Fail - Vine's Expository Dictionary of New Testament Words
Fail
[ A-1,Verb,G1587, ekleipo ]to leave out" (ek, "out," leipo, "to leave"), used intransitively, means "to leave off, cease, fail;" it is said of the cessation of earthly life, Luke 16:9; of faith, Luke 22:32; of the light of the sun, Luke 23:45 (in the best mss.); of the years of Christ, Hebrews 1:12.
[ A-2,Verb,G1952, epileipo ]
"not to suffice for a purpose" (epi, over), is said of insufficient time, in Hebrews 11:32.
[ A-3,Verb,G4098, pipto ]
"to fall," is used of the Law of God in its smallest detail, in the sense of losing its authority or ceasing to have force, Luke 16:17. In 1 Corinthians 13:8 it is used of love (some mss. have ekpipto, "to fall off"). See FALL.
Notes:
(1) In 1 Corinthians 13:8, katargeo, "to reduce to inactivity" (See ABOLISH), in the Passive Voice, "to be reduced to this condition, to be done away," is translated "shall fail," AV. This, however, misses the distinction between what has been previously said of love and what is here said of prophecies (See No. 3); the RV has "shall be done away;" so also as regards knowledge (same verse).
(2) In Hebrews 12:15, hustereo, "to come behind, fall short, miss," is rendered "fail" in the AV, RV, "falleth short."
(3) In Luke 21:26, apopsucho, lit., "to breathe out life," hence, "to faint," is translated "hearts failing," in the AV, RV, "fainting." See FAINT.
[ B-1,Adjective,G413, anekleiptos ]
"unfailing" (a, negative, and A, No. 1), is rendered "that faileth not," in Luke 12:33. In a Greek document dated A.D. 42, some contractors undertake to provide "unfailing" heat for a bath during the current year (Moulton and Milligan, Vocab.).