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 the remonstrances of two or three persons may have its effect.
you are witnesses of these things.
Thus they stoned Stephen, while he was calling upon God, and saying, "Lord Jesus, receive my spirit."
that I was present, when the blood of thy martyr Stephen was shed, that I abetted the slaughter, and watch'd the clothes of those who slew him.
that I was present, when the blood of thy martyr Stephen was shed, that I abetted the slaughter, and watch'd the clothes of those who slew him.
and tho' I distribute my whole substance to the poor, and give my body to be burned, and have not social affection, it profits me nothing.
I know thy works, and where thou dwellest, even where the throne of satan is: thou maintainest my name, and hast not renounced your faith in me, even at a time when Antipas my faithful martyr was slain among you, where Satan dwells.
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 wondred with great admiration.
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 wondred with great admiration.
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, then take with thee one or two more, that the remonstrances of two or three persons may have its effect.
then the high priest rent his clothes, saying, he has spoke blasphemy; what further need have we of witnesses? you yourselves have now heard his blasphemy.
you are witnesses of these things.
but ye shall receive the influence of the holy spirit, which will descend upon you: and ye shall be witnesses for me, in Jerusalem, in all Judea, and in Samaria, and to the remotest part of the earth.
from his baptism by John, to the day of his assumption, we should chuse one to be a witness with us of his resurrection.
where they produc'd false witnesses, who said, this man is continually inveighing against the holy place, and against the law.
then they dragg'd him out of the city, and stoned him: the false witnesses having laid down their clothes at a young man's feet, whose name was Saul.
that I was present, when the blood of thy martyr Stephen was shed, that I abetted the slaughter, and watch'd the clothes of those who slew him.
for God is my witness, to whom I am entirely devoted, in preaching the gospel of his son, that I constantly make mention of you, in my prayers, requesting,
He that by two or three witnesses was convicted of violating Moses's law, was put to death without mercy.
I know thy works, and where thou dwellest, even where the throne of satan is: thou maintainest my name, and hast not renounced your faith in me, even at a time when Antipas my faithful martyr was slain among you, where Satan dwells.
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 wondred with great admiration.
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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whereby you yourselves own that ye are indeed the children of those who killed the prophets,
I know you are Abraham's offspring; but ye seek to kill me, because my doctrine doth not penetrate into you.
but now ye seek to kill me, the man who has told you the truth, such as I have learnt it of God: Abraham did not act thus.
that I was present, when the blood of thy martyr Stephen was shed, that I abetted the slaughter, and watch'd the clothes of those who slew him.
and from Jesus Christ, who is the faithful witness, the first-born of the dead, and the prince of the kings of the earth: unto him that loved us, and washed us from our sins by his own blood,
I know thy works, and where thou dwellest, even where the throne of satan is: thou maintainest my name, and hast not renounced your faith in me, even at a time when Antipas my faithful martyr was slain among you, where Satan dwells.
And unto the angel of the church of the Laodiceans, write, "these things saith the 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 wondred with great admiration.