text: Peter, as well as some of the other disciples, were crucified. No death could be more painful. Mark was tied between 4 horses and pulled in 4 pieces(or at least that's what some historians say). That's got to hurt a little. Polycarp was burned at the stake. Paul was beheaded not to mention that he was scourged 5 times, beaten with rods 4 times, stoned and many other persecutions while he was alive. The early disciples were persecuted their whole lives and then martyred in the most cruel way. That's why I believe the bible. These men were eyewitnesses of everything they wrote about in the bible and they lived a persecuted life and died horribly and went to their death saying that everything they had said was true when they could have lived a peaceful life and died peacefully if they would just have renounced everything they wrote about. But they didn't. They went to their death saying it was true.