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[[Image:Christianpersecution.jpg|right|thumb|350px|[[Persecution]] of the [[early Christians]] was born from a spirit of contempt and envy of the success of the "[[private welfare|Private Religion]]" of the   [[early Church|early Christian church]] and their [[daily ministration]] which James calls "[[Pure Religion]]". <Br> Christians would not pray for the "[[daily bread]]" of [[Caesar]], which was the [[benefits]] and [[dainties]] offered to the [[masses]]  by the [[Patronus]]es of the [[Imperial Cult of Rome]], who were "the '''[[fathers]]''' of the earth" Jesus spoke of and they were even called the [[Son of God]]. <Br>Christians would not [[pray|apply]] to those rulers who call themselves "'''[[Benefactors]]'''" but who [[exercise authority]] because Jesus forbid it and would not eat at their [[tables]]. <Br>To desire or sign up for those "[[dainties]]" of the Roman [[welfare state]] and its "[[free bread]]" would be desiring the "[[wages of unrighteousness]]" and it would clearly be "[[covetous practices]]" that was [[idolatry]].<Ref name="Isidolatry">{{Isidolatry}}</Ref>  <Br>Such [[covetous practices|practices]] would make the christian people "[[merchandise]]" and "[[curse children]]" as a [[surety]] for debt. Eventually,  [[Vigellius Saturninus]], proconsul of Africa outlawed [[private religion]]s like Christianity saying to the Christians on trial, “We too are religious, and our religion is simple, and we swear by the [[Genius]] of our lord the emperor, and we apply for his [[benefits]], as you also ought to do.” ]]

== Martyrs ==

A [[martyr]] commonly refers to “a person who sacrifices something of great value and especially life itself for the sake of principle” (Merriam-Webster's Online Dictionary, second definition of “Martyr,” 2012). 

In Webster's Dictionary 1828: 
<blockquote>
"MARTYR, noun [Gr. a witness.] One who, by his death, bears witness to the truth of the gospel. Stephen was the first christian martyr

To be a martyr signifies only to witness the truth of Christ.

1. One who suffers death in defense of any cause. We say, a man dies a martyr to his political principles or to the cause of liberty.
</blockquote>

Stephen was one of the [[Seven men]] chosen to help with the [[tables]] of the [[daily ministration]]. There were many who were martyrs during the [[Christian conflict]] with those who felt justified in their system of [[public religion]] or the [[Corban]] of the [[pharisees]].
  
There were many who were martyred during the first century or two, like [[Ignatius of Antioch]] who was also known as Ignatius Theophorus, Christphoros, or [[Theophilus]]. Also there was [[Justin the Martyr]] wrote an apology to Emperor Pius to explain Christianity. 

And there was the Scillitan Martyrs. 

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== Footnotes ==

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