John Calvin Commentary Acts 5:42

"And every day, in the temple and at home, they ceased not to teach and to preach Jesus [as] the Christ." — Acts 5:42 (ASV)

They ceased not. Constancy also accompanied their Joy. For why are we discouraged by persecution, except because no one lifts himself up to Christ, to grasp in his mind the fruit of victory and so be spurred on to patience?

But the man who regards himself as happy when he suffers for Christ’s sake will never lose heart, though he must suffer hard conflicts. Therefore, the apostles were, in a way, armed by stripes, so that they valiantly hastened toward death.

Therefore, woe to our daintiness—to us who, after suffering a little persecution, quickly surrender the light to another, as if we were already old, worn-out soldiers.