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Bible Dictionaries
Testify
Vine's Expository Dictionary of NT Words
for which see WITNESS , is frequently rendered "to bear witness, to witness," in the RV, where AV renders it "to testify," John 2:25; 3:11,32; 5:39; 15:26; 21:24; 1 Corinthians 15:15; Hebrews 7:17; 11:4; 1 John 4:14; 5:9; 3 John 1:3 . In the following, however, the RV, like the AV, has the rendering "to testify," John 4:39,44; 7:7; 13:21; Acts 26:5; Revelation 22:16,18,20 .
"to bear witness to" (a strengthened form of No. 1), is rendered "testifying" in 1 Peter 5:12 .
primarily, "to summon as witness," then, "to bear witness" (sometimes with the suggestion of solemn protestation), is rendered "to testify" in Acts 20:26 , RV (AV, "I take ... to record"); Galatians 5:3; Ephesians 4:17; 1 Thessalonians 2:11 , in the best texts (some have No. 1), RV, "testifying" (AV, "charged").
"to testify or protest solemnly," an intensive form of No. 3, is translated "to testify" in Luke 16:28; Acts 2:40; 8:25; 10:42; 18:5; 20:21,23,24; 23:11; 28:23; 1 Thessalonians 4:6; Hebrews 2:6; "to charge" in 1 Timothy 5:21; 2 Timothy 2:14; 4:1 .
"to testify beforehand," occurs in 1 Peter 1:11 , where the pronoun "it" should be "He" (the "it" being due to the grammatically neuter form of pneuma; the personality of the Holy Spirit requires the masculine pronoun).
Note: In Revelation 22:18 some texts have summartureo, "to bear witness with." See WITNESS.These files are public domain.
Vines, W. E., M. A. Entry for 'Testify'. Vine's Expository Dictionary of NT Words. https://www.studylight.org/​dictionaries/​eng/​ved/​t/testify.html. 1940.