Bible Lexicons

μαρτύριον, μαρτυρίου, τό (μάρτυρ (cf. μάρτυς)), (from Pindar, Herodotus down), the Sept. for עֵד, עֵדָה, more often for עֵדוּת (an ordinance, precept); most frequently for מועֵד (an assembly), as though that came from עוּד to testify, whereas it is from יָעַד to appoint; testimony;

a. with a genitive of the subjunctive: τῆς συνειδήσεως, 2 Corinthians 1:12; with the genitive of object: ἀποδιδόναι τό ... τῆς ἀναστάσεως Ἰησοῦ, Acts 4:33.

b. τοῦ Χριστοῦ, concerning Christ the Saviour (cf. Winer's Grammar, § 30, 1 a.): the proclamation of salvation by the apostles is so called (for reasons given under μαρτυρέω, at the beginning), 1 Corinthians 1:6; also τοῦ κυρίου ἡμῶν, 2 Timothy 1:8; τοῦ Θεοῦ, concerning God (Winer's Grammar, as above), i. e. concerning what God has done through Christ for the salvation of men, 1 Corinthians 2:1 (here WH text μυστήριον); with the subject. genitive ἡμῶν, given by us, 2 Thessalonians 1:10. εἰς μαρτύριον τῶν λαληθησομένων, to give testimony concerning those things which were to be spoken (in the Messiah's time) i. e. concerning the Christian revelation, Hebrews 3:5; cf. Delitzsch at the passage (others refer it to the Mosaic law (Numbers 12:7, especially 8); cf. Riehm, Lehrbegriff d. Heb. 1:312).

c. εἰς μαρτύριον αὐτοῖς for a testimony unto them, that they may have testimony, i. e. evidence, in proof of this or that: e. g. that a leper has been cured, Matthew 8:4; Mark 1:44; Luke 5:14; that persons may get knowledge of something the knowledge of which will be for their benefit, Matthew 10:18; Matthew 24:14; Mark 13:9; that they may have evidence of their impurity, Mark 6:11; in the same case we find εἰς μαρτύριον ἐπ' αὐτούς, for a testimony against them (cf. ἐπί, C. I. 2 g. γ. ββ.), Luke 9:5; ἀποβήσεται ὑμῖν εἰς μαρτύριον, it will turn out to you as an opportunity of bearing testimony concerning me and my cause, Luke 21:13; εἰς μαρτύριον ὑμῖν ἔσται, it will serve as a proof of your wickedness, James 5:3; by apposition to the whole preceding clause (Winer's Grammar, § 59, 9 a.), τό μαρτύριον καιροῖς ἰδίοις, that which (to wit, that Christ gave himself as a ransom) would be (the substance of) the testimony equivalent to was to be testified (by the apostles and the preachers of the gospel) in the times fitted for it, 1 Timothy 2:6 (where Lachmann omits τί μαρτύριον); cf. the full exposition of this passage in Fritzsche, Ep. ad Romans iii., p. 12ff; ἡ σκηνή τοῦ μαρτυρίου, Acts 7:44; Revelation 15:5; in the Sept. very often for אֹהֶל־מועֵד (see above), and occasionally for הָעֵדוּת אֹהֶל, as Exodus 38:26; Leviticus 24:3, etc.