THEY WILL PUT SOME OF YOU TO DEATH / LUKE 21:16

START YOUR DAY RIGHT DAILY DEVOTION

(KJV) Luke 21:16

And ye shall be betrayed both by parents, and brethren, and kinsfolks, and friends; and some of you shall they cause to be put to death.

The Ultimate Cost of Discipleship: Reflecting on Luke 21:16

When we read the Gospels, it is easy to gravitate toward the promises of peace, comfort, and blessings. But Jesus was always radically honest about the cost of following Him. In Luke 21:16, He drops a heavy, sobering truth on His disciples: “You will be betrayed even by parents, brothers, sisters and friends, and they will put some of you to death.”

This wasn’t a metaphor. It wasn’t an exaggeration. For the men sitting around Him listening to these words, it was a literal roadmap of their future.

From Conviction to Martyrdom

Ancient church history records that nearly all of the original apostles (with the exception of John, who survived being plunged into boiling oil and was later exiled to the island of Patmos) met violent ends because they refused to stop preaching the gospel.

Consider the heavy price they paid:

Peter was crucified upside down in Rome, declaring himself unworthy to die in the same manner as his Savior.

Thomas traveled as far as India to establish the church before being pierced with a spear for his faith.

Paul was tortured and ultimately beheaded under the tyranny of Emperor Nero.

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James, the son of Zebedee, was put to death with the sword early on in Jerusalem (Acts 12:2).

Early church fathers like Polycarp and historical analyses from sources like the Biola Magazine Review of Apostolic Martyrdom remind us that these men didn’t die for a vague philosophy. They died because they had firsthand, eyewitness encounters with the resurrected Christ. You might lie to protect a rumor, but no one willingly chooses brutal execution for a story they know they fabricated.

The Cost and the Fire Today

In Matthew 24:9, Jesus echoes this warning, telling believers they will be hated by all nations for His name’s sake. In the modern Western world, our “persecution” might look like an uncomfortable conversation, a lost social connection, or online mockery. But across the globe, thousands of believers still face the literal reality of Luke 21:16 every single day.

The willingness of the early church to face death head-on changed the world. As theologian Kyle Smith points out on the Ehrman Bart Ehrman Blog, dying for Christ was often seen not as a peripheral tragedy, but as a central expression of the Christian experience. They lived as people who had already surrendered their lives to God, and from their graves, Christianity swept across the earth.

We are challenged to ask ourselves: Is our faith rooted in comfort, or is it rooted in Christ? Are we prepared to stand firm when standing becomes costly?

A Closing Prayer for Faith and Endurance

Heavenly Father,

We come before You humbled by the heavy truths of Your Word. Lord, we thank You for the profound witness of the apostles and the early martyrs who loved You more than their own lives. Their courage reminds us that this world is not our final home.

Give us the courage to stand firm against compromise. When our faith is tested by social pressure, family betrayal, or physical danger, anchor our souls in Your indestructible peace. Remove the fear of man from our hearts and replace it with a burning devotion to Jesus Christ.

We lift up our persecuted brothers and sisters around the world today who face the literal threat of death for Your Name. Wrap them in Your presence, give them supernatural boldness, and remind them that their suffering is not in vain. May our lives be a living testimony to Your truth, no matter the cost.

In the powerful name of Jesus, we pray,

Amen.

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Some of our Post That Might Interest You, All Out of the Current Book / Chapter

1. WHEN WILL THESE THINGS HAPPEN? LUKE 21:7-19
2. WARS AND REVOLUTIONS / LUKE 21:9
3. WATCH OUT THAT YOU ARE NOT DECEIVED /LUKE 21:8
4. NOT ONE STONE WILL BE LEFT ON ANOTHER / LUKE 21:6
5. THE WIDOW’S OFFERING / LUKE 21:1-4
6. BEWARE OF THE TEACHERS OF THE LAW /LUKE 20:46
7. DAVID CALLS HIM ‘LORD’ / LUKE 20:44
8. LIKE THE ANGELS / LUKE 20:35-36
9. SADDUCESS / LUKE 20:27
10. THEN GIVE TO CAESAR / LUKE 20:25
11. THAT STONE / LUKE 20:17-18
12. GIVE THE VINEYARD TO OTHERS / LUKE 20:16
13. THE PARABLE OF THE TENANTS / LUKE 20:9-16
14. BY WHAT AUTHORITY? / LUKE 20:2
15. DRIVING OUT THOSE WHO WERE SELLING / LUKE 19:45
16. YOUR ENEMIES … ENCIRCLE YOU / LUKE 19:43
17. SAW THE CITY HE WEPT / LUKE 19:41
18. THE TRIUMPHAL ENTRY / LUKE 19:28-44
19. WHAT HE HAS WILL BE TAKEN AWAY / LUKE 19:26
20. YOU HAVE BEEN TRUSTWORTHY / LUKE 19:17
21. UNTIL I COME BACK / LUKE 19:13
22. THOUGHT THE KINGDOM WAS GOING TO APPEAR / LUKE 19:11
23. SEEK AND TO SAVE / LUKE 19:10
24. I GIVE TO THE POOR / LUKE 19:8
25. SPIRITUAL CONVERSION OF ZACHAEUS / LUKE 19:1-10
26. SON OF DAVID / LUKE 18:38-39
27. RECEIVE MANY TIMES AS MUCH / LUKE 18:30
28. A RICH MAN … THE KINGDOM / LUKE 18:24-25
29. SELL EVERYTHING YOU HAVE / LUKE 18:22
30. LIKE A LITTLE CHILD / LUKE 18:16
31. THE PHARISEE AND THE TAX COLLECTOR / LUKE 18:9-14
32. HE WILL SEE THAT THEY GET JUSTICE – WILL HE FIND FAITH ON THE EARTH? / LUKE 18:8
33. CHOSEN ONES WHO CRY OUT … DAY AND NIGHT / LUKE 18:7
34. THEY SHOULD ALWAYS PRAY / LUKE 18:1
35. A DEAD BODY … THE VULTURES / LUKE 17:37
36. REMEMBER LOT’S WIFE! / LUKE 17:32
37. ON THAT DAY / LUKE 17:31
38. THE DAYS OF NOAH / LUKE 17:26
39. THE KINGDOM OF GOD IS WITHIN YOU / LUKE 17:20-21
40. THANKED HIM / LUKE 17:16
41. FAITH / LUKE 17:6
42. IF HE REPENTS FORGIVE / LUKE 17:3
43. MILLSTONE TIED AROUND HIS NECK / LUKE 17:2
44. THE RICH MAN AND LAZARUS / LUKE 16:19-31
45. COMMITS ADULTERY / LUKE 16:18
46. PHARISEES … LOVED MONEY / LUKE 16:14
47. YOU CANNOT SERVE BOTH GOD AND MONEY / LUKE 16:13
48. IF YOU HAVE NOT BEEN TRUSTWORTHY / LUKE 16:11
49. WORLDLY WEALTH / LUKE 16:9
50. COMMENDED THE DISHONEST MANAGER / LUKE 16:8
51. BECAME ANGRY / LUKE 15:28
52. THIS SON OF MINE … WAS LOST / LUKE 15:24
53. WHILE HE WAS STILL A LONG WAY OFF – HIS FATHER SAW HIM AND WAS FILLED WITH COMPASSION / LUKE 15:20
54. HE CAME TO HIS SENSES / LUKE 15:17
55. SET OFF FOR A DISTANT COUNTRY / LUKE 15:13
56. SEARCH CAREFULLY UNTIL SHE FINDS / LUKE 15:8
57. REJOICING IN HEAVEN / LUKE 15:7
58. THE LOST SHEEP / LUKE 15:4
59. THE COST OF DISCIPLESHIP / LUKE 14:28-33
60. CARRY HIS CROSS / Luke 14:27
61. DOES NOT HATE HIS FATHER / LUKE 14:26-27
62. THE PARABLE OF THE GREAT BANQUET / LUKE 14:15-24
63. EXALTS HIMSELF … HUMBLED / LUKE 14:11
64. SUFFERING FROM DROPSY / LUKE 14:2
65. THE LORD’S GREAT SORROW / LUKE 13:34
66. LAST WILL BE FIRST / LUKE 13:30
67. THE NARROW DOOR / LUKE 13:24
68. THE YEAST / LUKE 13:21
69. MUSTARD SEED / LUKE 13:19
70. THIS WOMAN … SATAN HAS KEPT BOUND / LUKE 13:16
71. CRIPPLED BY A SPIRIT / LUKE 13:10-11
72. FIG TREE CUT IT DOWN / LUKE 13:6-9
73. I HAVE CAME TO CAST FIRE … DIVISION / LUKE 12:49-51
74. BEATEN WITH FEW BLOWS / LUKE 12:47-48
75. MY MASTER IS DELAYED / LUKE 12:45
76. FAITHFUL AND UNFAITHFUL MANAGER – SERVANT / LUKE 12:42-48
77. WHEN YOU DO NOT EXPECT HIM / LUKE 12:40
78. IT WILL BE GOOD FOR THOSE SERVANTS / LUKE 12:38
79. WAITING FOR THEIR MASTER /LUKE 12:36
80. DRESSED READY FOR SERVICE / LUKE 12:35-40
81. YOUR TREASURE … YOUR HEART / LUKE 12:34
82. SELL YOUR POSSESSIONS / LUKE 12:33
83. SEEK HIS KINGDOM / LUKE 12:31
84. HOW MUCH MORE VALUABLE / LUKE 12:24
85. DO NOT WORRY ABOUT YOUR LIFE / LUKE 12:22
86. GUARD AGAINST GREED / LUKE 12:15
87. BLASPHEMES AGAINST THE HOLY SPIRIT / LUKE 12:10
88. HE WHO DISOWNS ME / LUKE 12:9
89. ACKNOWLEDGES ME BEFORE MEN / LUKE 12:8
90. FEAR HIM / LUKE 12:5
91. HYPOCRISY / LUKE 12:1
92. WOE TO YOU / LUKE 11:42
93. YOUR EYE IS THE LAMP OF YOUR BODY / LUKE 11:34
94. SEVEN OTHER SPIRITS … LIVE THERE / LUKE 11:26
95. WHO IS NOT WITH ME IS AGAINST ME / LUKE 11:23
96. DEMONS … THE KINGDOM OF GOD / LUKE 11:20
97. GIVE THE HOLY SPIRIT TO THOSE WHO ASK / LUKE 11:13
98. GIVE HIM A SNAKE / LUKE 11:11
99. ASK … SEEK … KNOCK / LUKE 11:9
100. OUR DAILY BREAD / LUKE 11:3
101. THE LORD’S PRAYER / LUKE 11:1-4
102. ONE THING IS NEEDED / LUKE 10:41-42
103. THE PARABLE OF THE GOOD SAMARITAN / LUKE 10:30
104. LOVE THE LORD AND LOVE YOUR NEIGHBOR / LUKE 10:27
105. THE WISE … LITTLE CHILDREN / LUKE 10:21
106. DO NOT REJOICE / LUKE 10:20
107. SNAKES AND SCORPIONS / LUKE 10:19
108. I SAW SATAN FALL / LUKE 10:18
109. HEAL THE SICK … THE KINGDOM OF GOD / LUKE 10:9
110. LAMBS AMONG WOLVES / LUKE 10:3
111. THE HARVEST IS PLENTIFUL
112. SENT THEM TWO BY TWO / LUKE 10:1
113. LET THE DEAD BURY THEIR OWN DEAD / LUKE 9:60
114. REBUKED THEM / LUKE 9:55-56
115. THE PEOPLE DID NOT WELCOME HIM / LUKE 9:52-53
116. UNBELIEVING GENERATION / LUKE 9:41
117. THE TRANSFIGURATION / LUKE 9:29
118. SEE THE KINGDOM OF GOD / LUKE 9:27
119. ASHAMED OF ME / LUKE 9:26
120. WHOEVER LOSES HIS LIFE / LUKE 9:24
121. TAKE UP HIS CROSS DAILY / LUKE 9:23
122. WARNED THEM NOT TO TELL / LUKE 9:21
123. FEEDING OF THE FIVE THOUSAND / LUKE 9:12-17
124. HEROD THE TETRARCH / LUKE 9:7
125. PREACH THE KINGDOM … HEAL THE SICK / LUKE 9:2
126. AUTHORITY TO DRIVE OUT ALL DEMONS / LUKE 9:1
127. DON’T BE AFRAID JUST BELIEVE / LUKE 8:50
128. TOUCHED HIS CLOAK / LUKE 8:44
129. A DEMON-POSSESSED MAN / LUKE 8:27-33
130. MY MOTHER AND BROTHERS / LUKE 8:21
131. WHOEVER HAS WILL BE GIVEN MORE / LUKE 8:18
132. CHOKED BY LIFE’S WORRIES / LUKE 8:14
133. BELIEVE FOR A WHILE … FALL AWAY / LUKE 8:13
134. TAKES AWAY THE WORD / LUKE 8:12
135. PARABLE OF THE SOWER / LUKE 8:5
136. PARABLE / LUKE 8:4
137. HELPING TO SUPPORT THEM / LUKE 8:3
138. SHE LOVED MUCH / LUKE 7:47
139. WEEPING / LUKE 7:37-38
140. WISDOM IS PROVED RIGHT BY ALL HER CHILDREN / LUKE 7:35
141. GLUTTON AND A DRUNKARD / LUKE 7:34
142. JOHN / LUKE 7:28
143. A REED SWAYED / LUKE 7:24
144. HIS HEART WENT OUT TO HER / LUKE 7:13
145. SUCH GREAT FAITH / LUKE 7:9
146. DO NOT DO WHAT I SAY / LUKE 6:46
147. HIS HEART / LUKE 6:45
148. GIVE / LUKE 6:38
149. DO NOT JUDGE / LUKE 6:37
150. DO NOT STOP HIM FROM TAKING YOUR TUNIC / LUKE 6:29
151. LOVE YOUR ENEMIES / LUKE 6:27
152. WOE TO YOU WHEN ALL MEN SPEAK WELL / LUKE 6:26
153. WOE TO YOU WHO ARE RICH / LUKE 6:24
154. HOW THEIR FATHERS TREATED THE PROPHETS / LUKE 6:23
155. WHEN MEN HATE YOU / LUKE 6:22
156. YOU WHO WEEP / LUKE 6:21
157. BLESSED YOU WHO ARE POOR / LUKE 6:20
158. SERMON ON THE PLAIN / LUKE 6:17-19
159. SPENT THE NIGHT PRAYING / LUKE 6:12
160. JESUS AND THE SABBATH / LUKE 6:2-10
161. SABBATH / LUKE 6:1
162. ‘THE OLD IS BETTER’ / LUKE 5:39
163. NEW WINE INTO OLD WINESKINS / LUKE 5:37
164. IN THOSE DAYS THEY WILL FAST / LUKE 5:35
165. EAT AND DRINK WITH … ‘SINNERS’ / LUKE 5:30
166. SON OF MAN / LUKE 5:24
167. JESUS KNEW WHAT THEY WERE THINKING / LUKE 5:22
168. CARRYING A PARALYTIC / LUKE 5:18
169. THE POWER OF THE LORD WAS PRESENT / LUKE 5:17
170. PRAYERS OF JESUS / LUKE 5:16
171. YOU WILL CATCH MEN / LUKE 5:9-10
172. HEALED THEM / LUKE 4:40
173. AN EVIL SPIRIT / LUKE 4:33-35
174. HIS MESSAGE HAD AUTHORITY / LUKE 4:32
175. HE HAS ANOINTED ME / LUKE 4:18-19
176. THE SPIRIT ON ME / LUKE 4:18
177. SATAN’S USE OF SCRIPTURE / LUKE 4:10
178. THE DEVIL / LUKE 4:9
179. THE KINGDOMS OF THE WORLD / LUKE 4:5
180. DOES NOT LIVE ON BREAD ALONE / LUKE 4:4
181. JESUS FULL OF THE HOLY SPIRIT / LUKE 4:1-2
182. JESUS’ GENEALOGY / LUKE 3:23
183. HOLY SPIRIT DESCENDED ON HIM / LUKE 3:22
184. HE WILL BURN UP THE CHAFF / LUKE 3:17
185. BAPTIZE YOU WITH THE HOLY SPIRIT / LUKE 3:16
186. FRUIT IN KEEPING WITH REPENTANCE / LUKE 3:8
187. BAPTISM OF REPENTANCE /LUKE 3:3
188. CAESAR … PILATE … HEROD / LUKE 3:1-2
189. JESUS GREW IN WISDOM / LUKE 2:52
190. I HAD TO BE IN MY FATHER’S HOUSE / LUKE 2:49-51
191. THE CHILD GREW / LUKE 2:39-40
192. ANNA … WORHIPED / LUKE 2:36-38
193. A SWORD WILL PIERCE YOUR OWN SOUL / LUKE 2:33-35
194. RIGHTEOUS AND DEVOUT – WAITING FOR THE CONSOLATION / LUKE 2:25-32
195. A PAIR OF DOVES / LUKE 2:24
196. PRESENT HIM TO THE LORD / LUKE 2:22-23
197. THEY SPREAD THE WORD / LUKE 2:17-18
198. A SAVIOR … CHRIST THE LORD / LUKE 2:11
199. THE NATIONS YOUR INHERITANCE / PSALMS 2:8
200. A MANGER / LUKE 2:6-7
201. HOLINESS AND RIGHTEOUSNESS / LUKE 1:68-75
202. GOD MY SAVIOR / LUKE 1:46-47
203. AS YOU HAVE SAID / LUKE 1:38
204. THE HOLY ONE / LUKE 1:34-35
205. HIS FATHER DAVID / LUKE 1:32-33
206. YOU WHO ARE HIGHLY FAVORED / LUKE 1:28
207. PLEDGED TO BE MARRIED / LUKE 1:26-27
208. SPIRIT AND POWER OF ELIJAH – THE FATHERS OF THEIR CLILDREN / LUKE 1:17
209. FILLED WITH THE HOLY SPIRIT – WINE FERMENTED DRINK / LUKE 1:15
210. UPRIGHT IN THE SIGHT OF GOD / LUKE 1:6
211. DIVISION OF ABIJAH DESCENDANT OF AARON / LUKE 1:5
212. THEOPHILUS / LUKE 1:1-4
213. Crews N Away: Anchored in Grace

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Blessings, Margarita & Stace