martyr

Gk. martys

One who shows allegiance to God or Christ by one’s death. In the NT, the death of Stephen (Acts 22:20) and references to Christians who suffered death (Rev 2:13; Rev 17:6) are examples. The Greek term for “martyr,” however, can also be translated “witness,” and certain passages dealing with those who are martyrs unto death emphasize the prophetic witness more than the death itself (Acts 7:54-58; Rev 11:2-11).