Thieleman J. Van Braght
Thieleman J. Van Braght (1625-1664) was an Anabaptist who is best known for writing a history of the Christian witness throughout the centuries entitled “The Bloody Theater or Martyrs Mirror of the Defenseless Christians who baptized only upon confession of faith, and who suffered and died for the testimony of Jesus, their Saviour, from the time of Christ to the year A.D. 1660” (1660).
Thieleman J. Van Braght, Martyrs Mirror
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38. The Apostle Bartholomew
Bartholomew, The Holy Apostle Of Christ, First Greatly Tortured, Then Flayed Alive, And Finally Beheaded, In Armenia, By King Astyages, About A.D. 70. Bartholomew, which signifies, the son of Tholomaeus, was a Galilean, like all the other apostles; and also a fisherman, according to the opinion of Theodoretus; some, however, hold, that he was of royal descent, and the nephew of the king of Syria. Little is said of him in Holy Scriptures aside from what relates to his call to the apostleship to preach the Gospel with the others throughout Judea and Galilee, to the lost sheep of the house of Israel. After Christ's resurrection he was confirmed in his apostleship, and, with the others who were in like ministry, received the gift of…
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37. The Apostle Andrew
The Apostle Andrew Crucified at Patros in Achaia, around the year 70 Andrew, The Holy Apostle, Crucified At Patras, In Achaia, About A.D. 70 Andrew, the son of Jona, and brother of Peter, was a native of Bethsaida in Galilee. He was first a disciple of John the Baptist, and since he was older than Peter, and knew Christ first, he brought his brother to Christ as to the true Messiah. Being also a fisherman, like Peter, the Lord called him, and promised to make him a fisher of men. John 1:44,40,42; Matt. 4:18,19. And because he zealously followed the Lord, and was instructed in the evangelical doctrine, so that he was worthy to be filled with the spirit of miracles, the Lord ordained him…
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36. Onesiphorus
Onesiphorus, A Friend Of Paul, And Porphyrius, His Companion, Tied To Wild Horses, And Dragged, Or Torn, To Death, At Hellespontus, Through The Edict of Nero, About A. D. 70 Onesiphorus was an Asian, a citizen of Ephesus, in Asia Minor, and very virtuous and godly in life, so that he frequently came to visit, converse with, and comfort, the apostle Paul in his bonds at Rome; on account of which Paul rejoiced with all his heart, and prayed to God to reward him for this kindness in the great day of recompense. Concerning this, Paul writes thus to Timothy. "The Lord give mercy unto the house of Onesiphorus; for he oft refreshed me, and was not ashamed of my chain: but when he was…
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35. Silas
Silas, Or Silvanus, Scourged At Philippi, In Macedonia, And Died A Martyr, About A.D. 70 Silas, also called Silvanus, together with Judas, surnamed Barsabas, was added to the apostles Paul and Barnabas. These men were leaders among the brethren, and were to bear testimony to those matters which had been considered and decided upon by the apostles at Jerusalem, for the welfare of the church of God. Acts 15:27,34. This Silas having once promoted, with Paul, the work of the holy Gospel, at Philippi, in Macedonia, he was apprehended together with Paul, brought before the rulers, publicly scourged, though without trial, and thus maltreated, cast into prison, against right and reason, with his feet made fast in the stocks; but was by divine Providence miraculously…
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34. Prisca, Aquila, Andronicus and Junia
Four Fellow Labourers And Relatives Of Paul, Namely, Prisca, Aquila, Andronicus, And Junia, Martyred At Rome, Under Nero, About A.D. 70 The apostle Paul, at the conclusion of his epistle to the church of God at Rome, very lovingly saluting different saints residing there, mentions, among others, two persons who had laid down their own necks for his life; also two others whom he calls his fellow prisoners, doubtless, because they were subject, with him, to like persecution and suffering on account of the name of Christ. All these he mentions by name, and salutes them in apostolic manner. Of the first two he writes thus: "Greet Priscilla and Aquila, my helpers in Christ Jesus, who have for my life laid down their own necks"…
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33. Epaphras, Paul’s Friend
Epaphras, A Fellow Prisoner Of Paul, Slain Under Nero, About A.D. 70 Epaphras was a faithful minister of Jesus Christ for the church at Colosse, which, while in bonds at Rome, he saluted by the hand of Paul, as appears from the epistle Paul wrote from his prison at Rome to the Colossians, in which, among other things, he says: "Epaphras, who is one of you, a servant of Christ, saluteth you, always laboring fervently for you in prayers, that ye may stand perfect and complete in all the will of God. For I bear him record, that he hath a great zeal for you. and them that are in Laodicea, and them in Hierapolis”; (Col. 4:12,13). Concerning his being a prisoner with Paul, or,…
