Greek word · G5160

τροφή

trophē

food

Food, nourishment, provisions; sometimes wages paid in food (Matt 10:10, "the worker is worthy of his food").

Appears 16 times in 16 verses of the Greek New Testament. ·

What it means

τροφή, -ῆς, ἡ

(τρέφω), [in LXX for לֶחֶם, מָזוֹן, אֹכֶל, etc. ;]

nourishment, food: Matthew 3:4 6:25 10:10 24:45, Luke 12:23, John 4:8, Acts 2:46 9:19 14:17 27:33-34, 36 27:38 James 2:15. Metaphorical: Hebrews 5:12, 14.†

(AS)

From G. Abbott-Smith, A Manual Greek Lexicon of the New Testament (1922), via STEPBible.org (CC BY 4.0).

In depth

From the study of Matthew 6:25

Range of meaning

Food, nourishment, provisions; sometimes wages paid in food (Matt 10:10, "the worker is worthy of his food").

Against the English

Modern versions have "food" and YLT "nourishment". The KJV's "meat" meant food of any kind in 1611 (see drift).

How it drifted

English "meat" narrowed from "food in general" to "animal flesh" over the following centuries.

Used elsewhere in the period

In the Septuagint it is common for provisions given by God (Ps 145:15 LXX 144:15, "you give them their food in due season"; Ps 147:9 LXX 146:9, he gives the beasts their food and feeds the young ravens).

From the study of Matthew 10:10

Range of meaning

Nourishment, food. More broadly, sustenance or upkeep: what keeps a person alive day to day.

Against the English

KJV has "meat" (in 1611 that meant food in general), YLT "nourishment", WEB and ESV "food", BSB "provisions", NIV "keep", NASB "support". "Support" and "keep" make the meaning wider than food. "Meat" now misleads.

How it drifted

English "meat" narrowed after the 17th century from 'food' in general to 'animal flesh'.

Used elsewhere in the period

In Matthew: John's food of locusts and honey (3:4), 'is not life more than food?' (6:25), and the servant who gives the household its food at the proper time (24:45). Didache 13 keeps Matthew's "food". Luke 10:7 and 1 Tim 5:18 have μισθός, "wages", and Paul says 'those who proclaim the gospel should get their living from the gospel' (1 Cor 9:14).

From the study of Acts 27:36

Range of meaning

Food, nourishment, provisions. Also 'upkeep, maintenance' (Matt 10:10, a worker deserves his trophē). It comes from trephō, 'to feed, nourish'.

Against the English

KJV 'meat' meant food in general in 1611. Modern readers hear animal flesh. The Greek has nothing to do with meat in particular; the ship was carrying grain (v. 38), and Paul has just broken bread (v. 35).

How it drifted

In early modern English 'meat' meant any food ('meat and drink'). The narrowing to 'flesh' happened over the following centuries, leaving the KJV wording misleading.

Used elsewhere in the period

Very common in the LXX and Koine for food or rations (e.g. Ps 104:27 LXX 103:27, 'to give them their food in due season'). Used three times in Acts 27:33-38.

Where it appears

Matthew · 4
  1. Matthew 3:4 τροφὴ [the] food

    John wore a garment of camel’s hair, with a leather belt around his waist. His food was locusts and wild honey.

    Here: Sustenance in general, what kept him alive. It means food of any kind, not meat in particular (compare 6:25, 'Is not life more than food?').

  2. Matthew 6:25 τροφῆς [than] food

    Therefore I tell you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat or drink; or about your body, what you will wear. Is not life more than food, and the body more than clothes?

    Here: "Than nourishment". It comes from the same root as "feeds" (trephei) in v. 26, where the Father feeds the birds.

  3. Matthew 10:10 τροφῆς provisions

    Take no bag for the road, or second tunic, or sandals, or staff; for the worker is worthy of his provisions.

    Here: Daily food and basic support given in kind, not money wages. That fits v. 8 ("freely you received, freely give") and v. 9 (no money). Luke 10:7 has "wages" here instead.

  4. Matthew 24:45 τροφὴν food

    Who then is the faithful and wise servant, whom the master has put in charge of his household, to give the others their food at the proper time?

    Here: The slaves' food allowance, their daily or monthly rations. In the story it is literal food.

Luke · 1
  1. Luke 12:23 τροφῆς, food,

    For life is more than food, and the body more than clothes.

John · 1
  1. John 4:8 τροφὰς food

    (His disciples had gone into the town to buy food.)

    Here: The plural means 'provisions' or 'supplies', ordinary travel food such as bread. It is not 'meat' in the modern sense. It sets up Jesus' later saying about a food they do not know (4:32–34).

Acts · 7
  1. Acts 2:46 τροφῆς of food

    With one accord they continued to meet daily in the temple courts and to break bread from house to house, sharing their meals with gladness and sincerity of heart,

    Here: Plain food, real nourishment. This word shows that the 'bread-breaking' involved actual meals and not just a token rite (compare 27:33–36).

  2. Acts 9:19 τροφὴν food

    and after taking some food, he regained his strength. And he spent several days with the disciples in Damascus.

  3. Acts 14:17 τροφῆς with food

    Yet He has not left Himself without testimony to His goodness: He gives you rain from heaven and fruitful seasons, filling your hearts with food and gladness.”

    Here: 'With food', the ordinary nourishment that keeps a person alive. It is the end result of the rain and the seasons.

  4. Acts 27:33 τροφῆς of food

    Right up to daybreak, Paul kept urging them all to eat: “Today is your fourteenth day in constant suspense, without taking any food.

  5. Acts 27:34 τροφῆς· of food;

    So for your own preservation, I urge you to eat something, because not a single hair of your head will be lost.”

    Here: Food as what keeps a body going. The Greek form implies "some food," which suits an appeal to people who have barely eaten.

  6. Acts 27:36 τροφῆς· food;

    They were all encouraged and took some food themselves.

    Here: The genitive case here means 'some of the food', a portion. It is the same word Paul used twice in vv. 33-34. It means ordinary food, not meat in particular, and it ends the little sequence: urged, demonstrated, done.

  7. Acts 27:38 τροφῆς with food

    After the men had eaten their fill, they lightened the ship by throwing the grain into the sea.

    Here: The same word Paul used when he urged them to "take some food" (27:33–34). Luke shows his advice being followed to the full.

Hebrews · 2
  1. Hebrews 5:12 τροφῆς. food.

    Although by this time you ought to be teachers, you need someone to reteach you the basic principles of God’s word. You need milk, not solid food!

    Here: The general word for food or nourishment. With 'solid' it means the adult's diet, as opposed to the infant's.

  2. Hebrews 5:14 τροφὴ food

    But solid food is for the mature, who by constant use have trained their senses to distinguish good from evil.

    Here: Food in general, as what keeps a person alive. In the image it stands for the fuller teaching the author is about to give, about Christ as priest in the order of Melchizedek.

James · 1
  1. James 2:15 τροφῆς, food,

    Suppose a brother or sister is without clothes and daily food.

    Here: Ordinary food: what keeps a body alive. Together with 'for the day', it means the minimum needed to get through today.

Word data: STEPBible.org (CC BY 4.0), main text only.