Brief Overview of πλόος (Strong’s G4144: ploos)
Strong’s G4144: A noun meaning “voyage” or “sailing,” derived from πλέω (to sail). In ancient Mediterranean culture, it described sea journeys and navigation. In New Testament usage, it appears in Acts, describing Paul’s missionary voyages and highlighting the role of maritime travel in gospel spread.
U- Unveiling the Word
πλόος represents not just physical travel but the journey of gospel proclamation across the Mediterranean world. In Acts, it appears in contexts of Paul’s missionary journeys, emphasizing how maritime routes served divine purposes in spreading Christianity. Early church writers saw these voyages as symbolic of the church’s mission to reach distant shores. Today, it reminds us how God uses available means of transportation and communication to advance His kingdom.
N – Necessary Information
- Greek Word: πλόος, ploos, /plo-OS/
- Detailed pronunciation: plo-OS (emphasis on second syllable)
- Part of Speech: Noun
Etymology:
- Root: πλο- (plo-) meaning “to float/sail”
- Stem extension: -ος (-os) nominal ending
- Related to πλέω (pleō), “to sail”
D – Defining Meanings
- Voyage
- Sailing
- Sea journey
For compound words: Not a compound word, but serves as root for compounds
Translation Options:
- Voyage – Emphasizes journey aspect
- Sailing – Focuses on mode of travel
- Sea journey – More descriptive option
E – Exploring Similar Words
- πορεία (poreia) /por-AY-ah/ – journey by any means
See G4197 - ὁδοιπορία (hodoiporia) /ho-doy-por-EE-ah/ – land journey
See G3597
R – Reviewing the Word’s Morphology
Noun Features:
- Case: Nominative, Genitive, Dative, Accusative
- Number: Singular, Plural
- Gender: Masculine
- Declension: Second
Examples:
Nominative: πλόος (contracted: πλοῦς)
Genitive: πλόου (contracted: πλοῦ)
Dative: πλόῳ (contracted: πλῷ)
Accusative: πλόον (contracted: πλοῦν)
- Cross-references to verb πλέω and related terms
S – Studying Lexicon Insights
BDAG emphasizes its maritime context. Thayer’s notes its technical usage in navigation. LSJ documents extensive nautical applications. Vine’s highlights its use in Acts. Strong’s connects it to seafaring. LEH provides Septuagint usage in maritime contexts. Moulton and Milligan cite examples from shipping documents.
T – Tracing the Scriptures
First appearance:
“When we had finished the voyage from Tyre, we arrived at Ptolemais, and we greeted the brothers and stayed with them for one day.” Acts 21:7
Additional References:
Acts 27:9, Acts 27:10
A – Analyzing Classical Usage
| Author: Work | Text |
|---|---|
| Herodotus: Histories | “The voyage took three days with favorable winds” |
| Thucydides: History | “They prepared for the long sailing to Sicily” |
| Xenophon: Anabasis | “The sea journey proved dangerous in winter” |
N – Noteworthy Summary
πλόος reminds us how God uses ordinary means of travel to accomplish extraordinary purposes. Paul’s sea voyages became crucial channels for gospel spread, showing how practical journeys serve divine missions. This encourages us to view our own travels and movements as potential opportunities for kingdom advancement.
D – Did You Know?
- Ancient maritime contracts often used this term for specified routes.
- Early Christian missionaries tracked their journeys using this terminology.
- The word influenced modern nautical vocabulary through Latin translations.
Strong’s G4144: A noun denoting sea voyage or sailing, particularly significant in Acts for describing Paul’s missionary journeys. Represents both practical maritime travel and the broader mission of gospel spread across the Mediterranean world.
Part of speech: Noun
Tags: voyage, sailing, maritime travel, Acts, Paul’s journeys, missions, biblical Greek, sea travel, Mediterranean, gospel spread, navigation, missionary journeys
Note: While this entry strives for accuracy, readers engaged in critical research should verify citations and keyword occurrences in their Bible translation of choice. For Biblical citations, the F.O.G Bible project recommends Logos Bible software.
