WG: Rest / Cessation¶

Overview¶

The biblical concept of "rest" draws on a cluster of Greek and Hebrew words that together span physical refreshment, the Promised Land rest, Sabbath observance, and eschatological cessation from works. The key Greek terms are used with precision in Hebrews 3–4, where the author layered them carefully.

Word Group Members¶

Strong's	Word	Transliteration	POS	Occurrences	Role in Concept	Library Entry
G2663	κατάπαυσις	katapausis	feminine noun	8	The "settling-down" rest / God's dwelling; Heb 3–4 / Acts 7:49	G2663-katapausis
G2664	καταπαύω	katapauo	verb	4	Causative: to cause to rest, to give rest	G2664
G372	ἀνάπαυσις	anapausis	feminine noun	5	Refreshment / intermission — temporary rest	G372
G373	ἀναπαύω	anapauo	verb	12	To refresh, repose, take rest	G373
G4520	σαββατισμός	sabbatismos	masculine noun	1	Sabbath-keeping rest as eschatological reality (Heb 4:9)	G4520-sabbatismos
H4496	מְנוּחָה	menuchah	feminine noun	22	The OT settled resting place; primary Hebrew source for katapausis	H4496

Relationships¶

Shared Roots¶

G2663 κατάπαυσις and G2664 καταπαύω — noun and verb from the same stem (κατά + παύω)
G372 ἀνάπαυσις and G373 ἀναπαύω — noun and verb from the same stem (ἀνά + παύω)
Both pairs share the root παύω (to stop/cease); κατά intensifies to "settling down"; ἀνά conveys refreshment/recovery

Shared Hebrew Source (LXX Bridge)¶

Hebrew	Strong's	→ Greek	Co-occ	Notes
נוּחַ (nuach)	H5117	→ G373 ἀναπαύω	24	Primary verb of resting; LXX uses anapauo for nuach
נוּחַ (nuach)	H5117	→ G2664 καταπαύω	18	LXX also renders nuach as katapauo
מְנוּחָה (menuchah)	H4496	→ G372 ἀνάπαυσις	11	LXX uses anapausis for menuchah
מְנוּחָה (menuchah)	H4496	→ G2663 κατάπαυσις	6	The Ps 95:11 connection: "my rest" = menuchah → katapausis

Co-occurrence (appear in same verses)¶

Word A	Word B	Shared Verses	Typical Context
G2663	G2664	1	Heb 4:10 — "entered into his rest... ceased from his own works"

Note: The rest of the pairs have no verse-level overlap (different corpora / different authors), but they share the Hebrew sources above.

Roles in the Concept¶

Settled abode / cessation state: G2663 κατάπαυσις — where God dwells; the goal believers enter
The act of giving rest: G2664 καταπαύω — transitive (God gives rest; or one "ceases" from works)
Refreshment / recovery: G372 ἀνάπαυσις, G373 ἀναπαύω — the experiential side of rest (comfort, relief)
Sabbath-rest as institution: G4520 σαββατισμός — the distinctly sabbatical rest that "remains for God's people"
OT resting place / abode: H4496 מְנוּחָה — the noun behind katapausis in Ps 95:11 and elsewhere

Key Distinction: katapausis vs. sabbatismos (Heb 4)¶

Hebrews 4 uses both words deliberately. Nine uses of κατάπαυσις (G2663) in Heb 4:1–11 draw from Ps 95:11 (the "rest" Israel forfeited). Then in 4:9 the author shifts to σαββατισμός (G4520) — a term he appears to coin — to assert that what remains for God's people is not just any rest but a sabbath-rest, grounded in creation week.

Key Passages Where Group Words Appear¶

Heb 4:3 — "we which have believed do enter into rest [G2663]... the works were finished from the foundation of the world"
Heb 4:9–10 — "There remaineth therefore a rest [G4520 sabbatismos] to the people of God. For he that is entered into his rest [G2663] hath ceased from his own works [G2664-cognate], as God did from his."
Acts 7:49 — "what is the place of my rest [G2663]?" (quoting Isa 66:1)