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 do not hearken, take with thee, yet one or two, that, at the mouth of two witnesses or three, every declaration, maybe established;
Ye, are witnesses of these things.
And they stoned Stephen, as he was invoking and saying - Lord Jesus! give welcome unto my spirit.
And, when the blood of Stephen thy witness was being shed, even I myself, was standing by, and approving, and guarding the mantles of them who were slaying him.
And, when the blood of Stephen thy witness was being shed, even I myself, was standing by, and approving, and guarding the mantles of them who were slaying him.
And, though I morsel out all my goods, - and though I deliver up my body, that I may boast, and have not, love, I am profited, nothing.
I know where thou dwellest, where, the throne of Satan, is; and thou art holding fast my name, and didst not deny my faith, even in the days of Antipas, my witness, my faithful one, who was killed near you, where, Satan, dwelleth.
And I saw the woman, drunk with the blood of the saints, and with the blood of the witnesses of Jesus. And I was astonished, when I beheld her, 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 I was astonished, when I beheld her, 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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Moses my servant, is dead, - Now, therefore, arise, pass over this Jordan, thou, and all this people, into the land which I am giving unto them - unto the sons of Israel.
But, if he do not hearken, take with thee, yet one or two, that, at the mouth of two witnesses or three, every declaration, maybe established;
Then, the High-priest rent asunder his garments, saying - He hath spoken profanely! What further need have we, of witnesses? Lo! now, ye have heard the profanity!
Ye, are witnesses of these things.
But ye shall receive power when the Holy Spirit cometh upon you, and ye shall be my witnesses, both in Jerusalem and inall Judaea and Samaria and as far as the uttermost part of the land.
Beginning from the immersion by John until the day when he was taken up from us, that, a witness of his resurrection along with us, should one of these become.
And they set up false witnesses, who said - This man, ceaseth not speaking things against this holy place and the law;
And, thrusting him forth outside the city, proceeded to stone him. And, the witnesses, laid their garments at the feet of a young man named Saul.
And, when the blood of Stephen thy witness was being shed, even I myself, was standing by, and approving, and guarding the mantles of them who were slaying him.
For God is, my witness, - unto whom I am rendering divine service in my spirit, in the glad message of his Son, - how incessantly, I am making mention of you
Any one having set aside a law of Moses, apart from compassions, upon the testimony of two or three witnesses, dieth:
I know where thou dwellest, where, the throne of Satan, is; and thou art holding fast my name, and didst not deny my faith, even in the days of Antipas, my witness, my faithful one, who was killed near you, where, Satan, dwelleth.
And I saw the woman, drunk with the blood of the saints, and with the blood of the witnesses of Jesus. And I was astonished, when I beheld her, 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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Was it not told my lord, what I did when Jezebel was slaying the prophets of Yahweh, - how I hid, of the prophets of Yahweh, a hundred men - by fifties - in caves, and sustained them with bread and water?
So that ye bear witness against yourselves, that ye are, sons, of them who murdered the prophets.
I know that ye are, seed of Abraham; but ye are seeking to kill me, because, my word, findeth no place in you.
But, now, ye are seeking, to kill me, - A man who, the truth, unto you, hath spoken, which I have heard from God: this, Abraham, did not.
And, when the blood of Stephen thy witness was being shed, even I myself, was standing by, and approving, and guarding the mantles of them who were slaying him.
and from - Jesus Christ, - The Faithful Witness, The Firstborn of the Dead, and The Ruler of the Kings of the Earth. Unto him that loveth us, and loosed us out of our sins with his blood, -
I know where thou dwellest, where, the throne of Satan, is; and thou art holding fast my name, and didst not deny my faith, even in the days of Antipas, my witness, my faithful one, who was killed near you, where, Satan, dwelleth.
And, unto the messenger of the assembly, in Laodicea, write: - These things, saith 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 I was astonished, when I beheld her, with great astonishment.