“Blessed are those who are persecuted for righteousness, for the kingdom of heaven belongs to them.

Now because Jesus was doing these things ¹  on the Sabbath, the Jewish leaders ²  began persecuting ³  him.

but Israel even though pursuing ¹  a law of righteousness ²  did not attain it. ³ 

Contribute to the needs of the saints, pursue hospitality.

Bless those who persecute you, bless and do not curse.

So then, let us pursue what makes for peace and for building up one another.

We do hard work, toiling with our own hands. When we are verbally abused, we respond with a blessing, when persecuted, we endure,

Pursue love and be eager for the spiritual gifts, especially that you may prophesy.

we are persecuted, but not abandoned; ¹  we are knocked down, ²  but not destroyed,

But just as at that time the one born by natural descent ¹  persecuted the one born according to the Spirit, ²  so it is now.

In my zeal for God I persecuted the church. According to the righteousness stipulated in the law I was blameless.

Now in fact all who want to live godly lives in Christ Jesus will be persecuted.

And he must turn away from evil and do good; he must seek peace and pursue it.

Remember what ¹  I told you, ‘A slave ²  is not greater than his master.’ ³  If they persecuted me, they will also persecute you. If they obeyed ⁴  my word, they will obey ⁵  yours too.

But I say to you, love your enemy and ¹  pray for those who persecute you,

Then people ¹  will say to you, ‘Look, there he is!’ ²  or ‘Look, here he is!’ Do not go out or chase after them. ³ 

He ¹  fell to the ground and heard a voice saying to him, “Saul, Saul, ²  why are you persecuting me?” ³ 

So he said, “Who are you, Lord?” He replied, “I am Jesus whom you are persecuting!

I ¹  persecuted this Way ²  even to the point of death, ³  tying up ⁴  both men and women and putting ⁵  them in prison,

Then I ¹  fell to the ground and heard a voice saying to me, ‘Saul, Saul, why are you persecuting me?’