The Greek word kolymbáō, represented by G2860, is defined as to plunge into water or swim. It is a very specific term, derived from a word for a diver. It appears only 1 times across 1 unique verses in the Bible, making its sole appearance highly contextual.
The single use of G2860 occurs in the dramatic account of the shipwreck in Acts. As the ship was breaking apart, the centurion, wishing to save Paul, issued a command. He ordered "that they which could swim should cast themselves first into the sea, and get to land" Acts 27:43. Here, the word describes a literal, physical act of survival, the primary method for the able-bodied to escape the wreckage and reach the shore.
Several related words in the immediate context of Acts 27:43 help clarify the action and its purpose:
- G641 aporrhíptō (to hurl off, i.e. precipitate (oneself):--cast): This word describes the initial action taken by the swimmers, who had to first cast themselves from the failing ship into the sea.
- G1826 éxeimi (to issue, i.e. leave (a place), escape (to the shore):--depart, get (to land), go out): This defines the goal of swimming; it was the means to get to land and escape the peril of the sea.
- G1295 diasṓzō (to save thoroughly, i.e. (by implication or analogy) to cure, preserve, rescue, etc.:--bring safe, escape (safe), heal, make perfectly whole, save): This reveals the centurion's motivation. His command to swim was part of a plan to save Paul, and ultimately all aboard, as they "escaped all safe to land" Acts 27:44.
While G2860 itself is a practical term, its context gives it significance within the theme of divine preservation.
- A Means of Preservation: The act of swimming was the commanded method for survival, directly linked to the centurion's desire "to save Paul" Acts 27:43. It illustrates how a natural human ability can be the instrument of a divinely overseen rescue.
- Physical Deliverance: The outcome of the swimming and other measures was that "they escaped all safe to land" Acts 27:44, with the same word G1295 used to describe Paul's later escape from the sea Acts 28:4 and his safe delivery to Felix Acts 23:24.
- Salvation Through Water: The event of being saved by moving through water finds a parallel in the account of Noah, where eight souls "were saved by water" 1 Peter 3:20. The shipwreck survivors' passage through the sea to safety serves as a literal picture of physical deliverance.
In summary, G2860 is a rare biblical word with a clear and unambiguous meaning. Its sole occurrence in Acts 27:43 depicts the literal act of swimming as a means of survival. While not a theological term in itself, its importance is derived from the context of Paul's shipwreck, where it functions as a key part of the narrative of providential rescue and the fulfillment of the promise that all would be saved from the sea.
TRV