Biblical Lexicon

βρῶσις G1035

N-NFS | 11× in 3 senses

Food, nourishment; the act of eating; corrosion or decay (of material goods consumed by moth and rust)

A noun spanning the full arc from what is eaten to the eating itself to what eats away. In John 6:27 and 6:55, Jesus contrasts perishable food with the enduring nourishment he offers, where the Spanish 'alimento' and French 'nourriture' both capture the sustaining quality. In Matthew 6:19-20, the same word shifts dramatically to mean corrosion or decay -- the slow ruin that moths and rust inflict on earthly treasure. Paul uses it for the act of eating in Romans 14:17, reminding believers that the kingdom of God is not about eating and drinking but righteousness, peace, and joy.

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Senses

1. food — Food or nourishment as substance to be consumed. The dominant sense across John's Gospel, where Jesus speaks of true food (brosis) that endures to eternal life (John 6:27, 55). Multilingual glosses consistently render this as sustenance: Spanish 'alimento/comida', French 'nourriture', German 'Speise' -- all emphasizing provision rather than the act of consumption. Also in 2 Corinthians 9:10 where God supplies seed and bread for food. 7×

FOOD_DRINK › Foods and Condiments › Food and Nourishment

AR["أَكلٍ", "أَكْلَة", "الطَّعامِ", "طَعَامٌ", "طَعَامَ"]·ben["খাদ্য", "খাদ্যে", "খাবার", "খাবারের", "খাবারের-জন্য"]·DE["Speise"]·EN["eating", "food"]·FR["manger", "nourriture"]·heb["אֲכִילָה", "אָכְלָה", "אֹכֶל", "מַאֲכָל"]·HI["खने", "भोजन", "भोजन,", "भोजन-के"]·ID["makanan"]·IT["brōsei", "brōseōs", "cibo", "mangiare"]·jav["dhahar", "dhaharan", "dhàhàr", "tedha", "tedha,"]·KO["먹는-것", "먹을-것으로", "음식", "음식-을", "음식을", "음식이다"]·PT["alimento", "comida", "uma-refeição"]·RU["еду", "пища", "пище", "пищи", "пищу"]·ES["alimento", "comida"]·SW["chakula", "chakula,"]·TR["yemegin", "yiyecek", "yiyecekte", "yiyecektir", "yiyeceği"]·urd["-ال", "خوراک", "کھانا", "کھانے"]

John 4:32, John 6:27, John 6:27, John 6:55, 2 Cor 9:10, Col 2:16, Heb 12:16

2. decay — Corrosion, rust, or decay that destroys material goods. Confined to Jesus' teaching on treasures in Matthew 6:19-20, where brosis pairs with moth (ses) as agents of destruction. The Spanish 'herrumbre' (rust) captures this well, while the German simply transliterates, reflecting how unusual this sense is. The word pictures the slow, relentless consumption of earthly wealth -- a vivid metaphor urging investment in heavenly treasure. 2×

FOOD_DRINK › Foods and Condiments › Food and Nourishment

AR["صَدَأٌ"]·ben["মরিচা"]·DE["βρῶσις"]·EN["decay"]·FR["nourriture"]·heb["חָלוּד"]·HI["जंग"]·ID["karat"]·IT["cibo"]·jav["teyeng"]·KO["녹"]·PT["ferrugem"]·RU["ржавчина"]·ES["herrumbre"]·SW["kutu"]·TR["pas"]·urd["زنگ"]

Matt 6:19, Matt 6:20

3. eating — The act or process of eating, emphasizing the activity rather than the substance consumed. In Romans 14:17, Paul declares the kingdom of God is not eating (brosis) and drinking, where Spanish 'comer' and French 'manger' use verbal forms highlighting the action. Similarly in 1 Corinthians 8:4 regarding eating food offered to idols, the focus falls on the practice itself and its theological implications. 2×

BODY_HEALTH › Physiological Processes and States › Eating and Consuming

AR["أَكْلٌ", "أَكْلِ"]·ben["খাওয়া", "খাওয়ার"]·DE["Speise"]·EN["eating"]·FR["manger"]·heb["אֲכִילַת", "אֹכֶל"]·HI["खाना", "खाने"]·ID["makan", "memakan"]·IT["mangiare"]·jav["nedha", "tedhan"]·KO["먹기", "먹는-것과"]·PT["comer"]·RU["-питие", "ядении"]·ES["comer", "comida"]·SW["kula"]·TR["o-", "yemek"]·urd["کھانا", "کھانے"]

Rom 14:17, 1 Cor 8:4

BDB / Lexicon Reference

βρῶσις, εως, ἡ, Epic dialect βρώσ-ιος Refs 8th c.BC+: (βιβρώσκω):— meat, opposed to πόσις, Refs 8th c.BC+ __2 pasture, προβάτων Refs 2nd c.AD+ __II eating, παίδων Refs 5th c.BC+ __II.2 taste, flavour, Refs 2nd c.BC+ __II.3 corrosion, rust, NT; decay, Refs 2nd c.AD+