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 regard thee not, 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 I will send upon you the promise of my Father;
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 stood by and consented to his death, and kept the clothes of them that slew him.
And when the blood of thy martyr Stephen was shed, I also stood by and consented to his death, and kept the clothes of them that slew him.
And though I give all my substance to feed the poor, and my body to be burnt, and have not charity, I am nothing profited.
I know thy works, and where thou dwellest, even where Satan's seat is: and yet thou holdest fast my name, and hast not denied my faith, even in those days wherein Antipas was my faithful martyr; who was slain among you, where Satan dwelleth.
And I saw the woman drunk with the blood of the 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 the 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 regard thee not, 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 hath spoken blasphemy, what need have we more of witnesses? now ye have heard his blasphemy, what think ye?
And ye are witnesses of these things: and I will send upon you the promise of my Father;
But ye shall receive power from the holy Spirit coming upon you: and ye shall be my witnesses both in Jerusalem, and in all Judea, and Samaria, and to the uttermost part of the earth.
from the baptism of John, till the day that He was taken up from us, should be joined with us as a witness of his resurrection.
and they set up false witnesses; who said, This man is continually speaking blasphemous words against this holy place, and the law.
and cast him out of the city and stoned him: and the witnesses laid down their clothes at the feet of a young man, whose name was Saul.
And when the blood of thy martyr Stephen was shed, I also stood by and consented to his death, and kept the clothes of them that 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 always in my prayers,
If any one that violateth the law of Moses, dieth without mercy under two or three witnesses,
I know thy works, and where thou dwellest, even where Satan's seat is: and yet thou holdest fast my name, and hast not denied my faith, even in those days wherein Antipas was my faithful martyr; who was slain among you, where Satan dwelleth.
And I saw the woman drunk with the blood of the 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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so that ye are witnesses yourselves, that ye are the children of those who killed the prophets:
I know that ye are the seed of Abraham, but ye seek to kill me, because my word hath no place in you.
but now ye seek to kill me, who have told you the truth which I have heard from God: Abraham did not thus.
And when the blood of thy martyr Stephen was shed, I also stood by and consented to his death, and kept the clothes of them that slew him.
and from Jesus Christ, who is the faithful witness, the first-born from the dead, and the ruler of the kings of the earth. To Him that loved us, and washed us from our sins in his own blood,
I know thy works, and where thou dwellest, even where Satan's seat is: and yet thou holdest fast my name, and hast not denied my faith, even in those days wherein Antipas was my faithful martyr; who was slain 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 beginning of the creation of God; I know thy works, that thou art neither cold nor hot:
And I saw the woman drunk with the blood of the saints, and with the blood of the martyrs of Jesus: and when I saw her, I wondered with great amazement.