THE PERSECUTED
"For Righteousness' Sake" (Matthew 5:10)
Persecution in Biblical Times
Acts chapter 2 marks the beginning of the church where it faced persecution right from its founding. Almost immediately the church is persecuted and scattered. In Acts it says that Jesus' followers began spreading the good news of his kingdom in Jerusalem and were met with great opposition. "On that day a great persecution broke out against the church in Jerusalem, and all except the apostles were scattered throughout Judea and Samaria" (Acts 8:1 NIV). This biblical fact confirms that the persecution of Christians has existed since the inception of the church.
"But others were tortured, refusing to turn from God in order to be set free. They placed their hope in a better life after the resurrection. Some were jeered at, and their backs were cut open with whips. Others were chained in prisons. Some died by stoning, some were sawed in half, and others were killed with the sword. Some went about wearing skins of sheep and goats, destitute and oppressed and mistreated. They were too good for this world, wandering over deserts and mountains, hiding in caves and holes in the ground (to avoid persecution) " (Hebrews 11:35-38 NLT).
Persecution Since the Dawn of the Faith
Hebrews 11:35-38 (NLT) describes the persecution and suffering that believers endured in the early church. It mentions those who were tortured, faced jeers and flogging, imprisoned, stoned, and even put to death for their faith. This passage highlights the reality that persecution has been a part of Christianity from the very start. Even today, over 2,000 years later, Christians in many parts of the world continue to face persecution in similar ways. They are still being tortured, imprisoned, and killed for their faith. This is a sobering reminder that the struggle of the early church is not a thing of the past, but a present reality for many believers. As Christians, we are called to stand with our persecuted brothers and sisters, to pray for them, and to support them in any way we can. We can take comfort in knowing that our faith is not in vain, and that God sees and honors the sacrifices made by those who endure persecution for His name. We can also draw strength from their example of perseverance and faith in the face of suffering. It's important for us to remember that persecution is not a sign of God's absence, but rather an opportunity for His power to be made perfect in our weakness. As we see in 2 Timothy 3:12, "Yes, and all who desire to live godly in Christ Jesus will suffer persecution." This is a reminder that persecution is a natural consequence of living a godly life, and that we should not be surprised when it comes. Hebrews 11:35-38 serves as a reminder of the ongoing reality of persecution for Christians, and a call for us to stand in solidarity with those who are suffering for their faith.
"Blessed are those who are persecuted for righteousness' sake, For theirs is the kingdom of heaven." (Matthew 5:10)
For millions, the Truth is an extremely dangerous thing to believe. Every 2 hours a Christian is killed for following Jesus.
"You know how much persecution and suffering I have endured. You know all about how I was persecuted in Antioch, Iconium, and Lystra-but the Lord rescued me from all of it. Yes, and everyone who wants to live a godly life in Christ Jesus will suffer persecution." (2 Timothy 3:11-12 NLT)
1 in 7 Christians worldwide experience high levels of persecution. For them, following Christ costs everything.
"A woman in India watches as her sister is dragged off by Hindu nationalists. She doesn't know if her sister is alive or dead.
A man in a North Korean prison camp is shaken awake after being beaten unconscious; the beatings begin again.
A woman in Nigeria runs for her life. She has escaped from Boko Haram, who kidnapped her. She is pregnant, and when she returns home, her community will reject her and her baby.
A group of children are laughing and talking as they come down to their church's sanctuary after eating together. Instantly, many of them are killed by a bomb blast. It's Easter Sunday in Sri Lanka."
Source: Open Doors International – Serving Persecuted Christians Worldwide
Terrifying Christian Persecution Unveiled: Executions, Violence Exposed
Over 380 Million People - 1 in 7 Christians Worldwide
How can it be that in 2025, more than 380,000,000 people still face persecution or discrimination because they follow Jesus? To get an idea of the magnitude we're talking about, imagine 3,800 crowded NFL stadiums, brimming with people.
Open Doors released the 2025 World Watch List-the annual ranking of the top 50 countries where it's most dangerous to be a Christian.
Open Doors 2025 World Watch List Has Arrived!
Discover the top 50 countries where it's most difficult and dangerous to follow Jesus.
The Top 10 Countries Where Following Jesus Costs the Most
10. AFGHANISTAN – Most Afghan Christians are converts from Islam, which makes it basically impossible to practice their faith openly. In Afghanistan, leaving Islam is considered shameful by family and community, and conversion is punishable by death under Islamic law. This has been increasingly enforced since the Taliban took control of the country in 2021.
9. IRAN – In Iran, the Christian community is divided between constitutionally recognized and unrecognized Christians. Unrecognized converts from Islam to Christianity face severe religious freedom violations, primarily from the government and, to a lesser extent, from society and their families. The government views these converts as a threat, believing they are influenced by Western countries to undermine Islam and the regime. Both leaders and ordinary members of Christian groups are often arrested, prosecuted and given long prison sentences for 'crimes against national security'. Recognized historical communities such as Armenian and Assyrian Christians are state-protected but treated as second-class citizens. They face many discriminatory legal provisions and are not allowed to worship in Persian or interact with Christian converts.
8. PAKISTAN – Pakistan's notorious blasphemy laws are often used to target minority groups, but Christians are disproportionately affected. Indeed, roughly a quarter of all blasphemy accusations target Christians, who make up just 1.8 per cent of the population. Blasphemy laws carry a death sentence.
7. NIGERIA – Jihadist violence continues to escalate in Nigeria, and Christians are particularly at risk from targeted attacks by Islamist militants, including Fulani fighters, Boko Haram and ISWAP (Islamic State West Africa Province). These increased under the rule of former president Muhammadu Buhari, putting Nigeria at the epicenter of targeted violence against the church.
6. ERITREA – Eritrea's persecution landscape is complex. On the church front, the government recognizes only the Eritrean Orthodox Church (EOC), Catholic and Lutheran churches, and Islam. Converts from Islam or Orthodoxy to Protestantism risk severe mistreatment from their families and communities. Non-traditional churches face the harshest violations from both the government and the EOC. For many years, government security forces have conducted house-to-house raids, arresting hundreds of Christians.
5. SUDAN – Sudan was on a path towards religious freedom, but a coup and a devastating war dashed these hopes. Christians are once again in danger. After a year and a half of war, Sudan is now home to the world's largest displacement crisis and the world's largest hunger crisis, with nearly nine million people having been forced to flee their homes. Neither side is sympathetic to Christians, and the conflict has given Islamist extremists more opportunity to target them.
4. LIBYA – In Libya, following Jesus is a huge risk for anyone. Libyan Christians with a Muslim background face violent pressure from their families and communities to renounce their faith. Foreign Christians, especially those from sub-Saharan Africa, are targeted by Islamist militant and criminal groups. These groups kidnap and sometimes brutally kill Christians. Even if they avoid such a fate, sub-Saharan Christians face harassment and threats from radical Muslims.
3. YEMEN – Torn apart by civil war, life is very hard for everybody in Yemen, and even harder for Christians. The country is now divided into territory ruled by three different powers, as well as some areas held by al-Qaeda and the so-called Islamic State. None of the powers involved are sympathetic to Christians, and the official constitution upholds Sharia (Islamic law) and no freedom of religion. If someone is reported to be a Christian and or involved in Christian activities, they could face severe monitoring, arbitrary detention, torture, ill-treatment and even murder.
2. SOMALIA – In Somalia, following Jesus is a matter of life and death. Al-Shabab, a violent Islamist militant group, is at war with the government and controls large swathes of the country. This group enforces a strict form of Sharia (Islamic law) and is committed to eradicating Christianity from Somalia. They have often killed Somali Christians on the spot. The dangers have increased over the years, as the militants have increasingly focused on finding and eliminating Christian leaders.
1. NORTH KOREA – North Korea he most dangerous place in the world to be a Christian. Spies are everywhere. Discovery means death - either by execution or by being worked to death in a labor camp. If your Christian faith is discovered in North Korea, you could be killed on the spot. If you aren't killed, you will be deported to a labor camp and treated as a political criminal. You will be punished with years of hard labor that few survive. And it's not only you who will be punished: North Korean authorities are likely to round up your extended family and punish them too, even if your family members aren't Christians. There is no church life in North Korea. It's impossible to gather for worship or prayer, and even secret worship and prayer is at great risk. Official spies could inform on you, if they have any indication that you are a Christian, and so could your neighbors or teachers. Recognizing any deity beyond the Kim family is considered a threat to the country's leadership. Even North Korean citizens who have escaped the country are not safe. Refugees in other countries, particularly China, are at risk of being rounded up and sent back to appalling punishments.
Source: Open Doors World Watch List 2025
- 13 countries out of 50 recorded extreme Christian persecution.
- 4,476 Christians were murdered for their faith last year.
- 380 million Christians around the world suffer high levels of persecution and discrimination for their faith.
- 7,679 churches and Christian buildings were attacked last year.
- 209,771 Christians forced to leave their homes, go into hiding in-country or leave the country.
- 4,476 Christians were detained or imprisoned last year.
Source: Open Doors International - Serving Persecuted Christians Worldwide
You can discover where Christians risk everything to follow Christ, trends and developments in Christian persecution, and how you can pray for and stand with our worldwide church family.
CHRISTIAN PERSECUTION
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