Persecution and Suffering in the Book of Acts
Quick Summary
Persecution and suffering are not obstacles to the gospel's advance in Acts but part of how God's mission unfolds. From Stephen's martyrdom to Paul's imprisonments, believers face opposition from religious authorities, civic leaders, and hostile crowds. Yet suffering does not stop the church. It scatters believers who proclaim the gospel wherever they go, refines faith, and demonstrates that the risen Jesus stands with his followers even in their darkest moments.
Introduction
Persecution threads through the entire Book of Acts. It begins early, intensifies quickly, and never fully disappears. The apostles are arrested, beaten, and threatened. Stephen is stoned to death. James is executed. Paul is repeatedly imprisoned, flogged, stoned, and shipwrecked. Believers are scattered by violence, driven from their homes, and hauled before councils and kings.
Luke does not downplay this reality or treat it as an unfortunate detour. Persecution is woven into the fabric of the church's mission. It is part of what it means to bear witness to Jesus in a world that rejected him. Acts shows that suffering for the gospel is not a sign of God's absence but often the context in which God's power and faithfulness are most clearly revealed.
Understanding persecution in Acts helps modern readers see how the early church navigated opposition, where they found courage, and why they continued proclaiming Jesus despite the cost.
The First Arrests: Opposition from the Sanhedrin
Persecution begins almost immediately after Pentecost. When Peter and John heal a lame man at the temple gate and preach about Jesus' resurrection, the religious authorities arrest them and bring them before the Sanhedrin. The council orders them to stop speaking in Jesus' name, but Peter and John reply, "Whether it is right in God's sight to listen to you rather than to God, you must judge; for we cannot keep from speaking about what we have seen and heard" (Acts 4:19-20).
The apostles are released with threats, but the pattern is established. The same religious authorities who handed Jesus over to be crucified now oppose those who proclaim his resurrection. The conflict is not personal but theological. The gospel message threatens their authority, challenges their interpretation of Scripture, and exposes their role in Jesus' death.
Later, when the apostles are arrested again, they are imprisoned overnight but miraculously freed by an angel. They return to the temple and continue teaching. When brought before the council, the high priest accuses them of filling Jerusalem with their teaching and intending to bring Jesus' blood upon the authorities. Peter responds, "We must obey God rather than any human authority" (Acts 5:29).
The apostles are flogged and ordered once more to stop speaking in Jesus' name. They leave rejoicing "that they were considered worthy to suffer dishonor for the sake of the name" (Acts 5:41). This response is striking. They do not see suffering as evidence that God has abandoned them. They see it as participation in Jesus' suffering and as confirmation of their calling.
Stephen: The First Martyr
The conflict escalates dramatically with Stephen. Described as "full of grace and power" (Acts 6:8), Stephen performs signs and wonders and debates members of various synagogues with such wisdom that they cannot refute him. Unable to defeat him in argument, they bring false charges against him, accusing him of blasphemy against Moses and God.
Stephen's speech before the Sanhedrin rehearses Israel's history, focusing on a pattern of rejection: Joseph was rejected by his brothers, Moses was rejected by the people, and the prophets were killed. Stephen concludes by accusing the council of resisting the Holy Spirit and betraying and murdering the Righteous One (Acts 7:51-53).
The council is enraged. Stephen, filled with the Holy Spirit, sees a vision of Jesus standing at the right hand of God. The crowd rushes at him, drags him out of the city, and stones him. As he dies, Stephen prays, "Lord Jesus, receive my spirit," and "Lord, do not hold this sin against them" (Acts 7:59-60). His final words echo Jesus' words from the cross.
Stephen's martyrdom is a watershed moment. It shows that following Jesus can lead to death. It also demonstrates that Jesus stands with his followers even in martyrdom. Stephen's vision of Jesus standing, not sitting, suggests that Jesus rises to receive his faithful witness. The church does not lose Stephen's faithfulness. It gains a model of how to die well.
Persecution Scatters the Church
Stephen's death triggers a severe persecution. Saul leads a violent campaign against the church, going from house to house, dragging off believers to prison. Believers are scattered throughout Judea and Samaria. Only the apostles remain in Jerusalem.
Luke notes that "those who were scattered went from place to place, proclaiming the word" (Acts 8:4). Persecution does not silence the gospel. It spreads it. What looked like defeat becomes the means of expansion. Philip goes to Samaria and proclaims Christ. Many believe, and the gospel crosses ethnic boundaries.
This pattern repeats throughout Acts. Opposition scatters believers, and scattered believers proclaim the gospel wherever they go. Persecution does not stop the church. It multiplies the church's witness.
Saul the Persecutor Becomes Paul the Persecuted
Saul's conversion on the road to Damascus transforms the church's chief persecutor into its greatest missionary. Jesus tells Ananias that Saul is a chosen instrument "to bring my name before Gentiles and kings and before the people of Israel," and adds, "I myself will show him how much he must suffer for the sake of my name" (Acts 9:15-16).
Suffering is not incidental to Paul's calling. It is part of his calling. Paul experiences this immediately. In Damascus, Jews plot to kill him, and he escapes by being lowered in a basket through a window in the city wall (Acts 9:23-25). In Jerusalem, Hellenists try to kill him, and the believers send him away to Tarsus (Acts 9:29-30).
As Paul's missionary journeys progress, the suffering intensifies. In Pisidian Antioch, opponents drive Paul and Barnabas out of the region. In Iconium, there is an attempt to stone them. In Lystra, Paul is actually stoned and left for dead, yet he gets up and continues his journey.
In Philippi, Paul and Silas are beaten and imprisoned after exorcising a demon from a slave girl. Instead of despairing, they pray and sing hymns at midnight. An earthquake frees them, and the jailer and his household come to faith. Suffering becomes the context for witness.
In Thessalonica, in Berea, in Corinth, in Ephesus, Paul faces opposition. In Ephesus, a riot erupts when Paul's preaching threatens the business of those who make silver shrines of Artemis. The entire city is in an uproar, and Paul's companions are dragged into the theater.
Paul's Final Journey and Trials
Paul's journey to Jerusalem in Acts 20-21 is marked by warnings of suffering ahead. Prophets tell him that imprisonment and afflictions await him in Jerusalem (Acts 20:23; 21:4, 11). Paul responds, "I do not count my life of any value to myself, if only I may finish my course and the ministry that I received from the Lord Jesus, to testify to the good news of God's grace" (Acts 20:24).
When Paul arrives in Jerusalem, he is arrested in the temple after a riot erupts. He is nearly killed by the mob but is rescued by Roman soldiers. Paul's Roman citizenship protects him from being flogged, but he spends the next several years in custody, defending himself before Jewish councils, Roman governors, and King Agrippa.
Throughout these trials, Paul remains bold. He testifies before Felix, speaks about justice, self-control, and the coming judgment. He defends himself before Festus and Agrippa, recounting his conversion and his commission to bring the gospel to the Gentiles. When Agrippa says, "Are you so quickly persuading me to become a Christian?" Paul replies, "Whether quickly or not, I pray to God that not only you but also all who are hearing me today might become such as I am—except for these chains" (Acts 26:28-29).
Paul's suffering does not silence his witness. It becomes the platform for his witness. He testifies before authorities he might never have reached otherwise.
The Voyage to Rome and Continued Witness
Paul's appeal to Caesar results in a dangerous voyage to Rome. The ship encounters a violent storm and is wrecked, but Paul and all aboard survive, just as an angel had promised. On Malta, Paul is bitten by a viper but suffers no harm, and he heals many on the island.
The book ends with Paul under house arrest in Rome, proclaiming the kingdom of God and teaching about the Lord Jesus Christ "with all boldness and without hindrance" (Acts 28:31). The ending is open-ended. Paul is still in chains, but he is still preaching. The mission continues, even in suffering.
Why Believers Suffer in Acts
Acts provides several implicit answers to why believers suffer. First, suffering is the world's response to the gospel. Jesus was rejected and killed, and those who follow him can expect similar treatment. Jesus himself warned his disciples, "If they persecuted me, they will persecute you" (John 15:20).
Second, suffering refines and proves genuine faith. The believers in Jerusalem pray after being threatened, asking not for safety but for boldness to continue speaking God's word. Suffering does not weaken their commitment. It strengthens their dependence on God.
Third, suffering spreads the gospel. Persecution scatters believers who become missionaries. Paul's imprisonments give him access to authorities and opportunities to testify. Suffering is not wasted. God uses it to advance the mission.
Fourth, suffering demonstrates the reality of the resurrection. Stephen sees Jesus standing at God's right hand. Paul encounters the risen Jesus on the road to Damascus. The apostles rejoice in suffering because they know Jesus is alive and stands with them. Suffering does not contradict the gospel. It confirms that the gospel is worth dying for.
The Church's Response to Persecution
The early church does not respond to persecution with despair or retaliation. They respond with prayer, boldness, and joy. After Peter and John are released, the church prays together, asking God to grant them boldness and to work signs and wonders through Jesus' name (Acts 4:29-30). They do not ask for persecution to stop. They ask for courage to continue.
When the apostles are flogged, they rejoice "that they were considered worthy to suffer dishonor for the sake of the name" (Acts 5:41). This is not masochism. It is confidence that God is with them and that their suffering has meaning. They are sharing in Jesus' sufferings, and they trust that God will vindicate them as he vindicated Jesus.
The church also cares for those who suffer. Believers share possessions to ensure that no one is in need. They send aid to believers facing famine. They visit Paul in prison and travel with him. Suffering is not borne alone but within the community of faith.
What Acts Teaches About Suffering Today
Acts does not promise that believers will be spared suffering. It promises that God is present in suffering and that suffering for Jesus' sake is not meaningless. The church today faces persecution in many parts of the world, and even where legal protections exist, believers can experience opposition for following Jesus.
Acts reminds us that the gospel is worth suffering for. It also reminds us that suffering does not have the final word. Jesus is risen, the Spirit empowers the church, and the mission continues despite opposition. Persecution cannot stop what God has started.
For believers in contexts where suffering is real, Acts offers encouragement: you are not alone, your witness matters, and God sees your faithfulness. For believers in contexts where suffering is minimal, Acts challenges us to ask whether we are truly bearing witness in ways that might provoke opposition, or whether we have made peace with the world in ways that compromise the gospel.
See Also
Works Consulted
Bock, Darrell L. Acts. Baker Exegetical Commentary on the New Testament. Grand Rapids: Baker Academic, 2007.
Keener, Craig S. Acts: An Exegetical Commentary. 4 vols. Grand Rapids: Baker Academic, 2012–2015.
Kreitzer, L. Joseph. "The Messianic Man of Sorrows in Acts." In The Book of Acts in Its First Century Setting, vol. 5, The Book of Acts in Its Diaspora Setting, edited by Irina Levinskaya, 239-68. Grand Rapids: Eerdmans, 1996.
Marshall, I. Howard. The Acts of the Apostles. Tyndale New Testament Commentaries. Grand Rapids: Eerdmans, 1980.
Rapske, Brian. The Book of Acts and Paul in Roman Custody. Grand Rapids: Eerdmans, 1994.
Talbert, Charles H. Reading Acts: A Literary and Theological Commentary. Rev. ed. Macon, GA: Smyth & Helwys, 2005.
Witherington, Ben, III. The Acts of the Apostles: A Socio-Rhetorical Commentary. Grand Rapids: Eerdmans, 1998.
