About…
martyrs for Jesus Christ in the Bible
other forms: martyred, martyrdom
Greek: μάρτυς —transliteration: mártys, martyres or martus —meaning in ancient Greek and Modern: a witness —occurrences: 35 —Latin: martyris —English spelling: martyr (first known use was before the 12th century)
Greek: μαρτυρέω —transliteration: martureó —meaning: to bear witness; testify; I testify —occurrences: 76
In the Greek New Testament, the word mártys literally means “witness.” However, a Christian “martyr” has come to mean one who not only bears witness of the truth, but also suffers death in the cause of Christ.
In this sense, Stephen was the first martyr.
The English word “martyr” occurs 3 times in the King James Version and the New King James Version (Acts 22:10; Rev. 2:13; 17:6), but does not appear at all in the text of some newer translations such as the NASB and LSB which provide the literally accurate translation “witness.”
“Martyr” does appear one time in some English translation of Revelation 17:6 (“the blood of the martyrs [Greek: martus] of Jesus”) in the New King James Version (Rev. 17:6 NKJV), the English Standard Version (Rev. 17:6 ESV), ASV, and some others.
The New International Version uses “martyr” once (Acts 22:20 NIV).
The bottomline is that the Greek word(s) involved are used 111 times in the original Greek New Testament, and are almost never translated as “martyr,” but rather as “witness” in all English Bibles, as is appropriate.
Christ’s disciples were witnesses of Him.
“…you shall be My witnesses both in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and even to the end of the earth.” —Acts 1:8 excerpt
“…become a witness with us of His resurrection.” —Acts 1:22 excerpt
“and the life [Jesus Christ, the Word of Life] was manifested, and we have seen and bear witness and proclaim to you the eternal life, which was with the Father and was manifested to us” —1 John 1:2
Witnesses for Christ, all murdered—and many tortured—due to their faith
Bearing testimony to the truth of what they have seen or known about Jesus Christ to the end:
- Stephen (stoned)
- James the greater, son of Zebedee and Salome (martyred by sword by King Herod Agrippa I — Acts 12:1-2)
- Paul (beheaded, attested by Ignatius of Antioch, Clement of Rome, Tertullian, and others)
- Peter (crucified, attested by Tertullian)
- Andrew (reportedly crucified)
- Bartholomew (reportedly beheaded or flayed alive)
- James the lesser (martyred)
- James, the brother of Jesus (stoned, attested by Josephus)
- Philip (reportedly crucified)
- Matthias (reportedly martyred by burning or stoning)
- Matthew (reportedly speared)
- Mark
- Thomas (aka Didymus) (reportedly speared)
- Jude (aka Thaddeus, Thaddaeus) (reportedly crucified 72 AD)
- Simon, the Zealot (reportedly crucified, or otherwise martyred)
- Antipas—early martyr (reportedly cooked alive in Pergamum)
- History reports that numerous Christians in Rome where martyred in horrible ways by Emperor Nero / Later Emperors Domitian and Diocletian killed many more
- Ignatius of Antioch (thrown to the lions in Rome)
- John the Baptist (beheaded)
- Polycarp of Smyrna—early church leader (reportedly burned and stabbed)—see: “Polycarp” movie review
- Justin Martyr—early church leader
- Cyprian—early church leader
- For more, see:
—The Martyr’s Mirror
—Fox’s Book of Martyrs online: Bible Study Tools edition and Gutenbert edition, both edited by William Byron Forbush
The Voice of the Martyrs
More information
- About witnesses in the Bible
- persecution
- perseverance of the saints
- What is a true Biblical Christian?
- Persecuted church—Why and how should we pray for suffering Christians? Answer
- witness
- witness of the Spirit
- testimony
- truth
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