πλέω
I sail
Definition
The verb πλέω means 'to sail' or 'to travel by sea.' It specifically denotes the action of navigating a ship across a body of water, as seen in Luke 8:23 where Jesus and his disciples are sailing across the Sea of Galilee. In the Book of Acts, it describes the various sea voyages of Paul and his companions, such as sailing from Caesarea to Phoenicia (Acts 21:3) and the journey to Rome aboard different vessels (Acts 27:2, 27:6). The word consistently refers to the physical act of sailing, without extended metaphorical meanings in the New Testament.
Biblical Usage
πλέω is used exclusively in narrative contexts within the New Testament, appearing only in Luke and Acts, which are both authored by Luke. All five occurrences describe literal sea travel, often in the context of missionary journeys or perilous voyages. For example, it is used in the account of the storm on the Sea of Galilee (Luke 8:23) and extensively in the detailed travelogue of Paul's journey to Rome in Acts 27, including the angelic reassurance to Paul that he must stand before Caesar (Acts 27:24).
Etymology
Derived from the ancient Greek root πλέω, meaning 'to sail' or 'to float.' It is a primary verb related to words like πλοῖον (ploion, G4143) meaning 'ship' or 'boat,' and πλέον (pleon) meaning 'more' or 'further,' conceptually linked to traversing distance. The root is Indo-European, connected to sailing and flowing.
Semantic Range
In the first-century Mediterranean world, sea travel was a common but hazardous mode of transportation for trade, communication, and military campaigns. Sailing was dependent on seasonal winds and rudimentary navigation, making voyages like Paul's in Acts 27 fraught with danger. Understanding this context highlights the significance and peril of the early Christian missionary travels, emphasizing the trust in divine providence during such journeys, as seen when God promises safe passage to Paul (Acts 27:24).
πορεύομαι (poreuomai, G4198) — a more general term for 'to go' or 'to journey,' by any means. διαπλέω (diapleō, G1277) — 'to sail across' or 'through,' emphasizing crossing a body of water (used in Acts 27:5).
Word Details
How this works
Definitions are from the Dodson Greek-English Lexicon, a concise public-domain resource suitable for introductory word study. Brief glosses are supplemented by STEPBible TBESG data (CC BY 4.0). For advanced research, standard scholarly references include BDAG (Danker, 3rd ed.) and LSJ.
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