ἐρείδω (ereidō)
ereidō
to immobilise
Quick Reference
- Language
- Koine Greek
- Testament
- New Testament
- Occurrences
- 1 verses
- Root
- —
Word Overview
The verb ereidō describes the act of fixing something firmly in place, often with the sense of making it immovable or stuck. While rare in the New Testament, it carries a strong physical image of stabilization, akin to propping up a structure or anchoring an object so it cannot shift.
This word appears only once in Scripture, in Acts 27:41. The context is dramatic: a ship has run aground on a sandbar during a storm. The text uses ereidō to describe how the vessel became stuck fast, its bow wedged into the land while the stern was threatened by breaking apart. It captures that precise moment of forced immobilization.
Though uncommon in biblical Greek, the term highlights a vivid picture of being held fast against one’s will. In this single instance, it underscores the helplessness of the ship and its passengers as they are trapped between sea and shore, unable to move forward or back until the situation changes.
Based on public-domain lexicons (Strong's, Thayer, Gesenius, Brown-Driver-Briggs and others).
What This Word Means for Your Faith
The Greek word ereidō paints a stark picture of being fixed in place, often against one’s will. In Acts 27:41, it describes a ship that has run aground on a sandbar, its bow wedged so firmly into the earth that it cannot move. The vessel is immobilized by the violence of the waves, trapped between the sea and the shore. This single occurrence in Scripture captures a moment of total helplessness where human effort can no longer steer the course.
While we rarely face literal shipwrecks, we often encounter seasons where our lives feel stuck or grounded by circumstances beyond our control. These moments of immobilization can feel like a loss of agency, leaving us waiting for a change that seems impossible to bring about. Yet, this image also reminds us that there is a time for stillness, even when it is forced upon us.
In these times, the focus shifts from steering to trusting. The narrative does not end with the ship breaking apart but with the survival of all on board. This suggests that being held fast can sometimes be the very condition required for preservation. We are invited to rest in the stability of God’s care when our own strength is spent.
How it's translated
How this word is rendered word-by-word in the 1 verses where it appears, by frequency.
- having stuck fast1×
Forms in the text
The inflected forms of this word as they appear in Scripture, by frequency.
- ἐρείσασα1×
Key Verses
-
Acts 27:41
But coming to a place where two seas met, they ran the vessel aground. The bow struck and remained immovable, but the stern began to break up by the violence of the waves.
This verse uses ereidō to describe the bow of the ship becoming immovable, highlighting the sudden and total loss of control during the storm.