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, then take with thee one or two more that in the mouth of two or three witnesses every word may be established.
And ye are witnesses of these things.
And they stoned Stephen calling upon God and saying, Lord Jesus, receive my spirit.
and when the blood of thy martyr Stephen was shed, I also was standing by and consenting unto his death and kept the raiment of those that slew him.
and when the blood of thy martyr Stephen was shed, I also was standing by and consenting unto his death and kept the raiment of those that slew him.
And though I bestow all my goods to feed the poor and though I give my body to be burned and have not charity, it profits me nothing.
I know thy works and where thou dwellest, even where Satan's throne is, and thou holdest fast my name and hast not denied my faith, even in those days in which Antipas was my faithful witness, , who was slain among you, where Satan dwellest.
And I saw the woman drunken with the blood of the saints and with the blood of the martyrs of Jesus; and when I saw her, I marvelled with great surprise.
And I saw the woman drunken with the blood of the saints and with the blood of the martyrs of Jesus; and when I saw her, I marvelled with great surprise.
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 slave, is dead; now, therefore, arise, pass this Jordan, thou and all this people, unto the land which I give to the sons of Israel.
But if he will not hear thee, then take with thee one or two more that in the mouth of two or three witnesses every word may be established.
Then the high priest rent his clothes, saying, He has spoken blasphemy; what further need have we of witnesses? Behold, now ye have heard his blasphemy.
And ye are witnesses of these things.
But ye shall receive the virtue of the Holy Spirit which shall come upon you, and ye shall be witnesses unto me both in Jerusalem and in all Judaea and in Samaria and unto the uttermost part of the earth.
beginning from the baptism of John unto that same day that he was received on high from among us, that one must be ordained to be a witness with us of his resurrection.
and set up false witnesses, who said, This man does not cease to speak blasphemous words against this holy place and the law,
and casting him out of the city, they stoned him; and the witnesses laid down their clothes at a young man's feet, whose name was Saul.
and when the blood of thy martyr Stephen was shed, I also was standing by and consenting unto his death and kept the raiment of those that slew him.
For God is my witness, whom I serve in my spirit in the gospel of his Son, that without ceasing I always remember you in my prayers,
He that despised the law of Moses died without mercy under two or three witnesses:
I know thy works and where thou dwellest, even where Satan's throne is, and thou holdest fast my name and hast not denied my faith, even in those days in which Antipas was my faithful witness, , who was slain among you, where Satan dwellest.
And I saw the woman drunken with the blood of the saints and with the blood of the martyrs of Jesus; and when I saw her, I marvelled with great surprise.
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 slew the prophets of the LORD, how I hid one hundred men of the LORD's prophets in groups of fifty in caves and sustained them with bread and water?
Therefore ye are witnesses unto yourselves that ye are the sons of those who murdered the prophets.
I know that ye are Abraham's seed, but ye seek to kill me because my word has no place in you.
But now ye seek to kill me, a man that has told you the truth, which I have heard of God; Abraham did not do this.
and when the blood of thy martyr Stephen was shed, I also was standing by and consenting unto his death and kept the raiment of those that slew him.
and from Jesus, the Christ, who is the faithful witness and the first begotten of the dead and the prince of the kings of the earth. Unto him that loved us and washed us from our sins with his own blood
I know thy works and where thou dwellest, even where Satan's throne is, and thou holdest fast my name and hast not denied my faith, even in those days in which Antipas was my faithful witness, , who was slain among you, where Satan dwellest.
And unto the angel of the congregation of the Laodiceans write; Behold, he who saith, Amen, the faithful and true witness, the beginning of the creation of God:
And I saw the woman drunken with the blood of the saints and with the blood of the martyrs of Jesus; and when I saw her, I marvelled with great surprise.