ἐπιμαρτυρέω
epimartyréō
G1957 verb
SILEX Entry
Definition
To provide additional testimony, to bear witness further or in addition; to confirm or corroborate through testimony. Used primarily in legal or formal testimony settings, this verb emphasizes the act of supporting or strengthening statements or claims by testifying.
Semantic Range
to corroborate, confirm by testimony, bear additional witness, strengthen the case by supporting testimony, attest further
Root / Etymology
From ἐπί (upon, in addition) and μαρτυρέω (to bear witness, testify); thus 'to testify in addition, to add supportive testimony.'
Historical & Contextual Notes
Attested in Koine Greek, especially in contexts of legal and formal testimony. In the New Testament (e.g., John 1:7, 1:8, 1:15, 1:32, 1:34), ἐπιμαρτυρέω is used to denote the act of further affirming or confirming with testimony, usually in connection with a previously stated claim or event. Compared to μαρτυρέω, which generally means 'to bear witness' or 'to testify,' ἐπιμαρτυρέω intensifies this by adding the notion of corroboration or additional, supporting witness. In the Septuagint and later Greek writings, it continues to function in contexts of confirming or strengthening evidence. Standard English translations such as 'testify' or 'bear witness' can obscure the nuance of corroboration implicit in the prefix ἐπί. The verb does not carry theological meaning per se but is tied to the function of valid testimony within communal or judicial procedure.
Original Strong's Gloss (1890)
from ἐπί and μαρτυρέω; to attest further, i.e. corroborate:--testify.
Root Family
μαρτυρ- (diamartýromai) — to witness, to testify, to bear witness
| Strong's | Lemma | SIBI-P1 |
|---|---|---|
| G1263 | διαμαρτύρομαι | having solemnly testified |
| G2649 | καταμαρτυρέω | they testify against |
| G267 | ἀμάρτυρος | without witness |
| G3140 | μαρτυρέω | was bearing witness |
| G3141 | μαρτυρία | testimony |
Word Forms
1 distinct form
| SIDANCE | Surface | Transliteration | Morphology | Common | SIBI-P1 | SIBI-P2 | Occurrences |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
G1957-01 |
ἐπιμαρτυρῶν | epimarturon | V PRS ACT PTCP NOM M SG |
testifying | bearing additional witness | bearing additional witness | 1 |
Occurrences in Scripture
1 occurrence
| SIDANCE | Reference | Word | Transliteration | Morphology | Common | SIBI-P1 | SIBI-P2 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
G1957-01 |
1 Peter 5:12 | ἐπιμαρτυρῶν | epimarturon | V PRS ACT PTCP NOM M SG |
testifying | bearing additional witness | bearing additional witness |