Greek word · G373

ἀναπαύω

anapauō

to give rest

Active: to make someone stop, give rest, relieve, refresh. Middle: to rest oneself, take a break. It can be used of resting from work, of refreshing someone's spirit (Philemon 7, 20; 1 Cor 16:18), and of the dead resting.

Appears 12 times in 12 verses of the Greek New Testament. ·

What it means

ἀνα-παύω,

[in LXX for fourteen different words, chiefly נוּחַ, also רָבַץ, שָׁאַן, etc. ;]

to give intermission from labour, to give rest, refresh: Matthew 11:28, 1 Corinthians 16:18, Phm 20; pass., Phm 7, 2 Corinthians 7:13. Mid., to take rest, enjoy rest: Matthew 26:45, Mark 6:31 14:41, Luke 12:19, Revelation 6:11 14:13; as in Heb. ofIs 11:2 (עַל נוּחַ), τὸ πνεῦμα ἐφ᾽ ὑᾶμς ἀ., 1 Peter 4:14. (In π. this word is used as a technical agricultural term; see MM, VGT, see word; and cf. Le 2634 f.; Cremer, 826.)†

(AS)

From G. Abbott-Smith, A Manual Greek Lexicon of the New Testament (1922), via STEPBible.org (CC BY 4.0).

In depth

From the study of Matthew 11:28

Range of meaning

Active: to make someone stop, give rest, relieve, refresh. Middle: to rest oneself, take a break. It can be used of resting from work, of refreshing someone's spirit (Philemon 7, 20; 1 Cor 16:18), and of the dead resting.

Against the English

'Give rest' (all major versions) is good. The Vulgate's reficiam vos, 'I will refresh/restore you', brings out the sense of being restored. English 'rest' can sound like doing nothing. The Greek is about relief and being revived.

How it drifted

Modern 'rest' leans toward leisure or emotional calm, losing the Sabbath, the land, and the picture of a work animal being unyoked.

Used elsewhere in the period

In the Septuagint it often translates Hebrew nuach ('rest, settle'). Exodus 23:12: on the Sabbath you rest 'so that your ox and your donkey may rest (anapausētai)'. Draft animals stop working, which fits the yoke picture of 11:29–30. Exodus 33:14: God says 'I will give you rest' (the Septuagint uses katapausō, from the same family of words). Sirach 51:27: Wisdom's student finds 'much rest'. Matthew 11:29 echoes Jeremiah 6:16, 'you will find rest for your souls'.

From the study of 1 Peter 4:14

Range of meaning

To give rest, refresh. In the middle form, to rest, settle down, remain on something. Used of people resting and of a spirit settling on someone.

Against the English

"Rests on" is accurate. Readers may not notice that it is a specific scriptural phrase for the Spirit's lasting presence on God's chosen agent, not just a passing touch.

Used elsewhere in the period

Isaiah 11:2 in the Greek Old Testament: "and the Spirit of God will rest [anapausetai] upon him," said of the shoot from Jesse (the Davidic Messiah). Numbers 11:25–26: the Spirit "rested on" the seventy elders (LXX epanepausato). 2 Kings 2:15: "the spirit of Elijah has rested on Elisha."

From the study of Revelation 14:13

Range of meaning

To stop, give relief, refresh. In the middle and passive, to rest, take one's ease, be refreshed after effort. It can mean relief from fatigue, refreshment of spirit (1 Cor 16:18), or settling down to rest.

Against the English

'Rest' is accurate, but readers can hear it as sleep, inactivity or unconsciousness. The Greek stresses relief and refreshment after hard labour, not being shut off.

How it drifted

Funeral language ('rest in peace', 'laid to rest') has tied 'rest' to the grave and to sleep.

Used elsewhere in the period

In the LXX it is used of sabbath rest (Exod 23:12). Theodotion's Greek of Dan 12:13 appears to use it of Daniel's rest before rising to his allotted inheritance. In Rev 6:11 the martyrs are told to 'rest' a little longer. In Rev 14:11 the noun ἀνάπαυσις is denied to the beast's worshippers (Matt 11:28–29; BDAG s.v. ἀναπαύω).

Similar words

Where it appears

Matthew · 2

  1. Matthew 11:28 ἀναπαύσω will give rest

    Come to Me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest.

    Here: 'I will give rest to', 'I will refresh.' It is active: Jesus makes them rest, the way a farmer gives rest to a worn-out work animal. Future tense: a firm promise.

  2. Matthew 26:45 ἀναπαύεσθε· take your rest;

    Then He returned to the disciples and said, “Are you still sleeping and resting? Look, the hour is near, and the Son of Man is betrayed into the hands of sinners.

    Here: Middle voice, meaning 'rest yourselves'. Like 'sleep' it can be a statement or a command. It is the same verb as in Jesus' promise 'I will give you rest' (11:28), which makes a painful contrast: they are resting while he goes to suffer.

Mark · 2

  1. Mark 6:31 ἀναπαύσασθε do rest

    And He said to them, “Come with Me privately to a solitary place, and let us rest for a while.” For many people were coming and going, and they did not even have time to eat.

  2. Mark 14:41 ἀναπαύεσθε, taking your rest,

    When Jesus returned the third time, He said, “Are you still sleeping and resting? That is enough! The hour has come. Look, the Son of Man is betrayed into the hands of sinners.

    Here: "Take your rest, refresh yourselves." Like καθεύδετε, the form can be read as a statement, a question or a command. Jesus is speaking of comfortable rest at the very moment he is in agony.

Luke · 1

  1. Luke 12:19 ἀναπαύου, do rest yourself

    Then I will say to myself, “You have plenty of good things laid up for many years. Take it easy. Eat, drink, and be merry!”’

    Here: A present imperative, 'keep resting': stop working and settle into ongoing leisure. Rest was a real biblical good (Sabbath, rest in the land). Here he hands it to himself as something his stockpile has bought.

1 Corinthians · 1

  1. 1 Corinthians 16:18 ἀνέπαυσαν They refreshed

    For they refreshed my spirit and yours as well. Show your appreciation, therefore, to such men.

    Here: "They gave rest to." Placed first for emphasis. The past-tense form looks at their visit as one finished event: by coming, they brought Paul relief, a breather from strain.

2 Corinthians · 1

  1. 2 Corinthians 7:13 ἀναπέπαυται has been refreshed

    On account of this, we are encouraged. In addition to our own encouragement, we were even more delighted by the joy of Titus. For his spirit has been refreshed by all of you.

    Here: Perfect passive: 'has been given rest' and remains refreshed. The picture is relief after strain or toil, like a worker or animal let off from labour.

Philemon · 2

  1. Philemon 1:7 ἀναπέπαυται have been refreshed

    I take great joy and encouragement in your love, because you, brother, have refreshed the hearts of the saints.

    Here: Perfect passive, "have been given rest," and the relief still holds. The picture is relief and recovery after strain or toil, not a passing pick-me-up.

  2. Philemon 1:20 ἀνάπαυσόν do refresh

    Yes, brother, let me have some benefit from you in the Lord. Refresh my heart in Christ.

1 Peter · 1

  1. 1 Peter 4:14 ἀναπαύεται rests

    If you are insulted for the name of Christ, you are blessed, because the Spirit of glory and of God rests on you.

    Here: Present tense: the Spirit "rests" or "settles" on you now, not only in the future. It echoes Isaiah 11:2 in the Greek Old Testament, where the Spirit of God "will rest" on the coming Davidic king.

Revelation · 2

  1. Revelation 6:11 ἀναπαύσονται they will rest

    Then each of them was given a white robe and told to rest a little while longer until the full number of their fellow servants, their brothers, were killed, just as they had been killed.

    Here: Future middle: "they shall take their rest." It means both to stop (their crying out and their struggle) and to be refreshed in quiet while they wait. Revelation often uses a future verb after "that."

  2. Revelation 14:13 ἀναπαήσονται they will rest

    And I heard a voice from heaven telling me to write, “Blessed are the dead—those who die in the Lord from this moment on.” “Yes,” says the Spirit, “they will rest from their labors, for their deeds will follow them.”

    Here: Future: 'they will be at rest, refreshed'. It answers 14:11, where the beast's worshippers 'have no rest day or night', and 6:11, where the martyrs are told to 'rest a little longer'.

Word data: STEPBible.org (CC BY 4.0), main text only.