Worthy to Suffer

God the Father is worthy of honour and praise

Psalm 145:3 ESV

Great is the LORD, and greatly to be praised, and his greatness is unsearchable.

See also 2 Sa 22:4; 1 Ch 16:25; Ps 48:1; Re 4:11

Jesus Christ is worthy of honour and praise

Revelation 5:12 ESV

saying with a loud voice, “Worthy is the Lamb who was slain, to receive power and wealth and wisdom and might and honor and glory and blessing!”

See also Mt 3:17; Mt 17:5; Php 2:9–11; Heb 2:9; Heb 3:3; 2 Pe 1:17; Re 5:9

People are considered worthy by others

Lk 7:4–5 Note that the centurion did not consider himself to be worthy (Lk 7:7).

See also Ge 39:4; Ge 41:38–40; 1 Sa 16:6; 1 Ki 1:42; Da 1:18–20; Da 2:46–48; Da 3:28–30; Ac 14:11–13

God considers no person (other than Jesus Christ) to be worthy by nature

Revelation 5:4 ESV

and I began to weep loudly because no one was found worthy to open the scroll or to look into it.

See also Ps 14:3; Ps 143:2; Ec 7:20; Ro 3:10–12; Ro 3:23

Worthiness, like righteousness, is credited to a person by God

2 Thessalonians 1:11 ESV

To this end we always pray for you, that our God may make you worthy of his calling and may fulfill every resolve for good and every work of faith by his power,

See also Lk 20:35; Ro 2:29; 2 Co 10:18

Examples of people who are considered worthy by God

Those who put God first and deny themselves

Matthew 10:37–38 ESV

Whoever loves father or mother more than me is not worthy of me, and whoever loves son or daughter more than me is not worthy of me. And whoever does not take his cross and follow me is not worthy of me.

See also 1 Sa 2:30; Lk 9:62; Ro 12:1–2

Those who suffer persecution for the sake of Jesus Christ

Acts 5:41 ESV

Then they left the presence of the council, rejoicing that they were counted worthy to suffer dishonor for the name.

See also Mt 5:10–12; 2 Th 1:5; 1 Pe 2:19–20

Those whose lives show Christlike godliness

Colossians 1:10 ESV

so as to walk in a manner worthy of the Lord, fully pleasing to him: bearing fruit in every good work and increasing in the knowledge of God;

See also 1 Sa 16:7; Eph 4:1–2; 1 Th 2:12; 1 Ti 3:8–9; 1 Ti 3:11; Tt 2:2; Re 3:4

Those who stand firm for the gospel

Php 1:27; 1 Th 2:4; 2 Ti 2:15

Those who are faithful in the use of resources which God has given them

Matthew 25:21–23 ESV

His master said to him, ‘Well done, good and faithful servant. You have been faithful over a little; I will set you over much. Enter into the joy of your master.’ And he also who had the two talents came forward, saying, ‘Master, you delivered to me two talents; here, I have made two talents more.’ His master said to him, ‘Well done, good and faithful servant. You have been faithful over a little; I will set you over much. Enter into the joy of your master.’

See also Mt 24:45–47; Lk 19:17; 1 Ti 5:17

Those who welcome God’s people

Matthew 10:11 ESV

And whatever town or village you enter, find out who is worthy in it and stay there until you depart.

See also Mt 10:41–42; Ro 16:2; 3 Jn 6

Examples of worthy people

Ge 6:8–9 Noah; Dt 1:36 Caleb; Dt 34:10 Moses; Job 1:8 Job

Da 9:23; Da 10:19 Daniel

Lk 1:28 Mary; Jas 2:23 Abraham