The English word “martyr” originated from the ancient Greek word for “witness”: someone who gives legal testimony or evidence in a court of law.

Thayer: μάρτυς, martus, mar’-toos
Of uncertain affinity; a witness (literally [judicially] or figuratively [generally]); by analogy a “martyr”

I disagree with Professor Joseph Henry Thayer. A witness does not become a martyr by analogy. A faithful witness really becomes a martyr when he is really murdered in order to silence his real testimony. In the biblical cases, martyrdom was supposed to kill off all testament to the new covenant.

Jesus witnessed to God’s chosen people by way of the Holy Spirit, while He was still in the land of old covenant laws (John 3:34). The Holy Spirit witnessed directly to and through all God’s chosen people in the new covenant (Romans 8:16, Acts 2). Most or all of the 12 Jewish apostles and Paul became martyrs during their transition of covenants. Martyr means witness in Greek. In English it has come to mean a special kind of witness. It means a witness who was murdered for their faithful testimony. Murder is not legal in either covenant.

The actual new testament arrival became very threatening to the old testament status quo, even though it was promised to be a blessing to them. The truth was very offensive to those religious leaders, even before their promised new covenant got started. They murdered Jesus while He was doing good works in their old covenant. The illegal prosecution was very kangaroo like. Their indictment and their verdict were real leaps away from their faith. False witnesses were contrary to their God given law. Only truthful testimony was lawful.

John 8:44

LITV ⁴⁴ You are of the Devil as father, and the lusts of your father you desire to do. That one was a murderer from the beginning, and he has not stood in the truth, because there is no truth in him. When he speaks a lie, he speaks from his own, because he is a liar, and the father of it.

When the context indicates that a true witness was murdered for His faithfulness (often by those who knew the same beliefs), we choose the English word ‘martyr’ in the place of ‘testify’ or ‘witness’. Three out of 33 times KJV chose to use the word martyr rather than witness. The new testament was confirmed by all the Jews who remained faithful, not just Jesus. Other Jews accepted His belief. The false witnesses were busy telling lies.

Nevertheless, Jesus’ witness led them to their new testament. As did His martyrdom. He specifically chose 12 Jews to continue to testify to His covenant resurrection. They all witnessed His old covenant death and His new covenant resurrection. He and they were murdered by the will of their own brethren, for declaring God’s true will. It wasn’t an entirely new will. Eternal life was always God’s will. And from the beginning, Cain willed murder for his own brother. Because Able was approved through his sacrifice. Jesus’ sacrifice spoke a better word than Able’s. Jesus cried out for brotherly forgiveness in His martyrdom. As did Stephen. Able’s blood cried out from the land and Cain was summarily banished for it. The transition martyrs eventually cried out for vengeance from heaven. Why the delay? When would the murderers be killed or banished for what the did?

Jesus’ eternal inheritance was willed to His people by way of His covenant renewal. The old covenant willed death to Jesus. Jesus reluctantly accepted His own death at the hands of his own brethren, because His Father willed it too. There was no other way for God’s people to live in His kingdom. They needed Jesus’ resurrection to save them. Jesus’ will wasn’t an entirely new revelation to His people. His appearance for salvation was obviously foretold. He was the main reason they were back in the land.

Matthew 24:33-36

LITV ³³ so also you, when you see all these things, know that it is near at the doors [gates]. ³⁴ Truly I say to you, In no way will this generation pass away until all these things have occurred. ³⁵ The [old creation] heaven and the earth will pass away, but My words will never ever pass away. ³⁶ But as to that day and that hour, no one knows, neither the angels of Heaven, except My Father only.

The reluctance to use the word gate is very abnormal. Sheep in the field aren’t kept safe behind closed doors. Matthew 24 speaks of the destruction of the old covenant temple. The Romans actually surrounded Jerusalem before the temple was demolished. They had drawn near to the city gates, not the city doors. The Shepherd of the sheep had previously entered the city gates to rescue the sheep from their old covenant death. He laid down His life for the sheep. After His resurrection He entered Jerusalem and walked through a locked door. His believers locked the door for fear of the unbelievers not to keep Jesus out. When the true Shepherd of the sheep returned to Jerusalem with Titus, there were no sheep left to appear to for encouragement. The wolves in sheep’s clothing were all being judged as hypocrites. They wouldn’t open the door or the gate for the Messiah. The hired hands drove the sheep out of their homes and out of the city gates before the chief shepherd arrived. They were judged for their criminally opportunistic pasturing of God’s people. The Romans didn’t just knock on the closed gates. They knocked them down. The time for standing at the gate and knocking was over.

John 10:2

KJV ² But he that entereth in by the door [gate] is the shepherd of the sheep.

Paul became a new testament to the nations. That wasn’t entirely new either. The 12 tribes in diaspora had been testifying to the nations for centuries. That the Jewish blessing would overflow to all the nations was also foretold in the Torah. Vengeance for these truth tellers who cried out from heaven was put on hold till the full number of martyrs came in. That short delay put them off. Of course the martyrs didn’t lack the belief of Jesus. They just didn’t understand the first century delay. Only Jesus was face to face with the One who knew the day and the hour. In the end God was even more gracious than the martyrs.

1 Timothy 2:3-7 [Paul was a true Jewish witness]

YLT ³ for this is right and acceptable before God our Savior, ⁴ who doth will all men to be saved, and to come to the full knowledge of the truth; ⁵ for one is God, one also is mediator of God and of men, the man Christ Jesus, ⁶ who did give himself a ransom for all—the testimony in its own times— ⁷ in regard to which I was set a preacher and apostle—truth I say in Christ, I do not lie—a teacher of nations, in faith and truth.

John 3:31-36

 ³¹ He who comes from above is over all: He who is of the land is of the land, and speaks of the land: whoever comes from the heavens is over all. ³² And what he see and hears, He witnesses; and no one accepts his witness: ³³ whoever accepts his witness sets his seal that Elohim is true: ³⁴ for He whom Elohim apostolizes speaks the word of Elohim: for Elohim gives Him not the Spirit by measure. ³⁵ The Father loves the Son and gives all into His hand. ³⁶ He who trusts in the Son has eternal life: and he who distrusts the Son sees not life; but the wrath of Elohim abides on him [There were only two ways to end the old covenant: in Holy Spirit rebirth or in wrath. Only Jesus received the Holy Spirit in the old covenant. Before the resurrection, everyone else was on the legal track for wrath].

Romans 8:11-13

CLV ¹¹ Now if the Spirit of Him Who rouses Jesus from among the dead [out of dead ones] is making its home in you, He Who rouses Christ Jesus from among the dead [out of dead ones] will also be vivifying your mortal bodies because of His Spirit making its home in you.” ¹² Consequently, then, brethren, debtors are we, not to the flesh, to be living in accord with flesh, ¹³ for if you are living in accord with flesh, you are about to be dying. Yet if, in Spirit, you are putting the practices of the body to death, you will be living.”

Romans 8:13-16

YLT ¹³ for if according to the flesh ye do live, ye are about to die; and if, by the Spirit, the deeds of the body ye put to death, ye shall live; ¹⁴ for as many as are led by the Spirit of God, these are the sons of God; ¹⁵ for ye did not receive a spirit of bondage again for fear, but ye did receive a spirit of adoption [sonship is a better translation. Holy Spirit birth into the family is essentially different than adoption] in which we cry, `Abba—Father.’ ¹⁶ The Spirit himself doth testify with our spirit, that we are children of God;

If you raise an adopted child he has to be born again not adopted again.

John 3:3-9

LITV ³ Jesus answered and said to him, Truly, truly, I say to you, if one does not receive birth from above, he is not able to see the kingdom of God. ⁴ Nicodemus said to Him, How is a man able to be born [not adopted], being old? He is not able to enter into his mother’s womb a second time and be born? ⁵ Jesus answered, Truly, truly, I say to you, if one does not receive birth [not adoption] out of water and Spirit, he is not able to enter into the kingdom of God. ⁶ That receiving birth from the flesh is flesh, and that receiving birth from the Spirit is spirit [a flesh body comes from a flesh birth. A spirit body comes from a Spirit birth]. ⁷ Do not wonder because I told you, You must receive birth from above. ⁸ The Spirit breathes where He desires, and you hear His voice; but you do not know from where He comes, and where He goes; so is everyone who has received birth from the Spirit. ⁹ Nicodemus answered and said to Him, How can these things come about?

John 3:10-12 [answered a faithful Jewish witness]

ECB ¹⁰ Yah Shua answers him, saying, You, a doctor of Yisra El, and know these not? ¹¹ Amen! Amen! I word to you, We speak what we know, and witness what we see; and you take not our witness: ¹² if I say to you of the earthly, and you trust not, how trust you, whenever I say to you of the heavenlies?

1 John 1:3 [declared a faithful Jewish witness]

YLT ³ that which we have seen and heard declare we to you, that ye also may have fellowship with us, and our fellowship is with the Father, and with His Son Jesus Christ;

The martyrs all left their flesh and blood body behind. It was their own flesh and blood who martyred them. The martyrs completed their covenant transition of bodies from heaven. They were safely waiting for the completion of salvation. Their work of witnessing was done and their transition sacrifice was accepted. The gave up their old covenant life in death and were about to arrive to the age alive.

Revelation 6:9-11

ECB ⁹
THE FIFTH SEAL

And when he opens the fifth seal, I see under the sacrifice altar the souls of them slaughtered for the word of Elohim and for the witness they held. ¹⁰ And they cry with a mega voice, wording, Until when, O Despotes, the holy and the true, judge you not, and avenge our blood from them who settle on the earth? ¹¹ And each of them is given white stoles; and they are rhetorized to rest yet for a little time, until their co-servants and their brothers about to be slaughtered as they, also be fulfilled/shalamed.

3 results for martyr in KJV

Acts 22:20 (KJV)
And when the blood of thy martyr [witness] Stephen was shed, I also was standing by, and consenting unto his death, and kept the raiment of them that slew him. [hold my coat while I throw stones]

Paul had yet to be resurrected out of the old covenant that brings death. Jesus’ personally came down to witness to him. That confrontation saved Paul from facing the Father’s wrath at the age of old covenant accountability under law (AKA in the flesh). Paul was participating in the very bad work. Jesus showed Paul where He could safely stand before His return in final judgment. Jesus came down to correct Paul before it was too late. He revealed to Paul his true kingdom condition in God’s sight, before the AD70 wrath of Yahweh ended him. Paul was participating in the persecution of those being saved from wrath. The true judge is pictured riding in on a white horse. It was not Paul’s place to be on his horse judging the new covenant from the old covenant. Jesus saw through Paul’s hypocrisy and floored him. Paul’s wrong way became the right way. Paul joined the transition of covenants and eventually joined the martyrs under the alter. Paul joined the good works and did not deny the belief of Jesus even unto (biological) death.

Revelation 2:13 (KJV)
I know thy works, and where thou dwellest, even where Satan’s seat is: and thou holdest fast my name, and hast not denied my faith, even in those days wherein Antipas was my faithful martyr [witness], who was slain among you, where Satan dwelleth.

Revelation 17:6 (KJV)
And I saw the woman drunken with the blood of the saints, and with the blood of the martyrs [witnesses] of Jesus: and when I saw her, I wondered with great admiration.

Luke 13:33

CLV ³³ Moreover, I must be going today and tomorrow and the coming one, for it is not credible that a prophet perish outside of Jerusalem.”