The Greek verb diapleo means to sail across or sail through a body of water. It appears in Acts 27:5 to describe Paul's voyage across the open sea from Myra to Puteoli during his journey to Rome — a voyage that would end in shipwreck.
Paul's sea voyages are theologically significant in Acts. They represent the unstoppable advance of the gospel — even storms, shipwrecks, and imperial prisons could not prevent the word of God from reaching Rome. The act of diapleo (sailing through) becomes a metaphor for persevering mission. Paul's confidence in Acts 27 ('Not one of you will lose a single hair from his head,' v. 34) is grounded not in favorable conditions but in divine promise. The Christian life often requires crossing dangerous open water, trusting the God who commands the seas.