αὐτόχειρ

with one's own hand

Definition

The Greek word αὐτόχειρ literally means 'with one's own hand' or 'by one's own hand.' It is a compound word that emphasizes direct, personal action, often implying a sense of personal agency or responsibility. In its single New Testament occurrence in Acts 27:19, it describes the sailors throwing cargo overboard with their own hands during a storm. While this is its only biblical use, in broader Greek literature it could carry a more serious connotation, referring to committing a violent act like murder with one's own hand, though this sense is not present in the biblical text.

Biblical Usage

This word is used only once in the New Testament, in Acts 27:19. It appears in the narrative of Paul's shipwreck, where the crew, in a desperate attempt to save the ship from the storm, jettison cargo 'with their own hands' (αὐτόχειρες). The usage highlights the direct, physical, and urgent personal effort involved in the action, contrasting it with giving an order or using a tool. There are no other patterns, as it is a hapax legomenon (a word occurring only once).

Etymology

Derived from the combination of two Greek words: αὐτός (autos, G846), meaning 'self' or 'same,' and χείρ (cheir, G5495), meaning 'hand.' The compound thus literally means 'self-handed' or 'one's own hand.' It is a straightforward descriptive term where the meaning is directly derived from its components, emphasizing personal, manual involvement.

Semantic Range

In the Greco-Roman world, the concept of acting 'with one's own hand' could signify taking personal responsibility for an action, whether mundane or grave. In the context of Acts 27:19, it underscores the peril of the storm—the situation was so dire that even the sailors, who would typically manage rigging and sails, were personally and physically throwing valuable cargo overboard. This adds vividness to the narrative, helping modern readers feel the urgency and shared desperation of the crew's manual labor to survive.

πράσσω (prassō, G4238) — a general verb for 'to do' or 'practice,' lacking the specific manual emphasis of αὐτόχειρ. ἐργάζομαι (ergazomai, G2038) — means 'to work' or 'labor,' often involving hands but not exclusively emphasizing the 'own hand' agency. χείρ (cheir, G5495) — the root word for 'hand,' a simple noun without the compound's adverbial force.

Word Details

Scripture References