Lexical Summary akatapaustos: Unceasing, relentless Original Word: ἀκατάπαυστος Strong's Exhaustive Concordance unceasing, restlessFrom a (as a negative particle) and a derivative of katapauo; unrefraining -- that cannot cease. see GREEK a see GREEK katapauo NAS Exhaustive Concordance Word Originfrom alpha (as a neg. prefix) and katapauó Definition incessant NASB Translation never cease (1). Thayer's Greek Lexicon STRONGS NT 180: ἀκατάπαστοςἀκατάπαστος, — found only in 2 Peter 2:14 in manuscripts A and B, from which L WH Tr marginal reading have adopted it instead of the Rec. ἀκαταπαύστους, which see It may be derived from πατέομαι, perfect πεπάσμαι, to taste, eat; whence ἀκατάπαστος insatiable. In secular writings κατάπαστος (which Alexander Buttmann (1873) conjectures may have been the original reading) signifies besprinkled, soiled, from καταπάσσω to besprinkle. For a fuller discussion of this various reading see Buttmann, 65 (57) (and WH's Appendix, p. 170). STRONGS NT 180: ἀκατάπαυστοςἀκατάπαυστος, (καταπαύω), unable to stop, unceasing; passively, not quieted, that cannot be quieted; with the genitive of thing (on which cf Winer's Grammar, § 30, 4), 2 Peter 2:14 (R G T Tr txt) (eyes not quieted with sin, namely, which they commit with adulterous look). (Polybius, Diodorus, Josephus, Plutarch) The word designates a condition of continual, unbroken action—specifically, an incapacity to stop wrongdoing. In 2 Peter 2:14 this adjective characterizes false teachers who have surrendered themselves so completely to corruption that sin has become their permanent state. Biblical Occurrence 2 Peter 2:14: “Their eyes are full of adultery, and they never stop sinning. They entice unstable souls. They are accursed children with hearts trained in greed.” This single instance forms part of a larger denunciation (2 Peter 2:1-22) in which Peter likens these teachers to “springs without water” and “mists driven by a storm,” whose fate is “the gloom of darkness.” The Portrait of Unceasing Sin 1. Moral Incontinence The expression reveals a heart that has lost even the desire to resist evil. Much as Proverbs 4:16 says of the wicked, “they cannot sleep unless they do evil,” so the offenders in 2 Peter are enslaved to passion (compare Romans 6:12-14). 2. Predatory Influence Their inner restlessness spills out in active seduction—“they entice unstable souls.” The influence is both doctrinal and moral, preying upon those not firmly grounded in truth. 3. Insatiable Appetite The language of unending sinfulness echoes Isaiah 57:20, where the wicked are compared to a “tossing sea that cannot be quiet.” Such imagery underscores a bottomless craving that can never be satisfied (cf. Ecclesiastes 1:8). Historical Setting in 2 Peter Written near the end of the apostle’s life, 2 Peter addresses churches threatened by libertine teachers who denied the coming judgment (2 Peter 3:3-4) and justified immoral lifestyles. By describing them as unable to cease from sin, Peter exposes the real fruit of their message—unrestrained sensuality and greed, traits also condemned in Jude 4, 10-13. Contrast with Divine Rest The adjective is the exact opposite of the “rest” God promises. Hebrews 4:9-11 invites believers to enter the “Sabbath rest” prepared for them, a state secured through faith and obedience. The restless sinner stands in stark relief to Jesus’ invitation: “Come to Me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest” (Matthew 11:28). Where Christ grants cessation from sin’s tyranny, these false teachers display perpetual bondage to it. Theological Implications • Total Depravity Manifested The word illustrates sin’s dominion over the unregenerate heart (John 8:34). An unceasing pattern of sin calls forth an unceasing judgment (Revelation 14:11), highlighting divine justice. Only new birth (John 3:3-7) can replace this restless drive with a Spirit-produced desire for holiness (Galatians 5:16-24). Pastoral and Ministry Significance 1. Discernment in Teaching Churches must weigh doctrine by its moral fruit (Matthew 7:15-20). A message permitting sin without repentance betrays its origin. Shepherds are charged to guard “unstable souls” through sound instruction and accountability structures (Acts 20:28-31). While vigilance is crucial, the goal remains repentance (James 5:19-20). The gospel offers rest even to those presently “unceasing” in sin. Practical Applications • Personal Examination: Believers test themselves to ensure they are not tolerating habitual sin (2 Corinthians 13:5). Summary Strong’s Greek 180 spotlights a chilling reality: sin can so dominate a life that it becomes continual, compulsive, and contagious. Peter employs the term to warn the church of teachers whose doctrine produces ceaseless wrongdoing. The remedy is found only in the rest Jesus grants—a rest that ends bondage to sin and inaugurates a life of holiness and peace. |
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