διαμαρτύρομαι G1263
To testify solemnly, bear earnest witness; also to charge or warn with solemn urgency.
Built on μαρτύρομαι with the intensifying prefix δια-, this verb carries weight beyond ordinary testimony. It denotes solemn, emphatic declaration — whether bearing witness to facts about Christ and the gospel, or charging someone with grave urgency before God. Luke uses it extensively in Acts to describe the apostles' proclamation: Peter 'testified and exhorted' at Pentecost (Acts 2:40), and Paul 'testified to the Jews that Jesus was the Christ' (Acts 18:5). In the Pastoral Epistles, it shifts toward solemn charge — Paul adjures Timothy 'before God and Christ Jesus' (2 Tim 4:1), blending testimony with authoritative command.
Senses
1. testify, bear solemn witness — To solemnly testify or bear emphatic witness to facts, events, or truths, particularly the gospel message. This is the primary Lukan usage in Acts: Peter testifies at Pentecost (Acts 2:40), Philip and the apostles testify in Samaria (Acts 8:25), Paul testifies to both Jews and Greeks about repentance and faith (Acts 20:21). The Spanish split between 'testifica' and 'habiendo testificado' mirrors the Greek's range of tenses. French distinguishes 'attester' (testify) from 'avertir' (warn), reflecting the sense boundary. 10×
AR["أَنْ-أَشْهَدَ", "أَنْ-نَشْهَدَ", "شاهِدًا", "شَاهِدًا", "شَهِدَ", "شَهِدُوا", "شَهِدْتَ", "يَشْهَدُ-لِي"]·ben["সাক্ষ্য-দিচ্ছে", "সাক্ষ্য-দিতে", "সাক্ষ্য-দিয়া", "সাক্ষ্য-দিয়ে", "সাক্ষ্য-দিল", "সাক্ষ্য-দিলে", "সাক্ষ্য-দিলেন"]·DE["bezeugen", "bezeugt-ernst"]·EN["having-testified", "he-testified", "testified", "testifies", "testifying", "to-testify", "you-testified"]·FR["attester", "avertir"]·heb["הֵעִיד", "הֵעִידוּ", "הֵעַדְתָּ", "לְהָעִיד", "מֵעִיד"]·HI["गवाही-दी", "गवाही-देकर", "गवाही-देता-हुआ", "गवाही-देता-है", "गवाही-देते-हुए", "गवाही-देने", "गवाही-देने-को", "तूनेगवाहीदी", "वह-गवाही-देता-था"]·ID["bersaksi", "dia-bersaksi,"]·IT["testimoniare", "testimoniare-solennemente"]·jav["nyeksekaken,", "nyekseni", "nyeksèni", "panjenengan-sampun-nyeksèni", "paring-seksi", "paring-seksi,", "sampun-nyekseni", "sasampunipun-mratela-akén,"]·KO["약속-이", "증거하기를", "증거하며", "증거하시니", "증언하기-를", "증언하며", "증언하였다", "증언하였으니", "증언한-후에"]·PT["Testificou", "de-testificar", "me-testifica", "tendo-testificado", "testificando", "testificava"]·RU["засвидетельствовав", "засвидетельствовал", "засвидетельствовать", "он-засвидетельствовал,", "свидетельствовал", "свидетельствовать", "свидетельствует", "свидетельствуя"]·ES["habiendo-testificado", "testifica", "testificaba", "testificando", "testificar", "testificaste", "testificó"]·SW["akishuhudia", "akishuhudia-kwa-nguvu", "aliwashuhudia", "ameshuhudia", "anishuhudia", "kushuhudia", "kushuhudia,", "nikishuhudia", "ulivyoshuhudia", "walipotoa-ushahidi"]·TR["-o", "tanıklık-edenler", "tanıklık-ederek", "tanıklık-ediyor", "tanıklık-ediyordu", "tanıklık-etmek", "tanıklık-etmemizi", "tanıklık-etti", "tanıklık-ettin"]·urd["تُو-نے-گواہی-دی", "گواہی-دی", "گواہی-دیتا-ہوا", "گواہی-دیتا-ہے", "گواہی-دیتے-ہوئے", "گواہی-دینا", "گواہی-دینے", "گواہی-دے-کر"]
2. solemnly charge, warn earnestly — To solemnly charge, warn, or exhort with grave urgency, often invoking God as witness. This sense appears predominantly in the Pastoral Epistles: Paul charges Timothy 'before God and Christ Jesus and the elect angels' (1 Tim 5:21) and 'before God and Christ Jesus who will judge the living and the dead' (2 Tim 4:1). The Lukan parable of the rich man (Luke 16:28) also uses this sense — 'warn them, lest they also come to this place of torment.' German 'bezeugt ernst' (testifies earnestly) captures the solemn gravity well. 5×
AR["أَشْهَدُ", "شَهِدْنا", "مُناشِداً", "يَشْهَدَ-لَهُمْ"]·ben["আমি-গম্ভীরভাবে-আদেশ-দিই", "সাক্ষ্য-দিচ্ছি", "সাক্ষ্য-দিয়ে", "সাক্ষ্য-দিয়েছিলাম", "সাক্ষ্য-দেয়"]·DE["bezeugen", "bezeugt-ernst"]·EN["I-solemnly-charge", "he-warns", "solemnly-charging", "testified"]·FR["avertir"]·heb["הֵעַדְנוּ", "יָעִיד", "מֵעִיד"]·HI["गवअहि-दि", "गवअहि-देत-होओन", "गवाही-दे", "सकशि-देत-होओन", "सकशि-देते-हुए"]·ID["Aku-bersaksi", "Aku-bersaksi-dengan-sungguh-sungguh", "bersaksi-dengan-sungguh-sungguh", "ia-memperingati", "kami-peringatkan"]·IT["diamarturetai", "testimoniare-solennemente"]·jav["Kula-nyeksèni", "kita-nyeksèkaken.", "kula-nyeksèkaken", "nyeksèni", "nèlèkaken"]·KO["엄숙히-명하며", "엄숙히-명한다", "엄히-경고했다.", "증거한다", "증언하도록"]·PT["Testifico-solenemente", "testificamos", "testificando-solenemente", "testifique"]·RU["Засвидетельствую", "Свидетельствую", "заклиная", "засвидетельствовал", "засвидетельствовали"]·ES["Solemnemente-testifico", "les-advierta", "solemnemente-testificando", "testificamos-solemnemente", "testifico-solemnemente"]·SW["Nakuamuru", "awashuhudie", "nakuamuru", "tulishuhudia", "ukiwaonya"]·TR["Uyarıyorum", "tanıklık-ediyorum", "uyararak", "uyardık", "uyarsın"]·urd["تاکید-کرتے-ہوئے", "میں-تاکید-کرتا-ہوں", "میں-گواہی-دیتا-ہوں", "گواہی-دی", "گواہی-دے"]
Related Senses
H0559 1. say, speak, tell (5297×)G3004 1. say, tell, speak (2226×)H1696 1. speak, say, tell (Piel) (1105×)H7121 1. call, summon, name (575×)H6680 1. command, order, charge (483×)H6030b 1. answer, respond, reply (289×)G2980 1. speak, talk (277×)H5046 1. Hifil: to tell, report (237×)G0611 1. answer or respond verbally (232×)H1288 1. Piel: bless, invoke blessing (227×)H7650 1. swear, take an oath (Niphal) (154×)H3789 1. Qal passive participle: written, recorded (112×)H1984b 1. praise, laud (Piel) (111×)H7592 1. ask, inquire, question (96×)H3034 1. give thanks, praise (Hifil) (94×)G1321 1. teach, instruct actively (92×)H3789 2. Qal active: write, compose (89×)G1125 1. to write, compose (a letter or document) (84×)H5046 2. Hifil: to declare, proclaim (79×)H7892a 1. song, musical composition (78×)
BDB / Lexicon Reference
διαμαρτύρομαι [ῡ], aorist 1 -μαρτῡράμην: perfect -μεμαρτύρημαι [ῠ], deponent verb:—absolutely, call gods and men to witness, protest solemnly, especially in case of falsehood or wrong, βοᾶν καὶ δ. Refs 4th c.BC+; δ. μή.., with infinitive, Refs; δ. ὅπως μή.., with future, Refs; δ. τινὶ μὴ ποιεῖν protest against his doing, Refs 4th c.BC+: with infinitive, Refs 2nd c.BC+; call to witness, ὑμῖν τὸν…