Bible Encyclopedias
Instant; Instantly

International Standard Bible Encyclopedia

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."