Testify
Testify
for which see WITNESS, is frequently rendered “to bear witness, to witness,” in the RV, where AV renders it “to testify,” Joh 2:25; Joh 3:11, Joh 3:32; Joh 5:39; Joh 15:26; Joh 21:24; 1Co 15:15; Heb 7:17; Heb 11:4; 1Jo 4:14; 1Jo 5:9; 3Jo 1:3. In the following, however, the RV, like the AV, has the rendering “to testify,” Joh 4:39, Joh 4:44; Joh 7:7; Joh 13:21; Act 26:5; Rev 22:16, Rev 22:18, Rev 22:20.
“to bear witness to” (a strengthened form of No. 1), is rendered “testifying” in 1Pe 5:12.
primarily, “to summon as witness,” then, “to bear witness” (sometimes with the suggestion of solemn protestation), is rendered “to testify” in Act 20:26, RV (AV, “I take … to record”); Gal 5:3; Eph 4:17; 1Th 2:11, in the best texts (some have No. 1), RV, “testifying” (AV, “charged”).
“to testify or protest solemnly,” an intensive form of No. 3, is translated “to testify” in Luk 16:28; Act 2:40; Act 8:25; Act 10:42; Act 18:5; Act 20:21, Act 20:23-24; Act 23:11; Act 28:23; 1Th 4:6; Heb 2:6; “to charge” in 1Ti 5:21; 2Ti 2:14; 2Ti 4:1.
“to testify beforehand,” occurs in 1Pe 1:11, where the pronoun “it” should be “He” (the “it” being due to the grammatically neuter form of pneuma; the personality of the Holy Spirit requires the masculine pronoun).
Note: In Rev 22:18 some texts have summartureo, “to bear witness with.” See WITNESS.