ψευδομαρτῠρ-ία G5577
false testimony, perjury, lying witness
ψευδομαρτυρία denotes false testimony or perjury—the act of bearing false witness, not just the person who does it. In Matthew 15:19, Jesus lists it among the evils that come from the heart: 'For out of the heart come evil thoughts, murder, adultery, sexual immorality, theft, false witness (ψευδομαρτυρίαι), slander.' In Matthew 26:59, the chief priests and council 'were seeking false testimony (ψευδομαρτυρίαν) against Jesus that they might put him to death,' though they couldn't find consistent perjury that would stick. Both uses emphasize that false witness is a serious moral evil.
Senses
1. sense 1 — Both uses appear in Matthew, emphasizing false testimony as grave sin. Matthew 15:19 lists it among vices flowing from the corrupt heart; Matthew 26:59 shows religious leaders actively seeking it to murder Jesus. The French faux-témoignage and Spanish falso testimonio denote lying testimony. Jesus identifies ψευδομαρτυρία both as internal corruption (it comes from the heart) and as external injustice (it was used to secure his execution). False witness destroys both the witness-bearer's integrity and the victim's life. 2×
AR["شَهَادَاتُ-زُورٍ", "شَهَادَةَ-زُورٍ"]·ben["মিথ্যা-সাক্ষ্য", "মিথ্যাসাক্ষ্য"]·DE["ψευδομαρτυρίαι", "ψευδομαρτυρίαν"]·EN["false-testimonies", "false-testimony"]·FR["faux-témoignage"]·heb["עֵדוּת-שֶׁקֶר", "עֵדוּת־שֶׁקֶר"]·HI["झुथि-गवअहियन", "झूठी-गवाही"]·ID["kesaksian-palsu"]·IT["falsa-testimonianza"]·jav["paseksèn-palsu", "seksi-palsu,"]·KO["거짓-증언-을", "거짓-증언들"]·PT["falso-testemunho", "falsos-testemunhos"]·RU["лжесвидетельства", "лжесвидетельство"]·ES["falso-testimonio", "falsos-testimonios"]·SW["ushahidi-wa-uongo", "ushuhuda-wa-uongo"]·TR["yalancı-şahitlik", "yalancı-şahitlikler"]·urd["جھوٹی-گواہی", "جھوٹی-گواہیاں"]
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
ψευδομαρτῠρ-ία, ἡ, false witness, Refs 4th c.BC+ codices: but mostly in genitive plural, ψευδομαρτυριῶν διάκρισις Refs 5th c.BC+; -ιῶν ἑλεῖν τινα to convict, and ἁλῶναι to be convicted, of perjury, Refs 5th c.BC+; -ιῶν ἐπισκήψασθαί τινι make allegation of perjury against one, Refs 4th c.BC+; etc. (This form is perhaps always corrupt in codices of classical authors; -ίων (genitive plural neuter,…