in´stant , in´stant -li : Derivative from Latin instare . Found in English with various meanings from the 15th century to the present time.
Instant is used once in Isaiah 29:5 in the sense of immediate time; elsewhere in the sense of urgent, pressing; Luke 23:23 , where "were instant" is the King James Version translation of the verb ἐπέκειντο , epékeinto ; Romans 12:12 , where it is involved in the verb προσκαρτερέω , proskarteréō ; compare Acts 6:4 . In 2 Timothy 4:2 it stands for the expressive verb ἐπίστηθι , epı́stēthi , "stand to."
Instantly (urgently, steadfastly) is the King James Version rendering of two different Greek phrases, σπουδαίως , spoudaı́ōs , found in Luke 7:4; and ἐν ἐκτενεία , en ekteneı́a , in Acts 26:7 . In both cases the American Standard Revised Version renders "earnestly."
The International Standard Bible Encyclopedia (ISBE) was edited by James Orr, John Nuelsen, Edgar Mullins, Morris Evans, and Melvin Grove Kyle and was published complete in 1939. This web site includes the complete text.
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