ναυαγέω
nauagéō
G3489 verb
SILEX Entry
Definition
To suffer shipwreck, to be involved in or experience the destruction or severe damage of a ship at sea. In extended or metaphorical use, to experience ruin or catastrophic failure, especially in reference to one's faith or moral condition. Primary sense is literal—suffering or enduring shipwreck as a result of maritime disaster, with secondary figurative extensions in ethical or spiritual contexts.
Semantic Range
to suffer shipwreck, to be shipwrecked, to experience the ruin or destruction of a ship; figuratively, to experience ruin, catastrophic failure or loss (especially of faith, hope, or ethical commitment)
Root / Etymology
From ναῦς ('ship') and ἄγω ('to lead, bring'), meaning to 'cause to experience a ship's fate,' hence 'to suffer shipwreck.' Compound verb constructed in Greek; no evidence for borrowing from other languages.
Historical & Contextual Notes
Attested chiefly in Hellenistic and Koine Greek, including the New Testament (e.g., 1 Timothy 1:19; 2 Corinthians 11:25). While earlier Greek texts (Classical period) favor related terms such as ναυάγιον (shipwreck as a noun), ναυαγέω is characteristic of later usage, emphasizing the act or experience. The verb is primarily literal (shipping disasters), but in Koine Greek—including Pauline usage—it acquires metaphorical force: the fate of a ruined faith, failed hope, or a catastrophic personal loss (as in 1 Timothy 1:19, suffering 'shipwreck concerning the faith'). The English 'shipwreck' is an apt translation for the literal sense, but the figurative extension is critical for Koine contexts. The verb is not limited to Israelites or Judeans; it is part of general maritime vocabulary in the Greek-speaking world.
Original Strong's Gloss (1890)
from a compound of ναῦς and ἄγω; to be shipwrecked (stranded, "navigate"), literally or figuratively:--make (suffer) shipwreck.
Root Family
ναυαγέω (nauageō) — to suffer shipwreck, to be shipwrecked, to experience maritime disaster, to undergo ruin
Word Forms
2 distinct forms
| SIDANCE | Surface | Transliteration | Morphology | Common | SIBI-P1 | SIBI-P2 | Occurrences |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
G3489-01 |
ἐναυάγησα | enauagesa | V AOR ACT IND 1P SG |
I was shipwrecked | I suffered shipwreck | I suffered shipwreck | 1 |
G3489-02 |
ἐναυάγησαν | enauagesan | V AOR ACT IND 3P PL |
suffered shipwreck | they were suffering shipwreck | they were suffering shipwreck | 1 |
Occurrences in Scripture
2 occurrences
| SIDANCE | Reference | Word | Transliteration | Morphology | Common | SIBI-P1 | SIBI-P2 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
G3489-01 |
2 Corinthians 11:25 | ἐναυάγησα | enauagesa | V AOR ACT IND 1P SG |
I was shipwrecked | I suffered shipwreck | I suffered shipwreck |
G3489-02 |
1 Timothy 1:19 | ἐναυάγησαν | enauagesan | V AOR ACT IND 3P PL |
suffered shipwreck | they were suffering shipwreck | they were suffering shipwreck |