²⁰ Do you remember what I told you? ‘A slave is not greater than the master.’ Since they persecuted me, naturally they will persecute you. And if they had listened to me, they would listen to you.

¹² Yes, and everyone who wants to live a godly life in Christ Jesus will suffer persecution.

¹⁶ I tell you the truth, slaves are not greater than their master. Nor is the messenger more important than the one who sends the message.

²⁴ “Students^[a] are not greater than their teacher, and slaves are not greater than their master.

⁷ But the people of Israel won’t listen to you any more than they listen to me! For the whole lot of them are hard-hearted and stubborn.

⁹ We are hunted down, but never abandoned by God. We get knocked down, but we are not destroyed.

¹² We work wearily with our own hands to earn our living. We bless those who curse us. We are patient with those who abuse us.

²⁷ “In fact, this has happened here in this very city! For Herod Antipas, Pontius Pilate the governor, the Gentiles, and the people of Israel were all united against Jesus, your holy servant, whom you anointed. ²⁸ But everything they did was determined beforehand according to your will. ²⁹ And now, O Lord, hear their threats, and give us, your servants, great boldness in preaching your word. ³⁰ Stretch out your hand with healing power; may miraculous signs and wonders be done through the name of your holy servant Jesus.”

⁵¹ I tell you the truth, anyone who obeys my teaching will never die!”

¹⁵ For some of the Jews killed the prophets, and some even killed the Lord Jesus. Now they have persecuted us, too. They fail to please God and work against all humanity