κολυμβάω (kolumbaō)
kolumbaō
to swim
Quick Reference
- Language
- Koine Greek
- Testament
- New Testament
- Occurrences
- 1 verses
- Root
- —
Word Overview
The verb kolumbaō describes the physical act of swimming or diving in water, derived from a root meaning "diver." Its usage is highly specific and rare in the New Testament, appearing only once in Acts 27:43. In this context, it refers to the soldiers’ attempt to swim ashore after the shipwreck on Malta.
This single occurrence highlights the word’s concrete, action-oriented nature. It does not carry metaphorical or spiritual connotations in Scripture but rather denotes literal movement through water. The term emphasizes the physical effort of staying afloat and navigating toward land during a crisis.
Translators typically render kolumbaō as "swim" to reflect its straightforward meaning. The word’s limited appearance underscores its role as a descriptive term for survival in a maritime emergency, without additional theological layers.
Based on public-domain lexicons (Strong's, Thayer, Gesenius, Brown-Driver-Briggs and others).
What This Word Means for Your Faith
The word kolumbaō appears only once in the New Testament, describing the physical act of swimming during a shipwreck in Acts 27:43. It captures the raw effort of staying afloat and moving toward safety when everything else has failed. This concrete image reminds us that God’s care often meets us in our most vulnerable, physical moments.
While the term itself carries no hidden spiritual code, its context reveals a moment where human strength was insufficient. The centurion ordered those who could swim to go first, highlighting how even basic survival skills play a part in God’s preservation. We can find comfort in knowing that our Creator is present in both the calm seas and the stormy waters of life.
How it's translated
How this word is rendered word-by-word in the 1 verses where it appears, by frequency.
- to swim1×
Forms in the text
The inflected forms of this word as they appear in Scripture, by frequency.
- κολυμβᾶν1×
Key Verses
-
Acts 27:43
But the centurion, desiring to save Paul, stopped them from their purpose, and commanded that those who could swim should throw themselves overboard first to go toward the land;
This verse uses the word to describe soldiers swimming ashore, showing its literal meaning in a crisis where survival depended on physical effort.