Was the Resurrection a Lie?

It would have been very difficult, seemingly impossible, for so many witnesses to agree to lie and then keep it a secret without any of them retracting or revising their testimony.  Today, when parties in criminal acts, political conspiracies or family secrets agree to deceive, much of the time someone eventually leaks the truth and exposes the deception.   

The witnesses to the resurrection of Jesus never recanted, revised, deleted, or changed their testimony, even under the threat of death. Their confidence in the resurrection was not “hear say,” mere opinions, or wishful thinking.  It was first–hand, hard physical evidence of seeing Jesus, talking with him, eating with him, and touching him over a period of forty days.   

Faith in the resurrection radically changed their lives.  They spent the rest of their lives preaching the resurrection and sharing their faith with others.  They were beaten, imprisoned, persecuted and even killed because of their faith in Jesus.  They never wavered in their conviction that they had seen Jesus and that he was resurrected from death.   People have died for a lie if they think it is the truth, but has anyone been so foolish to sacrifice their life for what they know is a lie?