Reference: Martyr
American
A witness, Mt 18:16; Lu 24:48; in ecclesiastical history, "a witness, by the shedding of his blood, in testifying to the truth." Thus martyrs are distinguished from "confessors," properly so called, who underwent great afflictions for their confession of the truth, but without suffering death. The term "martyr" occurs only thrice in the New Testament, Ac 22:20; Re 2:13; 17:6. Since the time of Stephen, Ac 7:59; 22:20, myriads of martyrs have sealed the truth of Christianity by a painful death; which they willingly endured through faith, rather than to deny Christ, and which they often eagerly desired as a special privilege. It is doubtless possible to be put to death as a Christian, without real love for Christ, 1Co 13:3; but in general "the noble army of the martyrs" have borne a true and overwhelming testimony to the power and preciousness of faith in Christ; and their blood witnesses before God against their foes, especially against that apostate church which is "drunken with the blood of the martyrs of Jesus," Re 17:6.
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But if he should not hear, take with thee one or two besides, so that at the mouth of two or three witnesses every word may be established.
And ye are witnesses of these things.
And they stoned Stephen, who was calling and saying, Lord Jesus, receive my spirit.
And when the blood of Stephen thy witness was shed, I myself also was standing by, and approving his killing, and keeping the garments of those who killed him.
And when the blood of Stephen thy witness was shed, I myself also was standing by, and approving his killing, and keeping the garments of those who killed him.
And if I dole out all things possessed by me, and if I deliver my body so that I may be burned, and have not love, I benefit nothing.
I know thy works, and where thou dwell, where Satan's throne is. And thou hold firm my name, and did not deny my faith in the days in which Antipas was my faithful witness, who was killed among you where Satan dwells.
And I saw the woman drunken from the blood of the sanctified, and from the blood of the witnesses of Jesus. And having seen her, I wondered with great amazement.
And I saw the woman drunken from the blood of the sanctified, and from the blood of the witnesses of Jesus. And having seen her, I wondered with great amazement.
Easton
one who bears witness of the truth, and suffers death in the cause of Christ (Ac 22:20; Re 2:13; 17:6). In this sense Stephen was the first martyr. The Greek word so rendered in all other cases is translated "witness." (1.) In a court of justice (Mt 18:16; 26:65; Ac 6:13; 7:58; Heb 10:28; 1Ti 5:19). (2.) As of one bearing testimony to the truth of what he has seen or known (Lu 24:48; Ac 1:8,22; Ro 1:9; 1Th 2:5,10; 1Jo 1:2).
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Moses my servant is dead. Now therefore arise, go over this Jordan, thou, and all this people, to the land which I give to them, even to the sons of Israel.
But if he should not hear, take with thee one or two besides, so that at the mouth of two or three witnesses every word may be established.
Then the high priest tore his garments, saying, He has blasphemed. What further need have we of witnesses? Behold, now ye heard his blasphemy.
And ye are witnesses of these things.
But ye will receive the power of the Holy Spirit that comes upon you. And ye will be witnesses to me both in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and as far as of the extremity of the earth.
having begun from the immersion of John to the day that he was taken up from us, for one of these to become a witness with us of his resurrection.
And they put forward FALSE witnesses who said, This man does not cease speaking blasphemous sayings against the holy place, and the law.
And having expelled him out of the city, they stoned him. And the witnesses laid down their garments beside the feet of a young man called Saul.
And when the blood of Stephen thy witness was shed, I myself also was standing by, and approving his killing, and keeping the garments of those who killed him.
For God is my witness whom I serve in my spirit in the good-news of his Son, how unceasingly I make mention of you always in my prayers,
Any man who has disregarded the law of Moses dies without mercies from two or three witnesses.
I know thy works, and where thou dwell, where Satan's throne is. And thou hold firm my name, and did not deny my faith in the days in which Antipas was my faithful witness, who was killed among you where Satan dwells.
And I saw the woman drunken from the blood of the sanctified, and from the blood of the witnesses of Jesus. And having seen her, I wondered with great amazement.
Hastings
Morish
The Greek word is ??????, and is very frequently translated 'witness;' a martyr is one who meets with death because of the witness he bears. Stephen was a martyr, Ac 22:20; also Antipas, Re 2:13. The 'two witnesses ' in Rev. 11 will also be martyrs, and Babylon the Great is charged with being drunken "with the blood of the martyrs of Jesus." Re 17:6. The history of the church records the faithfulness of many of these. There can be no doubt that many of the O.T. saints also died as martyrs. Jezebel cut off the prophets of Jehovah. 1Ki 18:13. The Lord charged the Pharisees with being the children of them which killed the prophets, Mt 23:31; and in the "cloud of witnesses" spoken of in Heb. 11, were some of whom it is said "others were tortured lit. broken on the wheel, not accepting deliverance," as many martyrs since then might have saved their lives by denying their faith. Christ Himself was the faithful and true witness, Re 1:5; 3:14; and He said to His persecutors, "Ye seek to kill me, because my word hath no place in you . . . . ye seek to kill me, a man that hath told you the truth." Joh 8:37,40. Thus the Lord Jesus was the true Martyr, though His death comprehended much more than dying as a martyr, namely, atonement.
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Was it not told my lord what I did when Jezebel killed the prophets of LORD, how I hid a hundred men of LORD's prophets by fifties in a cave, and fed them with bread and water?
So then ye testify to yourselves that ye are sons of those who murdered the prophets.
I know that ye are Abraham's seed, yet ye seek to kill me, because my word has no place in you.
But now ye seek to kill me, a man who has told you the truth that I heard from God. Abraham did not do this.
And when the blood of Stephen thy witness was shed, I myself also was standing by, and approving his killing, and keeping the garments of those who killed him.
and from Jesus Christ, the faithful witness, the firstborn of the dead, and the ruler of the kings of the earth. To him who loves us and washed us from our sins by his blood
I know thy works, and where thou dwell, where Satan's throne is. And thou hold firm my name, and did not deny my faith in the days in which Antipas was my faithful witness, who was killed among you where Satan dwells.
And to the agent of the congregation in Laodicea write, These things says the Truly, the faithful and TRUE witness, the primacy of the creation of God:
And I saw the woman drunken from the blood of the sanctified, and from the blood of the witnesses of Jesus. And having seen her, I wondered with great amazement.