4144. ploos or plous

Lexical Summary

ploos or plous: Voyage, Sailing

Original Word: πλοῦς
Part of Speech: Noun, Masculine
Transliteration: ploos or plous
Pronunciation: plooce
Phonetic Spelling: (plo'-os)
KJV: course, sailing, voyage
NASB: voyage
Word Origin: [from G4126 (πλέω - sailing)]

1. a sail, i.e. navigation

Strong's Exhaustive Concordance

course, sailing, voyage.

From pleo; a sail, i.e. Navigation -- course, sailing, voyage.

see GREEK pleo

NAS Exhaustive Concordance

Word Origin
from pleó
Definition
a voyage
NASB Translation
voyage (3).

Thayer's Greek Lexicon

STRONGS NT 4144: πλοος

πλοος πλοῦς, genitive πλόου πλοῦ, and in later writings πλοός (Acts 27:9; Arrian peripl. erythr., p. 176 § 61; see νοῦς (and cf. Lob. Paralip., p. 173f)) (πλέω), from Homer, Odyssey 3, 169 down; voyage: Acts 21:7; Acts 27:9, 10 (Wis. 14:1).

Topical Lexicon

General sense of the word

Strong’s Greek 4144 evokes the idea of a sea-journey—the entire experience of putting a ship to sea, charting a course, and arriving at a distant harbor. The term is less about individual nautical actions and more about the unified undertaking of a voyage with all its attendant hopes, hazards, and purpose.

Occurrences in the New Testament

1. Acts 21:7 records the completion of a leg of Paul’s third missionary expedition: “When we had finished the voyage from Tyre, we arrived at Ptolemais, greeted the brothers, and stayed with them for one day”.
2. Acts 27:9 describes the growing peril aboard the Alexandrian grain ship bound for Rome: “Since much time had passed and the voyage was already dangerous because the Fast was now over, Paul advised them”.
3. Acts 27:10 contains Paul’s sober warning: “Men, I can see that our voyage will be filled with disaster and great loss, not only to the cargo and ship, but also to our own lives”.

All three contexts involve Luke’s detailed travel narratives, emphasizing the Holy Spirit’s guidance of the apostolic mission even on unpredictable seas.

Historical background of Mediterranean navigation

First-century seafaring followed a seasonal rhythm. From mid-September through early November shipping became increasingly hazardous; after mid-November most captains laid up their vessels until spring. Luke’s note that “the Fast was now over” (Acts 27:9)—a reference to the Day of Atonement occurring in early October—signals that the Alexandrian ship had already missed the traditional safe window. Roman grain-ships like the one carrying Paul could exceed one hundred feet in length and were vital to imperial supply lines. Yet their square sails and lack of advanced navigation made them vulnerable to autumn gales funneling through the Adriatic.

Narrative and theological significance

1. Missionary momentum. The word frames Paul’s relentless advance toward new fields. Whether moving from Tyre to Ptolemais or from Caesarea toward Rome, each voyage serves the larger purpose stated by the risen Christ: “You will be My witnesses … to the ends of the earth” (Acts 1:8).
2. Providence amid danger. Luke’s candor about seasonal risk magnifies God’s sovereignty. Human calculations declared the voyage inadvisable; the Lord nevertheless used the impending shipwreck on Malta to bear witness to islanders who might never have heard the gospel.
3. Prophetic voice. Paul’s forecast of loss (Acts 27:10) showcases the Spirit’s revelation and the apostle’s pastoral care. Though ignored at first, his counsel later becomes the crew’s only hope, underscoring the trustworthiness of God’s servant.
4. Typology of salvation. Ancient believers often saw journeys through perilous waters as living parables of redemption—echoing Israel’s passage through the Red Sea and foreshadowing baptism’s imagery of death and resurrection (1 Corinthians 10:1-2; 1 Peter 3:20-21).

Ministry reflections

• Discernment and realism. Paul does not romanticize ministry travel; he weighs conditions honestly, reminding modern servants of Christ to pair faith with prudent assessment.
• Witness in transit. Ports such as Tyre and Ptolemais became staging grounds for fellowship and evangelism. Journeys themselves open doors for gospel conversations today.
• Confidence in the final harbor. Even when the route included storms, Paul’s ultimate destination was settled: “Take courage … God has graciously granted you the lives of all who sail with you” (Acts 27:24). The church’s assurance of safe arrival in Christ enables perseverance during turbulent seasons.

Selected cross-references

Psalm 107:23-30; Jonah 1:3-16; Matthew 14:22-33; 2 Corinthians 11:25-26; Revelation 21:1.

Summary

Strong’s 4144 draws attention to the literal sea journeys that advanced the gospel in Acts and, figuratively, to every faith venture requiring trust in God’s guidance across uncertain waters.

Forms and Transliterations

πλοος πλοός πλοὸς πλουν πλοῦν ploos ploòs ploun ploûn

Englishman's Concordance

Acts 21:7 N-AMS
GRK: δὲ τὸν πλοῦν διανύσαντες ἀπὸ
NAS: When we had finished the voyage from Tyre,
KJV: had finished [our] course from
INT: moreover the voyage having completed from

Acts 27:9 N-GMS
GRK: ἐπισφαλοῦς τοῦ πλοὸς διὰ τὸ
NAS: had passed and the voyage was now
KJV: was spent, and when sailing was now
INT: dangerous the voyage because

Acts 27:10 N-AMS
GRK: ἔσεσθαι τὸν πλοῦν
NAS: I perceive that the voyage will certainly
KJV: that this voyage will be
INT: to be the voyage

Strong's Greek 4144
3 Occurrences

πλοὸς — 1 Occ.
πλοῦν — 2 Occ.