tereo commonly denotes complying with commands or words, and also keeping people or things protected, held, or preserved.

The verb commonly describes acting in accordance with commandments, a word, a law, or a tradition. It also describes keeping people secure or confined, reserving things for a stated outcome, watching over someone, and maintaining something intact or unchanged.

1. Complying with commands, words, or law · dominant

   The active forms occur with commandments, a word, the law, and tradition as what is to be maintained in practice. In John 14:21 the APB renders the clause "Whoever has my commandments and keeps them," while 1 John 2:3 links keeping commandments with knowing him; Acts 15:5 speaks of being commanded to keep the law of Moses.

   John 14:21John 15:101 John 2:31 John 3:24Acts 15:5Matthew 19:17
2. Keeping secure, confined, or reserved · common

   Passive and active forms describe persons or things being kept in a specified condition or place. In John 17:15 the APB renders the request "that you keep them from the evil one"; Acts 12:5 places Peter in prison, while 1 Peter 1:4 describes an inheritance "kept in heaven for you" and 2 Peter 3:7 describes heaven and earth as "being kept for fire."

   John 17:15Acts 12:5Acts 25:211 Peter 1:42 Peter 3:7Jude 1:6
3. Maintaining or retaining something · occasional

   The verb can concern retaining an item, condition, commitment, or relationship rather than obeying a command. In John 2:10 the APB says the good wine has been kept until now; 1 Corinthians 7:37 concerns keeping her as his virgin, and 2 Timothy 4:7 concludes, "I have kept the faith."

   John 2:10John 12:71 Corinthians 7:37Ephesians 4:32 Corinthians 11:92 Timothy 4:7
4. Watching over or guarding · occasional

   In prison and crucifixion scenes, the active forms identify those stationed over a person or place. In Acts 12:6 the APB renders guards "keeping watch before the door of the prison," and Matthew 27:54 describes the centurion and others "keeping watch over Jesus."

   Acts 12:6Acts 16:23Matthew 27:36Matthew 27:54John 17:12

In the Anselm Project Bible: Across these verses, the APB often uses "keep" for commandments, words, persons, and things, but also uses "guard," "kept watch," "reserved," "held," and "stored up." These renderings show the verse-level presentation rather than a fixed English equivalent.