10 Bible Verses about Tribulation Martydom

I know where you are living; [it is] where Satan's throne is. And [I know] that you are holding on firmly to my name, and did not deny [your] faith in me, even in the days of my faithful witness Antipas [Note: The Greek word here for witness is "martyr"], who was killed there where you are, where Satan lives.

Do not be afraid of the things you are about to suffer. [For] look, the devil is about to throw some of you into prison, so that you may be tested, and you will suffer persecution for ten days. [But], you should be faithful [to God] even to the point of dying [for Him], and I will give you the crown of [never ending] life.

And he was given [the power] to wage war against the saints [i.e., God's holy people] and to conquer them; and he was given authority over every tribe, race, language group and nation.

Then I heard a voice from heaven saying, "Write [this]: Those who are [now] dead, who died in [fellowship with] the Lord, are blessed from now on. Yes, says the Holy Spirit, they will rest from their work, for [the record of] their deeds will follow them [i.e., into the next life]."

After seeing [all] these things, I looked and there [I saw] a huge crowd, which no one could count, from every nation, and tribe, and race, and language group standing in front of the throne [of God] and in front of the Lamb. They were dressed in white robes and had palm tree branches in their hands. And they called out in a loud voice, saying, "Salvation comes from [or, "belongs to"] our God, who sits on His throne, and from [or, "to"] the Lamb."

Then I saw thrones, with individuals sitting on them who had been given [authority] to judge. And I [also] saw the souls of those who had been decapitated because they had testified about Jesus and [had proclaimed] the message of God. [They are] the ones who had refused to worship the beast or his statue, and had not received his mark on their foreheads or on their hands. And these ones lived again and ruled with Christ for a thousand years. (The rest of those who had died did not come [back] to life until the thousand years had ended). This is the first resurrection [from the dead]. The person who shares in this first resurrection is blessed and holy [i.e., for being so dedicated to God]. The second death does not have power over these people, but they will be priests of God and of Christ, and will rule with Him for the thousand years.

And a white robe was given to each one of them, and they were told to rest a little while longer, until the [full] number of their fellow servants and their brothers would be killed like they were.

And they called out with a loud voice, "How long, holy and true Master, [will it be] before you judge the people living on earth and take revenge on them for [shedding] our blood?"

And when the Lamb broke open the fifth seal, I saw underneath the altar the souls of those who had been killed for [believing and preaching] God's message, and for the testimony [about Jesus] which they had maintained.

And when they have completed their testimony, the beast that comes up from the pit [See 13:1ff; 17:3,7] will wage war against them, and overpower and kill them.