WG: Testimony / Witness¶
Overview¶
The testimony/witness concept in the Greek NT involves 6 words from the μαρτυρ- root working together: a noun for the person (μάρτυς), a verb for the act (μαρτυρέω), two nouns for the content (μαρτυρία and μαρτύριον), and two negatives for false witness (ψευδομαρτυρέω and ψευδομαρτυρία). The shared Hebrew source is H5707 עֵד (ʻêd, "witness").
Word Group Members¶
| Strong's | Word | Transliteration | POS | Occurrences | Role in Concept | Library Entry |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| G3144 | μάρτυς | mártys | masc. noun | 34 | The person: the witness-bearer | G3144-martys |
| G3140 | μαρτυρέω | martyréō | verb | 75 | The action: to testify, bear witness | G3140-martyreo |
| G3141 | μαρτυρία | martyría | fem. noun | 33 | The act/process: testimony, bearing of witness | G3141-martyria |
| G3142 | μαρτύριον | martýrion | neut. noun | 20 | The object/evidence: the testimony, thing testified | G3142-martyrion.md |
| G5576 | ψευδομαρτυρέω | pseudomartyréō | verb | 6 | Negation verb: to bear false witness | TODO(need G5576 study) |
| G5577 | ψευδομαρτυρία | pseudomartyría | fem. noun | 2 | Negation noun: false witness | TODO(need G5577 study) |
Relationships¶
Shared Root¶
All six words derive from the μαρτυρ- stem (the μάρτυς/witness root). ψευδο- compounds add the "false" negation prefix. The Hebrew semantic source is H5707 עֵד (ʻêd), which carries into G3144 μάρτυς most directly (co-occ=38, PMI=30.47) and into G3140 μαρτυρέω (co-occ=5). G3142 μαρτύριον also maps strongly to H5715 עֵדוּת (ʻêdûwth, the covenant-document testimony, co-occ=53, PMI=6.50) — the OT cultic sense of testimony as artifact/document is carried specifically by this pairing.
Co-occurrence (appear in same verses)¶
| Word A | Word B | Shared Verses | Typical Context |
|---|---|---|---|
| G3141 μαρτυρία | G3140 μαρτυρέω | 14 | verb + noun cognate pair: "bear witness… his testimony" (esp. John) |
| G3141 μαρτυρία | G5576 ψευδομαρτυρέω | 1 | Mark 14:56 — false witness at Jesus' trial |
Key Distinctions Within the Group¶
- μάρτυς (G3144) — the witness as person; later the technical term for Christian martyr
- μαρτυρέω (G3140) — the verbal act of bearing witness
- μαρτυρία (G3141) — the process or occasion of giving testimony
- μαρτύριον (G3142) — the content or tangible evidence; also used for the "tabernacle of testimony" (OT)
- ψευδομαρτυρέω / ψευδομαρτυρία — false/perjured testimony (appears primarily in Synoptic trial scenes and quotations of the Decalogue)
Roles in the Concept¶
- Person: μάρτυς (μάρτυς) — who bears the testimony
- Action: μαρτυρέω — the act of testifying
- Process/occasion: μαρτυρία — the testimony as event or transaction
- Evidence/content: μαρτύριον — the testimony as thing or proof
- Negation: ψευδομαρτυρέω / ψευδομαρτυρία — false witness (Decalogue prohibition)
Key Passages Where Multiple Group Words Appear Together¶
- Mark 14:55–56 — μαρτυρία + ψευδομαρτυρέω: trial of Jesus; false testimony sought; council cannot agree
- John 1:7 — μαρτυρία + μαρτυρέω: "came for a witness, to bear witness of the Light"
- John 5:31–32 — μαρτυρία + μαρτυρέω: "if I bear witness… there is another that beareth witness"
- Rev 12:11 — μαρτυρία: "word of their testimony; loved not their lives unto the death" (martyr frame)
Generated from: gather_word_group_data.py, gather_word_data.py G3141 Last updated: 2026-04-01