### Core Meaning & Semantic Range
The Greek word **apophortízomai**, represented by `{{G670}}`, means **to unlade**. Its base definition is to unload, derived from ἀπό (from) and the middle voice of φορτίζω (to load). This term is highly specific, appearing only **1 time** in **1 unique verse** within the New Testament, highlighting its specialized use.
### Biblical Occurrences & Contextual Analysis
The single biblical occurrence of `{{G670}}` is found in a logistical description of Paul's journey to Jerusalem. In [[Acts 21:3]], the narrative details the voyage: after discovering Cyprus and leaving it behind, the ship sailed to Syria and landed at Tyre. The specific reason for this stop is explicitly stated: "for there the ship was to **unlade** her burden" [[Acts 21:3]]. This use grounds the apostolic journey in the practical realities of first-century maritime travel and commerce.
### Related Words & Concepts
Several related Greek words from the same passage provide a fuller context for the act of unlading:
* `{{G1117}}` **gómos**: Defined as a load, cargo, or wares, this is the **burden** that the ship needed to unlade [[Acts 21:3]]. The same word is used for the **merchandise** of the fallen city of Babylon [[Revelation 18:11-12]].
* `{{G2609}}` **katágō**: This word means to lead down or, specially, to moor a vessel. It describes the action of having **landed** the ship at Tyre, which was the necessary precursor to unlading the cargo [[Acts 21:3]]. It is also used when the disciples brought their ships to land [[Luke 5:11]].
* `{{G4143}}` **ploîon**: Meaning a sailer or vessel, this is the **ship** that carried the burden [[Acts 21:3]]. This term is used frequently in accounts of Jesus and the disciples crossing the sea ([[Matthew 8:24]], [[Luke 8:22]]).
### Theological Significance
While not a heavily theological term, the significance of `{{G670}}` lies in its narrative function.
* **Narrative Realism:** The act of unlading the ship's cargo adds a layer of concrete detail to the travel account in Acts, anchoring the missionary journey in the ordinary world of commerce and logistics.
* **Plot Device:** The need to **unlade** the burden is the specific reason the ship docks at Tyre, setting the stage for the subsequent events of Paul's journey toward Jerusalem [[Acts 21:3]].
* **Context of Commerce:** By describing the unloading of a ship's **burden** `{{G1117}}`, the verse places the apostles' activities squarely within the major trade routes and commercial ports of the Roman Empire.
### Summary
In summary, `{{G670}}` is a precise and rare term used for a very specific action: unlading a ship. Its sole appearance in scripture is not symbolic but literal, serving to provide a crucial logistical detail in the narrative of Acts. It demonstrates how even non-theological, practical words are vital for constructing a believable and historically grounded biblical account of the early church's movements.
TRV