Daily text; Wednesday, June 8. 2016

[Queen Esther]

A slave is not greater than his master. If they have persecuted me, they will also persecute you.—John 15:20.

More than once, Paul was persecuted because of his faith. (2 Cor. 11:23-27) One such incident occurred in Lystra. After healing a man who was lame from birth, Paul and his companion Barnabas were hailed as gods. The two had to beg the ecstatic crowd not to worship them! All too soon, however, Jewish opposers arrived, and they used slander to poison the minds of the people. Quickly the tide turned! The people now pelted Paul with stones and left him for dead. (Acts 14:8-19) After visiting Derbe, Paul and Barnabas “returned to Lystra, Iconium, and Antioch. There they strengthened the disciples, encouraging them to remain in the faith and saying: ‘We must enter into the Kingdom of God through many tribulations.’”—Acts 14:21, 22. w14 9/15 2:2-4