My fellow believers, we know that you sincerely believed the message from God, because the manner in which you acted was just like the manner in which the congregations in Judea acted. They also worship God, and they ◄have a close relationship with/are united to► Christ Jesus. Specifically, you endured it when your own countrymen mistreated you because you believe the message from God, in the same manner that those Jewish believers in Judea endured it when the Jews who do not believe in Christ mistreated them.