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 listen, take with thee one or two more; that by the mouth of two or three witnesses every word may be established.
Ye are witnesses of these things.
and they stoned Stephen, making supplication, and saying, Lord Jesus, receive my spirit.
and when the blood of Stephen, thy witness, was shed, I myself was standing by and consenting, and keeping the garments of those who slew him.
and when the blood of Stephen, thy witness, was shed, I myself was standing by and consenting, and keeping the garments of those who slew him.
And though I bestow all my goods to feed the poor, and though I give up my body that I may be burned, and have not love, it profiteth me nothing.
I know where thou dwellest, where the throne of Satan is; and thou holdest fast my name, and didst not deny my faith, even in the days in which Antipas was my witness, my faithful one, who was slain among you, where Satan dwelleth.
And I saw the woman drunken with the blood of the saints, and with the blood of the witnesses of Jesus. And when I saw her, I wondered with great wonder.
And I saw the woman drunken with the blood of the saints, and with the blood of the witnesses of Jesus. And when I saw her, I wondered with great wonder.
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 do not listen, take with thee one or two more; that by the mouth of two or three witnesses every word may be established.
Then the highpriest rent his garments, saying, He hath spoken blasphemy; what further need have we of witnesses? See! ye have now heard the blasphemy.
Ye are witnesses of these things.
But ye will receive power when the Holy Spirit hath come upon you; and ye will be my witnesses, both in Jerusalem and in all Judaea, and in Samaria, and to the end of the earth.
from the baptism of John until the day when he was taken up from us, must one be made a witness with us of his resurrection.
and set up false witnesses, who said, This man ceaseth not to speak words against the holy place, and the Law.
and having cast him out of the city, they 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 witness, was shed, I myself was standing by and consenting, and keeping 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 constantly I make mention of you, always in my prayers
He that hath set at nought the law of Moses dieth without mercy under two or three witnesses;
I know where thou dwellest, where the throne of Satan is; and thou holdest fast my name, and didst not deny my faith, even in the days in which Antipas was my witness, my faithful one, who was slain among you, where Satan dwelleth.
And I saw the woman drunken with the blood of the saints, and with the blood of the witnesses of Jesus. And when I saw her, I wondered with great wonder.
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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So that ye bear witness against yourselves, that ye are the sons of those who killed the prophets.
I know that ye are Abrahams offspring; but ye seek to kill me, because my word is not received within you.
But now ye seek to kill me, a man that hath spoken to you the truth, which I heard from God; this did not Abraham.
and when the blood of Stephen, thy witness, was shed, I myself was standing by and consenting, and keeping the garments of those who slew him.
and from Jesus Christ, the faithful witness, the firstborn of the dead, and the ruler of the kings of the earth. To him that loveth us, and washed us from our sins in his own blood,
I know where thou dwellest, where the throne of Satan is; and thou holdest fast my name, and didst not deny my faith, even in the days in which Antipas was my witness, my faithful one, who was slain among you, where Satan dwelleth.
And to the angel of the church 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 drunken with the blood of the saints, and with the blood of the witnesses of Jesus. And when I saw her, I wondered with great wonder.