Martyrdom

Dying for the faith, and its meaning.

Passages that substantially address this topic, in date order.

1 Clement 5.1Clement of Rome · ca. 95–97 (range ca. 70–100) · Turning to recent examples.
1 Clement 5.2Clement of Rome · ca. 95–97 (range ca. 70–100) · The greatest pillars of the church were persecuted to death.
1 Clement 5.3Clement of Rome · ca. 95–97 (range ca. 70–100) · The example of the apostles.
1 Clement 5.4Clement of Rome · ca. 95–97 (range ca. 70–100) · Peter endured many trials and died a martyr.
1 Clement 5.5Clement of Rome · ca. 95–97 (range ca. 70–100) · Paul showed the way to the prize of endurance.
1 Clement 5.6Clement of Rome · ca. 95–97 (range ca. 70–100) · Paul's sufferings and preaching in East and West.
1 Clement 5.7Clement of Rome · ca. 95–97 (range ca. 70–100) · Paul preached to the ends of the West and died a martyr.
1 Clement 6.1Clement of Rome · ca. 95–97 (range ca. 70–100) · A great multitude of Roman Christians also suffered.
1 Clement 6.2Clement of Rome · ca. 95–97 (range ca. 70–100) · Christian women were tortured in cruel spectacles but finished the race of faith.
To the Ephesians 1.2Ignatius of Antioch · ca. 110 (range ca. 105–135) · The Ephesians hurried to meet Ignatius on his way to martyrdom in Rome.
To the Ephesians 11.2Ignatius of Antioch · ca. 110 (range ca. 105–135) · Ignatius wears his chains as spiritual pearls and hopes to share the Ephesians' lot.
To the Ephesians 12.1Ignatius of Antioch · ca. 110 (range ca. 105–135) · Ignatius contrasts his danger with the Ephesians' security.
To the Ephesians 12.2Ignatius of Antioch · ca. 110 (range ca. 105–135) · Martyrs pass through Ephesus on their way to death, as Paul did.
To the Ephesians 21.1Ignatius of Antioch · ca. 110 (range ca. 105–135) · Ignatius writes from Smyrna and asks to be remembered.
To the Ephesians 21.2Ignatius of Antioch · ca. 110 (range ca. 105–135) · Ignatius asks prayer for the church in Syria and says farewell.
To the Ephesians 3.1Ignatius of Antioch · ca. 110 (range ca. 105–135) · Ignatius writes humbly, as one only beginning to be a disciple.
To the Ephesians 8.1Ignatius of Antioch · ca. 110 (range ca. 105–135) · The Ephesians live as God's people, free of strife; Ignatius gives himself for them.
To the Magnesians 5.2Ignatius of Antioch · ca. 110 (range ca. 105–135) · Like coins, people bear the stamp of either the world or God; Christ's life is in those willing to share his death.
To Polycarp 2.3Ignatius of Antioch · ca. 110 (range ca. 105–135) · Like a pilot or athlete, Polycarp must strive to reach God; Ignatius offers himself on his behalf.
To Polycarp 7.1Ignatius of Antioch · ca. 110 (range ca. 105–135) · News that the church at Antioch is at peace has cheered Ignatius as he goes to martyrdom.
To the Romans 1.1Ignatius of Antioch · ca. 110 (range ca. 105–135) · Ignatius hopes to reach Rome and the end of his course.
To the Romans 1.2Ignatius of Antioch · ca. 110 (range ca. 105–135) · Ignatius fears the Romans' love might lead them to prevent his martyrdom.
To the Romans 2.1Ignatius of Antioch · ca. 110 (range ca. 105–135) · If the Romans do nothing to save him, Ignatius's death will speak God's word.
To the Romans 2.2Ignatius of Antioch · ca. 110 (range ca. 105–135) · Ignatius asks only to be offered to God, setting like the sun in the west to rise in God.
To the Romans 3.2Ignatius of Antioch · ca. 110 (range ca. 105–135) · Ignatius asks for strength to be a Christian in deed, not only in name.
To the Romans 4.1Ignatius of Antioch · ca. 110 (range ca. 105–135) · Ignatius begs the Romans not to save him: he is God's wheat, to be ground into Christ's bread.
To the Romans 4.2Ignatius of Antioch · ca. 110 (range ca. 105–135) · Ignatius asks prayer that the beasts may make him a sacrifice to God.
To the Romans 4.3Ignatius of Antioch · ca. 110 (range ca. 105–135) · Unlike the apostles Peter and Paul, Ignatius is a condemned man who will be made free by martyrdom.
To the Romans 5.1Ignatius of Antioch · ca. 110 (range ca. 105–135) · On the journey Ignatius is already “fighting beasts”: his cruel guards.
To the Romans 5.2Ignatius of Antioch · ca. 110 (range ca. 105–135) · Ignatius hopes the beasts will be quick to devour him.
To the Romans 5.3Ignatius of Antioch · ca. 110 (range ca. 105–135) · Ignatius welcomes every torture, if only he may reach Christ.
To the Romans 6.1Ignatius of Antioch · ca. 110 (range ca. 105–135) · Ignatius would rather die for Christ than rule the world; his death will be a birth.
To the Romans 6.2Ignatius of Antioch · ca. 110 (range ca. 105–135) · For Ignatius, martyrdom is true life, and being saved from it would be death.
To the Romans 6.3Ignatius of Antioch · ca. 110 (range ca. 105–135) · Ignatius wants to imitate the suffering of Christ, his God.
To the Romans 7.1Ignatius of Antioch · ca. 110 (range ca. 105–135) · The devil wants to turn Ignatius from God; the Romans must not help him.
To the Romans 7.2Ignatius of Antioch · ca. 110 (range ca. 105–135) · Ignatius's earthly desire is crucified; living water within him calls him to the Father.
To the Romans 7.3Ignatius of Antioch · ca. 110 (range ca. 105–135) · Ignatius longs for the bread of God, Christ's flesh, and the drink of his blood.
To the Romans 8.1Ignatius of Antioch · ca. 110 (range ca. 105–135) · Ignatius asks the Romans to will his martyrdom.
To the Romans 8.3Ignatius of Antioch · ca. 110 (range ca. 105–135) · Ignatius asks prayer that he may reach his goal.
To the Smyrnaeans 10.2Ignatius of Antioch · ca. 110 (range ca. 105–135) · The Smyrnaeans were not ashamed of Ignatius's chains, nor will Christ be ashamed of them.
To the Smyrnaeans 11.1Ignatius of Antioch · ca. 110 (range ca. 105–135) · Ignatius, least of the Antiochene Christians, asks prayer to reach God.
To the Smyrnaeans 4.2Ignatius of Antioch · ca. 110 (range ca. 105–135) · If Christ only seemed to suffer, Ignatius's chains would be meaningless.
To the Trallians 10.1Ignatius of Antioch · ca. 110 (range ca. 105–135) · If Christ only seemed to suffer, Ignatius's martyrdom would be pointless.
To the Trallians 12.3Ignatius of Antioch · ca. 110 (range ca. 105–135) · Ignatius asks for prayer that he may be found worthy of martyrdom.
To the Trallians 13.3Ignatius of Antioch · ca. 110 (range ca. 105–135) · Ignatius offers himself for the Trallians and trusts the faithful Father.
To the Trallians 4.1Ignatius of Antioch · ca. 110 (range ca. 105–135) · Ignatius guards himself against pride and flattery.
To the Trallians 4.2Ignatius of Antioch · ca. 110 (range ca. 105–135) · Ignatius longs to suffer but needs gentleness against the devil's hidden attack.
To the Philippians 8.2Polycarp of Smyrna · ca. 110–135 · Believers should imitate Christ's endurance and glorify him when they suffer for his name.
To the Philippians 9.1Polycarp of Smyrna · ca. 110–135 · Polycarp urges endurance like that the Philippians saw in Ignatius, Zosimus, Rufus, Paul, and the apostles.
To the Philippians 9.2Polycarp of Smyrna · ca. 110–135 · The martyrs did not run in vain; they are now with the Lord, because they loved Christ rather than this world.
Martyrdom of Polycarp 1.1Anonymous · ca. 156–160 · The church writes about the martyrs and especially Polycarp, whose death ended the persecution and showed what a gospel martyrdom looks like.
Martyrdom of Polycarp 1.2Anonymous · ca. 156–160 · Like Jesus, Polycarp waited to be handed over, setting an example of love that seeks others' salvation, not only one's own.
Martyrdom of Polycarp 10.1Anonymous · ca. 156–160 · Polycarp openly declared himself a Christian and offered to explain the faith.
Martyrdom of Polycarp 11.1Anonymous · ca. 156–160 · Threatened with the beasts, Polycarp said that Christians cannot change from better to worse.
Martyrdom of Polycarp 11.2Anonymous · ca. 156–160 · Threatened with fire, Polycarp contrasted it with the eternal fire of the coming judgment.
Martyrdom of Polycarp 12.1Anonymous · ca. 156–160 · Polycarp remained joyful and calm, and the herald announced his confession to the crowd.
Martyrdom of Polycarp 12.3Anonymous · ca. 156–160 · The crowd demanded that Polycarp be burned, fulfilling his earlier vision.
Martyrdom of Polycarp 13.2Anonymous · ca. 156–160 · Polycarp undressed for the pyre himself; the faithful had always honored him for his holy life.
Martyrdom of Polycarp 13.3Anonymous · ca. 156–160 · Polycarp asked not to be nailed, trusting God to keep him steady in the fire.
Martyrdom of Polycarp 14.1Anonymous · ca. 156–160 · Bound to the stake like a sacrificial ram, Polycarp began his final prayer to God the Father.
Martyrdom of Polycarp 14.2Anonymous · ca. 156–160 · Polycarp thanked God for the honor of sharing Christ's suffering and prayed to be received as a sacrifice.
Martyrdom of Polycarp 15.1Anonymous · ca. 156–160 · The fire was lit, and the writers saw a marvel they were spared to report.
Martyrdom of Polycarp 15.2Anonymous · ca. 156–160 · The flames formed an arch around Polycarp without consuming him, and a sweet fragrance filled the air.
Martyrdom of Polycarp 16.1Anonymous · ca. 156–160 · An executioner stabbed Polycarp, and so much blood flowed that it put out the fire.
Martyrdom of Polycarp 17.1Anonymous · ca. 156–160 · The devil, envious of Polycarp's victory, tried to keep the Christians from recovering his body.
Martyrdom of Polycarp 17.2Anonymous · ca. 156–160 · Opponents claimed Christians would worship Polycarp instead of Christ, but Christians worship Christ alone.
Martyrdom of Polycarp 17.3Anonymous · ca. 156–160 · Christians worship Christ as Son of God and love the martyrs as his disciples.
Martyrdom of Polycarp 18.1Anonymous · ca. 156–160 · The centurion had Polycarp's body burned.
Martyrdom of Polycarp 18.2Anonymous · ca. 156–160 · The Christians gathered Polycarp's bones and laid them to rest.
Martyrdom of Polycarp 18.3Anonymous · ca. 156–160 · The church planned to gather yearly on the anniversary of Polycarp's martyrdom.
Martyrdom of Polycarp 19.1Anonymous · ca. 156–160 · Polycarp, though one of twelve martyrs, is remembered everywhere as a teacher and model martyr.
Martyrdom of Polycarp 2.1Anonymous · ca. 156–160 · True martyrdoms happen according to God's will, since God rules over all.
Martyrdom of Polycarp 2.2Anonymous · ca. 156–160 · The martyrs endured horrible torture without complaint, because the Lord was present with them.
Martyrdom of Polycarp 2.3Anonymous · ca. 156–160 · Looking to eternal life and the good things God has prepared, the martyrs counted their tortures as nothing.
Martyrdom of Polycarp 2.4Anonymous · ca. 156–160 · Those sentenced to the beasts were tortured further to make them deny the faith, for the devil was at work against them.
Martyrdom of Polycarp 3.1Anonymous · ca. 156–160 · Germanicus encouraged the others by his courage and chose death rather than accept the proconsul's pity.
Martyrdom of Polycarp 4.1Anonymous · ca. 156–160 · Quintus, who had volunteered for martyrdom, gave way; so the church does not approve of handing oneself over.
Martyrdom of Polycarp 5.1Anonymous · ca. 156–160 · Polycarp was persuaded to leave the city and spent his time in prayer for all the churches.
Martyrdom of Polycarp 5.2Anonymous · ca. 156–160 · In a vision Polycarp saw his pillow on fire and knew he would be burned alive.
Martyrdom of Polycarp 6.2Anonymous · ca. 156–160 · Betrayed by his own household, Polycarp was sought by an official named Herod, in a story that echoes Christ's Passion.
Martyrdom of Polycarp 7.1Anonymous · ca. 156–160 · Police came for Polycarp at night; he could have fled but accepted God's will.
Martyrdom of Polycarp 9.1Anonymous · ca. 156–160 · As Polycarp entered the stadium, a voice from heaven told him to be strong.
Martyrdom of Polycarp 9.2Anonymous · ca. 156–160 · Told to say “Away with the atheists,” Polycarp said it, but of the pagan crowd.
Martyrdom of Polycarp 9.3Anonymous · ca. 156–160 · Polycarp refused to curse Christ, whom he had served for eighty-six years.