Lexical Definition

‎στέλλω‎ stéllō (stel'-lo) to avoid ^G:V
probably strengthened from the base of ‎ἵστημι‎

avoid, withdraw self.

• properly, to set fast ("stall"), i.e. (figuratively) to repress (reflexively, abstain from associating with)

Abbott-Smith

στέλλω [in LXX (mid.): Ma 2:5 (חתת ni.), Pr 31:24 (26), Wi 7:14 14:1, II Mac 5:1, III Mac 1:19 4:11 * ;]
1. prop., to set, place, arrange, fit out; hence, mid., to set oneself for, prepare (Wi, II Mac, ll. c.).
2. to bring together, gather up (in Hom. of furling sails), hence to restrain, check; mid., to restrain or withdraw oneself, hold aloof, avoid: II Co 8:20; seq. ἀπό, II Th 3:6
(cf. ἀπο-, ἐξ-απο-, συν-απο-, δια-, ἐπι-, κατα-, συ(ν)-, ὑπο-στέλλω).†

Abbott-Smith References

Liddell-Scott-Jones

στέλλω,

[Refs 8th c.BC+]: future στελῶ [Refs 5th c.BC+], Epic dialect στελέω [Refs 8th c.BC+]: aorist ἔστειλα [Refs 5th c.BC+], Epic dialect στεῖλα [Refs 8th c.BC+]: perfect ἔσταλκα [Refs 5th c.BC+]: pluperfect ἐστάλκει [Refs 5th c.BC+]:—middle, [Refs 8th c.BC+]: future στελοῦμαι [Refs 3rd c.BC+]: aorist ἐστειλάμην, Epic dialect στειλ-, [Refs 8th c.BC+], etc.:—passive, future στᾰλήσομαι [Refs 4th c.BC+]aorist ἐστάλθην (in compound ἀποσταλθέντες) [Refs 8th c.BC+]; more frequently ἐστάλην [ᾰ], [Refs 5th c.BC+]: perfect ἔσταλμαι [Refs 5th c.BC+]: pluperfect ἐστάλμην [Refs 2nd c.AD+], 3rd.pers. plural ἐστάλατο [Refs 8th c.BC+]; ἐσταλάδατο and ἐστελάδατο uncertain linesin [Refs 5th c.BC+]:—make ready, οὓς ἑτάρους στέλλοντα καὶ ὀτρύνοντα μάχεσθαι [Refs 8th c.BC+]; νῆα σ. rig or fit her out, [Refs 8th c.BC+], fit out an armament, get it ready, [Refs 5th c.BC+] furnish with, array in, a garment, [Refs 5th c.BC+]; σ. ἕλκος dress it, [Refs 5th c.BC+]; bury, ἐνὶ γαίῃ σ. [Refs 3rd c.BC+] —middle, στεῖλαί νυν ἀμφὶ χρωτὶ.. πέπλους put on robes, [Refs 5th c.BC+] having dressed themselves in.. , [Refs 4th c.BC+]:—passive, fit oneself out, get ready, ἄλλοι δὲ στέλλεσθε do you others prepare (to compete in the games), [Refs 8th c.BC+]: followed by a preposition, ἐσταλμένος ἐπὶ πόλεμον [Refs 5th c.BC+]; ἐς ἄγραν, ἐπ᾽ ἄγρην, [Refs 5th c.BC+]infinitive, ἐστέλλετο ἀπιέναι he prepared to go, [Refs 5th c.BC+]

__II dispatch, send, ἐς οἶκον πάλιν [Refs 5th c.BC+]:—middle and passive, set out, or (especially in aorist 2 passive) journey, [Refs 5th c.BC+]: with accusative cognate, ὁδὸν στέλλεσθαι [Refs 5th c.BC+]; κατὰ γῆν (variant{γῆς}) [Refs 5th c.BC+]begone! [Refs 5th c.BC+]; of things, to be sent, [Refs 5th c.BC+]
__II.2 active intransitive in sense of the passive (in [Refs 5th c.BC+], prepare to go, start, set forth, ἔστελλε ἐς ἀποικίην [Refs 5th c.BC+]
__II.3 middle, set out upon a task, στέλλεσθαι πρός τι [Refs 5th c.BC+]; ἐπ᾽ αὐτὸ δὴ τοῦτο στελλώμεθ; [Refs 5th c.BC+]
__III summon, fetch, bring a person to a place, [Refs 5th c.BC+]; [ἐμπορίαν] [Refs 5th c.BC+] —middle, σ᾽ ἂν οἴκους τοὺς ἐμοὺς ἐστειλάμην I would have sent for thee.., [Refs 5th c.BC+]:—passive, [Refs]
__III.b ἡ ὁδὸς εἰς Κόρινθον στέλλει leads to Corinth, [Refs 2nd c.AD+]
__IV gather up, make compact, especially as a nautical term, furl, take in, ἱστία.. στεῖλαν [Refs 8th c.BC+]:—middle, ἱστία μὲν στείλαντο [Refs 8th c.BC+]; so ἐπιστολάδην δὲ χιτῶνας ἐστάλατο they girded up, tucked up their clothes to work, [Refs 8th c.BC+]
__IV.2 check, [Refs 4th c.BC+]; repress, [Refs 1st c.AD+]:—middle, [Refs 2nd c.BC+]; λόγον στειλώμεθα draw in, shorten our words, i.e. not speak out the whole truth, [Refs 5th c.BC+]; σ. τὸ συμβεβηκός hush it up, [Refs 2nd c.BC+]; πρόσωπον στέλλεσθαι draw up one's face, look rueful, [Refs 5th c.BC+]
__IV.3 in Medicine texts, bind, make costive, τὰ στέλλοντα astringents, opposed to τὰ καθαίροντα, [Refs 2nd c.AD+] —passive, φλέβες στέλλονται shrink up, [Refs 2nd c.BC+]
__IV.4 middle, restrict one's diet, οὔτ᾽ ἂν ἀπόσχοιντο ὧν ἐπιθυμέουσιν, οὔτε στείλαιντο (variant{ὑποστ-}) [Refs 5th c.BC+]; στελλόμενοι τοῦτο avoiding this, [NT]; probably I.-[Refs 5th c.BC+] sq[uglide]el-. but not found in cognate languages; I.-[Refs 5th c.BC+] st(h)el- is probably found in OSlavonic st[icaron]lati 'spread out', Latin lātus (from *stlātus) 'broad', with which στέλλω may be cognate)

_{LSJ Scripture Refs: 2Cor.8.20}