τεσσαρεσκαιδέκατος (tessareskaidekatos)
tessareskaidekatos
fourteenth
Quick Reference
- Language
- Koine Greek
- Testament
- New Testament
- Occurrences
- 2 verses
- Root
- —
Word Overview
The word tessareskaidekatos is a straightforward ordinal adjective meaning "fourteenth." It is formed by combining the roots for four and ten with the suffix indicating order, creating a precise numerical marker rather than a descriptive term. In the New Testament, it appears only twice, both within the narrative of Paul’s journey to Rome in Acts 27.
Its usage here serves as a specific chronological anchor during a storm at sea. The text notes that for fourteen days, the ship was driven about by the tempest (Acts 27:27). Later, Paul urges the crew to take food, marking the passage of time since they began fasting (Acts 27:33). In these contexts, the word functions simply to establish a timeline for the events described.
Because it is a compound number, it lacks theological depth or metaphorical weight. It does not carry symbolic significance like other numbers in Scripture. Its sole purpose is to record the duration of the voyage with exactness, helping readers track the progression of the narrative from the onset of the storm to the eventual arrival.
Based on public-domain lexicons (Strong's, Thayer, Gesenius, Brown-Driver-Briggs and others).
What This Word Means for Your Faith
The word tessareskaidekatos simply means "fourteenth." In the New Testament, it appears only in Acts chapter 27. Paul is on a ship caught in a violent storm, heading for Rome. The text uses this number to mark two specific moments: the fourteenth night of being tossed by waves, and the fourteenth day since the crew stopped eating.
This kind of precise detail might seem minor, but it grounds our faith in real history. God was with Paul through those fourteen days of fear and hunger. The exact count shows that time passed, yet God’s promise remained steady. For you, this reminds us that God sees every day, even the long, difficult ones where progress feels impossible.
When life feels like it is drifting without control, remember that God counts your days too. He knows the duration of your trials and the weight of your waiting. You are never forgotten in the storm.
How it's translated
How this word is rendered word-by-word in the 2 verses where it appears, by frequency.
- [the] fourteenth2×
Forms in the text
The inflected forms of this word as they appear in Scripture, by frequency.
- τεσσαρεσκαιδεκάτην1×
- τεσσαρεσκαιδεκάτη1×
Key Verses
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Acts 27:27
But when the fourteenth night had come, as we were driven back and forth in the Adriatic Sea, about midnight the sailors surmised that they were drawing near to some land.
This verse marks the turning point where the sailors realize land is near after fourteen nights of being driven by the wind.
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Acts 27:33
While the day was coming on, Paul begged them all to take some food, saying, “Today is the fourteenth day that you wait and continue fasting, having taken nothing.
Paul uses this count to encourage the exhausted crew to eat, showing that God’s provision comes at the right time.