His unbelieving relatives accused him of being out of his mind, the religious leaders accused him of collaborating with the demons, and Roman soldiers mocked him, physically assaulted him, and eventually killed him. (Mark 3:21, 22; 14:55; 15:16-20, 35-37)

a In chapters 2 and 3 of the apostle Peter’s first letter, he describes situations in which a number of first-century Christians faced unjust treatment at the hands of harsh masters or unbelieving husbands.​—1 Pet. 2:18-20; 3:1-6, 8, 9.

13. How can ridicule undermine our trust in Jehovah and his organization?

¹³ Unbelieving relatives, workmates, or schoolmates may ridicule us for our preaching work or for living by Jehovah’s high moral standards. (1 Pet. 4:4)

Shortly after her baptism in 1997, her unbelieving husband lost his job.

Some are ridiculed by unbelieving family members or by workmates or schoolmates.

For example, Jewish Christians may have felt at a loss to answer the criticisms of unbelieving family members who claimed that Judaism was superior to Christianity.

I was afraid that my decision to become one of Jehovah’s Witnesses would disappoint my unbelieving father and that my family would think that I was a failure.”

Medical doctors or unbelieving family members may pressure us to accept a blood transfusion, which would violate God’s law.

Would he take sides with his unbelieving father?

Where can a mother who has an unbelieving husband find help?

It is truly encouraging to see how Jehovah’s people around the earth are looking for opportunities to declare the good news​—when at work, at school, in business territory and when preaching from house to house, shopping, visiting unbelieving relatives, talking to casual acquaintances, and even when confined at home for a time.

Keep those thoughts in mind when you feel intimidated by something a workmate, a schoolmate, or an unbelieving relative says or does.

12. How can we exercise patience when witnessing to unbelieving relatives?

¹² One area in which we may find it difficult to be patient is when witnessing to unbelieving relatives.

How can we exercise patience when witnessing to unbelieving relatives?

You may love your unbelieving family and friends deeply, and you may worry that if you get baptized, they will hate you. (Matt. 10:37)

Your unbelieving family and former friends may not understand why you want to dedicate yourself to Jehovah.

e PICTURE DESCRIPTION: Opposition: A boy is nervous about praying while his unbelieving mother looks on.

i PICTURE DESCRIPTION: Opposition: A boy courageously explains his beliefs to his unbelieving mother.

“My new circumstances allow me to reach out to the unbelieving husbands of sisters in our local congregation,” says Marco, who was a traveling overseer for 19 years.

Reaching out to unbelieving mates

Or a Christian may feel pressure from unbelieving relatives to get married ‘before it is too late.’

However, suppose she plans to go out in the field service on a certain day, but her unbelieving husband wants her to stay home.

For instance, Eunice, a Jewish woman married to an unbelieving Greek man,a along with her mother, Lois, surely listened to Paul and Barnabas with great eagerness and joy.

How, though, did Timothy’s unbelieving father react to his son’s new calling to be a traveling Christian minister?

This applies not only to associating with unbelieving wrongdoers but also to associating with those who claim to worship Jehovah but who deliberately violate his laws.

Many unbelieving mates have accepted the truth because of observing a husband or a wife who changed after complying with God’s requirements.

In some lands, a complicating factor is that unbelieving parents may demand an elaborate dowry, making it difficult for brothers of modest means to get married.

Of course, not all unbelieving mates turn out to be cruel and unreasonable.

Reaching the Heart of Unbelieving Relatives

Being flexible and understanding is wise for any of us who are dealing with unbelieving relatives.

Was Jehovah’s concern about the dangerous influence of an unbelieving mate well-founded?

He knew Jehovah’s warning about unbelieving wives: “They will incline your heart to follow their gods.”

The apostle Paul wrote: “If any brother has an unbelieving wife, and yet she is agreeable to dwelling with him, let him not leave her; and a woman who has an unbelieving husband, and yet he is agreeable to dwelling with her, let her not leave her husband.” (1 Corinthians 7:12, 13)

10, 11. (a) What explanation was previously given concerning the “generation” mentioned at Matthew 24:34? (b) Who would Jesus’ disciples have no doubt understood to be included in that “generation”?

¹⁰ Previously, this journal has explained that in the first century, “this generation” mentioned at Matthew 24:34 meant “the contemporaneous generation of unbelieving Jews.”b

While it is true that both unbelieving Jews and faithful anointed Christians saw a limited fulfillment of Jesus’ words in the first century, only his anointed followers back then could learn from these events​—could understand the true meaning of what they saw.