To be afflicted - By persecution, imprisonment, scourging, etc.
“They shall deliver you up to councils” (Mark). To the great council, or Sanhedrin - for this is the word in the original. See the notes at Matthew 5:22. This was fulfilled when Peter and John were brought before the council, Acts 4:5-7. Mark further adds Mark 13:9 that they should be delivered to synagogues and to prisons to be beaten, and should be brought before rulers and kings for his name’s sake. All this was remarkably fulfilled. Peter and John were imprisoned Acts 4:3; Paul and Silas were imprisoned Acts 16:24, and also beaten Acts 16:23; Paul was brought before Gallic Acts 18:12, before Felix Acts 24:24, and before Agrippa Acts 25:23.
And shall kill you - That is, shall kill some of you. Stephen was stoned Acts 7:59; James was killed by Herod Acts 12:2; and, in addition to all that the sacred writers have told us, the persecution under Nero took place before the destruction of Jerusalem, in which were put to death, with many others, Peter and Paul. Most of the apostles, it is believed, died by persecution.
When they were delivered up, Jesus told them not to premeditate what they should say, for he would give them a mouth and wisdom which all their adversaries would not be able to gainsay or resist, Luke 21:14-15. The fulfillment of this is recorded in the case of Stephen Acts 6:10, and of Paul, who made Felix “tremble,” Acts 24:25.
Ye shall be hated of all nations - This was fulfilled then, and has been in all ages. It was judged to be a crime to be a Christian. Multitudes for this, and for nothing else, were put to death.
For my name’s sake - On account of attachment to me, or because you bear my “name as Christians.”