Who is God? A Rewarder of Persistence - Pleased with Righteous Grit

My Bible college days were a consistent example of persistence. I continually, without ceasing, raced back to my dorm room daily after English class to avoid going to the “required” chapel service. Naptime called! I always drove to my parent’s home over the weekends because I was too painfully shy for any meaningful social life. Without intermission, I focused on the cute Australian guy sitting next to me in The Book of Acts class (We will celebrate 28 years of marriage in August 2025). It may surprise you, but I am no Bible scholar. I honestly didn’t even realize until my mid-30’s that the Bible’s original text contained not one English word. Old Testament authors wrote in Hebrew (with a few verses in Aramaic), and New Testament scribes put pen to parchment forming letters in Koine Greek. I “think” the Bible college I attended offered those intellectual classes where one would learn such lofty things, but I dropped out after a year and a half.

In my humble and mostly “stumbling through” quest to understand “Who God Is,” some brilliant Bible experts (who apparently did make it past their first year of college) created magnificent websites for people like me to easily dig into scripture (1). With the click of a mouse, one can view any Bible verse in the original Hebrew language (used in the Old Testament) and Greek (language of the New Testament authors). Prayer is a strong passion of mine, so the pithy and poignant 1 Thessalonians 5:17 is one I hold close to my heart: “Pray continually.” Some translations read “Pray always” or “Pray without ceasing.” This sounds good, but can one pray all hours of the day? Should I intercede as I chop carrots for dinner? I am seriously lacking in culinary cutting skill, and trying to focus on “Heavenly Father…” and “sharp knife” may result in a severe finger cut. Also, how can I pray while sleeping? Doesn’t it say, “Pray continually?”

So…What Does “Pray Always” Really Mean?

Cue scholarly websites! The original Greek words Paul penned to the church at Thessalonica were only two: proseuchesthe (pray) adialeiptōs (pronounced “ad-ee-al-ipe’-toce” and means “unceasingly”). Another remarkable feature of these websites shows all other verses where the same Greek word is used. This unique word was only penned in scripture by apostle Paul and a mere six times (2). The detailed definition of adialeptos is “without intermission, incessantly, without ceasing, and uninterruptedly.” Many times (42, to be exact), the New Testament writers, including Paul, used the Greek word “pantote” meaning “always.” I also discovered the word “proskartereó” (used 10 times), defined as “continue steadfast,” and “aei” (used 7 times), which also translates to “always.” I don’t know if there are other Greek words for “always” or “continually.” Remember my stellar college career? Anyway, I wondered what Paul meant when he wrote this two-word command, and if a simple “pray always” didn’t hit the heart of his intentions, what do I need to know about God and His desire for our heavenly petitions?   

First, I identified the five other times Paul used “adialeptos.” Four verses (including 1 Thes 5:17) use adialeptos in reference to prayer. 1 Thessalonians 2:13 is about thanking God (For this reason we also constantly [adialeiptos] thank God that when you received the word of God…). Last, in Romans 9:2, Paul pens adialeiptos to describe his “endless” or “continual” heartache. However, other Greek words for “always” and variations of “continually” exist. Why not use those words?

What Did Other Smart Guys Who Spoke Greek Say?

Another stunner to my “went-to-college-and-got-my-Mrs-degree” brain was the fact OTHER people wrote “stuff” in Greek a “long time ago,” and a few were contemporaries of the great Apostle Paul. One such Greek-writing-genius was a Jewish priest, scholar, and historian named Josephus. Born in AD 37 or 38, he wrote detailed accounts of the Jewish revolt of 66-70AD. To my complete joy, I located another super-scholarly website showing me all the instances Josephus (and other ancient writers) used my now favorite Greek word (well, out of the 2 or 3 I now knew). See how Josephus used adialeiptos (English word in brackets where adialeiptos was used):

They were [always] using stones and slings against each other and rained spears from both sides…(Josephus, War of the Jews Book 2 section 423)

The majority of those who fought so hard for Jotapata fell with honour, and most of them were wounded, as the wall, after being [ceaselessly] battered, finally yielded at the time of the morning watch. (Josephus, War of the Jews Book 3 section 251)

So laying aside their hatred and quarrels they became one body, and rushing around the walls they threw many torches at the machines and shot at the men driving the rams that [continually] battered at the wall. (Josephus, War of the Jews Book 5 section 279)

So they (Jews) retreated beyond reach of the spears and no longer tried to stop their (Romans) battering-rams, which pounding [continually] gradually took their toll. Finally the wall yielded to Victor, which is how the Jews themselves called the greatest of the machines, since it won out every time. (Josephus, War of the Jews Book 5 section 298-299)

Before these came, the strongest of the other rams had battered the wall [ceaselessly] for six days… (Josephus, War of the Jews Book 6 section 221)

I also researched texts of other Greek authors (all of whom I had never heard of, nor could pronounce their names) who used adialeiptos. Here are more examples outside of Josephus’ writings:

There ensued a mighty struggle, lasting throughout the entire day, as the enemy boldly mounted the outworks in many places and were not repulsed, though exposed to a [continual] shower of javelins, missiles shot from bows, and stones thrown by slings. (Dionysius of Halicarnassus: 60BC-7BC, "He flourished during the reign of Augustus Caesar.", Antiquitates Romanae, book 9 chapter 63)

After this he threw a wall about the city, in the hope that he could force the Plataeans to capitulate because of lack of the necessities of life; at the same time the Lacedaemonians continued bringing up engines with which they kept shattering the walls and making assaults [without interruption]. (Diodorus Siculus: 60-30BC, Library Book 12, chapter 47)

Now these men…carry lamps bound on their foreheads…they throw the blocks, as they cut them out, on the ground; and at this task they labour [without ceasing] beneath the sternness and blows of an overseer. (Diodorus Siculus, Bibliotheca Historica, Book 3 chapter 12)

Prayer: Bended Knee and…Battering Rams?

From the basic study I conducted, I noticed “adialeiptos” described things such as the barrage of spears or arrows, the constant conflict of war, and the ceaseless labor forced under a harsh boss. I also found texts with adialeiptos used for other scenarios, such as lush, productive fruit trees and an enormous supply of food/drink served for days “without ceasing” (3). The multiple texts Josephus chose “adialeiptos” to illustrate the pounding of battering rams resonated the strongest in my spirit.

In my opinion, Paul intentionally wrote “adialeiptos” in 1 Thessalonians 5:17.  Concerning prayer, I’m beginning to think of words such as grit (“unyielding courage,” “fortitude,” “determination despite difficulty”).  Battering rams were not intended to tap once or twice on a fortified city gate. Instead, in the grasp of the strongest soldiers, the ram plowed full force into an obstacle over and over again.  Fatigue, weariness, and blistered hands may occur, but the hammering continued until breakthrough.

Prayer: It’s No Dull Business

God will reward those who don’t give up. The Gospels are rich with accounts of people doggedly pursuing Jesus for healing. Jesus even gave His disciples an illustration of a persistent widow and a stiff-necked judge to “show them that they should always pray and not give up.” (Luke 18:1). E. M. Bounds (1835-1913, attorney and ordained minister) masterfully expounded on Paul’s pithy call to duty: “To go through the motion of praying is a dull business, though not a hard one. To say prayers in a decent, delicate way is not heavy work. But to pray really, to pray till hell feels the ponderous stroke, to pray till the iron gates of difficulty are opened, till the mountains of obstacles are removed, till the mists are exhaled and the clouds are lifted, and the sunshine of a cloudless day brightens - this is hard work, but it is God's work and man's best labor.” May our “adialeiptos” prayers continually pound the gates of hell with one confident, fearless-faith stroke after another!

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(1)

Two good examples: BlueLetterBible.org and BibleHub.com  

(2)

1 Thessalonians 5:17 Pray without ceasing (adialeiptos)

Romans 1:9 …God is my witness that I always mention (adialeiptos) you every time I pray.

1 Thessalonians 1:2,3 We give thanks to God always concerning all of you, making mention (of you) in our prayers, unceasingly (adialeiptos) remembering your work of faith and labor of love and the endurance of hope of the Lord Jesus Christ…

1 Thessalonians 2:10-13 You are witnesses, and so is God, of how devoutly and rightly and blamelessly we behaved toward you believers; just as you know how we were exhorting and encouraging and imploring each one of you as a father would his own children, so that you would walk in a manner worthy of the God who calls you into His own kingdom and glory. For this reason we also constantly (adialeiptos) thank God that when you received the word of God which you heard from us, you accepted it not as the word of mere men, but as what it really is, the word of God, which also is at work in you who believe.

2 Timothy 1:3 I thank God, whom I serve with a clear conscience the way my forefathers did, as I constantly (adialeipton) remember you in my prayers night and day…

Romans 9:2 I have deep sorrow and endless (adialeiptos) heartache. I wish I could be condemned and cut off from Christ for the sake of others who, like me, are Jewish by birth.

(3)

“And Poseidonius continuing, and relating the riches of Luernius the father of Bityis, who was subdued by the Romans, says that "he, aiming at becoming a leader of the populace, used to drive in a chariot over the plains, and scatter gold and silver among the myriads of Celts who followed him; and that he enclosed a fenced space of twelve furlongs in length every way, square, in which he erected wine-presses, and filled them with expensive liquors; and that he prepared so vast a quantity of eatables that for very many days anyone who chose was at liberty to go and enjoy what was there prepared, being waited on [without interruption or cessation].”  (Athenaeus: approx 160-180AD writings, The Deipnosophists Book 4 chapter 37)

“For ten months of the year it provides a [continual] supply of the luxury fruits, including grapes and figs and all other fruits throughout the whole year...”(Josephus, War of the Jews Book 3 section 519)

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