Lexical Summary episphalés: Unstable, insecure, liable to fall Original Word: ἐπισφαλής Strong's Exhaustive Concordance dangerous. From a compound of epi and sphallo (to trip); figuratively, insecure -- dangerous. see GREEK epi NAS Exhaustive Concordance Word Originfrom epi and sphalló (to cause to fall) Definition prone to fall NASB Translation dangerous (1). Thayer's Greek Lexicon STRONGS NT 2000: ἐπισφαλήςἐπισφαλής, ἐπιφαλες (σφάλλω to cause to fall), prone to fall: πλοῦς, a dangerous voyage, Acts 27:9. (Plato, Polybius, Plutarch, others.) Topical Lexicon Root and Semantic Field ἐπισφαλής shares the stem σφάλλω, “to cause to fall,” augmented by the preposition ἐπί. The term draws a vivid picture of a situation poised on the brink of collapse—“dangerous,” “unsafe,” “precarious.” While occurring only once in the New Testament, it belongs to a wider vocabulary of peril (κίνδυνος, ἀπειλή, φόβος) that Scripture employs to describe the frailty of human security apart from the preserving hand of God. Context of Acts 27:9 “Much time had been lost, and sailing had already become dangerous because it was after the Fast. So Paul advised them” (Acts 27:9). Luke places ἐπισφαλούς at a decisive turning point in Paul’s voyage to Rome. The Day of Atonement had passed, marking the onset of violent autumn storms on the Mediterranean. Nautical prudence dictated finding winter harbor, yet the ship’s authorities dismissed Paul’s warning. The lone occurrence of ἐπισφαλής thus underscores a willful choice to press forward despite clear signs of jeopardy—a narrative thread that heightens the contrast between human presumption and divine foresight. Historical Background of Mediterranean Sailing Seasons Ancient mariners avoided open-sea travel from mid-September to mid-November and suspended it altogether during winter. Grain ships like the Alexandrian vessel in Acts 27 were large, flat-bottomed craft ill-suited for heavy seas. Luke’s technical accuracy (“the Fast,” “sailing had already become dangerous”) reflects first-century seamanship and corroborates the historicity of the account. The Roman world’s economic arteries depended on such voyages, so the tension between commercial urgency and seasonal risk was well known. Theological Reflections on Danger and Divine Providence The single word ἐπισφαλής invites wider reflection on how Scripture relates danger to God’s purposes: Paul’s Apostolic Ministry in the Midst of Peril Acts 27:9 stands in continuity with Paul’s catalog of hardships: “three times I was shipwrecked … in danger on the sea” (2 Corinthians 11:25-26). The apostle does not court risk for its own sake; rather, he accepts it as the cost of carrying the gospel to the nations. His Spirit-led counsel to the centurion models pastoral care: alert to physical safety yet ultimately resting in God’s plan, which included standing before Caesar (Acts 27:24). Practical Application for the Church 1. Discernment: Spiritual wisdom heeds providential indicators of risk without succumbing to fear. Related Scriptural Themes • God’s mastery over chaotic waters (Job 38:8-11; Mark 4:39). In its solitary appearance, ἐπισφαλής encapsulates the tension between human vulnerability and divine protection, urging every generation of Christians to navigate danger with prudence, faith, and unwavering commitment to the gospel. Forms and Transliterations επισφαλους επισφαλούς ἐπισφαλοῦς επισφραγίζουσιν episphalous episphaloûsLinks Interlinear Greek • Interlinear Hebrew • Strong's Numbers • Englishman's Greek Concordance • Englishman's Hebrew Concordance • Parallel Texts |
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