The Voice of the Martyrs

This was an encouraging book. It was an easy read in the sense of the style. It was a hard read in that one can only read about so much persecution a day.

I decided to add a bit to my devotions every day and it was valuable in conjunction with prayer and Bible reading.

I saw someone mention that it got repetitive while they were reading it and I can definitely see that happening if you try to read it in one sitting or like a novel. So if you want to read it, don't read it like that.

Some show more martyrdom accounts were paraphrased and fleshed out versions of the extant textual samples we have. I'm ok with that because, even though they make some interpretive decisions where scholars aren't sure, they 1) don't claim that this is what any text said. It's just their narrative of the account. 2) Makes it easier to read for a devotional and non-academic reading.

Now I know not to cite small details from the narratives in Jesus freaks when they paraphrase the early church writing. Because I know they're flavouring the accounts.

But you know what doesn't make this distinction clear? It also happens to be my main pet peeve about the book. The Message ("Bible").

The verses distributed throughout the book were from various translations. Which is nice. I like to consult various translations because no translation is 100% perfect.

But when I came across quotations from passages from the Message, something was afoul. I’m not used to it and the heavily idiomatic language it exuded seemed to be unfamiliar to the voice of God I have read and heard in the WEB, LEB, ESV, NLT, NIV etc.

At some point I read a passage I knew and thought: Wait a second. That wasn't there before.

So I went back and, from then on, every time I came across a Message passage, I read the corresponding section in another Bible.

I am shocked by how different it can be. Now if it wasn't treated like a Bible translation by people, that would be different. It would be an interpretive retelling (like the anecdotes the authors of Jesus Freaks use). But it's not. And that's dangerous.

If you don't want to take my word for it, here is an example:

Matthew 5:11–12

LEB:

Blessed are you when they insult you and persecute and say all kinds of evil things against you, lying on account of me.

Rejoice and be glad, because your reward is great in heaven, for in the same way they persecuted the prophets before you.

Message:

[++Not only that] count yourselves blessed every time people put you down or throw you out or speak lies about you to discredit me. [++What it means is that the truth is too close for comfort and they are uncomfortable.] You can be glad when that happens—give a cheer, even!—[??for though they don’t like it, I do! And all heaven applauds.] And know that you are in good company. My prophets and witnesses have always gotten into this kind of trouble.

The stuff in square brackets with ++ is completely foreign to this text. The square brackets with ?? is dubiously overstated.

When Peterson was translating the final section of the New Testament in Revelation 22:18-19, did he not notice any irony when he penned the following words?

"I give fair warning to all who hear the words of the prophecy of this book: If you add to the words of this prophecy, God will add to your life the disasters written in this book; if you subtract from the words of the book of this prophecy, God will subtract your part from the Tree of Life and the Holy City that are written in this book."

One would suppose that some spark would ignite and the lightbulb would go on but no.

Notice how I simply used another English translation instead of the greek apparatus that I am blessed enough to own. This isn't an academic exercise. This is something every Christian can do, has a right to do and must do: verify what God said yourself. show less

It goes without saying that this book is filled with incredibly inspiring stories of faith, but having read The Insanity of God, it struck me how hard it must be to write a book like this and do it well. In the case of I Am N, there's no continuity from story to story, as there was with Nik Ripken. The stories seem handicapped in the sense that none of them get to go very deep, running from introduction to story to concluding thought in roughly 4-5 pages each. I would much rather read fewer show more stories and get to know each one more fully. show less

A must-read. Sobering, challenging, disturbing and inspiring. Short vignettes of Christians who have faced or are still facing persecution, especially at the hands of Islamic Extremists, but sometimes even from the hands of their own families. I had to read only a few chapters at a time...and usually ended with a time of prayer both asking the Lord to enable me to be faithful, but more in support of those facing such horrors. Most of the names have been changed to protect the individuals who show more are still in tentative, to not say, dangerous situations. I Am N portrays these brothers and sisters in a relaistic manner. Some have gone through such horrific attacks and still have both bitterness and forgiveness in their hearts; others have totally forgiven and pray for their persecutors in a truly Christlike fashion. May we support however we are called and pray, pray, pray. One story spoke of how the Lord acted through prayer to enable a brother to survive and even worship the Lord through the worst attacks he suffered. show less

This is the best book I have read on persecution of Christians around the world. It is also up to date, dealing mainly with attacks by ISIS and similar groups.

I liked this book mainly because it is real. I have read so many books that sensationalise or focus on the supernatural. Even books that claim that the only way for Muslims to be converted is for Jesus to appear to them in a dream. Whilst the book has a few examples of this nature, mostly it proves that God is still working through show more the methods that he has clearly outlined in the Bible--the preaching of the Gospel to the unconverted. The book also proves that it is not always God's will for us to be safe and protected or to flee from a situation of danger. There are those who have remained and who continue to stand strong risking their lives to share the Gospel before it is too late for others.

In a world in which even small acts that suggest allegiance to Jesus-asking foreign visitors for a Bible, not responding to the Muslim call to prayer, asking questions of a known Jesus follower- can trigger horrible retribution, courage that is rooted in God's power and faithfulness is essential.

The book gives a short summary of each case, giving a little of the background, the conversion and then the persecution and sometimes the aftermath. Each chapter contains Scripture that relates to the individual story.

These stories are about people who are truly being forced to carry their cross on a daily basis. They are doing this joyfully and have made huge sacrifices. They are focused completely on eternity and the life to come...not on earthly things. They are often new believers, Muslim converts, and have endured terrible things for the sake of Christ. They put a lot of us to shame as we groan and complain when a little trouble comes our way. What if we were facing death every day or a family member was threatened with torture? What if we never felt safe, EVER?

The only thing that I would have changed is that I would have preferred fewer stories with more detail about each case. I appreciated that the book was written by Voice of the Martyrs (a mission organisation,) in my view, this makes it more credible than if an individual author or journalist had written it. There is never any way to establish whether an author is just trying to make a big name for themselves by sensationalising. There is usually a lack of corroboration with these stories as they contain personal testimony.

I was encouraged, challenged and convicted by this collection of testimonies and would recommend this book to any Christian who wants to step out of their comfort zone or just to get some perspective on their daily struggles which will likely pale in comparison...

There is no bad language, there were some references to rape without details. There was graphic violence which in some cases was difficult to read. However, it was factual, not gratuitous and as it is not relayed in the first person it is not as dramatic as it might otherwise be. show less