Dictionaries :: Cease

International Standard Bible Encyclopaedia

Cease:

ses: A remarkable array of 20 Hebrew and 6 Greek words is so translated. In the King James Version 15 of the former and 3 of the latter are used only once with this rendering. The originals most frequently in use are chadhal, "to leave off"; shabhath "to rest from" (labor); pauomai, "to make to cease." Few words illustrate better the fertility of the Hebrew in expressing limitless shades of meaning, impoverished by the use of one English word. This extensive variety is, however, well expressed by "cease": i.e. stop, come to an end, e.g. ceasing of tears (Jer 14:17); work (Ezr 4:24); grinders (Ec 12:3); thunder (Ex 9:29); the wicked (Job 3:17); anger (Ps 37:8). The significance of shabhath lies in its being the Hebrew for Sabbath, implying complete cessation: as of manna (Jos 5:12); strife and ignominy (Pr 22:10); occurs with negative to show the ceaseless Providence of God in Nature: "summer and winter.... shall not c." (Ge 8:22). In the New Testament it illustrates Christ's power over Nature; wind and raging sea ceased (Lu 8:24); over a sinner's heart: "not ceased to kiss my feet" (dialeipo) (Lu 7:45); devotion of the early disciples, "ceased not to teach and to preach Jesus as the Christ" (Ac 5:42); the eternity and blessedness of the believer's sabbatic rest (apoleipo) (Hebrews 4:10 the King James Version).

Written by Dwight M. Pratt

Vine's Expository Dictionary of New Testament Words

Cease:

"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), Luk 5:4, of a discourse; Luk 8:24, of a storm; Luk 11:1, of Christ's prayer; Act 5:42, of teaching and preaching; Act 6:13, of speaking against; Act 13:10, of evil doing; Act 20:1, of an uproar; Act 20:31, of admonition; Act 21:32, of a scourging; 1Cr 13:8, of tongues; Eph 1:16, of giving thanks; Col 1:9, of prayer; Hbr 10:2, of sacrifices; 1Pe 4:1, of "ceasing" from sin. It is used in the Active Voice in 1Pe 3:10, "let him cause his tongue to cease from evil."
See LEAVE, REFRAIN.

Cease:

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 Luk 7:45 is used of the kissing of the Lord's feet.

Cease:

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

Cease:

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

Cease:

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

Cease:

"to rest" (kata, "down," intensive, and No. 1), is so translated in Hbr 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 Gal 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 2Pe 2:14, of those who "cannot cease" from sin, i.e., who cannot be restrained from sinning.

Cease:

"unceasing" (from a, negative, dia, "through," leipo, "to leave"), is used of "incessant" heart pain, Rom 9:2, AV, "continual," RV, "unceasing," and in 2Ti 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.

Cease:

"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 Rom 1:9; 1Th 5:17, of prayer; in 1Th 1:3, of the remembrance of the work, labor and patience of saints; in 1Th 2:13, of thanksgiving.

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