Jesus warned His disciples not to preach with superficial enthusiasm, for the greatest danger in the world comes not from spiders and tigers, but from man himself. Jesus sent us in His merciful love to the lost. He was not cheated by humanistic thought for He knew that in every man there is a beast waiting for an opportunity. This requires from us excessive wisdom and spiritual awareness that we may not be a reason for its rousing and attacking us.
The apostles experienced the accomplishment of Jesus prophecies, as we read in the book about the Acts of the Apostles. In every small town, there was a council followed by a judicial tribunal composed of twenty-three persons who condemned every adultery, breach of fasting and non-fulfillment of the law. They had the right to sentence the violators to scourging. The persons who were sentenced to scourging were whipped forty stripes minus one with a scourge, which consisted of four leather cords on their chest and naked back. Saul, himself, forced the Christians to deny Christ when he used this way with them, but he, after becoming a believer, was scourged in this way on his naked body too. Your testimony brings to your listeners either justification and life, or judgment and destruction. Do not speak of your own ideas and fancies, but ask by prayer for the guidance of the Holy Spirit at all times.
Some apostles appeared before Roman rulers and local kings to be witnesses for the name of Jesus Christ. They offered salvation to them, which if they rejected they would be witnesses against them in the Day of Judgment.