Topical Encyclopedia
The term "keep" in the Bible is rich with meaning and application, often denoting the act of guarding, preserving, or maintaining something with care and diligence. It is a concept that appears frequently throughout Scripture, emphasizing the importance of obedience, faithfulness, and stewardship in the life of a believer.
1.
Obedience to God's Commandments: One of the primary uses of "keep" in the Bible is in the context of obeying God's commandments. In the Old Testament, the Israelites were repeatedly instructed to keep God's laws as a sign of their covenant relationship with Him. For example, in
Deuteronomy 6:17, it is written, "You are to diligently keep the commandments of the LORD your God and the testimonies and statutes He has commanded you." This underscores the importance of adherence to divine instructions as a demonstration of love and reverence for God.
2.
Guarding the Heart and Mind: The concept of keeping also extends to the personal responsibility of guarding one's heart and mind.
Proverbs 4:23 advises, "Guard your heart with all diligence, for from it flow springs of life." This verse highlights the necessity of protecting one's inner life from influences that could lead one away from God's path.
3.
Faithfulness in Stewardship: In the New Testament, the idea of keeping is often associated with faithfulness in stewardship. Believers are called to be faithful stewards of the gifts, talents, and resources God has entrusted to them. In
1 Timothy 6:20, Paul exhorts Timothy, "O Timothy, guard what has been entrusted to you." This charge reflects the broader biblical principle of being responsible and trustworthy with what God has given.
4.
Preservation of the Faith: The early church was also concerned with keeping the faith pure and undefiled.
Jude 1:3 urges believers to "contend earnestly for the faith entrusted once for all to the saints." This involves both preserving the core doctrines of Christianity and living out one's faith in a way that honors God.
5.
God's Keeping of His People: The Bible also speaks of God's role in keeping His people.
Psalm 121:7-8 assures, "The LORD will guard you from all evil; He will preserve your soul. The LORD will watch over your coming and going, both now and forevermore." This divine protection and preservation are sources of comfort and assurance for believers, emphasizing God's sovereignty and care.
6.
Eternal Security: In the New Testament, the concept of keeping is linked to the assurance of salvation. Jesus promises in
John 10:28-29, "I give them eternal life, and they will never perish. No one can snatch them out of My hand. My Father who has given them to Me is greater than all. No one can snatch them out of My Father’s hand." This passage highlights the security believers have in Christ, being kept by the power of God.
In summary, the biblical concept of "keep" encompasses a wide range of responsibilities and assurances for believers, from obeying God's commandments and guarding one's heart to being faithful stewards and trusting in God's protective care.
Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary
1. (
v. t.) To care; to desire.
2. (v. t.) To hold; to restrain from departure or removal; not to let go of; to retain in one's power or possession; not to lose; to retain; to detain.
3. (v. t.) To cause to remain in a given situation or condition; to maintain unchanged; to hold or preserve in any state or tenor.
4. (v. t.) To have in custody; to have in some place for preservation; to take charge of.
5. (v. t.) To preserve from danger, harm, or loss; to guard.
6. (v. t.) To preserve from discovery or publicity; not to communicate, reveal, or betray, as a secret.
7. (v. t.) To attend upon; to have the care of; to tend.
8. (v. t.) To record transactions, accounts, or events in; as, to keep books, a journal, etc. ; also, to enter (as accounts, records, etc.) in a book.
9. (v. t.) To maintain, as an establishment, institution, or the like; to conduct; to manage; as, to keep store.
10. (v. t.) To supply with necessaries of life; to entertain; as, to keep boarders.
11. (v. t.) To have in one's service; to have and maintain, as an assistant, a servant, a mistress, a horse, etc.
12. (v. t.) To have habitually in stock for sale.
13. (v. t.) To continue in, as a course or mode of action; not to intermit or fall from; to hold to; to maintain; as, to keep silence; to keep one's word; to keep possession.
14. (v. t.) To observe; to adhere to; to fulfill; not to swerve from or violate; to practice or perform, as duty; not to neglect; to be faithful to.
15. (v. t.) To confine one's self to; not to quit; to remain in; as, to keep one's house, room, bed, etc. ; hence, to haunt; to frequent.
16. (v. t.) To observe duty, as a festival, etc. ; to celebrate; to solemnize; as, to keep a feast.
17. (v. i.) To remain in any position or state; to continue; to abide; to stay; as, to keep at a distance; to keep aloft; to keep near; to keep in the house; to keep before or behind; to keep in favor; to keep out of company, or out reach.
18. (v. i.) To last; to endure; to remain unimpaired.
19. (v. i.) To reside for a time; to lodge; to dwell.
20. (v. i.) To take care; to be solicitous; to watch.
21. (v. i.) To be in session; as, school keeps to-day.
22. (n.) The act or office of keeping; custody; guard; care; heed; charge.
23. (n.) The state of being kept; hence, the resulting condition; case; as, to be in good keep.
24. (n.) The means or provisions by which one is kept; maintenance; support; as, the keep of a horse.
25. (n.) That which keeps or protects; a stronghold; a fortress; a castle; specifically, the strongest and securest part of a castle, often used as a place of residence by the lord of the castle, especially during a siege; the donjon.
26. (n.) That which is kept in charge; a charge.
27. (n.) A cap for retaining anything, as a journal box, in place.
Greek
4933. suntereo -- tokeep close, ie preserve... to
keep close, ie preserve. Part of Speech: Verb Transliteration: suntereo Phonetic
Spelling: (soon-tay-reh'-o) Short Definition: I preserve,
keep safe,
keep in
...4601. sigao -- tokeep silent, tokeep secret
... tokeep silent, tokeep secret. Part of Speech: Verb Transliteration: sigao Phonetic
Spelling: (see-gah'-o) Short Definition: Ikeep silent Definition: intrans...
1301. diatereo -- tokeep carefully
... tokeep carefully. Part of Speech: Verb Transliteration: diatereo Phonetic Spelling:
(dee-at-ay-reh'-o) Short Definition: Ikeep safe, hold fast Definition: I...
2687. katastello -- tokeep down
... tokeep down. Part of Speech: Verb Transliteration: katastello Phonetic Spelling:
(kat-as-tel'-lo) Short Definition: I appease, restrain Definition: I let down...
1758. enecho -- to hold in or upon, ie to ensnare, by impl. to...
... tokeep a grudge. Part of Speech: Verb Transliteration: enecho Phonetic Spelling:
(en-ekh'-o) Short Definition: I am angry with, entangle Definition: (a) I have...
568. apecho -- to hold back,keep off, to be away, be distant
... to hold back,keep off, to be away, be distant. Part of Speech: Verb Transliteration:
apecho Phonetic Spelling: (ap-ekh'-o) Short Definition: I have in full, am...
4722. stego -- to cover closely (so as tokeep water out)...
... to cover closely (so as tokeep water out), generally to bear up under. Part of
Speech: Verb Transliteration: stego Phonetic Spelling: (steg'-o) Short Definition...
879b. aphustereo -- to be late, spec. tokeep back
... to be late, spec. tokeep back. Transliteration: aphustereo Short Definition: withheld....
tokeep back NASB Word Usage withheld (1). 879a, 879b....
1235. diagregoreo -- tokeep awake, to be fully awake
... tokeep awake, to be fully awake. Part of Speech: Verb Transliteration: diagregoreo
Phonetic Spelling: (dee-ag-ray-gor-eh'-o) Short Definition: I awake out of...
5442. phulasso -- to guard, watch
... to guard, watch. Part of Speech: Verb Transliteration: phulasso Phonetic Spelling:
(foo-las'-so) Short Definition: Ikeep, guard, observe Definition: (a) I guard...
Strong's Hebrew
8104. shamar -- tokeep, watch, preserve... 8103, 8104. shamar. 8105 . to
keep, watch, preserve. Transliteration: shamar
Phonetic Spelling: (shaw-mar') Short Definition:
keep. Word Origin a prim.
...2013. has -- hush!keep silence!
... has or has. 2014 . hush!keep silence!...keep silence! NASB Word Usagekeep quiet
(1),keep silence (1), quieted (1), silence (1), silent (3), still (1)....
6822. tsaphah -- to look out or about, spy,keep watch
... tsaphah. 6823 . to look out or about, spy,keep watch. Transliteration: tsaphah
Phonetic Spelling: (tsaw-faw') Short Definition: watchman. Word Origin a prim....
5341. natsar -- to watch, guard,keep
... 5340b, 5341. natsar. 5342 . to watch, guard,keep. Transliteration: natsar
Phonetic Spelling: (naw-tsar') Short Definition: observe. Word Origin a prim....
2287. chagag -- to make a pilgrimage,keep a pilgrim feast
... 2286b, 2287. chagag. 2288 . to make a pilgrimage,keep a pilgrim feast.
Transliteration: chagag Phonetic Spelling: (khaw-gag') Short Definition: celebrate....
5202. netar -- tokeep
... netar. 5203 . tokeep. Transliteration: netar Phonetic Spelling: (net-ar') Short
Definition: kept....keep. (Aramaic) corresponding to natar; to retain --keep....
5201. natar -- tokeep
... 5200, 5201. natar. 5202 . tokeep. Transliteration: natar Phonetic Spelling:
(naw-tar') Short Definition: angry. Word Origin a prim....
5640. satham -- to stop up, shut up,keep close
... satham or satham. 5641 . to stop up, shut up,keep close. Transliteration: satham
or satham Phonetic Spelling: (saw-tham') Short Definition: stopped....
1692. dabaq -- to cling, cleave,keep close
... 1691b, 1692. dabaq. 1693 . to cling, cleave,keep close. Transliteration: dabaq
Phonetic Spelling: (daw-bak') Short Definition: cling. Word Origin a prim....
7673b. shabath -- tokeep, observe (sabbath)
... 7673a, 7673b. shabath. 7674 . tokeep, observe (sabbath). Transliteration:
shabath Short Definition: have. Word Origin denominative...
Library
"Keep Step. "
... The Church "Keep Step.".... The same men might cross the bridge, in as large
numbers, at the same time, but they must notkeep step....
How toKeep the Heart
... How ToKeep the Heart. A Sermon... "The peace of God, which passeth all understanding,
shallkeep your hearts and minds, through Christ Jesus.""Philippians 4:7....
Keep the Roots Watered.
...KEEP THE ROOTS WATERED. How often you admire a tree for the loveliness of its green
foliage and the profusion of its luscious fruit....Keep the roots watered....
How toKeep the Word of God in the Heart.
... HOW TOKEEP THE WORD OF GOD IN THE HEART. Since keeping the Word of God
in the heart is the only way to successful Christian living...
How toKeep Passion Week
... SERMON I. HOW TOKEEP PASSION WEEK. (Preached before the Queen.) Philippians
2:5-11. Let... Jesus.'. How, then, shall wekeep his Passion Week?...
March 29. "He WillKeep the Feet of his Saints" (I. Sam. Ii. 9).
... MARCH 29. "He willkeep the feet of His saints" (I. Sam. ii. 9). "He will
keep the feet of His saints" (I. Sam. ii.9). Perils as...
March 13. "Keep Yourselves in the Love of God" (Jude 21).
... MARCH 13. "Keep yourselves in the love of God" (Jude 21). "Keep yourselves
in the love of God" (Jude 21). Some time ago, we were...
Meditations on the Hindrances whichKeep Back a Sinner from the...
... THE PRACTICE OF PIETY. MEDITATIONS ON THE HINDRANCES WHICHKEEP BACK A SINNER
FROM THE PRACTICE OF PIETY. Those hindrances are chiefly seven:"...
Whether all are Bound toKeep the Fasts of the Church?
... OF FASTING (EIGHT ARTICLES) Whether all are bound tokeep the fasts of
the Church? Objection 1: It would seem that all are bound...
How toKeep Out of Trouble
... TALK SIXTEEN. HOW TOKEEP OUT OF TROUBLE.... That is the only safe way. While you are
out,keep out; and the only way tokeep out is to mind your own business....
Thesaurus
Keep (4573 Occurrences)... 7. (vt) To attend upon; to have the care of; to tend. 8. (vt) To record transactions,
accounts, or events in; as, to
keep books, a journal, etc.
...Celebrate (66 Occurrences)
... 2. (vt) To honor by solemn rites, by ceremonies of joy and respect, or by refraining
from ordinary business; to observe duly; tokeep; as, to celebrate a...
Avoid (31 Occurrences)
... 5. (v.) Tokeep away from; tokeep clear of; to endeavor no to meet; to shun; to
abstain from; as, to avoid the company of gamesters. 6. (v.) To get rid of....
Awake (83 Occurrences)
... be broken into. (WEY). Matthew 25:13 "Keep awake therefore; for you know
neither the day nor the hour. (WEY). Matthew 26:38 and He...
Steadfast (194 Occurrences)
... 1 Corinthians 7:37 But he who stands steadfast in his heart, having no necessity,
but has power over his own heart, tokeep his own virgin, does well....
Silence (80 Occurrences)
... silence. 5. (n.) Absence of mention; oblivion. 6. (interj.) Be silent; -- used
elliptically for let there be silence, orkeep silence. 7...
Busy (13 Occurrences)
... 5. (a.) Careful; anxious. 6. (vt) To make orkeep busy; to employ; to engage
orkeep engaged; to occupy; as, to busy one's self with books....
Shun (14 Occurrences)
... Noah Webster's Dictionary (vt) To avoid; tokeep clear of; to get out of the way
of; to escape from; to eschew; as, to shun rocks, shoals, vice....
Sojourns (18 Occurrences)
... Exodus 12:48 And when a stranger shall sojourn with thee, and willkeep the passover
to the LORD, let all his males be circumcised, and then let him come near...
Attend (71 Occurrences)
... Philemon 1:13 It was my wish tokeep him at my side for him to attend to my wants,
as your representative, during my imprisonment for the Good News. (WEY)....
Resources
What does it mean that God is able to keep us from falling (Jude 24)? | GotQuestions.orgHow can I keep the faith? | GotQuestions.orgWhat did Jesus mean when He said, “If you love me keep my commandments”? | GotQuestions.orgKeep: Dictionary and Thesaurus | Clyx.comBible Concordance •
Bible Dictionary •
Bible Encyclopedia •
Topical Bible •
Bible Thesuarus
