Blessed are you when people hate you, when they have nothing to do with you, when they say bad things about you, and when they treat your name as evil because of the Son of Man.
However, many did believe in him, even among the Jewish leaders. But because of the Pharisees, they wouldn’t admit openly that they believed. They were afraid that they’d be thrown out of the synagogue.
“We’ve found that this Paul is a troublemaker. Everywhere he goes in the world, riots break out among the Jews. He’s the leader of a cult called the Nazarenes.
Then the Pharisees replied, “Your parents were living in sin when you were born! You know what that makes you. So how dare you talk to us like that?” And they threw him out of the synagogue.
Blessed is the person who keeps going when times are difficult. After they’ve made it through these times, they’ll receive the crown of life that the Lord has promised to give to those who love him.