κουφίζω (kouphizō)
kouphizō
to lighten
Quick Reference
- Language
- Koine Greek
- Testament
- New Testament
- Occurrences
- 1 verses
- Root
- —
Word Overview
The verb kouphizō means to make something lighter in weight. In the New Testament, it appears only once, in Acts 27:38, where Paul and the other passengers on a ship have been fasting for many days during a violent storm. The text says they finally ate some food, which gave them strength, and then they "lightened" (kouphizō) the ship by throwing the cargo into the sea.
This specific action of jettisoning cargo to reduce a vessel's load is the primary sense of the word in this context. The root adjective kouphos means "light," contrasting with heavy burdens. While the word can generally mean to lighten or make less severe, its usage here is quite concrete and physical. It describes a practical step taken to save lives during a crisis, rather than an abstract metaphor for easing emotional pain.
The occurrence in Acts highlights a moment of decisive action amidst chaos. After enduring hunger and fear, the crew takes control by discarding what they could not carry. This single instance shows the word used in a narrative of survival, where reducing physical weight becomes essential for staying afloat. The term does not appear elsewhere in the New Testament, making this event its sole biblical witness.
Based on public-domain lexicons (Strong's, Thayer, Gesenius, Brown-Driver-Briggs and others).
What This Word Means for Your Faith
The word kouphizō appears only once in the New Testament, found in Acts 27:38. During a violent storm that threatened to destroy their ship, Paul and the others finally ate some food after days of fasting. Immediately after gaining strength, they threw the cargo into the sea to lighten the vessel. This was not a metaphor for emotional relief but a practical, life-saving decision made in the midst of chaos.
When you face overwhelming circumstances, this story offers a quiet comfort. It shows that taking concrete steps to reduce your burden is part of trusting God’s provision. Sometimes survival requires letting go of what weighs you down so you can stay afloat. The crew did not wait for calm waters; they acted while the storm raged, knowing that lightening the load was essential for reaching safety.
This single occurrence reminds us that God often works through practical wisdom and decisive action. You do not have to carry every weight alone or endure unnecessary strain. Releasing what is no longer serving your survival can be an act of faith, pointing toward the peace that comes from trusting in His care during turbulent times.
How it's translated
How this word is rendered word-by-word in the 1 verses where it appears, by frequency.
- they were lightening1×
Forms in the text
The inflected forms of this word as they appear in Scripture, by frequency.
- ἐκούφιζον1×
Key Verses
-
Acts 27:38
When they had eaten enough, they lightened the ship, throwing out the wheat into the sea.
This verse uniquely uses kouphizō to describe the physical act of jettisoning cargo to save lives during a storm, grounding the word in a narrative of survival rather than abstract metaphor.