βόσκω (boskō)
boskō
to feed
Quick Reference
- Language
- Koine Greek
- Testament
- New Testament
- Occurrences
- 9 verses
- Root
- —
Word Overview
The Greek verb boskō means to feed or graze, describing the basic act of providing nourishment. In the Gospels, it appears most often in the Synoptic accounts where pigs are described as feeding on pods (Mark 5:14; Luke 8:32) or demons entering swine that were grazing (Matthew 8:30). This usage highlights the word’s concrete, agricultural root.
Its meaning shifts significantly in John 21, where Jesus commands Peter to "feed" his sheep. Here, the term moves from physical sustenance to spiritual care. While it shares a root with words for shepherding, it specifically emphasizes the act of providing food and nurture rather than the broader oversight associated with tending a flock.
Translators typically render this word as "feed," preserving its directness. The contrast between the pigs grazing in Mark and the sheep being fed in John underscores the transition from wild consumption to intentional, pastoral provision for believers.
Based on public-domain lexicons (Strong's, Thayer, Gesenius, Brown-Driver-Briggs and others).
What This Word Means for Your Faith
The word boskō simply means to feed. In the Gospels, it often describes pigs eating pods in fields, a vivid image of wild and untamed consumption. Yet Jesus uses this same ordinary verb when He speaks to Peter after His resurrection. He does not ask for complex theological debate or grand gestures. He asks Peter to provide basic nourishment to His sheep.
This shift from the field to the flock shows that spiritual care is practical. It involves meeting real needs, offering sustenance, and staying present with those who follow Christ. You do not need special titles to participate in this work. When you share a meal, offer comfort, or help someone through a difficult time, you are enacting boskō. This is the quiet, steady rhythm of Christian love.
Jesus entrusts His followers with this simple but profound task. He invites us to look around and see who needs feeding—whether in body or spirit. There is grace in this everyday service. It connects us directly to the heart of Christ, who cares for His own with tender provision.
How it's translated
How this word is rendered word-by-word in the 9 verses where it appears, by frequency.
- feeding [them]2×
- feeding2×
- do feed2×
- to feed1×
- feeding;1×
- feeding.1×
Forms in the text
The inflected forms of this word as they appear in Scripture, by frequency.
- βόσκοντες3×
- βόσκε2×
- βόσκειν1×
- βοσκομένη·1×
- βοσκομένη.1×
- βοσκομένη1×
Key Verses
-
John 21:15
So when they had eaten their breakfast, Jesus said to Simon Peter, “Simon, son of Jonah, do you love me more than these?” He said to him, “Yes, Lord; you know that I have affection for you.” He said to him, “Feed my lambs.”
Jesus uses this verb to commission Peter, shifting the focus from wild animals to vulnerable lambs requiring care.
-
John 21:17
He said to him the third time, “Simon, son of Jonah, do you have affection for me?” Peter was grieved because he asked him the third time, “Do you have affection for me?” He said to him, “Lord, you know everything. You know that I have affection for you.” Jesus said to him, “Feed my sheep.
The third repetition of this command emphasizes the enduring nature of pastoral responsibility rather than a one-time event.
-
Mark 5:14
Those who fed the pigs fled, and told it in the city and in the country. The people came to see what it was that had happened.
This verse highlights the word's agricultural root by describing pigs feeding, contrasting wild consumption with spiritual nurture.
-
Luke 15:15
He went and joined himself to one of the citizens of that country, and he sent him into his fields to feed pigs.
The prodigal son’s degradation is marked by his assignment to feed pigs, showing the lowest state of separation from home.