who desire to live a godly life in Christ Jesus will be persecuted.” Peter echoes this warning in 1 Peter 4:12–13, telling believers, “Do not be surprised [by fiery trials, but rather] rejoice insofar as you share Christ’s sufferings.”
The Bible doesn’t provide a way to avoid persecution; instead, it offers peace and courage in the midst of it. In John 16:33, Jesus declares, “In the world you will have tribulation. But take heart; I have overcome the world.”
I recently had the privilege of interviewing a young lady named Hana. November marked the 20th anniversary of her father’s arrest in Eritrea. She was only 6 years old when her father went to prison, and she too was detained when her church’s Sunday school was raided by police.
During our interview, I asked her about her thoughts on the Bible’s instruction for Christians to love our enemies. Specifically, I wondered how she and her family felt about the Eritrean government that has imprisoned her father for two decades.
Hana’s reply was illuminating; she said nobody really asked her or her mother about “enemies” until they came to America.
“We knew that the government is persecuting us,” she said, “but at the same time it just felt like a reality of every Christian. Our enemy never felt [like] the government in any sense. It just felt like this is what it means to follow Christ Jesus.”
The Bible says persecution can strengthen the Church
The Bible clearly shows that persecution can advance the Gospel and unify the Church. In Philippians 1:12–13, Paul (writing from a Roman prison) shares how his imprisonment has emboldened others to proclaim Christ without fear. “I want you to know, brothers,” Paul writes, “that what has happened to me has really served to advance the Gospel, so that it has become known throughout the whole imperial guard and to all the rest that my imprisonment is for Christ.”
Throughout history, persecution has purified and strengthened the church, fueling its growth even in the most difficult and dangerous places to follow Christ. Consider the underground church in Iran, the fastest-growing Christian community in the world despite — or perhaps because of — 45 years of oppression by a government doing everything it can to hinder its work.
The church in Eritrea is another remarkable example. Pastors there have found ways to witness to others while in prison. The church thrives when its focus is sharpened, and denominational divisions fall away under the weight of shared suffering and purpose.
The Bible tells Christians how to respond to persecution
The Bible provides clear guidance on how to face persecution. Jesus’ words in Matthew 5:44 are simple and unambiguous: “Love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you.” This radical response is both a reflection of God’s love and a powerful testimony to a watching world.
The Bible also tells us that Christians who aren’t currently facing persecution still have a role to play and shows how to hold our Christian brothers and sisters in our hearts and minds: “Remember those in prison, as if you were there yourself. Remember also those being mistreated, as if you felt their pain in your own bodies” (Hebrews 13:3 NLT).
The stories and testimonies of persecuted Christians demonstrate the transformative power of following Christ’s command and example. An imprisoned pastor in Central Asia saw his treatment improve drastically after he began receiving letters of encouragement from believers worldwide. His guards became kinder and his warden more attentive, all because of the unity and love evident among the global body of Christ.
We Christians in free nations must recognize our role in supporting and praying for our persecuted brothers and sisters.
The Bible shows that persecution can be a platform for God’s power
Even amid our trials and weaknesses, God often works mightily through his people.
After a house church pastor was arrested in Iran, his wife was terrified that she might be next. She worried that she wouldn’t be able to resist torture and would give up other believers’ names. She prayed that God would hide her from the religious police. But when they arrested and interrogated her, she became empowered by the Holy Spirit, witnessing boldly to her interrogator. “You are an interrogator,” she told him, “but one day you are going to stand before the ultimate interrogator, Jesus Christ, and he is going to examine you. Without him, there is no hope for you.”
After three straight days of her bold, spirit-empowered witness, the interrogator visited her filthy jail cell late one night. She feared that he was there to kill her, but instead he placed his faith in Christ and told her how she could witness for Christ more safely. Then, the interrogator released her and her husband.
This story highlights a profound truth: God often uses human frailty to show us his strength. As Paul reminds us in 2 Corinthians 12:9, God’s power is “made perfect in weakness.”
What the Bible does NOT say about persecution
The Bible never tells believers to be afraid.
This is striking, considering the suffering brought by persecution. Yet Scripture repeatedly emphasizes courage and trust in God’s sovereignty. As Richard Wurmbrand, Romanian pastor and founder of The Voice of the Martyrs, observed, the Bible contains 366 admonitions to “fear not” — one for every day of the year, including an extra for leap years. That number was significant to Wurmbrand because he was arrested on Feb. 29, which occurs only in leap years.
Fear is a natural human response, but it does not have to define us. A Filipino pastor once told me, “Until God is finished with you, you are invincible.” His confidence was not rooted in his own human strength but in God’s purpose and power.
Persecution may not be part of your reality today, but the call to be involved remains. Whether through prayer, advocacy or encouragement to believers who are currently facing persecution, every follower of Christ has a role to play.
Let us live boldly, trusting that God’s grace and power are sufficient for every trial we face.
Todd Nettleton is Vice President for Message at The Voice of the Martyrs and host of The Voice of the Martyrs Radio. He is the author of When Faith Is Forbidden: 40 Days on the Frontlines with Persecuted Christians.
