Bible Dictionaries
Cease

Vine's Expository Dictionary of NT Words

"to stop, to make an end," is used chiefly in the Middle Voice in the NT, signifying "to come to an end, to take one's rest, a willing cessation" (in contrast to the Passive Voice which denotes a forced cessation), Luke 5:4 , of a discourse; Luke 8:24 , of a storm; Luke 11:1 , of Christ's prayer; Acts 5:42 , of teaching and preaching; Acts 6:13 , of speaking against; Acts 13:10 , of evil doing; Acts 20:1 , of an uproar; Acts 20:31 , of admonition; Acts 21:32 , of a scourging; 1 Corinthians 13:8 , of tongues; Ephesians 1:16 , of giving thanks; Colossians 1:9 , of prayer; Hebrews 10:2 , of sacrifices; 1 Peter 4:1 , of "ceasing" from sin. It is used in the Active Voice in 1 Peter 3:10 , "let him cause his tongue to cease from evil." See LEAVE , REFRAIN.

lit., "to leave between," i.e., "to leave an interval, whether of space or time" (dia, "between," leipo, "to leave"); hence, "to intermit, desist, cease," in Luke 7:45 is used of the kissing of the Lord's feet.

"to be quiet, still, at rest," is said of Paul's friends in Caesarea, in "ceasing" to persuade him not to go to Jerusalem, Acts 21:14; it is used of silence (save in Luke 23:56; 1 Thessalonians 4:11 ) in Luke 14:4; Acts 11:18 . See PEACE (hold one's), QUIET , REST.

"to cease through being spent with toil, to cease raging" (from kopos, "labor, toil," kopiao, "to labor"), is said of the wind only, Matthew 14:32; Mark 4:39; 6:51 .

"to let go," is translated "let us cease to" in Hebrews 6:1 , RV (marg., "leave") for AV, "leaving." See FORGIVE , LEAVE.

"to rest" (kata, "down," intensive, and No. 1), is so translated in Hebrews 4:10 , for the AV "hath ceased." See REST , RESTRAIN.

Notes: (1) katargeo, "to render inactive, to bring to naught, to do away," is so rendered in Galatians 5:11 , RV, for the AV "ceased." See ABOLISH.

(2) Akatapaustos, "incessant, not to be set at rest" (from a, negative, kata, "down," pauo, "to cease"), is used in 2 Peter 2:14 , of those who "cannot cease" from sin, i.e., who cannot be restrained from sinning.

"unceasing" (from a, negative, dia, "through," leipo, "to leave"), is used of "incessant" heart pain, Romans 9:2 , AV, "continual," RV, "unceasing," and in 2 Timothy 1:3 , of remembrance in prayer; the meaning in each place is not that of unbroken continuity, but without the omission of any occasion. Cp. A, No. 2. See CONTINUAL.

"unceasingly, without ceasing," is used with the same significance as the adjective, not of what is not interrupted, but of that which is constantly recurring; in Romans 1:9; 1 Thessalonians 5:17 , of prayer; in 1 Thessalonians 1:3 , of the remembrance of the work, labor and patience of saints; in 1 Thessalonians 2:13 , of thanksgiving.

Note: Ektenes, lit., "stretched out, signifies "earnest, fervent;" Acts 12:5 , RV, for AV, "without ceasing." See 1 Peter 4:8 , "fervent."