»At that time they will deliver you up to punishment and will put you to death; and you will be objects of hatred to all the nations because you are called by my name.«
»But before all these things happen they will lay hands on you and persecute you. They will deliver you up to synagogues and to prison, and you will be brought before kings and governors for my sake.«
»Blessed are you when men shall hate you and exclude you from their society and insult you, and spurn your very names as evil things, for the Son of Man's sake.«
If I had not done among them, as I have, such miracles as no one else ever did, they would have had no sin; but they have in fact seen and also hated both me and my Father.
You do not know Him, but I know Him perfectly; and were I to deny my knowledge of Him, I should resemble you, and be a liar. On the contrary I do know Him, and I obey His commands.
For as I passed along and observed the things you worship, I found also an altar bearing the inscription, `TO AN UNKNOWN GOD.' »The Being, therefore, whom you, without knowing Him, revere, Him I now proclaim to you.
But to prevent the matter spreading any further among the people, let us stop them by threats from speaking in the future in this name to any one whatever.«
And just as they had refused to continue to have a full knowledge of God, so it was to utterly worthless minds that God gave them up, for them to do things which should not be done.
See what marvellous love the Father has bestowed upon us –that we should be called God's children: and that is what we are. For this reason the world does not recognize us– because it has not known Him.