ESV My soul is in the midst of lions; I lie down amid fiery beasts— the children of man, whose teeth are spears and arrows, whose tongues are sharp swords. Matthew 5:10–12 NIV 10 Blessed are those who are persecuted because of righteousness, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. 11 Blessed are you when people insult you, persecute you and falsely say all kinds of evil against you because of me. 12 Rejoice and be glad, because great is your reward in heaven, for in the same way they persecuted the prophets who were before you. Luke 6:22–23 NIV 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. 23 Rejoice in that day and leap for joy, because great is your reward in heaven. For that is how their ancestors treated the prophets. Luke 6:26–28 NIV 26 Woe to you when everyone speaks well of you, for that is how their ancestors treated the false prophets. 27 But to you who are listening I say: Love your enemies, do good to those who hate you, 28 bless those who curse you, pray for those who mistreat you. John 5:44 NIV How can you believe since you accept glory from one another but do not seek the glory that comes from the only God? 1 Peter 4:14–16 NIV 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. 15 If you suffer, it should not be as a murderer or thief or any other kind of criminal, or even as a meddler. 16 However, if you suffer as a Christian, do not be ashamed, but praise God that you bear that name. 1 Peter 4:19 NIV So then, those who suffer according to God’s will should commit themselves to their faithful Creator and continue to do good. Acts 5:41 NIV The apostles left the Sanhedrin, rejoicing because they had been counted worthy of suffering disgrace for the Name. Who can you share this podcast with? If you found this episode helpful, consider sharing it on social media or texting it to a friend. Follow Dave Cover on Twitter https://twitter.com/davecover (@davecover) Follow A Bigger Life on Twitter https://twitter.com/abiggerlifepod (@ABiggerLifePod) This podcast is a ministry of https://www.thecrossingchurch.com/ (The Crossing), a church in Columbia, Missouri, a college town where the flagship campus of the University of Missouri is located.