martys

What it means

Someone who gives testimony about what they have seen or heard. In Acts it is the disciples' job: "You will be witnesses to me" (1:8). The word later took on the sense of one who dies for the testimony, from which "martyr" comes.

Range of meaning

• WitnessOne who testifies.
• MartyrOne who dies for the testimony.

In Acts

• Chapter 1

  "You will be witnesses to me" (1:8, 1:22).

• Chapter 3

  "To which we are witnesses" (3:15).

• Chapter 4

  "With great power the apostles gave their testimony" (4:33).

• Chapter 5

  "We are his witnesses of these things" (5:32).

• Chapter 7

  "The witnesses laid down their garments" (7:58).

• Chapter 22

  "You will be a witness for him to all men" (22:15, 22:20).