Examples of suffering in the Bible

        Suffering is a profound theme woven throughout the Bible, affecting both the righteous and the unrighteous. From physical affliction to emotional pain and persecution, biblical accounts of suffering reveal how individuals endured trials while maintaining faith in God. Below are significant examples of suffering in the Bible, drawn from both the Old and New Testaments.

1. Job – Unjust Suffering of the Righteous

         Job is perhaps the most well-known example of undeserved suffering in the Bible. Described as “blameless and upright,” Job feared God and turned away from evil. Nevertheless, he lost all his possessions, his children, and his health in a short span of time. His body was afflicted with painful sores, and his friends falsely accused him of wrongdoing. Despite his intense suffering, Job never cursed God.

    “Though He slay me, yet will I trust Him.” Job 13:15

    “The Lord gave and the Lord has taken away; blessed be the name of the Lord.” Job 1:21

2. Joseph – Betrayal and Injustice

         Joseph, the son of Jacob, was sold into slavery by his jealous brothers. He was taken to Egypt and falsely accused by Potiphar’s wife, leading to his imprisonment. Though he was innocent, Joseph spent years in prison before he was eventually promoted to a position of power in Pharaoh’s court. His suffering was prolonged and undeserved.

    “You meant evil against me, but God meant it for good...” Genesis 50:20

Genesis 37, 39–41

3. David – Persecution and Personal Turmoil

         David, though chosen by God to be king, experienced deep suffering. He was hunted by King Saul, who sought to kill him out of jealousy. Later, David faced betrayal from his own son Absalom, who led a rebellion against him. He also grieved deeply over the consequences of his sin with Bathsheba, which led to the death of their child.

    “I am worn out from my groaning. All night long I flood my bed with weeping.” — Psalm 6:6

1 Samuel 18–31, 2 Samuel 12

4. Jeremiah – The Weeping Prophet

         Jeremiah was called by God to deliver messages of judgment to Judah. He was mocked, rejected, beaten, and imprisoned. His messages were unpopular, and he lived a life marked by sorrow and loneliness. His pain earned him the title “the weeping prophet.”

    “I am ridiculed all day long; everyone mocks me.” Jeremiah 20:7

    “Oh, that my head were a spring of water and my eyes a fountain of tears!” Jeremiah 9:1

5. Hannah – Emotional Anguish

        Hannah, the mother of Samuel, suffered emotional pain due to infertility and the taunting of her husband’s other wife, Peninnah. Her grief was so intense that she poured out her soul to God in silent anguish at the temple.

    “In bitterness of soul Hannah wept much and prayed to the Lord.” 1 Samuel 1:10

1 Samuel 1

6. Ruth and Naomi – Grief and Hardship

         Naomi lost her husband and two sons in Moab, leaving her with her daughters-in-law. Ruth, a Moabite, chose to return with Naomi to Bethlehem, where they faced poverty and social vulnerability as widows.

    “Don’t call me Naomi... Call me Mara, because the Almighty has made my life very bitter.” Ruth 1:20

Ruth 1–4

7. Jesus Christ – Suffering for Mankind

         Jesus experienced the ultimate form of suffering. He was betrayed by Judas, denied by Peter, falsely accused, mocked, beaten, and crucified. The physical agony of crucifixion was compounded by spiritual agony as He bore the sins of the world.

    “He was despised and rejected by mankind, a man of suffering, and familiar with pain.” Isaiah 53:3

Matthew 26–27; John 19

8. Paul – Persecution for the Gospel

         The Apostle Paul suffered extensively as a result of his ministry. He was imprisoned, beaten, stoned, shipwrecked, and endured hunger and threats throughout his missionary journeys.

    “Five times I received from the Jews the forty lashes minus one." 2 Corinthians 11:24

    “I have worked much harder, been in prison more frequently, been flogged more severely...” — 2 Corinthians 11:23–27

9. Stephen – The First Christian Martyr

         Stephen, one of the first deacons in the early church, boldly preached about Jesus Christ. For this, he was seized, falsely accused of blasphemy, and stoned to death, becoming the first recorded Christian martyr.

    “While they were stoning him, Stephen prayed, ‘Lord Jesus, receive my spirit.’” Acts 7:59

Acts 6–7

10. The Israelites – National Suffering

         The Israelites suffered prolonged slavery in Egypt, wandering in the wilderness for forty years, and later endured exile in Babylon due to disobedience. These collective experiences of suffering shaped their national identity and relationship with God.

    “I have indeed seen the misery of my people in Egypt. I have heard them crying out...” Exodus 3:7

Exodus 1–12; 2 Kings 25

         These examples reflect a biblical pattern: suffering is neither unusual nor always a sign of disfavor. Instead, it is often a stage in the unfolding of divine purposes throughout Scripture.