11 Bible Verses about Martyrdom, Reasons For

And he is enabled to impart life to the image of the beast that even the image of the beast should speak, and cause as many as will not worship the image of the beast to be put to death.

and said unto his servants, This is John the Baptist; he is risen from the dead, and therefore miracles are wrought by him. For Herod having seized John, had bound him, and put him in prison, for the sake of Herodias, the wife of Philip his brother. For John said unto him, It is unlawful for thee to have her.read more.
And though he wished to kill him, he was afraid of the multitude, for they held him as a prophet. But when Herod's birth-day was kept, the daughter of Herodias danced in the circle, and pleased Herod: so that with an oath he promised to give her whatever she should ask. And she, being previously urged on by her mother, said, Give me here, in a spacious dish, the head of John the Baptist. And the king was grieved: but for his oath's sake, and on account of those who were with him, he commanded it to be given her. And he sent, and beheaded John in the prison. And his head was brought on a large dish, and was given to the young lady: and she brought it to her mother. And his disciples came and took the body, and buried it, and they came and told Jesus.

For Herod himself had sent and seized upon John, and bound him in prison, for Herodias' sake, his brother Philip's wife; because he had married her. For John said to Herod, It is not lawful for thee to have thy brother's wife. Therefore Herodias bore him a rooted resentment, and would have slain him; yet could not:read more.
for Herod feared John, knowing him to be a righteous and holy man; and paid great attention to him and when he heard him, did many things, and heard him with delight. And a favourable day being come for her purpose, when Herod on his birth-day made a supper for his nobles, and military commanders, and the principal personages of Galilee; and the daughter of this Herodias coming in, and dancing, and delighting Herod, and his company, the king said to the damsel, Ask me whatsoever thou wilt, and I will give it thee. And he swore unto her, That whatsoever thou shalt ask, I will give thee, even to the half of my kingdom. Then she went out and said to her mother, What shall I ask? and she said, The head of John the Baptist. And she came in immediately with eagerness to the king, and asked, saying, I desire that thou wilt give me on the spot, in a charger, the head of John the Baptist. And the king was exceedingly sorry; yet on account of his oath, and those who sat with him, he would not refuse her. And the king immediately sending a centinel, commanded his head to be brought thither: and he went, and beheaded him in the prison, and brought his head in a charger, and gave it to the damsel, and the damsel gave it to her mother. And when his disciples heard it, they came and took up his corpse, and laid it in a sepulchre.

Ye stiff-necked and uncircumcised in heart and in ears, ye do always oppose yourselves against the Holy Ghost: as your fathers, so are ye. Which of the prophets have not your fathers persecuted? and they killed those who before published the tidings of the coming of that Righteous Person; of whom ye have now been the betrayers and murderers: who have received the law through arrangements of angels, yet have not observed it.read more.
Now when they heard these things, they were cut through their hearts as with a saw, and gnashed upon him with their teeth. But he being full of the Holy Ghost, and looking up stedfastly to heaven, saw the glory of God, and Jesus standing at the right hand of God; and he said, Behold, I see the heavens opened, and the Son of man standing at the right hand of God. Then they screamed out with a great cry, and stopped their ears, and rushed all together upon him, and dragging him out of the city, stoned him: and the witnesses laid down their garments at the feet of a young man, named Saul.

And when they shall have finished their testimony, the beast which ascendeth out of hell shall make war with them, and shall overcome them, and put them to death. And their corpses shall be exposed in the streets of the great city, which is called spiritually Sodom and Egypt, where also our Lord was crucified. And they of the people and tribes and tongues and nations will look upon their corpses three days and half, and they will not permit their corpses to be laid in sepulchres.read more.
And the dwellers upon earth will rejoice over them, and be very glad, and will send gifts to each other; because these two prophets were a torment to those who dwell on the earth.

Then shall they deliver you up to affliction, and shall kill you: and ye shall be hated of all nations for my name's sake.

And brother shall deliver up brother unto death, and the father the son: and children shall rise up against their parents, and cause them to be put to death. And ye shall be hated of all men for my name's sake. But he that endureth to the end, the same shall be saved.

But ye shall be betrayed even by parents, and brethren, and relations, and friends; and some of you they shall put to death. And ye shall be hated of all men for my name's sake.

Not as Cain, who was of the wicked one, and slew his brother: and wherefore did he slay him? Because his own works were wicked, and those of his brother righteous.

And upon her forehead was there a name written, Mystery, Babylon the great, the mother or harlots, 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 slain for the word of God, and for the testimony which they maintained.