# Hans Knevel, A. D. 1572. · Page 2 of 2 [Previous page: HANS KNEVEL, A. D. 1572.](/en/stories/mm-hans-knevel-a-d-1572/) · [Book contents](/en/sources/martyrs-mirror/#book-contents) · [Next page: MATTHEUS BERNAERTS, CALLED MATTHEUS VAN LINCKEN, ADRIAEN ROGIERS, MAERTEN VAN DER STRATEN, AND DINGENTGEN OF HONSCHOTEN, A. D, 1572.](/en/stories/mm-mattheus-bernaerts-called-mattheus-van-lincken-adriaen-rogiers-maerten-van-der-straten-and-dingentgen-of-honschoten-a-d/) Hans said that he was well satisfied, and thus they parted. Afterwards these prisoners of the Lord were for three consecutive days brought before a priest, who endeavored with all his might to make them believe his false doctrine, telling them many things concerning their old custom, which this friend of God did not deem worthy to write to his friends. The priest especially made many words over Rom. 13, by which he wanted to justify the murdering and slaying perpetrated by the Romish church, saying that the magistracy did not bear the sword in vain, and that it must therefore be obeyed. Hans replied that he was willing to obey the magistracy in custom, taxes and the like; but that the priest ought to be ashamed, that he sought to justify their wicked murdering and burning even by the Scriptures; asking him where Christ and his apostles had ever done this: He further asked the priest why he had come to him. The priest answered: “To win your soul.” Hans Knevel told him, if he sought to win souls, to go around in the city, in the brothels, 900 the tippling houses, tennis-courts, and to those who shed so much innocent blood, and to seek to win their souls. His own soul Christ had already won. Thus this prisoner disputed five different times with the priest. Afterwards he was put upon the rack several times; but the Lord his God; in whose grace he trusted, faithfully succored him according to his promise. When he again appeared before the lords, he was severely upbraided, why he refused to hear the learned men whom they had sent. Hans replied: “Your learned men wanted to make me believe in infant baptism, of which the Scriptures no where speak; and he offered to show the lords the Scriptures relating to the true Christian baptism; but the lords did not wish to hear it, claiming not to understand the matter. Hans asked how they then dared judge such an important matter, involving body and soul, and which they, according to their own saying, did not understand. Having been severely confined for about nine days in the Emperor’s Chair, he was again summoned before the margrave, and the clerk of the criminal court. The margrave told him that he had received a letter from the Duke, with the import that the prisoner must be examined still further or more rigorously. Hans replied that he could not give them any further information. Hence he had to go upon the rack again. When they could obtain nothing else from him, they released him from the rack. Hans said: “How can you torment us thus, when no one complains of us, that we have injured any one?” The margrave said: “You will not obey the authorities.” Hans replied: “We will gladly obey the authorities in all taxes, customs and excises; yea, we should be sorry, if we should withhold from the authorities one stiver of what is their due.” They then compared him to the Munsterites. Hans said that his faith was as different from the Munsterite sect, as heaven is from the earth. And after they had finished tormenting tempting and otherwise maltreating him according to their pleasure, and he the prisoner, was in no wise to be moved, since he was firmly built upon the corner-stone Christ Jesus, he was burned at the stake, in the market place at Antwerp, about the year 1572, confirming the faith of the truth with his death and blood, for an instructive and perpetual example to all true Christians; for he has fought the fight, finished his course, obtained the crown of eternal glory through the grace of God, and now rests with all his fellow combatants that have lawfully striven (2 Tim. 2:5), under the altar of Christ Jesus. This account we have chiefly taken from Hans Knevel’s own letter, which he wrote at Antwerp, from prison, to his dear brother Steven Janss Dilburgh! and his wife Leentjen at Hamburg; in which he communicates at length the firm foundation of his faith and living hope in God’s grace and blessed promises, which we, to avoid prolixity, have omitted, even as we have also done with a large number of similar writings. Persecuted, but not forsaken. 2 Cor. 4:9. ## Original source [Read this passage on Project Gutenberg](https://www.gutenberg.org/cache/epub/65855/pg65855-images.html#Page_900) [Edition details](https://www.gutenberg.org/ebooks/65855) [Previous page: HANS KNEVEL, A. D. 1572.](/en/stories/mm-hans-knevel-a-d-1572/) · [Book contents](/en/sources/martyrs-mirror/#book-contents) · [Next page: MATTHEUS BERNAERTS, CALLED MATTHEUS VAN LINCKEN, ADRIAEN ROGIERS, MAERTEN VAN DER STRATEN, AND DINGENTGEN OF HONSCHOTEN, A. D, 1572.](/en/stories/mm-mattheus-bernaerts-called-mattheus-van-lincken-adriaen-rogiers-maerten-van-der-straten-and-dingentgen-of-honschoten-a-d/) --- Page: https://history.truechristian.church/en/stories/mm-hans-knevel-a-d-1572/part-2/ [Contribute a correction or addition](https://github.com/trueChristian/history.truechristian.church/issues/new?title=Correction%3A+Hans+Knevel%2C+A.+D.+1572.+%C2%B7+Page+2+of+2&body=%23%23+Page+or+topic%0AHans+Knevel%2C+A.+D.+1572.+%C2%B7+Page+2+of+2%0A%0APage%3A+https%3A%2F%2Fhistory.truechristian.church%2Fen%2Fstories%2Fmm-hans-knevel-a-d-1572%2Fpart-2%2F%0A%0ARecord%3A+mm-hans-knevel-a-d-1572--b00003-o000000%0A%0ADate+currently+shown%3A+1572%0A%0A%23%23+Correction+or+addition%0A%0A%0A%0A%23%23+Sources+and+evidence%0APlease+include+book%2Fpage+references%2C+archive+links%2C+or+first-hand+documentation.%0A%0A%0A%0A%23%23+Image+credit+%28if+applicable%29%0ACreator%2C+source%2C+and+permission+or+public-domain+basis.%0A%0A%0A%0ASubmitted+for+review%3B+this+issue+does+not+publish+changes+automatically.)