Cease - Vine's Expository Dictionary of New Testament Words
Cease
[ A-1,Verb,G3973, pauo ]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), Luke 5:4, of a discourse; Luke 8:24, of a storm; Luke 11:1, of Christ's prayer; Acts 5:42, of teaching and preaching; Acts 6:13, of speaking against; Acts 13:10, of evil doing; Acts 20:1, of an uproar; Acts 20:31, of admonition; Acts 21:32, of a scourging; 1 Corinthians 13:8, of tongues; Ephesians 1:16, of giving thanks; Colossians 1:9, of prayer; Hebrews 10:2, of sacrifices; 1 Peter 4:1, of "ceasing" from sin. It is used in the Active Voice in 1 Peter 3:10, "let him cause his tongue to cease from evil." See LEAVE, REFRAIN.
[ A-2,Verb,G1257, dialeipo ]
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 Luke 7:45 is used of the kissing of the Lord's feet.
[ A-3,Verb,G2270, hesuchazo ]
"to be quiet, still, at rest," is said of Paul's friends in Caesarea, in "ceasing" to persuade him not to go to Jerusalem, Acts 21:14; it is used of silence (save in Luke 23:56; 1 Thessalonians 4:11) in Luke 14:4; Acts 11:18. See PEACE (hold one's), QUIET, REST.
[ A-4,Verb,G2869, kopazo ]
"to cease through being spent with toil, to cease raging" (from kopos, "labor, toil," kopiao, "to labor"), is said of the wind only, Matthew 14:32; Mark 4:39; Mark 6:51.
[ A-5,Verb,G863, aphiemi ]
"to let go," is translated "let us cease to" in Hebrews 6:1, RV (marg., "leave") for AV, "leaving." See FORGIVE, LEAVE.
[ A-6,Verb,G2664, katapauo ]
"to rest" (kata, "down," intensive, and No. 1), is so translated in Hebrews 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 Galatians 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 2 Peter 2:14, of those who "cannot cease" from sin, i.e., who cannot be restrained from sinning.
[ B-1,Adjective,G88, adialeiptos ]
"unceasing" (from a, negative, dia, "through," leipo, "to leave"), is used of "incessant" heart pain, Romans 9:2, AV, "continual," RV, "unceasing," and in 2 Timothy 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.
[ C-1,Adverb,G89, adialeiptos ]
"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 Romans 1:9; 1 Thessalonians 5:17, of prayer; in 1 Thessalonians 1:3, of the remembrance of the work, labor and patience of saints; in 1 Thessalonians 2:13, of thanksgiving.
Note: Ektenes, lit., "stretched out, signifies "earnest, fervent;" Acts 12:5, RV, for AV, "without ceasing." See 1 Peter 4:8, "fervent."