The meaning of Retain in the Bible
(From International Standard Bible Encyclopedia)

re-tan': Several Hebrew words are thus translated: chazaq, "to hold fast" (Judges 7:8; Judges 19:4; Job 2:9 the King James Version (the Revised Version (British and American) "hold fast"); Micah 7:18); 'atsar, "to shut up" (only in Daniel 10:8, Daniel 10:16; Daniel 11:6); tamakh, "to hold" (Proverbs 3:18; Proverbs 4:4; Proverbs 11:16 the King James Version (the Revised Version (British and American) "obtain")); in one case kala' (Ecclesiastes 8:8). In the New Testament krateo, is used in John 20:23 of the "retaining" of sins by the apostles (see RETENTION OF SINS); in Romans 1:28, the Revised Version (British and American) has "refused to have," margin "Greek, 'did not approve,' " for the King James Version "did not like to retain" (echo); and in Philemon 1:13, substitutes "fain have kept" for "retained" (katecho). Sirach 41:16 has "retain" for diaphulasso, "keep."

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