⁵ and on her forehead was written a name, a mystery: “Babylon the great, mother^[a] of whores^[b] and of earth’s abominations.”^{(A) 6} And I saw that the woman was drunk with the blood of the saints and the blood of the witnesses to Jesus.

When I saw her, I was greatly amazed.^(B)

¹⁴ If you are reviled for the name of Christ, you are blessed, because the spirit of glory,^[a] which is the Spirit of God,^[b] is resting on you.^{[c](A) 15} But let none of you suffer as a murderer, a thief, a criminal, or even as a mischief maker.^{[d](B) 16} Yet if any of you suffers as a Christian, do not consider it a disgrace, but glorify God because you bear this name.^[e]

² looking to Jesus, the pioneer and perfecter of faith, who for the sake of^[a] the joy that was set before him endured the cross, disregarding its shame, and has taken his seat at the right hand of the throne of God.^(A)

³⁶ Others suffered mocking and flogging and even chains and imprisonment.^{(A) 37} They were stoned to death; they were sawn in two;^[a] they were killed by the sword; they went about in skins of sheep and goats, destitute, persecuted, tormented^(B)—

⁶ as to zeal, a persecutor of the church; as to righteousness under the law, blameless.

¹³ For such boasters are false apostles, deceitful workers, disguising themselves as apostles of Christ.^(A)

¹⁰ We are fools for the sake of Christ, but you are sensible people in Christ. We are weak, but you are strong. You are honored, but we are dishonored.^{(A) 11} To the present hour we are hungry and thirsty, we are naked and beaten and homeless,^{(B) 12} and we grow weary from the work of our own hands. When reviled, we bless; when persecuted, we endure;^{(C) 13} when slandered, we speak kindly. We have become like the rubbish of the world, the dregs of all things, to this very day.

⁹ “Indeed, I myself was convinced that I ought to do many things against the name of Jesus of Nazareth.^{[a](A) 10} And that is what I did in Jerusalem; with authority received from the chief priests, I not only locked up many of the saints in prison, but I also cast my vote against them when they were being condemned to death.^(B)

²⁹ I know that after I have gone, savage wolves will come in among you, not sparing the flock.^{(A) 30} Some even from your own group will come distorting the truth in order to entice the disciples to follow them.

⁴⁰ and when they had called in the apostles, they had them flogged. Then they ordered them not to speak in the name of Jesus and let them go.^{(A) 41} As they left the council, they rejoiced that they were considered worthy to suffer dishonor for the sake of the name.^(B)