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 thee, take with thee one or two more, that by the mouth of two or three witnesses every word may be confirmed.
And ye are the witnesses of these things.
And they stoned Stephen, in the act of prayer, and saying, Lord Jesus, receive my spirit!
and when the blood of Stephen thy martyr was shed, I myself even stood by, and took delight in his execution, and guarded the garments of those who slew him.
and when the blood of Stephen thy martyr was shed, I myself even stood by, and took delight in his execution, and guarded the garments of those who slew him.
And if I deal out all my goods in alms, and deliver up my body that I should be burned, but have not love, I am nothing advantaged by it.
I know thy works and where thou hast thy abode, even where Satan's throne [is erected]: and thou holdest fast my name, and hast not denied my faith, even in those days when Antipas was my faithful martyr, who was put to death among you, where Satan dwelleth.
And I saw the woman drunk with the blood of saints, and with the blood of the martyrs of Jesus: and when I saw her, I wondered with great amazement.
And I saw the woman drunk with the blood of saints, and with the blood of the martyrs of Jesus: and when I saw 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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But if he will not hear thee, take with thee one or two more, that by the mouth of two or three witnesses every word may be confirmed.
Then the high-priest rent his garments, saying, he hath blasphemed: what farther need have we of witnesses? lo! now ye have heard his blasphemy:
And ye are the witnesses of these things.
But ye shall receive power, when the Holy Ghost is come upon you: and ye shall be witnesses for me, both in Jerusalem, and throughout all Judea, and Samaria, and unto the extremity of the earth.
beginning from his baptism by John, until the day in which he was taken up from us, must there be chosen with us a witness of his resurrection, even one of these.
and they set up false witnesses, saying, This man doth not cease speaking blasphemous words against this holy place, and the law:
and dragging him out of the city, stoned him: and the witnesses laid down their garments at the feet of a young man, named Saul.
and when the blood of Stephen thy martyr was shed, I myself even stood by, and took delight in his execution, and guarded the garments of those who slew him.
For God is my witness, whom I serve with my spirit in the Gospel of his Son, how incessantly I make mention of you,
Any man who treated the law of Moses with neglect, was put to death, without mercy, on the deposition of two or three witnesses:
I know thy works and where thou hast thy abode, even where Satan's throne [is erected]: and thou holdest fast my name, and hast not denied my faith, even in those days when Antipas was my faithful martyr, who was put to death among you, where Satan dwelleth.
And I saw the woman drunk with the blood of saints, and with the blood of the martyrs of Jesus: and when I saw 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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Wherefore ye bear a testimony to yourselves, that ye are the children of those who killed 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 hath told you the truth, which I have heard from God. Abraham did not so.
and when the blood of Stephen thy martyr was shed, I myself even stood by, and took delight in his execution, and guarded the garments of those who slew him.
and from Jesus Christ, the faithful witness, and first-born from the dead, and the prince of the kings of the earth: to him who loved us, and washed us from our sins by his blood,
I know thy works and where thou hast thy abode, even where Satan's throne [is erected]: and thou holdest fast my name, and hast not denied my faith, even in those days when Antipas was my faithful martyr, who was put to death among you, where Satan dwelleth.
And to the angel of the church of the Laodiceans write, These things saith the Amen, the faithful and true witness, the origin of the creation of God;
And I saw the woman drunk with the blood of saints, and with the blood of the martyrs of Jesus: and when I saw her, I wondered with great amazement.