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 -- to keep 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 ... //strongsnumbers.com/greek2/4933.htm - 7k 4601. sigao -- to keep silent, to keep secret 1301. diatereo -- to keep carefully 2687. katastello -- to keep down 1758. enecho -- to hold in or upon, ie to ensnare, by impl. to ... 568. apecho -- to hold back, keep off, to be away, be distant 4722. stego -- to cover closely (so as to keep water out) ... 879b. aphustereo -- to be late, spec. to keep back 1235. diagregoreo -- to keep awake, to be fully awake 5442. phulasso -- to guard, watch Strong's Hebrew 8104. shamar -- to keep, watch, preserve... 8103, 8104. shamar. 8105 . to keep, watch, preserve. Transliteration: shamar Phonetic Spelling: (shaw-mar') Short Definition: keep. Word Origin a prim. ... /hebrew/8104.htm - 7k 2013. has -- hush! keep silence! 6822. tsaphah -- to look out or about, spy, keep watch 5341. natsar -- to watch, guard, keep 2287. chagag -- to make a pilgrimage, keep a pilgrim feast 5202. netar -- to keep 5201. natar -- to keep 5640. satham -- to stop up, shut up, keep close 1692. dabaq -- to cling, cleave, keep close 7673b. shabath -- to keep, observe (sabbath) Library "Keep Step. " How to Keep the Heart Keep the Roots Watered. How to Keep the Word of God in the Heart. How to Keep Passion Week March 29. "He Will Keep the Feet of his Saints" (I. Sam. Ii. 9). March 13. "Keep Yourselves in the Love of God" (Jude 21). Meditations on the Hindrances which Keep Back a Sinner from the ... Whether all are Bound to Keep the Fasts of the Church? How to Keep Out of Trouble 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. ... /k/keep.htm - 9k Celebrate (66 Occurrences) Avoid (31 Occurrences) Awake (83 Occurrences) Steadfast (194 Occurrences) Silence (80 Occurrences) Busy (13 Occurrences) Shun (14 Occurrences) Sojourns (18 Occurrences) Attend (71 Occurrences) Resources What does it mean that God is able to keep us from falling (Jude 24)? | GotQuestions.orgHow can I keep the faith? | GotQuestions.org What did Jesus mean when He said, “If you love me keep my commandments”? | GotQuestions.org Keep: Dictionary and Thesaurus | Clyx.com Bible Concordance • Bible Dictionary • Bible Encyclopedia • Topical Bible • Bible Thesuarus Concordance Keep (4573 Occurrences)Keep is found 4573 times in 12 translations. You can narrow your search using the Advanced Bible Search. Subtopics Related Terms |
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