Lexical Summary térésis: Keeping, guarding, custody, imprisonment Original Word: τηρήσις Strong's Exhaustive Concordance hold. From tereo; a watching, i.e. (figuratively) observance, or (concretely) a prison -- hold. see GREEK tereo HELPS Word-studies Cognate: 5084 tḗrēsis – final safe-keeping (well-kept preservation), emphasizing the end-result of being kept intact. See 5083 (tēreō). [5084 (tḗrēsis) accordingly is used of "the place of detention" – literally "a safe keeping place." See Ac 4:3, 5:18.] NAS Exhaustive Concordance Word Originfrom téreó Definition a watching, hence imprisonment, a keeping NASB Translation jail (2), keeping (1). Thayer's Greek Lexicon STRONGS NT 5084: τήρησιςτήρησις, τηρησεως, ἡ (τηρέω); a. a watching: of prisoners (Thucydides 7, 86); the place where prisoners are kept, a prison (R. V. ward): Acts 4:3; Acts 5:18. b. a keeping, i. e. complying with obeying: τῶν ἐντολῶν, 1 Corinthians 7:19; Sir. 35:23 (Sir. 32:23); νόμων, Wis. 6:19. Tērēsis conveys the idea of being kept under watch. Depending on context, it may describe incarceration behind physical bars or the conscientious safeguarding of something precious, such as God’s commandments. Its root sense embraces both restraint and protection, depicting whatever or whoever is held within secure boundaries. Old Testament Foundations The Septuagint often renders Hebrew shamar (“to keep, guard”) with cognates of tērēsis. From guarding Eden (Genesis 3:24) to preserving covenant terms (Exodus 19:5), the thread that binds these uses is vigilance on behalf of God’s purposes. This background shapes New Testament nuances: custody can be punitive when opposing God, yet blessed when directed toward honoring Him. Occurrences in the New Testament Acts 4:3 records that the Sanhedrin “placed them in custody until the next day, for it was already evening.” The apostles are physically restrained because the authorities refuse the gospel’s advance. Acts 5:18 intensifies the same opposition: “They arrested the apostles and put them in the public jail.” Here tērēsis underscores the irony of men attempting to confine messengers of the risen Lord; an angel soon liberates them (Acts 5:19), proving that human chains cannot fetter divine commission. 1 Corinthians 7:19 shifts the focus from prison walls to covenant faithfulness: “Circumcision is nothing and uncircumcision is nothing. Keeping God’s commandments is what counts.” Paul elevates tērēsis to the sphere of obedient devotion, insisting that what truly matters is a life securely enclosed within God’s revealed will. Theological Significance 1. Spiritual versus Physical Custody: Luke portrays unjust authorities trying to silence witness; Paul portrays believers willingly binding themselves to God’s commands. The word thus spans the chasm between coerced captivity and chosen consecration. Historical Background Public jails in first-century Jerusalem were typically attached to the Antonia Fortress or the high-priestly compound. Such facilities served as temporary holding places pending trial. By employing the same noun for jail and for obedient “keeping,” Scripture intentionally juxtaposes earthly and heavenly courts: while rulers lock the apostles behind stone, the apostles lock their hearts onto Christ. Practical Ministry Applications • Persecution Perspective: Modern believers facing detention for the gospel may recall the Acts narrative—God can open doors that men shut. Related Concepts Guardianship of doctrine (1 Timothy 6:20), keeping oneself unstained by the world (James 1:27), and Christ’s own promise to “keep” His people (John 17:12) all resonate with the same vocabulary family, joining personal holiness to divine protection. Contemporary Reflection Every believer lives in one of two enclosures: either the world’s prison of unbelief or the liberating circumscription of God’s commands. True freedom is found in voluntary tērēsis—yielding to Christ’s lordship and discovering that His boundaries are broad spaces of grace. Englishman's Concordance Acts 4:3 N-AFSGRK: ἔθεντο εἰς τήρησιν εἰς τὴν NAS: on them and put them in jail until KJV: put [them] in hold unto the next day: INT: put [them] in hold until the Acts 5:18 N-DFS 1 Corinthians 7:19 N-NFS Strong's Greek 5084 |
    |