Here is a word that in English can mean several things. It can mean
to fulfill or observe a promise. It can mean to guard, to keep someone
from harm or to take care of someone. It can mean to maintain, such as
keeping one's silence. It also means to have at one's service or disposal,
su6h as a horse. It can mean to preserve a record, such as a diary. The
word "keep" can also be a fortress or the provision that one keeps what
he wins. As you can see, when we use the word "keep" we might mean a great
number of things, The context must decide how the word is used.
In the Greek language of the New Testament, there are eleven words
that have been translated "keep." Each one of these words carried a different
meaning, although some were very similar. There is the word "terreo" which
means "to watch over or preserve. "Diatereo" means "to keep carefully",
such as the mother of Jesus keeping His sayings in her heart (Luke 2:51).
The word "phulasso" means to keep watch, (Luke 2:8) such as the shepherds
watching their sheep. While "phroureo" means to keep with a military guard,
used in Galatians 3:23. "Nosphizo" is used in Acts 5:2,3, where Ananias
"kept" back part of the money they received for selling their land. As
with the English, we have to allow the context to decide how the word "keep"
is used, but it is interesting to notice the different words of the Greek
language and their meaning.