James was the first of the apostles that was put to death, and this by the non-Jewish king Herod. “He [Herod] did away with James the brother of John by the sword.” He mistreated others too. “Herod the king applied his hands to mistreating some of those of the congregation.” This pleased the Jews, however, as related: “As he saw it was pleasing to the Jews, he went on to arrest Peter also . . . he put him in prison.”​—Acts 12:1-4.

11. When Paul was imprisoned, did this stop his preaching?

¹¹ The apostle Paul was in prison for holding fast his integrity to God, but it did not stop him from preaching. During his first imprisonment in Rome, “he would kindly receive all those who came in to him, preaching the kingdom of God to them and teaching the things concerning the Lord Jesus Christ with the greatest freeness of speech, without hindrance.” (Acts 28:30, 31) In his last letter during his second imprisonment in Rome when he was about to be executed, he gave admonition to be faithful.