5142. trephó

Lexicon

trephó: To nourish, to feed, to bring up

Original Word: τρέφω
Part of Speech: Verb
Transliteration: trephó
Pronunciation: TREF-oh
Phonetic Spelling: (tref'-o)
Definition: To nourish, to feed, to bring up
Meaning: I feed, nourish; I bring up, rear, provide for.

Strong's Exhaustive Concordance

bring up, feed, nourish.

A primary verb (properly, threpho; but perhaps strengthened from the base of trope through the idea of convolution); properly, to stiffen, i.e. Fatten (by implication, to cherish (with food, etc.), pamper, rear) -- bring up, feed, nourish.

see GREEK trope

HELPS Word-studies

5142 tréphō (from 5160 /trophḗ, "food") – properly, enlarge, fully develop because adequately nourished (fed); (figuratively) to bring (or experience) "personal enlargement," i.e. spiritual development from being properly fed (nourished, taken care of).

NAS Exhaustive Concordance

Word Origin
a prim. verb
Definition
to make to grow, to nourish, feed
NASB Translation
brought (1), fattened (1), fed (1), feed (1), feeds (2), nourished (2), nursed (1).

Thayer's Greek Lexicon

STRONGS NT 5142: τρέφω

τρέφω; 1 aorist ἔθρεψα; passive, present τρέφομαι; perfect participle τεθραμμένος; from Homer down; to nourish, support; to feed: τινα, Matthew 6:26; Matthew 25:37; Luke 12:24; Acts 12:20; Revelation 12:6, 14; to give suck, Luke 23:29 L T Tr WH; to fatten, James 5:5 (here A. V. nourish). to bring up, nurture, Luke 4:16 (here T WH marginal reading ἀνατρέφω) (1 Macc. 3:33 1 Macc. 11:39, and often in secular authors). (Compare: ἀνατρέφω, ἐκτρέφω, ἐντρέφω.)

Topical Lexicon

Word Origin: A primary verb

Corresponding Greek / Hebrew Entries: • H3557 כּוּל (kul): To sustain, to provide
• H7462 רָעָה (ra'ah): To feed, to shepherd
• H539 אָמַן (aman): To support, to confirm, to nourish

These Hebrew terms share thematic elements with τρέφω, emphasizing the acts of sustaining, feeding, and nurturing, both in physical and spiritual contexts.

Usage: The verb τρέφω is used in the New Testament to describe the act of nourishing or feeding, both in a literal and metaphorical sense. It can refer to the physical feeding of individuals or animals, as well as the nurturing and upbringing of children.

Context: The Greek verb τρέφω appears in several contexts within the New Testament, illustrating both physical and metaphorical nourishment. It is used to describe the act of feeding and caring for others, emphasizing the provision of sustenance necessary for growth and well-being.

In Matthew 6:26, Jesus uses τρέφω to highlight God's provision for the birds of the air: "Look at the birds of the air: They do not sow or reap or gather into barns—and yet your Heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not much more valuable than they?" Here, τρέφω underscores God's care and provision for His creation, encouraging believers to trust in His providence.

The term is also employed in the context of nurturing and raising children. In Ephesians 6:4, Paul instructs fathers: "Fathers, do not provoke your children to wrath; instead, bring them up in the discipline and instruction of the Lord." The phrase "bring them up" translates τρέφω, indicating the responsibility of parents to nurture their children in a godly manner.

Additionally, τρέφω is used metaphorically to describe spiritual nourishment. In 1 Corinthians 3:2, Paul writes, "I gave you milk, not solid food, for you were not yet ready for it. Indeed, you are still not ready." Here, the concept of feeding is applied to spiritual teaching, with τρέφω conveying the idea of providing appropriate spiritual sustenance for growth in faith.

Overall, τρέφω encapsulates the concept of providing necessary care and sustenance, whether physical or spiritual, highlighting the importance of nurturing relationships and trust in divine provision.

Forms and Transliterations

έθρεψα εθρεψαμεν εθρέψαμεν ἐθρέψαμεν εθρεψαν ἔθρεψαν εθρεψατε εθρέψατε ἐθρέψατε ετράφης ετρέφετο θρέψαι θρέψει τεθραμμενος τεθραμμένος τρέφε τρεφει τρέφει τρεφεσθαι τρέφεσθαι τρεφεται τρέφεται τρέφης τρεφηται τρεφόμενοι τρέφοντός τρέφων τρεφωσιν τρέφωσιν ethrepsamen ethrépsamen ethrepsan éthrepsan ethrepsate ethrépsate tethrammenos tethramménos trephei tréphei trephesthai tréphesthai trephetai tréphetai trephosin trephōsin tréphosin tréphōsin

Englishman's Concordance

Matthew 6:26 V-PIA-3S
GRK: ὁ οὐράνιος τρέφει αὐτά οὐχ
NAS: Father feeds them. Are you not worth
KJV: heavenly Father feedeth them. Are
INT: Heavenly feeds them not

Matthew 25:37 V-AIA-1P
GRK: πεινῶντα καὶ ἐθρέψαμεν ἢ διψῶντα
NAS: You hungry, and feed You, or
KJV: and fed [thee]? or
INT: hungering and fed [you] or thirsting

Luke 4:16 V-RPM/P-NMS
GRK: οὗ ἦν τεθραμμένος καὶ εἰσῆλθεν
NAS: He had been brought up; and as was His custom,
KJV: where he had been brought up: and, as
INT: where he was brought up and he entered

Luke 12:24 V-PIA-3S
GRK: ὁ θεὸς τρέφει αὐτούς πόσῳ
NAS: and [yet] God feeds them; how much
KJV: and God feedeth them: how much
INT: God feeds them How much

Luke 23:29 V-AIA-3P
GRK: οἳ οὐκ ἔθρεψαν
NAS: and the breasts that never nursed.'
INT: which never nursed

Acts 12:20 V-PNM/P
GRK: διὰ τὸ τρέφεσθαι αὐτῶν τὴν
NAS: their country was fed by the king's
KJV: country was nourished by
INT: because was nourished their

James 5:5 V-AIA-2P
GRK: καὶ ἐσπαταλήσατε ἐθρέψατε τὰς καρδίας
NAS: and led a life of wanton pleasure; you have fattened your hearts
KJV: been wanton; ye have nourished your
INT: and lived in self-indulgence you nourished the hearts

Revelation 12:6 V-PSA-3P
GRK: ἵνα ἐκεῖ τρέφωσιν αὐτὴν ἡμέρας
NAS: that there she would be nourished for one thousand
KJV: God, that they should feed her there
INT: that there they should nourish her days

Revelation 12:14 V-PIM/P-3S
GRK: αὐτῆς ὅπου τρέφεται ἐκεῖ καιρὸν
NAS: where she was nourished for a time
KJV: where she is nourished for a time,
INT: of her where she is nourished there a time

Strong's Greek 5142
9 Occurrences

ἐθρέψαμεν — 1 Occ.
ἔθρεψαν — 1 Occ.
ἐθρέψατε — 1 Occ.
τεθραμμένος — 1 Occ.
τρέφει — 2 Occ.
τρέφεσθαι — 1 Occ.
τρέφεται — 1 Occ.
τρέφωσιν — 1 Occ.