G372 — ἀνάπαυσις (anapausis)¶

Core Data¶

Strong's: G372
Original: ἀνάπαυσις
Transliteration: anapausis
Pronunciation: an-ap'-ow-sis
Part of Speech: Feminine noun
Root: From ἀναπαύω (G373) — ἀνά (up, again) + παύω (G3973, to cease, stop) = intermission, cessation, rest
Occurrences: 5 tokens / 5 unique verses
Books: 3 (Matthew, Luke, Revelation)
First Occurrence: Mat 11:29 — "Take my yoke upon you, and learn of me; for I am meek and lowly in heart: and ye shall find rest unto your souls."
Hapax Legomenon: No

Lexicon Definition¶

From ἀναπαύω (G373); intermission; by implication, recreation — rest. KJV: rest.

Semantic Domains¶

Louw-Nida (via cognate verb ἀναπαύω G373): - Domain: 023 — Physiological Processes and States - Subdomain: 023.006 — Tire, Rest - Other words in subdomain: κατάπαυσις (G2663), καταπαύω (G2664), ἐκλύω (G1590), ἡσυχάζω (G2270), κοπιάω (G2872), συναναπαύομαι (G4875)

Domain: 068 — Aspect
Subdomain: Cease, Stop
Other words in subdomain: ἀδιάλειπτος (G88), ἀκατάπαυστος (G180), διαλείπω (G1257), καταπαύω (G2664), κοπάζω (G2869), παύω (G3973)

UBS Semantic Domains: - [023] Physiological Processes and States - [022] Trouble, Hardship, Relief, Favorable Circumstances - [068] Aspect

Translation Distribution (KJV)¶

Translation	Count	%
rest	4	80.0%
they rest	1	20.0%

Distribution by Book¶

Book	Count	Per 100 Verses
Revelation	2	0.5
Matthew	2	0.2
Luke	1	0.1

Only 5 occurrences across 3 books. All NT; no OT occurrences. Revelation accounts for 40% of uses. The word appears exclusively in Jesus's sayings (Matthew, Luke) and apocalyptic visions (Revelation).

Morphological Note¶

All 5 NT occurrences appear in the accusative singular feminine form ἀνάπαυσιν (anapausin). No nominative, genitive, or dative forms are attested in the NT.

Semantic Categories¶

1. Spiritual Rest Offered by Christ¶

Mat 11:29 — "Take my yoke upon you, and learn of me; for I am meek and lowly in heart: and ye shall find rest unto your souls."

The only positive use of anapausis in the NT. Jesus offers rest (anapausis) for the soul as the result of taking his yoke and learning from him. The phrase "rest unto your souls" echoes Jer 6:16 LXX (where the concept uses a different word).

2. Rest Sought by Unclean Spirits (Denied)¶

Mat 12:43 — "When the unclean spirit is gone out of a man, he walketh through dry places, seeking rest, and findeth none."
Luk 11:24 — "When the unclean spirit is gone out of a man, he walketh through dry places, seeking rest; and finding none, he saith, I will return unto my house whence I came out."

Parallel passages describing an unclean spirit's futile search for anapausis in waterless places. The demon seeks a settled resting state but cannot find it apart from a human host.

3. Ceaseless Activity (Absence of Rest)¶

Rev 4:8 — "And the four beasts had each of them six wings about him; and they were full of eyes within: and they rest not day and night, saying, Holy, holy, holy, Lord God Almighty, which was, and is, and is to come."

Here "they rest not" (ouk echousin anapausin, literally "they have no rest/cessation") describes the unceasing praise of the four living creatures. The absence of anapausis is portrayed positively — perpetual worship.

4. Absence of Rest as Punishment¶

Rev 14:11 — "And the smoke of their torment ascendeth up for ever and ever: and they have no rest day nor night, who worship the beast and his image, and whosoever receiveth the mark of his name."

The same construction "they have no rest" (ouk echousin anapausin) as Rev 4:8, but applied negatively — tormented worshippers of the beast receive no cessation from their suffering. The "day and night" formula in both Rev 4:8 and 14:11 creates a deliberate contrast between ceaseless worship and ceaseless torment.

Common Collocations¶

Word	Strong's	Co-occurrences	Typical Pattern
εὑρίσκω (heurisko)	G2147	3x (60%)	"seeking rest and findeth [none]" — rest as object sought
ἀκάθαρτος (akathartos)	G169	2x (40%)	"unclean spirit ... seeking rest" — demonic context
ζητέω (zeteo)	G2212	2x (40%)	"seeking rest" — rest as object of search
πνεῦμα (pneuma)	G4151	2x (40%)	"unclean spirit" context + Rev 4:8 living creatures
ἄνυδρος (anydros)	G504	2x (40%)	"dry/waterless places" — where rest is absent
ἡμέρα (hemera)	G2250	2x (40%)	"day and night" formula in Revelation
νύξ (nyx)	G3571	2x (40%)	"day and night" formula in Revelation

Word Family / Cognates¶

G373 ἀναπαύω (anapauo) — cognate verb: to cause to rest, give rest, refresh (12 occurrences). Active = give rest to another; middle = rest oneself. Much broader usage than the noun.
G3973 παύω (pauo) — root verb: to cease, stop, leave off. The base from which anapausis is derived via the prefix ἀνά.

Synonyms¶

G425 ἄνεσις (anesis) — relaxation, relief from pressure (5v). More about loosening of tension than settled rest.
G2663 κατάπαυσις (katapausis) — rest, resting place (8v in Acts and Hebrews). Hebraistic term for God's rest / promised land rest. More theological freight; connected to Sabbath rest theology in Heb 3-4.
G4520 σαββατισμός (sabbatismos) — Sabbath rest, sabbath-keeping (hapax, Heb 4:9). Distinct from both anapausis and katapausis; refers specifically to a Sabbath-type rest remaining for the people of God.

Easily Confused Words¶

Word	Strong's	Shared Translation	Key Difference
κατάπαυσις (katapausis)	G2663	"rest"	katapausis = settling down into a place of rest (Hebraism for God's dwelling/rest); anapausis = intermission, cessation of activity
ἀναπαύω (anapauo)	G373	"rest" (verbal)	anapauo = the verb "to rest/refresh"; anapausis = the noun "rest/cessation"
νοῦχ (nuwach) via LXX	H5117	"rest"	nuwach = Hebrew verb to settle, come to rest; sometimes rendered by anapausis in LXX
μְנוּחָה (menuchah)	H4496	"rest" (via LXX)	menuchah = resting place, state of repose; broader range in OT

Hebrew Source (via LXX)¶

Hebrew Source	Strong's	Co-occurrences	PMI Score	Notes
שַׁבָּתוֹן (shabbathown)	H7677	9	20.55	sabbatism, special holiday — highest PMI
מְנוּחָה (menuchah)	H4496	11	20.07	repose, resting place — highest co-occurrence count
מָנוֹחַ (manoach)	H4494	4	13.67	quiet, settled spot
שַׁבָּת (shabbath)	H7676	7	11.25	Sabbath, intermission
נוּחַ (nuwach)	H5117	6	10.89	to rest, settle down
נַחַת (nachath)	H5183	3	10.62	descent, quietness

The LXX translators used ἀνάπαυσις most frequently for מְנוּחָה (menuchah, "resting place / repose") and for Sabbath-related vocabulary (שַׁבָּתוֹן, שַׁבָּת). This LXX background connects the NT noun to the broader OT rest theology — Sabbath rest, promised-land rest, and divine repose.