¹⁰ Brothers and sisters, as an example of patience in the face of suffering, take the prophets^(A) who spoke in the name of the Lord.

³² And what more shall I say? I do not have time to tell about Gideon,^(A) Barak,^(B) Samson^(C) and Jephthah,^(D) about David^(E) and Samuel^(F) and the prophets, ³³ who through faith conquered kingdoms,^(G) administered justice, and gained what was promised; who shut the mouths of lions,^{(H) 34} quenched the fury of the flames,^(I) and escaped the edge of the sword;^(J) whose weakness was turned to strength;^(K) and who became powerful in battle and routed foreign armies.^{(L) 35} Women received back their dead, raised to life again.^(M) There were others who were tortured, refusing to be released so that they might gain an even better resurrection. ³⁶ Some faced jeers and flogging,^(N) and even chains and imprisonment.^{(O) 37} They were put to death by stoning;^[a](P) they were sawed in two; they were killed by the sword.^(Q) They went about in sheepskins and goatskins,^(R) destitute, persecuted and mistreated— ³⁸ the world was not worthy of them. They wandered in deserts and mountains, living in caves^(S) and in holes in the ground.

⁵² Was there ever a prophet your ancestors did not persecute?^(A) They even killed those who predicted the coming of the Righteous One. And now you have betrayed and murdered him^(B)—

²¹ Heaven must receive him^(A) until the time comes for God to restore everything,^(B) as he promised long ago through his holy prophets.^(C)

¹¹ “Blessed are you when people insult you,^(A) persecute you and falsely say all kinds of evil against you because of me.^{(B) 12} Rejoice and be glad,^(C) because great is your reward in heaven, for in the same way they persecuted the prophets who were before you.^(D)

¹⁴ For you, brothers and sisters, became imitators^(A) of God’s churches in Judea,^(B) which are in Christ Jesus: You suffered from your own people^(C) the same things those churches suffered from the Jews ¹⁵ who killed the Lord Jesus^(D) and the prophets^(E) and also drove us out. They displease God and are hostile to everyone

⁷ Remember your leaders,^(A) who spoke the word of God^(B) to you. Consider the outcome of their way of life and imitate^(C) their faith.

³⁴ “Jerusalem, Jerusalem, you who kill the prophets and stone those sent to you, how often I have longed to gather your children together, as a hen gathers her chicks under her wings,^(A) and you were not willing.

²³ “Rejoice in that day and leap for joy,^(A) because great is your reward in heaven. For that is how their ancestors treated the prophets.^(B)