to testify
Martureo is used for giving testimony about a person, event, or claim, and for receiving a confirming report.
The active forms chiefly describe giving testimony that confirms what has been seen, known, said, or done: people, the Spirit, works, and prophets testify concerning persons and claims. In passive constructions, the term can describe people or deeds receiving a favorable attestation or approval.
Senses in use
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Giving confirming testimony · dominant
Active forms present a witness or speaker affirming something concerning another person, an event, or a claim. In John 1:32, the aorist active form introduces John's statement about seeing the Spirit descend; in John 19:35, the perfect active form stands with the claim that the observer's testimony is true. In Acts 14:3, a present active participle describes the Lord as testifying to the message of grace by signs and wonders.
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Receiving a favorable attestation · occasional
Passive forms describe persons or deeds as being spoken of or approved by others. In 1 Timothy 5:10, the present passive participle characterizes a woman as well attested in connection with listed good works; in Acts 16:2, the imperfect passive form concerns Timothy being well spoken of by the brothers. Hebrews 11:39 similarly describes people as commended through their faith.
In the Anselm Project Bible: Across these verses, the APB commonly uses “testify,” “testified,” and “bears witness,” while passive contexts are rendered “well attested,” “well spoken of,” or “commended.” These renderings reflect whole clauses rather than a word-by-word alignment.