Did the Early Christians suffer Persecution?

When discussing with Muslims (or anyone, actually), it is often useful to establish that Christianity started out as a persecuted minority.  For example, when it came to believing in the resurrection, people at the time had every incentive NOT to believe it and find rationales for rejecting it.

So it is good to be able to quote some verses to demonstrate the prevailing persecution of the time.

Also, the specific verses where Paul describes his own persecutions are useful to show that he had no selfish motive in his ministry work.



Paul writes:


Now brothers, if I still preach circumcision, why am I still persecuted? In that case the offense of the cross has been abolished.
--Gal 5:11

From now on, let no one cause me trouble, because I bear on my body scars for the cause of Jesus.
--Gal 6:17

(Paul could not have credibly said this if he did not have these scars)

...near death many times.
 Five times I received 39 lashes from Jews.
 Three times I was beaten with rods by the Romans.
Once I was stoned by my enemies.
Three times I was shipwrecked.
I have spent a night and a day
in the open sea.
 On frequent journeys, I faced
dangers from rivers,
dangers from robbers,
dangers from my own people,
dangers from the Gentiles,
dangers in the city,
dangers in the open country,
dangers on the sea,
and dangers among false brothers;
 labor and hardship,
many sleepless nights, hunger and thirst,
often without food, cold, and lacking clothing.
--2 Cor 11 24-27


You both had compassion on me in my chains, and joyfully accepted the plundering of your possessions, knowing that you have for yourselves a better possession and an enduring one in the heavens.
--Hebrews 10:4

Also we convincingly have this:

PLINY THE YOUNGER (63 - 113 A.D) Pliny the Younger admits to torturing and executing Christians who refused to deny Christ. Those who denied the charges were spared and ordered to exalt the Roman gods and curse the name of Christ. Pliny addresses his concerns to Emperor Trajan that too many citizens were being killed for their refusal to deny their faith.

"I asked them directly if they were Christians...those who persisted, I ordered away... Those who denied they were or ever had been Christians...worshiped both your image and the images of the gods and cursed Christ. They used to gather on a stated day before dawn and sing to Christ as if he were a god... All the more I believed it necessary to find out what was the truth from two servant maids, which were called deaconesses, by means of torture. Nothing more did I find than a disgusting, fanatical superstition. Therefore I stopped the examination, and hastened to consult you...on account of the number of people endangered. For many of all ages, all classes, and both sexes already are brought into danger..."
--Pliny's letter to Emperor Trajan

Though Pliny states some of the accused denied the charges, a recurring theme in the correspondence between Pliny and Trajan is the willingness of the true believer to die for Christ.
(See this site:)
http://thedevineevidence.com/jesus_history.html