πρύμνα (prumna)
prumna
stern
Quick Reference
- Language
- Koine Greek
- Testament
- New Testament
- Occurrences
- 3 verses
- Root
- —
Word Overview
The noun prumna refers to the stern, or the rear section, of a ship. In the New Testament, this nautical term appears in only three verses, specifically within the Gospel of Mark and the Acts of the Apostles. It serves as a precise spatial marker, identifying the back end of a vessel where sailors might take action during a storm.
Its meaning is clarified by its contrast with prōra, the bow or front of the ship. This distinction is vital in Acts 27:41, where a ship runs aground and breaks apart between two heads of land. The text notes that the prow stuck fast while the stern was being tossed about by the force of the surf. This specific usage highlights the physical reality of maritime danger, grounding the narrative in the tangible mechanics of ancient seafaring.
Based on public-domain lexicons (Strong's, Thayer, Gesenius, Brown-Driver-Briggs and others).
What This Word Means for Your Faith
The Greek word prumna points to the stern, or rear section, of a ship. In the ancient world, this was not just a structural detail but a place of critical action and vulnerability. When storms raged, the back of the vessel often bore the brunt of the waves while the front remained fixed. This imagery reminds us that even in chaotic circumstances, there are specific places where we stand firm or where we are tested by the force of surrounding events.
In Mark 4:38, Jesus is found resting in the stern during a violent storm. His presence there offers comfort, showing that peace can exist even when the waters around us are turbulent. Similarly, Acts 27 describes sailors dropping anchors from the stern to prevent disaster. These moments highlight how God’s presence and guidance often meet us in our most precarious positions, providing stability when everything else feels like it is breaking apart.
How it's translated
How this word is rendered word-by-word in the 3 verses where it appears, by frequency.
- stern2×
- the stern1×
Forms in the text
The inflected forms of this word as they appear in Scripture, by frequency.
- πρύμνῃ1×
- πρύμνης1×
- πρύμνα1×
Key Verses
-
Mark 4:38
He himself was in the stern, asleep on the cushion; and they woke him up and asked him, “Teacher, don’t you care that we are dying?”
This verse places Jesus physically in the stern during the storm, indicating that His presence brings calm to the most turbulent part of the vessel.
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Acts 27:29
Fearing that we would run aground on rocky ground, they let go four anchors from the stern, and wished for daylight.
Here the sailors use the stern to drop anchors, showing it as a strategic point for securing the ship against impending danger.
-
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.
The text contrasts the immovable bow with the breaking stern, illustrating the physical reality of the ship's destruction and the power of the waves.