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 does not listen, take one or two more with you, that at the mouth of two or three witnesses every word may be established.
You are witnesses of these things.
They stoned Stephen as he called out, saying, "Lord Jesus, receive my spirit."
When the blood of Stephen, your witness, was shed, I also was standing by, and guarding the cloaks of those who killed him.'
When the blood of Stephen, your witness, was shed, I also was standing by, and guarding the cloaks of those who killed him.'
If I dole out all my goods to feed the poor, and if I surrender my body so that I may boast, but do not have love, it profits me nothing.
"I know where you dwell, where Satan's throne is. You hold firmly to my name, and did not deny my faith even in the days of Antipas my witness, my faithful one, who was killed among you, where Satan dwells.
I saw the woman drunk with the blood of the saints, and with the blood of the martyrs of Jesus. When I saw her, I wondered with great amazement.
I saw the woman drunk with the blood of the saints, and with the blood of the martyrs of Jesus. 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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Moses my servant is dead; now therefore arise, go over this Jordan, you, and all this people, to the land which I give to them, even to the children of Israel.
But if he does not listen, take one or two more with you, that at the mouth of two or three witnesses every word may be established.
Then the high priest tore his clothing, saying, "He has spoken blasphemy. Why do we need any more witnesses? See, now you have heard his blasphemy.
You are witnesses of these things.
But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you. You will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, in all Judea and Samaria, and to the uttermost parts of the earth."
beginning from the baptism of John, to the day that he was received up from us, of these one must become a witness with us of his resurrection."
and set up false witnesses who said, "This man never stops speaking blasphemous words against this holy place and the Law.
They threw him out of the city, and stoned him. The witnesses placed their garments at the feet of a young man named Saul.
When the blood of Stephen, your witness, was shed, I also was standing by, and guarding the cloaks of those who killed him.'
For God is my witness, whom I serve in my spirit in the Good News of his Son, how unceasingly I make mention of you
A man who disregards the Law of Moses dies without compassion on the word of two or three witnesses.
"I know where you dwell, where Satan's throne is. You hold firmly to my name, and did not deny my faith even in the days of Antipas my witness, my faithful one, who was killed among you, where Satan dwells.
I saw the woman drunk with the blood of the saints, and with the blood of the martyrs of Jesus. 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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Wasn't it told my lord what I did when Jezebel killed the prophets of the LORD, how I hid one hundred men of the LORD's prophets with fifty to a cave, and fed them with bread and water?
Therefore you testify to yourselves that you are children of those who killed the prophets.
I know that you are Abraham's seed, yet you seek to kill me, because my word finds no place in you.
But now you seek to kill me, a man who has told you the truth, which I heard from God. Abraham did not do this.
When the blood of Stephen, your witness, was shed, I also was standing by, and guarding the cloaks of those who killed him.'
and from Jesus Christ, the faithful witness, the firstborn of the dead, and the ruler of the kings of the earth. To him who loves us, and freed us from our sins by his blood;
"I know where you dwell, where Satan's throne is. You hold firmly to my name, and did not deny my faith even in the days of Antipas my witness, my faithful one, who was killed among you, where Satan dwells.
"To the angel of the church in Laodicea write: "The Amen, the Faithful and True Witness, the Head of God's creation, says these things:
I saw the woman drunk with the blood of the saints, and with the blood of the martyrs of Jesus. When I saw her, I wondered with great amazement.