Witness
μάρτυςStrong’s G3144martus
Appears in 35 verses of the New Testament
In short
Martus is the Greek word usually translated “witnesses”, “witness” and “as witness”. It appears in 35 verses of the New Testament.
“Against an elder receive not an accusation, but before two or three witnesses.”
Meaning
Usually translated “witnesses”, “witness” and “as witness”. Open the dictionary entry below for the full range of meaning, with the verses it cites.
How it's translated
- witnesses 19
- witness 8
- of witnesses 3
- a witness 3
- to witnesses 1
- as witness 1
Word-by-word English from the STEPBible tagged text.
Where it's used most
- Acts 13
- Revelation 5
- Matthew 2
- Luke 2
- 2 Corinthians 2
- 1 Thessalonians 2
13 books in all.
Explore in Scripture
- 1 Timothy 6:12In contextFight the good fight of faith, lay hold on eternal life, whereunto thou art also called, and hast professed a good profession before many witnesses.
- Matthew 18:16But if he will not hear thee, then take with thee one or two more, that in the mouth of two or three witnesses every word may be established.
- Matthew 26:65Then the high priest rent his clothes, saying, He hath spoken blasphemy; what further need have we of witnesses? behold, now ye have heard his blasphemy.
- Mark 14:63Then the high priest rent his clothes, and saith, What need we any further witnesses?
- Luke 11:48Truly ye bear witness that ye allow the deeds of your fathers: for they indeed killed them, and ye build their sepulchres.
- Luke 24:48And ye are witnesses of these things.
All 35 verses, by book
Greek dictionary
μάρτυς martus · witness
μάρτυς (Æolic μάρτυρ), -υρος, ὁ (also ἡ), [in LXX for עֵד ;] a witness: Act.10:41, 1Ti.6:12, 2Ti.2:2, Heb.12:1 (Westc., in l); in forensic sense, Mat.18:16 26:65, Mrk.14:63, Act.6:13 7:58, 2Co.13:1, 1Ti.5:19, Heb.10:28; with genitive obj., Luk.24:48, Act.1:22 2:32 3:15 5:32 10:39 26:16, 1Pe.5:1; with genitive poss., Act.1:8 13:31, Rev.11:3; with dative of person(s), Luk.11:48, Act.22:15; of Christ, Rev.1:5 3:14; of God, Rom.1:9, 2Co.1:23, Php.1:8, 1Th.2:5 2:10; of those who have witnessed for Christ by their death (in later Xn. lit., martyr: Swete, Ap., 35), Act.22:20, Rev.2:13 17:6.† (AS)
From STEPBible’s Greek lexicon (based on Abbott-Smith).
Webster's 1828 Dictionary
How the English word “witness” was understood when the King James Version was still the common Bible of English readers.
WITNESS, noun
- Testimony; attestation of a fact or event.“If I bear witness of myself, my witness is not true” John 5:31
- That which furnishes evidence or proof.“Laban said, this heap is a witness between me and thee this day” Genesis 31:48
- A person who knows or sees any thing; one personally present; as, he was witness; he was an eye-witness. 1 Peter 5:1
- One who sees the execution of an instrument, and subscribes it for the purpose of confirming its authenticity b his testimony.
All definitions and other forms of “witness”
- One who gives testimony; as, the witnesses in court agreed in all essential facts.
WITNESS, verb transitive
- To see or know by personal presence.
- To attest; to give testimony to; to testify to something.“Behold, how many things they witness against thee” Mark 15:4
- To see the execution of an instrument, and subscribe it for the purpose of establishing its authenticity; as, to witness a bond or a deed.
WITNESS, verb intransitive
- To bear testimony.“The men of Belial witnessed against him, even against Naboth” 1 Kings 21:13
- To give evidence.“The shew of their countenance doth witness against them” Isaiah 3:9
Noah Webster, An American Dictionary of the English Language (1828). Verse references are checked against the KJV. Read the full entry.
Verses are from the King James Version. Word meanings come from the original Greek, not from any one translation.