This noun denotes depth, particularly the deep waters of the sea or any profound abyss. In 2 Corinthians 11:25, Paul lists among his hardships a night and day spent "in the deep"—likely referring to being adrift in open water after a shipwreck. Classical usage emphasizes the sea's depth, deep wounds, or metaphorically, profound or cosmic abysses. The translations (Spanish abismo, French profondeur, German Tiefe) vary between emphasizing depth itself and the abyss or deep waters, all pointing to Paul's experience of exposure to the sea's deadly depths during his missionary journeys.