Bible Lexicons

For this perfective of τηρέω (Proleg. pp. 113, 116) = ";keep safe"; (I) c. acc. pers., as in Mark 6:20, cf. P Tebt II. 416.14 (iii/A.D.) πᾶν ποίησον συντηρῆσαι τὴν γυναῖκά μου ἕως παραγένομε (l. παραγένωμαι), ";do everything possible to protect my wife until I arrive"; (Edd.), P Oxy XII. 1418.5 (A.D. 247) σ ]υντηρῆσαι τὸν παῖδα, and the iv/A.D. Gnostic charm ib. VI. 924.1 η ̣͂̔ μ ̣ὴ ̣ν ̣ φυλάξῃς καὶ συντηρήσῃς Ἀρίας ἀπὸ τοῦ ἐπιημερινοῦ φρικός, ";verily guard and protect Aria from ague by day"; : and (2) c. acc. rei, as in Matthew 9:7, cf. P Bouriant 10.12 (B.C. 88) καλῶς ποιήσεις συντηρῶν τὸν τόπον, BGU IV. 1074.2 (A.D. 275) τὰ δὲ [υ ̣̔]πὸ το [ῦ ] δ ̣[ὲ τ ]οῦ Σεβαστοῦ δ [εδ ]ομένα ὑμῖν νόμιμα καὶ φιλάνθ [ρ ]ωπα συντηρῶ, ";I keep safe the laws and privileges granted to you by Augustus,"; and Syll 930 (= .3 705) (B.C. 112) συντηρῆσαι τὰ ἐκ παλαιῶν χρόνων δεδομένα τίμια καὶ φιλάνθρωπα : see also ib. 655 (= .3 820).8 (A.D. 83) μυστήρια ἀπὸ πλείστων ἐτῶν συντετηρημένα.

In P Tebt II. 282.7 (late ii/B.C.) a guard declares that he will keep the best watch possible over other people’s holdings—φυ (λακὴν) ἀλ [λο ]τρ [ί ]ων κλή (ρων) συντηιρήσ ̣ι ̣ν ἀπὸ τ [ο ]ῦ βελτί <σ >του, and in BGU I. 180.13 (ii/iii A.D.) a veteran claims that in view of his long military service, exemption from public burdens ought to be ";strictly observed"; in his case—ἐπ᾽ ἐμοῦ συντηρεῖσθαι ὀφείλι. Cf. also ib. IV. 1106.31 (B.C. 13) ἅ τε ἐὰν λάβῃ ἢ πιστευθῇ σῶα συντηρήσιν (= ειν), and ib. 1126.13 (B.C. 8), and for the subst. συντηρεία (not in LS8) cf. Syll 932 (= .3 880).52 (A.D. 202) συν [τηρ ]είας βουγαρίων.