πλοῖον G4143
A floating vessel: a small boat or fishing craft on inland waters; also a larger sea-going ship for Mediterranean voyages.
From the verb pleo ('to sail'), ploion is the New Testament's general word for watercraft, covering everything from Peter's fishing boat on Galilee to the grain ships Paul sailed across the Mediterranean. The Gospels concentrate the small-boat sense — the disciples' vessels on the Sea of Galilee figure in storm narratives (Matt 8:23-24), miraculous catches (Luke 5:2-7), and Jesus walking on water (Matt 14:22-33). Acts shifts the register entirely: ploion now means a sea-going ship for long voyages, storm-tossed on the open sea (Acts 27). German uses both 'Boot' (boat) and 'Schiff' (ship), while French distinguishes 'bateau' from 'navire,' mirroring the size and context shift.
1. boat, small fishing vessel — A small boat or fishing vessel used on inland waters, primarily the Sea of Galilee. The Synoptic Gospels and John use ploion for the disciples' working craft — the boats from which they fish (Luke 5:2-3), into which Jesus steps to teach (Mark 4:1), and which are tossed by storms (Matt 8:23-24; Mark 4:37). Spanish 'barca,' French 'bateau,' and German 'Boot' all carry the connotation of a modest, oar-or-sail-powered craft rather than a large vessel. 45×
AR["السَّفينَةِ","السَّفِينَةَ","السَّفِينَةُ","السَّفِينَةِ","سَفينَةٍ","سَفينَةُ","سَفينَةِ","سَفِينَةٍ"]·ben["নৌকা","নৌকায়","নৌকায়,","নৌকার"]·DE["Boot","Schiff"]·EN["a-boat","boat"]·FR["bateau"]·heb["הַסְפִינָה","סְפִינָה","סִירָה","סִרָה"]·HI["और","के","नअव","नअव-मेइन","नाव","नाव-को","नाव-में","पार","में"]·ID["perahu","perahu,"]·IT["barca"]·jav["prau","prau,","praunipun"]·KO["배","배,","배-에","배-에서","배는","배로","배안에서","배에","배에서"]·PT["barco","barco,"]·RU["лодка","лодке","лодки","лодку"]·ES["barca"]·SW["mashua","mashua,"]·TR["tekne","teknede","teknedekiler","tekneden","tekneden,","tekneye","tekneye,","tekneyi","tekneyle"]·urd["کشتی","کشتی-سے","کشتی-میں"]
Matt 4:21, Matt 4:22, Matt 8:23, Matt 8:24, Matt 9:1, Matt 13:2, Matt 14:13, Matt 14:22, Matt 14:24, Matt 14:29, Matt 14:32, Matt 14:33 (+33 more)
▼ 1 more sense below
Senses
2. ship, sea-going vessel — A larger sea-going ship used for Mediterranean maritime voyages, concentrated in Acts and Revelation. Paul boards a ploion at Troas (Acts 20:13), sails to Phoenicia (Acts 21:2-3), and endures shipwreck aboard an Alexandrian grain ship (Acts 27:1-44). Revelation's merchants mourn over burning cargo ships (Rev 18:19). French 'navire,' Spanish 'barco,' and German 'Schiff' reflect the larger scale, distinguishing these vessels from the Galilean fishing boats of the Gospel narratives. 22×
AR["السَّفِينَةَ","السَّفِينَةُ","السَّفِينَةِ","السُّفُنُ","سَفينَةٍ","سَفِينَةً"]·ben["জাহাজ","জাহাজকে","জাহাজে","জাহাজের"]·DE["Boot","Schiff"]·EN["a-ship","on-a-ship","ship","ships"]·FR["bateau","navire"]·heb["אֳנִיָּה","אֳנִיּוֹת","הָאֳנִיָּה","עַל-אֳנִיָּה"]·HI["जहाज","जहाजका","जहाजके","जहाजके।","जहाजको","जहाजको।","जहाजपर","जहाजमें","जहाजसे","जहाजसे;","जहाज़"]·ID["kapal","kapal,","kapal-kapal,","kapal.","kapal;"]·IT["nave","ploia"]·jav["prau","prau,","prau.","prau;"]·KO["배-의","배가","배들도,","배로","배를","배에","배에서"]·PT["em-navio","navio","navio,","navio.","navio;","navios"]·RU["корабле","корабли,","корабль","корабль,","корабль.","корабль;","корабля","на-корабль"]·ES["barco","barcos","en-un-barco"]·SW["meli"]·TR["gemi","gemide","gemiden","gemiler","geminin","gemiye","gemiyi"]·urd["جہاز","جہاز-سے","جہاز-پر","جہاز٬"]
Acts 20:13, Acts 20:38, Acts 21:2, Acts 21:3, Acts 21:6, Acts 27:2, Acts 27:6, Acts 27:10, Acts 27:15, Acts 27:17, Acts 27:19, Acts 27:22 (+10 more)
Related Senses
H2719 1. sword, weapon of war (410×)H4196 1. altar (place of sacrifice) (403×)H7393 1. chariot, chariotry (117×)H7198 1. bow (weapon) (72×)H7979 1. table (71×)H7782 1. ram's horn trumpet (69×)H4294 2. staff, rod, scepter (63×)H4043 1. shield, defensive weapon (60×)H0646 1. ephod (priestly garment) (49×)H8504 1. blue (violet-blue yarn/fabric) (49×)H2595 1. spear, lance (48×)H2671 1. arrow, projectile weapon (46×)H4818 1. chariot, war-chariot (44×)H3658 1. lyre, harp (stringed instrument) (42×)H1537 1. Gilgal (place name) (41×)H0713 1. purple (fabric/dye) (38×)H0905 3. poles, staves (37×)H7392 1. Qal participle: rider, charioteer (37×)H4501 1. cultic lampstand (menorah) (36×)H0212 1. wheel (35×)
BDB / Lexicon Reference
πλοῖον, τό, (πλέω) properly floating vessel: hence, generally, ship, Refs 5th c.BC+ small craft, Refs 5th c.BC+; π. ἁλιευτικόν a fishing-boat, Refs 5th c.BC+; ἱππαγωγὰ π. transports for horses, Refs 5th c.BC+; π. μακρά ships of war, Refs 5th c.BC+; π. στρογγύλα or φορτηγικά ships of burden, merchantmen, Refs 5th c.BC+ without adjective, mostly merchant-ship or transport, as opposed to ship of…