The Greek verb aporrhipto means to throw off, to fling down, or to cast away. It combines apo- (away) and rhipto (to throw/cast). The word appears only once in the New Testament, in the dramatic context of the shipwreck of Paul's journey to Rome.
Aporrhipto appears in Acts 27:43, where those who could swim were ordered to 'throw themselves overboard [aporrhipsantas] first and get to land.' This vivid scene of the Maltese shipwreck is rich with spiritual symbolism. Paul, whose life was preserved by divine promise despite the storm, sees everyone aboard saved — the fulfillment of God's word to him (Acts 27:22-24). The act of casting oneself into the sea to reach safety is a picture of abandoning all human security and trusting entirely in God's promise. Theologically, salvation often requires casting off what we cling to.