Divine Protection: τήρησις (Strong’s G5084: teresis) Reveals Sovereign Custody

Strong’s G5084: A noun derived from τηρέω (to guard), meaning “watching” or “keeping.” Used in Acts for prison custody and in 1 Corinthians for keeping God’s commandments, illustrating how human constraints cannot impede divine purposes and faithful obedience.

U- Unveiling the Word

τήρησις embodies both physical custody and spiritual watchfulness in its New Testament usage. As a noun derived from τηρέω, it describes careful watching or keeping, whether in the context of imprisonment or faithful observance of divine commands. In Acts, it appears in the narrative of apostolic imprisonment, where human custody proves powerless against God’s purposes. The early church saw deep significance in how this term bridges physical and spiritual custody, recognizing that while authorities might imprison believers, true freedom comes through keeping God’s commands. Today, it continues to remind us that faithful observance of God’s word brings true liberty.

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N – Necessary Information

• Greek Word: τήρησις, teresis, /tay-RAY-sis/
• Detailed pronunciation: tay-RAY-sis (emphasis on RAY)
• Part of Speech: Noun

Etymology:

• τηρέω (tereo) – root verb meaning “to guard”
• -σις (-sis) – nominal suffix indicating action or state

D – Defining Meanings

• Custody
• Guard
• Keeping
• Observance
• Watchful care

For compound words:
Not a compound word, but derived from τηρέω with the -σις suffix indicating the act or state of guarding

Translation Options:

• “Custody” – When emphasizing physical restraint
• “Keeping” – When focusing on faithful observance
• “Watch” – When highlighting vigilant care

E – Exploring Similar Words

• φυλακή (phylake) /foo-la-KAY/ – prison, guard duty. See G5438
• παρατήρησις (parateresis) /pa-ra-tay-RAY-sis/ – careful observation. See G3907
• συντήρησις (sunteresis) /soon-tay-RAY-sis/ – preservation. See G4934

R – Reviewing the Word’s Morphology

Morphological features as a Noun:

• Case: Nominative/Genitive/Dative/Accusative
• Number: Singular/Plural
• Gender: Feminine
• Declension: Third

Case forms:

• Nominative: τήρησις
• Genitive: τηρήσεως
• Dative: τηρήσει
• Accusative: τήρησιν

S – Studying Lexicon Insights

BDAG emphasizes τήρησις’s dual application to physical custody and spiritual observance. Thayer’s notes its development from literal imprisonment to metaphorical keeping of commands. LSJ documents its use in both legal and religious contexts. Vine’s highlights its connection to faithful obedience. Strong’s connects it to the concept of watchful guarding. Moulton and Milligan provide evidence of its use in official documents regarding custody and observation. The synthesis reveals a term that bridges physical and spiritual dimensions of custody, emphasizing both human confinement and divine preservation.

T – Tracing the Scriptures

First appearance:
“And they laid hands on them, and put them in [hold] [τήρησις] unto the next day: for it was now eventide.” Acts 4:3

Additional References:
Acts 5:18
1 Corinthians 7:19

A – Analyzing Classical Usage

N – Noteworthy Summary

τήρησις appears in Scripture highlighting both physical custody and spiritual faithfulness. While authorities may impose physical custody, the word reminds us that true freedom comes through keeping God’s commands. This proclaims the good news that King Jesus transforms imprisonment into opportunity and constraint into liberty through faithful obedience. The word encourages believers that even in physical custody, spiritual freedom remains through adherence to divine truth.

D – Did You Know?

1. The word was used in ancient prison documents for both temporary and permanent detention.
2. Early Christians often contrasted physical τήρησις with spiritual freedom.
3. It appears in ancient legal texts describing protective custody of valuable items.

Strong’s G5084: A noun derived from τηρέω (to guard), meaning “watching” or “keeping.” Used in Acts for prison custody and in 1 Corinthians for keeping God’s commandments, illustrating how human constraints cannot impede divine purposes and faithful obedience.

Part of speech: Noun

Tags: custody, imprisonment, keeping, observance, watchfulness, protection, guard, preservation, obedience, confinement, freedom, faithfulness​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​