E00122: Irenaeus of Lyon in his Against Heresies, written in Greek in the late 2nd c., acknowledges the existence of a few valid martyrs among heretics, even though heretics reject the necessity of martyrdom as a testimony of the Christian faith. Written in Lyon (central Gaul).

Irenaeus of Lyon, Against Heresies 4.33.9

... ἀλλ’ οὐδὲ μὴν ἀναγκαίαν εἶναι λεγόντων τὴν τοιαύτην μαρτυρίαν, εἶναι δὲ μαρτυρίαν ἀληθῆ τὴν γνώμην αὐτῶν, εἰ μὴ εἷς ἢ δύο ποτὲ διὰ παντὸς τοῦ χρόνου ἐξ οὗ ὁ Κύριος ἐφάνη ἐπὶ γῆς τοῖς ἡμετέrοις μάρτυσιν, ὡς καὶ αὐτὸς ἠλεημένος, τὸν ὀνειδισμὸν συνεβάστασε τοῦ ὀνόματος καὶ συνήχθη ὡς προσθήκη τις αὐτοῖς. Τὸν γὰρ ὀνειδιμὸν τῶν διωκομένων ἔνεκεν δικαιοσύνης καὶ παντοδαπὰς κολάσεις ὑπομενόντων καὶ θανατουμένων διὰ τὴν πρὸς τὸν Θεὸν ἀγάπην καὶ τὴν ὁμολογίαν τοῦ Υἱοῦ αὐτοῦ μόνη ἡ ἐκκλησία καθαρῶς ὑπομένει …

'... but they [the heretics] say that such a testimony [martyrdom] is not even necessary, whereas their opinion is a true testimony. Through all the time since the Lord appeared on earth, hardly one or two of them – as if receiving God’s mercy himself – ever suffered together with our martyrs the humiliation of the name [i.e. persecution for being called a Christian] and were led together with them [to martyrdom]. For the Church alone suffers in a pure way the humiliation of those who are persecuted for the sake of righteousness, and who suffer all sorts of punishments, and are killed for the love of God and the confession of his Son …'

Text: Rousseau and Doutreleau. Translation: E. Rizos.