ἐρείδω

I stick fast

Definition

ἐρείδω means to fix something firmly in place, often with force or pressure. In its primary sense, it conveys the idea of propping, supporting, or driving something so it becomes stuck fast and immovable. In the New Testament, it is used in a nautical context in Acts 27:41 to describe the bow of a ship being stuck fast on a sandbar, unable to be moved. This single usage captures the core meaning of forceful, unyielding fixation.

Biblical Usage

This verb is used only once in the New Testament, in Acts 27:41, describing the shipwreck of the apostle Paul. The context is a dramatic sea voyage where the ship's bow 'stuck fast' (ἐρείσασα) in a sandbar and remained immovable, while the stern was being broken by the waves. This singular usage powerfully illustrates a moment of sudden, forceful, and disastrous immobilization within a narrative of divine rescue.

Etymology

Derived from the Greek root ἐρ-, related to the idea of propping, supporting, or thrusting. It is cognate with words like ἐρείκη (a rush or reed, used for propping up vines) and shares a conceptual connection with the idea of providing a firm base or foundation through applied force.

Semantic Range

While used only once, this word's context in Acts 27 is theologically significant. It describes the precise moment of the ship's fatal grounding, a pivotal event in the narrative of God's faithfulness to Paul. The ship's bow being 'stuck fast' marks the end of human effort and control, setting the stage for God's miraculous deliverance of all aboard as He had promised Paul (Acts 27:24). It serves as a vivid picture of circumstances becoming immovably fixed, highlighting human helplessness and the necessity of divine intervention.

In the 1st-century Mediterranean world, sea travel was perilous. The specific action described—the bow of a large grain ship being driven and wedged into a sandbar—would have been a recognizable and terrifying event for Luke's original audience. It signifies a complete loss of navigational control, a point of no return in a shipwreck, where the vessel is utterly at the mercy of the sea.

ἵστημι (histēmi, G2476) — to stand, set, or establish; a more general term for causing to stand, without the inherent connotation of forceful impact or jamming. πήγνυμι (pēgnymi, G4078) — to fasten, fix, or make firm; often used for setting up tents or solidifying something, but lacks the specific nautical/impact force of ἐρείδω.

Word Details

Scripture References