### Core Meaning & Semantic Range
The Greek word **ekkolymbáō**, represented by `{{G1579}}`, is a highly specific term defined as **to escape by swimming** or to **swim out**. It is formed from the words ἐκ and κολυμβάω. Its usage in scripture is exceptionally rare, appearing only **1 time** in **1 unique verse**, which underscores its precise application to a singular event.
### Biblical Occurrences & Contextual Analysis
The sole appearance of `{{G1579}}` is in [[Acts 27:42]], which describes a moment of crisis during a shipwreck. In this verse, the soldiers' counsel was to kill the prisoners they were guarding. Their motive was a direct response to the situation: they feared that in the chaos, a prisoner might **swim out** to shore and successfully escape. The word captures both the action of swimming and the intent of escaping, highlighting the desperate measures of survival being considered by all parties.
### Related Words & Concepts
The context of `{{G1579}}` in its single verse connects it to several other key words that clarify the situation:
* `{{G615}}` **apokteínō** (to kill outright; figuratively, to destroy): This was the soldiers' proposed action to prevent the escape. The severity of their plan is seen in other uses of the word, which describe killing prophets [[Matthew 23:37]] and the physical body [[Matthew 10:28]].
* `{{G1202}}` **desmṓtēs** (a captive): These are the individuals who might **swim out**. Paul was counted among these prisoners [[Acts 27:1]], making the soldiers' plan a direct threat to him.
* `{{G1309}}` **diapheúgō** (to flee through, i.e. escape): This word is paired directly with `{{G1579}}` to state the ultimate outcome the soldiers feared, emphasizing that swimming was the specific means to the end goal of escaping custody [[Acts 27:42]].
### Theological Significance
The significance of `{{G1579}}` is found entirely within its dramatic narrative context. It is not a theological term in itself, but it functions to illustrate a critical point in the story.
* **A Desperate Act:** To **swim out** during a violent shipwreck represents an act of last resort. The word conveys the prisoners' potential final, frantic bid for freedom against the backdrop of a storm and the threat of execution.
* **Human Prevention:** The soldiers' impulse to kill `{{G615}}` the prisoners `{{G1202}}` shows their worldly focus on preventing a physical escape. The fear of prisoners swimming to freedom was so great that they were willing to commit mass murder to prevent it [[Acts 27:42]].
* **Highlighting a Crisis:** The use of such a specific word pinpoints the central conflict of the moment: the prisoners' potential escape via the sea versus the soldiers' duty to prevent it at any cost.
### Summary
In summary, `{{G1579}}` is a precise and vivid action word that, while appearing only once, provides a powerful image of a life-or-death struggle. Its meaning is inseparable from its context in [[Acts 27:42]], where it defines a specific method of escape—swimming out from a shipwreck. It demonstrates how a single, well-chosen Greek word can encapsulate a complex and dramatic scenario, conveying action, intent, and peril all at once.
TRV