BIBLE STORIES # 53 - Apostles suffer for Jesus

Jesus often warned that it would not be easy for someone who wants to follow Him. First, each of them will have to fight with himself, in order to overcome his sins and weaknesses with God's help, And it happens so hard! But that is not all. Many people will hate the disciples of Christ, as they hated Himself. They will start chasing them, or maybe even torturing and killing. But Jesus urged us not to be afraid of anything: for He overcame sin, death, and the devil!

The apostles, too, had to suffer a lot of suffering. Often they were imprisoned for their sermon, they were beaten and tried, forbidding talking about Jesus. But they courageously endured all the trials. It used to happen that God helped them, miraculously saving them from prison and death. Once the apostle Peter was led out of the dungeon by an angel, so the guard did not notice anything. Another time, when Pavel and his friend Sila were in prison, an earthquake happened, and all the chains themselves broke up and the doors opened.

But it was not always so. Many disciples of Christ had to die for Him, to glorify the Lord and to unite with Him in His heavenly Kingdom. But they were not afraid, because they believed Jesus and knew that they would be resurrected for a new life, just as He was resurrected.