16 Bible Verses about Martyrdom, Reasons For

And he who does not fall down and worship shall the same hour be cast into the midst of a burning fiery furnace.

Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego answered and said to the king, O Nebuchadnezzar, we have no need to answer thee in this matter. If it be [so], our God whom we serve is able to deliver us from the burning fiery furnace, and he will deliver us out of thy hand, O king. But if not, be it known to thee, O king, that we will not serve thy gods, nor worship the golden image which thou have set up.

All the presidents of the kingdom, the deputies and the satraps, the counselors and the governors, have consulted together to establish a royal statute, and to make a strong interdict, that whoever shall ask a petition of any god o

For ships of Kittim shall come against him. Therefore he shall be grieved, and shall return, and have indignation against the holy covenant, and shall do [his pleasure]. He shall even return, and have regard to those who forsake th And forces shall stand on his part, and they shall profane the sanctuary, even the fortress, and shall take away the continual [burnt-offering], and they shall set up the abomination that makes desolate. And he shall pervert by flatteries such as do wickedly against the covenant. But the people who know their God shall be strong, and do [exploits].read more.
And those who are wise among the people shall instruct many, yet they shall fall by the sword and by flame, by captivity and by spoil, [many] days.

And it was given it, to give a spirit to the image of the beast, so that the image of the beast would both speak, and would make as many as would not ever worship the image of the beast be killed.

Nevertheless they were disobedient, and rebelled against thee, and cast thy law behind their back, and killed thy prophets who testified against them to turn them again to thee, and they wrought great provocations.

and he said to his boys, This is John the immerser. He has risen from the dead, and because of this the powers work in him. For Herod having arrested John, bound him and put him in prison because of Herodias, his brother Philip's wife. For John said to him, It is not permitted for thee to have her.read more.
And though he wanted to kill him, he feared the multitude because they held him as a prophet. But Herod's birthday being brought, the daughter of Herodias danced in the midst, and pleased Herod. Whereupon he promised with an oath to give her whatever she would ask. And she, having been put forward by her mother, says, Give me here on a platter the head of John the immerser. And he became sad, but because of the oaths, and of those dining together, the king commanded it to be given. And having sent, he beheaded John in the prison. And his head was brought on a platter, and given to the maiden, and she brought it to her mother. And after coming, his disciples took up the body and buried it, and having gone, they informed Jesus.

For Herod himself having sent forth, he arrested John, and bound him in prison because of Herodias, his brother Philip's wife, because he married her. For John said to Herod, It is not permitted for thee to have thy brother's wife. And Herodias was resentful toward him, and wanted to kill him. And she could not,read more.
for Herod feared John, knowing him to be a righteous and holy man, and he protected him. And having heard of him--the many things he was doing--he even heard of him gladly. And having become a convenient day, when Herod on his birthday made a dinner for his chiefs, and the high captains, and the leading men of Galilee, and the daughter of her (of Herodias) having come in and danced, and having pleased Herod and those who sat with the king, he said to the maiden, Ask of me whatever thou may want, and I will give to thee. And he swore to her, Whatever thou may ask of me, I will give to thee, as much as half of my kingdom. And having gone out, she said to her mother, What shall I ask? And she said, The head of John the immerser. And having come in straightaway with haste to the king, she asked, saying, I want that thou may give me, of it on a platter, the head of John the immerser. And the king, who became exceeding sorry, did not want to refuse her because of the oaths, and of those dining together. And straightaway having sent an executioner, the king commanded his head to be brought. And having departed, he beheaded him in the prison, and brought his head on a platter, and gave it to the maiden. And the maiden gave it to her mother. And when his disciples heard, they came and took up his corpse, and laid it in a sepulcher.

Ye stiff-necked and uncircumcised in heart and ears, ye do always resist the Holy Spirit. As your fathers, ye also. Which of the prophets did your fathers not persecute? And they killed those who foretold about the coming of the Righteous man, of whom ye now have become betrayers and murderers, who received the law at directions of heavenly agents, and did not keep it.read more.
Now when they heard these things, they were split with a saw in their hearts, and they gnashed their teeth against him. But being full of Holy Spirit, having gazed into heaven, he saw the glory of God, and Jesus standing at the right hand of God. And he said, Look, I see the heavens opened, and the Son of Man standing at the right hand of God. But they, having cried out in a great voice, held their ears shut, and rushed upon him with one accord. And having expelled him out of the city, they stoned him. And the witnesses laid down their garments beside the feet of a young man called Saul.

And when they have finished their testimony, the beast that ascends out of the abyss will make war with them, and he will overcome them and kill them. And their corpses are in the thoroughfare of the great city, which spiritually is called Sodom and Egypt, where also their Lord was crucified. And out of the peoples and tribes and tongues and nations they see their corpses three and a half days. And they will not allow their corpses to be put in a sepulcher.read more.
And those who dwell upon the earth rejoice over them, and will celebrate, and will give gifts to each other, because these two prophets tormented those who dwell on the earth.

Then they will deliver you up for tribulation, and will kill you, and ye will be hated by all the nations because of my name.

And brother will betray brother to death, and a father a child. And children will rise up against parents, and will condemn them to death. And ye will be hated by all men because of my name, but he who endures to the end, this man will be saved.

And ye will be betrayed even by parents, and kinsmen, and friends, and brothers. And some of you they will condemn to death. And ye will be hated by all men because of my name.

Not as Cain. He was of the wicked, and murdered his brother. And why did he murder him? Because his works were wrong, and his brother's right.

and upon her forehead a name written, MYSTERY, BABYLON THE GREAT, THE MOTHER OF WHORES AND OF THE ABOMINATIONS OF THE EARTH.

And when he opened the fifth seal, I saw underneath the altar the souls of those who had been killed because of the word of God, and because of the testimony of the Lamb that they held.