{
  "id": "dict_004370",
  "term": "Persecution",
  "slug": "persecution",
  "letter": "P",
  "entry_type": "theological_term",
  "entry_family": "theological_term",
  "depth_profile": "standard",
  "short_definition": "Persecution is suffering, hostility, or mistreatment endured because of faithfulness to God and the gospel. In Scripture, believers are told to expect such opposition and to remain faithful under it.",
  "simple_one_line": "",
  "tooltip_text": "",
  "aliases": [
    "Persecution and scattering"
  ],
  "scripture_references": [],
  "original_language_terms": [],
  "related_entries": [],
  "see_also": [],
  "lede_intro": "",
  "at_a_glance_definition": "",
  "at_a_glance_key_points": [],
  "description_academic_short": "Persecution refers to opposition, suffering, or unjust treatment directed at God’s people because of their trust in Christ and obedience to his word. The Bible presents persecution as a recurring reality for prophets, Jesus, the apostles, and the church. It is not merely any hardship, but suffering connected to righteousness and gospel witness.",
  "description_academic_full": "Persecution in the Bible is the hostile treatment, rejection, or suffering experienced by God’s people because they belong to him and live in obedience to his truth. Scripture shows this pattern throughout redemptive history: the prophets were opposed, Jesus himself was rejected and crucified, and his followers were warned that they too would face hatred, pressure, and sometimes violence for his name’s sake. Biblical persecution can include ridicule, exclusion, slander, imprisonment, loss, or physical harm, but it is distinguished from ordinary suffering by its connection to righteousness, allegiance to Christ, and faithful gospel witness. The New Testament calls believers not to seek persecution, yet to endure it with faith, love, prayer, and steadfast hope, trusting God to sustain his people and to use their suffering as part of their witness in the world.",
  "background_biblical_context": "",
  "background_historical_context": "",
  "background_jewish_ancient_context": "",
  "key_texts_primary": [],
  "key_texts_secondary": [],
  "original_language_note": "",
  "theological_significance": "",
  "philosophical_explanation": "",
  "interpretive_cautions": "",
  "major_views_note": "",
  "doctrinal_boundaries": "",
  "practical_significance": "",
  "meta_description": "Persecution is suffering, hostility, or mistreatment endured because of faithfulness to God and the gospel. In Scripture, believers are told to expect such opposition and to remain faithful under it.",
  "public_url": "/companion-bible-dictionary/persecution/",
  "json_url": "/companion-bible-dictionary/data/dictionary/persecution.json",
  "final_disposition": "PUBLISH_CANONICAL"
}