καταμαρτῠρέω G2649
to testify against, bear witness against, give evidence against someone
This verb means to bear witness or testify against someone, appearing in Jesus' trial scenes. Matthew 26:62 records the high priest asking, 'What is it that these men testify against you?' Matthew 27:13 has Pilate asking, 'Do you not hear how many things they testify against you?' Mark 14:60 parallels Matthew 26:62. Classical usage includes giving evidence against someone, being convicted by evidence, asserting concerning something, and in astrology, malign influence. The New Testament use is consistently forensic—testimony given against an accused person in trial settings, with the irony that Jesus remained silent despite the charges.
Senses
1. sense 1 — The sense is legal testimony against an accused party. All three uses occur in Jesus' trials—before the Sanhedrin and before Pilate—where witnesses or accusers 'testify against' him. The high priest and Pilate both express some bewilderment at Jesus' silence despite the testimony piling up against him. The imperfect tense (καταμαρτυροῦσιν) in Matthew 27:13 suggests ongoing, repeated testifying—they kept on bearing witness against him. The Spanish 'testificar en contra' and German 'bezeugen gegen' clearly mark the adversarial nature—testimony given in opposition, for prosecution. The word captures the forensic context where witnesses speak against the defendant, building a case for condemnation. 3×
AR["يَشْهَدُونَ", "يَشْهَدُونَ-ضِدَّكَ"]·ben["বিরুদ্ধে-সাক্ষ্য-দিচ্ছে", "সাক্ষ্য-দিচ্ছে"]·DE["bezeugen-gegen", "καταμαρτυροῦσιν"]·EN["testify-against", "they-testify-against"]·FR["témoigner-contre"]·heb["מְעִידִים", "מְעִידִים-נֶגְדְּךָ"]·HI["गवाही-देते-हैं"]·ID["bersaksi", "memberikan-kesaksian", "mereka-bersaksi"]·IT["katamarturousin"]·jav["dipuntuduh?", "neksèkaken", "sami-nyeksèni"]·KO["증언하느냐", "증언하는지"]·PT["testemunham", "testificam"]·RU["свидетельствуют"]·ES["testifican", "testifican-en-contra"]·SW["wanakushuhudia"]·TR["aleyhine-tanıklık-ediyorlar", "şahitlik-ediyorlar"]·urd["گواہی-دیتے-ہیں"]
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
καταμαρτῠρέω, bear witness against, τινος Refs 5th c.BC+, etc.; κατά τινος NT+5th c.BC+:—passive, have evidence given against one, μὴ πιστῶς καταμαρτυρηθείς Refs 5th c.BC+; κ. ὑπὸ τοῦ βίου τοῦ ἑαυτοῦ to be convicted, Refs 4th c.BC+ __2 passive, of evidence, to be given against one, ἃ καταμαρτυρεῖται αὐτοῦ Refs 4th c.BC+ __II assert concerning, οὐδὲν κ. τῶν οὐ παρόντων Refs 3rd c.AD+ __III Astrology texts, exercise malign influence over, 'aspect', Refs 2nd c.AD+