ekpipto describes falling away or falling off, whether of physical things, a ship’s course, or an established standing.

The term most often marks a physical falling, falling off, or coming onto a hazardous shore: flowers fall, chains fall from hands, and a vessel or lifeboat comes away or runs aground. In several clauses it also describes departure from a security or standing, including falling away from grace and the stated non-failure of God’s word.

1. Physical falling off or running aground · dominant

   In 1 Peter 1:24 and James 1:11, the aorist singular form occurs in the comparison of grass and its flower; the APB renders the clause “the flower falls” and “its flower fell.” In Acts 12:7 the plural form concerns chains from Peter’s hands, while Acts 27:17, Acts 27:26, Acts 27:29, and Acts 27:32 place the forms in warnings or actions concerning a ship, rough places, and the lifeboat; the APB renders these clauses with “run aground,” “fall out,” and “fall away.”

   1 Peter 1:24James 1:11Acts 12:7Acts 27:17Acts 27:26Acts 27:29
2. Falling away from a security or standing · common

   In 2 Peter 3:17, the aorist subjunctive is used in the warning that being led away by lawless error might result in falling from one’s own security. In Galatians 5:4, the aorist indicative stands with being severed from Christ and seeking justification by law; the APB renders the clause “you have fallen away from grace.” In Romans 9:6, the perfect indicative occurs in the denial that the word of God has failed.

   2 Peter 3:17Galatians 5:4Romans 9:6

In the Anselm Project Bible: The APB varies its presentation across the verses: flowers and chains “fall,” the ship may “run aground,” the lifeboat may “fall away,” and persons may “fall from” security or “fallen away from grace.” Because the APB is a whole-verse translation, these English phrases show each clause’s presentation rather than fixed renderings of the term.