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 will not hear you, take with you one or two more, that, by the mouth of two or three witnesses, every word may be established.
You are witnesses of these things.
And they stoned Stephen while he was calling on the Lord, and saying: Lord Jesus, receive my spirit.
and that when the blood of Stephen, thy witness, was shed, I also stood by and approved, and kept the clothing of those who slew him.
and that when the blood of Stephen, thy witness, was shed, I also stood by and approved, and kept the clothing of those who slew him.
And though I give all my goods to feed the poor, and though I deliver up my body to be burned, and have not love, I am profited nothing.
I know your works, and where you dwell, even where the throne of Satan is: and yet you hold fast my name, and have not denied my faith, even in those days in which Antipas was my faithful witness, who was slain among you, where Satan dwells.
And I saw the woman drunk with the blood of the saints, and with the blood of the witnesses of Jesus; and when I saw her, I wondered with great astonishment.
And I saw the woman drunk with the blood of the saints, and with the blood of the witnesses of Jesus; and when I saw her, I wondered with great astonishment.
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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But if he will not hear you, take with you one or two more, that, by the mouth of two or three witnesses, every word may be established.
Then the chief priest rent his clothes, and said: He has spoken impiously; what further need have we of witnesses? See now, you have heard his impious words:
You are witnesses of these things.
But you shall receive power, after the Holy Spirit has come upon you, and you shall be witnesses for me both in Jerusalem, and in all Judea, and in Samaria, and to the most distant part of the earth.
beginning from the immersion of John till the day on which he was taken up from us, must one be appointed as a witness with us of his resurrection.
And they brought forward false witnesses, who said: This man ceases not to speak words against this holy place, and the law.
and drove him out of the city, and stoned him. And the witnesses laid down their clothes at the feet of a young man called Saul.
and that when the blood of Stephen, thy witness, was shed, I also stood by and approved, and kept the clothing of those who slew him.
For God is my witness, whom I serve with my spirit in the gospel of his Son, that, without ceasing, I make mention of you,
He that despised Moses law, died without mercy, on the testimony of two or three witnesses:
I know your works, and where you dwell, even where the throne of Satan is: and yet you hold fast my name, and have not denied my faith, even in those days in which Antipas was my faithful witness, who was slain among you, where Satan dwells.
And I saw the woman drunk with the blood of the saints, and with the blood of the witnesses of Jesus; and when I saw her, I wondered with great astonishment.
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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So then you testify against yourselves, that you are the sons of those who killed the prophets.
I know that you are the posterity of Abraham; yet you seek to kill me, because my word has no place in you.
But now you seek to kill me, a man that has spoken to you the truth, which I have heard from God; this Abraham did not.
and that when the blood of Stephen, thy witness, was shed, I also stood by and approved, and kept the clothing of those who slew him.
and from Jesus Christ, who is the faithful witness, the first born from the dead, and the Prince of the kings of the earth. To him that loves us, and that has washed us from our sins in his own blood,
I know your works, and where you dwell, even where the throne of Satan is: and yet you hold fast my name, and have not denied my faith, even in those days in which Antipas was my faithful witness, who was slain among you, where Satan dwells.
And to the angel of the church in Laodicea, write: These things says the Amen, the faithful and true witness, the beginning of the creation of God;
And I saw the woman drunk with the blood of the saints, and with the blood of the witnesses of Jesus; and when I saw her, I wondered with great astonishment.