πλοῖον
ploion
boat
Lexicon Entry
Lexicon data from STEPBible TIPNR, Tyndale House, Cambridge. Licensed under CC BY 4.0.
What Original Readers Understood
ExploredThe Greek word πλοῖον (ploion), Strong's number G4143, is defined as a boat. It is used a total of 68 times in the Bible. This word likely refers to various types of small watercraft, such as fishing boats or ships. Its range of usage is wide, appearing in both the New Testament (Matthew 14:22-23, for example) and the Septuagint (the Greek translation of the Hebrew Bible). The significance of πλοῖον is its common occurrence in narratives involving people traveling by water. This could be journeys across lakes or seas, or even brief crossings on rivers. In many cases, the boat serves as a medium for events or conversations to unfold. As such, understanding the role of πλοῖον contributes to a clearer comprehension of the stories in which it appears. Given its frequency and widespread usage, πλοῖον can be seen as an essential word in the Greek New Testament vocabulary, reflecting the importance of water travel to ancient societies.
Source data & methodology
Occurrences in Scripture
68 total occurrences across the text — showing 50
Now when Jesus heard this, he withdrew from there in a boat, to a deserted place apart. When the multitudes heard it, they followed him on foot from the cities.
Matthew 4:21Going on from there, he saw two other brothers, James the son of Zebedee, and John his brother, in the boat with Zebedee their father, mending their nets. He called them.
Matthew 4:22They immediately left the boat and their father, and followed him.
Matthew 8:23When he got into a boat, his disciples followed him.
Matthew 8:24Behold, a violent storm came up on the sea, so much that the boat was covered with the waves, but he was asleep.
Matthew 9:1He entered into a boat, and crossed over, and came into his own city.
Matthew 13:2Great multitudes gathered to him, so that he entered into a boat, and sat, and all the multitude stood on the beach.
Matthew 14:22Immediately Jesus made the disciples get into the boat, and to go ahead of him to the other side, while he sent the multitudes away.
Matthew 14:24But the boat was now in the middle of the sea, distressed by the waves, for the wind was contrary.
Matthew 14:29He said, “Come!” Peter stepped down from the boat, and walked on the waters to come to Jesus.
Matthew 14:32When they got up into the boat, the wind ceased.
Matthew 14:33Those who were in the boat came and worshiped him, saying, “You are truly the Son of God!”
Matthew 15:39Then he sent away the multitudes, got into the boat, and came into the borders of Magdala.
Mark 1:19Going on a little further from there, he saw James the son of Zebedee, and John, his brother, who were also in the boat mending the nets.
Mark 1:20Immediately he called them, and they left their father, Zebedee, in the boat with the hired servants, and went after him.
Mark 4:1Again he began to teach by the seaside. A great multitude was gathered to him, so that he entered into a boat in the sea, and sat down. All the multitude were on the land by the sea.
Mark 4:36Leaving the multitude, they took him with them, even as he was, in the boat. Other small boats were also with him.
Mark 4:36Leaving the multitude, they took him with them, even as he was, in the boat. Other small boats were also with him.
Mark 4:37A big wind storm arose, and the waves beat into the boat, so much that the boat was already filled.
Mark 4:37A big wind storm arose, and the waves beat into the boat, so much that the boat was already filled.
Mark 5:2When he had come out of the boat, immediately a man with an unclean spirit met him out of the tombs.
Mark 5:18As he was entering into the boat, he who had been possessed by demons begged him that he might be with him.
Mark 5:21When Jesus had crossed back over in the boat to the other side, a great multitude was gathered to him; and he was by the sea.
Mark 6:32They went away in the boat to a deserted place by themselves.
Mark 6:45Immediately he made his disciples get into the boat, and to go ahead to the other side, to Bethsaida, while he himself sent the multitude away.
Mark 6:47When evening had come, the boat was in the middle of the sea, and he was alone on the land.
Mark 6:51He got into the boat with them; and the wind ceased, and they were very amazed among themselves, and marveled;
Mark 6:54When they had come out of the boat, immediately the people recognized him,
Mark 8:10Immediately he entered into the boat with his disciples, and came into the region of Dalmanutha.
Mark 8:13He left them, and again entering into the boat, departed to the other side.
Mark 8:14They forgot to take bread; and they didn’t have more than one loaf in the boat with them.
Luke 5:7They beckoned to their partners in the other boat, that they should come and help them. They came, and filled both boats, so that they began to sink.
Luke 5:2He saw two boats standing by the lake, but the fishermen had gone out of them, and were washing their nets.
Luke 5:3He entered into one of the boats, which was Simon’s, and asked him to put out a little from the land. He sat down and taught the multitudes from the boat.
Luke 5:3He entered into one of the boats, which was Simon’s, and asked him to put out a little from the land. He sat down and taught the multitudes from the boat.
Luke 5:11When they had brought their boats to land, they left everything, and followed him.
Luke 8:22Now on one of those days, he entered into a boat, himself and his disciples, and he said to them, “Let’s go over to the other side of the lake.” So they launched out.
Luke 8:37All the people of the surrounding country of the Gadarenes asked him to depart from them, for they were very much afraid. Then he entered into the boat and returned.
John 6:17They entered into the boat, and were going over the sea to Capernaum. It was now dark, and Jesus had not come to them.
John 6:19When therefore they had rowed about twenty-five or thirty stadia, they saw Jesus walking on the sea, and drawing near to the boat; and they were afraid.
John 6:21They were willing therefore to receive him into the boat. Immediately the boat was at the land where they were going.
John 6:21They were willing therefore to receive him into the boat. Immediately the boat was at the land where they were going.
John 6:22On the next day, the multitude that stood on the other side of the sea saw that there was no other boat there, except the one in which his disciples had embarked, and that Jesus hadn’t entered with his disciples into the boat, but his disciples had gone away alone.
John 21:3Simon Peter said to them, “I’m going fishing.” They told him, “We are also coming with you.” They immediately went out, and entered into the boat. That night, they caught nothing.
John 21:6He said to them, “Cast the net on the right side of the boat, and you will find some.” They cast it therefore, and now they weren’t able to draw it in for the multitude of fish.
Acts 20:38sorrowing most of all because of the word which he had spoken, that they should see his face no more. Then they accompanied him to the ship.
Acts 21:2Having found a ship crossing over to Phoenicia, we went aboard, and set sail.
Acts 21:3When we had come in sight of Cyprus, leaving it on the left hand, we sailed to Syria and landed at Tyre, for the ship was there to unload her cargo.
Acts 21:6After saying goodbye to each other, we went on board the ship, and they returned home again.
Acts 27:2Embarking in a ship of Adramyttium, which was about to sail to places on the coast of Asia, we put to sea, Aristarchus, a Macedonian of Thessalonica, being with us.