COMMENTS
The persecutions of today are more refined than in any previous period. The faithful today are not stoned with literal stones or shot with literal arrows or literally beheaded, but it is still true that the wicked shoot out arrows at the righteous, "even bitter words"; and many because of faithfulness are reproved and slandered and cut off from fellowship—"beheaded for the testimony of Jesus." Let all such emulate Stephen, the first Christian martyr. Let their testimonies be given with radiant faces like his. Let their eyes of faith perceive Jesus at the right hand of the Majesty on high as their Advocate and Deliverer. Let their words be with moderation as were Stephen's, and let it be true of them, as written of him, "full of grace and power" and "filled with the Holy Spirit".
All the faithful have incurred the displeasure and consequent disfellowship of the nominal people of God. Misunderstood with respect to their work, teaching, character and hopes by those out of harmony with God's Plan, God's faithful people have been regarded by them as the enemies of God, His Plan and His Church, and consequently the latter have often thought they served God by killing those who really were His children.
REPRINTS
John 9:22, 34; 12:42; 16:3; Acts 8:1; 9:1; John 15:18-21; Rom. 10:2; 1 Cor. 2:8; 1 Tim. 1:13; Psa. 11:2; 38:20; 44:22; 56:5; 94:5; Prov. 29:10; Matt. 5:10-12, 44; 10:16-18, 21-23, 28; 23:34; 24:8-10; Mark 13:9-13; Luke 6:22, 23; 21:12-19; Acts 5:29, 40-42; Rom. 8:17, 35-37; 1 Cor. 4:9-13.
