ἐκβολή (ekbolē)
ekbolē
jettisoning
Quick Reference
- Language
- Koine Greek
- Testament
- New Testament
- Occurrences
- 1 verses
- Root
- —
Word Overview
The noun ekbolē refers to the act of throwing something out, specifically the jettisoning of cargo from a ship. It appears only once in the New Testament, describing the desperate measures taken by sailors during a violent storm (Acts 27:18). In this context, it denotes the physical removal of goods and lading overboard to lighten the vessel and prevent it from sinking.
The word combines the prefix ek ("out") with bolē ("a throw"), literally meaning "a throwing out." This construction highlights the decisive nature of the action. The sources note its usage in the Septuagint for similar concepts of driving out or casting forth, but in Acts, it captures a precise maritime emergency. Translators typically render this as "jettisoning" to convey the specific nautical practice of discarding cargo for survival.
Based on public-domain lexicons (Strong's, Thayer, Gesenius, Brown-Driver-Briggs and others).
What This Word Means for Your Faith
The word ekbolē describes a moment of desperate necessity, where sailors threw cargo overboard to save their lives. In Acts 27:18, this act of jettisoning was not an error but a calculated response to overwhelming danger. It reminds us that sometimes survival requires letting go of what we carry.
When storms arise in our own lives, we may feel the weight of responsibilities or possessions pressing down on us. This passage invites us to consider what might need to be released to preserve our core well-being. It is not about losing value, but about prioritizing life itself amidst chaos.
How it's translated
How this word is rendered word-by-word in the 1 verses where it appears, by frequency.
- a jettison of cargo1×
Forms in the text
The inflected forms of this word as they appear in Scripture, by frequency.
- ἐκβολὴν1×
Key Verses
-
Acts 27:18
As we labored exceedingly with the storm, the next day they began to throw things overboard.
This verse captures the precise moment of jettisoning cargo during a storm, illustrating the word's meaning as a desperate act to lighten the ship for survival.