89. adialeiptós
Lexical Summary
adialeiptós: Unceasing, continual

Original Word: ἀδιάλειπτος
Part of Speech: Adverb
Transliteration: adialeiptós
Pronunciation: ah-dee-ah-LIPE-tos
Phonetic Spelling: (ad-ee-al-ipe'-toce)
KJV: without ceasing
NASB: constantly, unceasingly, without ceasing
Word Origin: [adverb from G88 (ἀδιάλειπτος - constantly)]

1. uninterruptedly, unceasingly
2. (on occasion, as appropriate) without omission

Strong's Exhaustive Concordance
without ceasing.

Adverb from adialeiptos; uninterruptedly, i.e. Without omission (on an appropriate occasion) -- without ceasing.

see GREEK adialeiptos

HELPS Word-studies

89 adialeíptōs (an adverb, derived from 1 /A "not," 1223 /diá, "across" and 3007 /leípō, "to leave") – properly, nothing left between, i.e. without any unnecessary interval (time-gap).

NAS Exhaustive Concordance
Word Origin
adverb from adialeiptos
Definition
incessantly
NASB Translation
constantly (2), unceasingly (1), without ceasing (1).

Thayer's Greek Lexicon
STRONGS NT 89: ἀδιαλείπτως

ἀδιαλείπτως, adverb, without intermission, incessantly, assiduously: Romans 1:9; 1 Thessalonians 1:2 (3); . (Polybius, Diodorus, Strabo; 1 Macc. 12:11.)

Topical Lexicon
Definition and Scope of the Term

This Pauline adverb expresses an activity that is marked by continual, uninterrupted regularity. It points to a pattern so steady and frequent that the breaks are negligible, conveying a life rhythm characterized by consistency rather than sporadic bursts.

Occurrences in the New Testament

Romans 1:9 – Paul testifies that his prayer for the Roman believers rises “constantly” as part of his priestly service in the gospel.

1 Thessalonians 1:3 – The same term anchors Paul’s thanksgiving, showing that recollection of the Thessalonians’ faith, love, and hope was woven into every season of his intercession.

1 Thessalonians 2:13 – It qualifies the apostles’ gratitude for the Thessalonians’ reception of the word “not as the word of men but as the word of God.”

1 Thessalonians 5:17 – The exhortation, “pray without ceasing,” universalizes the habit he has just modeled.

Theological Implications

1. Prayer as Permanent Fellowship: Romans 1:9 joins sacrificial language (“whom I serve in my spirit”) with incessant request, depicting prayer as priestly ministry that never clocks out.
2. Word and Prayer United: In 1 Thessalonians 2:13 the ceaseless thanksgiving is tied to the effective work of Scripture in believers, binding together revelation and petition.
3. Eschatological Readiness: “Pray without ceasing” (1 Thessalonians 5:17) stands amid watchfulness commands, charging the church to remain alert for the Lord’s return by sustaining an open line of communion with Him.
4. Corporate Solidarity: Paul prays unceasingly for congregations, not merely individuals. The church’s health is thus fostered through continuous intercession that transcends geography and circumstance.

Relationship to Old Testament Patterns

Old Covenant priests tended the altar “continually” (for example, Leviticus 6:13). David vowed, “I will bless the LORD at all times; His praise will always be on my lips” (Psalm 34:1). Paul’s vocabulary captures that same liturgical continuity but relocates it to the heart enlivened by the Spirit, fulfilling the promise that God would write His law within (Jeremiah 31:33).

Pauline Ministry Pattern

• Frequency over Length: Paul’s letters reveal frequent, brief petitions offered throughout the day rather than a single protracted session.
• Gospel-Motivated: His unbroken intercession springs from the gospel’s advance; every remembrance of people encountered on mission becomes a cue to pray.
• Thanksgiving-Filled: Two of the four occurrences modify gratitude, underscoring that the healthiest prayer life is saturated with thanks, not merely requests.

Historical Reception in the Church

Early Christian writers—from Chrysostom to Augustine—cited these verses to encourage rhythmic prayer amid ordinary labor. Monastic traditions later translated the concept into fixed hours of prayer, while the Reformers emphasized the priesthood of all believers, urging tradesmen and mothers to pray “without ceasing” in the workshop and the home. Revival movements have repeatedly returned to these texts to call the church to sustained intercession for awakening.

Spiritual Formation and Contemporary Application

1. Breath Prayers: Short, Scripture-based cries (“Lord Jesus, have mercy”) breathed through the day embody the text’s intent.
2. Prayer Lists and Reminders: Digital prompts or written journals mirror Paul’s disciplined remembrance of names and needs.
3. Corporate Prayer Rhythms: Congregations that weave intercession into every gathering—staff meetings, choir rehearsals, youth events—echo the apostolic model.
4. Missional Outlook: Like Paul, believers channel ceaseless prayer toward gospel proclamation, unreached peoples, and new church plants, letting every missionary report trigger fresh petition.
5. Perseverance in Trials: Continuous prayer stabilizes faith when outward circumstances fluctuate, grounding the heart in the unchanging character of God.

Summary

Across four strategic passages, Paul elevates unbroken communion with God from a private aspiration to a communal norm. Woven into thanksgiving, grounded in Scripture, and propelled by gospel mission, this practice equips the church to live, serve, and watch in the Spirit’s power until Christ appears.

Forms and Transliterations
αδιαλειπτως αδιαλείπτως ἀδιαλείπτως αδιάλυτον adialeiptos adialeiptōs adialeíptos adialeíptōs
Links
Interlinear GreekInterlinear HebrewStrong's NumbersEnglishman's Greek ConcordanceEnglishman's Hebrew ConcordanceParallel Texts
Englishman's Concordance
Romans 1:9 Adv
GRK: αὐτοῦ ὡς ἀδιαλείπτως μνείαν ὑμῶν
NAS: [as to] how unceasingly I make
KJV: that without ceasing I make
INT: of him how unceasingly mention of you

1 Thessalonians 1:3 Adv
GRK: ἀδιαλείπτως μνημονεύοντες ὑμῶν
NAS: constantly bearing in mind your work
KJV: Remembering without ceasing your work
INT: unceasingly remembering your

1 Thessalonians 2:13 Adv
GRK: τῷ θεῷ ἀδιαλείπτως ὅτι παραλαβόντες
NAS: reason we also constantly thank God
KJV: God without ceasing, because,
INT: to God unceasingly that having received

1 Thessalonians 5:17 Adv
GRK: ἀδιαλείπτως προσεύχεσθε
NAS: pray without ceasing;
KJV: Pray without ceasing.
INT: unceasingly pray

Strong's Greek 89
4 Occurrences


ἀδιαλείπτως — 4 Occ.

88
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