What does φάγω (phágō) mean in the Bible?
G5315 is a verb for eating. In John, it can describe ordinary eating, misunderstanding about Jesus' food, the crowd's satisfaction after the sign, Israel's memory of manna, and Jesus' bread-of-life teaching.
Greek · G5315
φάγω
To eat (literally or figuratively)
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φάγω G5315
Pronunciation phágō
What does φάγω (phágō) mean in the Bible?
G5315 is a verb for eating. In John, it can describe ordinary eating, misunderstanding about Jesus' food, the crowd's satisfaction after the sign, Israel's memory of manna, and Jesus' bread-of-life teaching.
Reader summary
Full entry for φάγω (G5315) · Open the biblical lexicon
Questions this entry answers
How does the BSB render G5315?
The BSB source-word alignment has 93 aligned rows for this entry. Common renderings include to eat (26), eat (8), ate (6), [something] to eat (4), you eat (3).
Where does φάγω (phágō) appear in Scripture?
The source-word alignment first shows this entry at Matthew 6:25. Its strongest book concentrations include Luke (21), Mark (16), John (15), Matthew (13).
What This Word Actually Means
G5315 is a verb for eating. In John, it can describe ordinary eating, misunderstanding about Jesus' food, the crowd's satisfaction after the sign, Israel's memory of manna, and Jesus' bread-of-life teaching. The word is not a technical sacramental term every time it appears. Its force comes from the scene. In John 4, Jesus turns the disciples' concern about food toward doing the Father's will.
In John 6, eating moves from loaves and manna to receiving the living bread Jesus gives for the life of the world. In John 18, Passover eating exposes religious concern in the shadow of Jesus' trial. The word helps teachers distinguish bodily need, sign-seeking appetite, and faithful reception of Christ.
How the Bible Uses It
G5315 moves through ordinary eating, misunderstood food, manna memory, bread-of-life promise, and Passover concern. John uses eating language to test whether people receive the sign or stop at the meal.
- John.4.31
Meanwhile the disciples urged Him, “Rabbi, eat something.”
The disciples urge Jesus to eat something. The ordinary request prepares the contrast with Jesus' food in doing the Father's will.
- John.6.26
Jesus replied, “Truly, truly, I tell you, it is not because you saw these signs that you are looking for Me, but because you ate the loaves and had your fill.
Jesus says the crowd seeks Him because they ate the loaves and were filled. Eating exposes appetite that can miss the sign.
- John.6.31
Our fathers ate the manna in the wilderness, as it is written: ‘He gave them bread from heaven to eat.’”
The crowd recalls the fathers eating manna in the wilderness. The word carries Israel's bread memory into the bread-of-life discourse.
- John.6.50
This is the bread that comes down from heaven, so that anyone may eat of it and not die.
Jesus identifies the bread from heaven as bread one may eat and not die. Eating language turns toward life that ordinary bread cannot give.
- John.6.51
I am the living bread that came down from heaven. If anyone eats of this bread, he will live forever. And this bread, which I will give for the life of the world, is My flesh.”
Jesus says whoever eats this bread will live forever, and the bread He gives is His flesh for the life of the world.
- John.18.28
Then they led Jesus away from Caiaphas into the Praetorium. By now it was early morning, and the Jews did not enter the Praetorium, to avoid being defiled and unable to eat the Passover.
Those bringing Jesus to Pilate avoid defilement so they can eat the Passover. The concern for ritual readiness stands beside the trial of the true Passover Lamb.
Source Word Evidence
BSB source-word alignment connects this entry to exact verse rows, English rendering, source form, transliteration, and parsing.
How English Renders It to eat 26× Matthew 12:4, Matthew 15:32, Matthew 25:42, Matthew 26:17
eat 8× Mark 3:20, Mark 11:14, Luke 7:36, Luke 12:19
ate 6× Matthew 15:37, Mark 2:26, Mark 6:42, John 6:31
[something] to eat 4× Matthew 14:16, Matthew 25:35, Mark 5:43, Mark 6:37
you eat 3× John 6:53, 1 Corinthians 11:20, 1 Corinthians 11:21
you will eat 3× Matthew 6:25, Luke 12:22, Luke 12:29
I may eat 2× Mark 14:14, Luke 22:11
may eat 2× Luke 17:8, John 6:50
They all ate 2× Matthew 14:20, Luke 9:17
- 1× Mark 2:26
[and] ate 1× Luke 6:4
[and] ate [it] 1× Luke 24:43
[and] eat 1× Matthew 26:26
[he and his companions] ate 1× Matthew 12:4
[The people] ate 1× Mark 8:8
[the people] had eaten 1× John 6:23
[who] ate [ the manna ] 1× John 6:58
consume 1× James 5:3
did we eat 1× 2 Thessalonians 3:8
eat [something] 1× John 4:31
eating 1× Matthew 15:20
eats 1× John 6:51
food 1× John 4:33
had eaten 1× Mark 6:44
He ate 1× Luke 4:2
he did not eat 1× Acts 9:9
he eats 1× Romans 14:23
I eat 1× Luke 17:8
I had eaten 1× Revelation 10:10
I have never eaten 1× Acts 10:14
I will never eat 1× 1 Corinthians 8:13
I will not eat 1× Luke 22:16
Let us eat 1× 1 Corinthians 15:32
Let us feast 1× Luke 15:23
shall we eat 1× Matthew 6:31
so they would eat 1× Revelation 2:14
something to eat 1× Luke 9:13
they will eat 1× Revelation 17:16
to food 1× 1 Corinthians 9:4
We ate 1× Luke 13:26
we do 1× 1 Corinthians 8:8
we do not eat 1× 1 Corinthians 8:8
will eat at the feast 1× Luke 14:15
you ate 1× John 6:26
you may eat 1× Revelation 19:18
You to eat 1× Mark 14:12
Show sample aligned rows
Matthew 6:25 φάγητε to you will eat Verb - Aorist Subjunctive Active - 2nd Person Plural Matthew 6:31 φάγωμεν to shall we eat Verb - Aorist Subjunctive Active - 1st Person Plural Matthew 12:4 ἔφαγον to [he and his companions] ate Verb - Aorist Indicative Active - 3rd Person Plural Matthew 12:4 φαγεῖν to to eat Verb - Aorist Infinitive Active Matthew 14:16 φαγεῖν to [something] to eat Verb - Aorist Infinitive Active Matthew 14:20 ἔφαγον to They all ate Verb - Aorist Indicative Active - 3rd Person Plural Matthew 15:20 φαγεῖν to eating Verb - Aorist Infinitive Active Matthew 15:32 φάγωσιν to to eat Verb - Aorist Subjunctive Active - 3rd Person Plural Matthew 15:37 ἔφαγον to ate Verb - Aorist Indicative Active - 3rd Person Plural Matthew 25:35 φαγεῖν to [something] to eat Verb - Aorist Infinitive Active
Usage map
A compact distribution from source-word alignment before the full evidence tables.
First aligned row Matthew 6:25
Aligned rows 93
Books represented 11
Matthew 13 Mark 16 Luke 21 John 15 Acts 6 Romans 3 1 Corinthians 10 2 Thessalonians 1 Hebrews 1 James 1 Revelation 6
Source forms
φαγεῖν 34x phagein Matthew 12:4, Matthew 14:16, Matthew 15:20, Matthew 25:35
ἔφαγον 13x ephagon Matthew 12:4, Matthew 14:20, Matthew 15:37, Mark 6:42
φάγωσιν 6x phagōsin Matthew 15:32, Mark 6:36, Mark 8:1, Mark 8:2
ἔφαγεν 5x ephagen Mark 2:26, Luke 4:2, Luke 6:4, Luke 24:43
φάγητε 5x phagēte Matthew 6:25, Luke 12:22, Luke 12:29, John 6:53
φάγω 5x phagō Mark 14:14, Luke 17:8, Luke 22:11, Luke 22:16
φάγε 4x phage Luke 12:19, John 4:31, Acts 10:13, Acts 11:7
φάγῃ 4x phagē Luke 7:36, John 6:50, John 6:51, Romans 14:23
Parsing patterns
Verb - Aorist Infinitive Active 34x Matthew 12:4, Matthew 14:16, Matthew 15:20, Matthew 25:35
Verb - Aorist Indicative Active - 3rd Person Plural 11x Matthew 12:4, Matthew 14:20, Matthew 15:37, Mark 6:42
Verb - Aorist Subjunctive Active - 3rd Person Plural 6x Matthew 15:32, Mark 6:36, Mark 8:1, Mark 8:2
Verb - Aorist Indicative Active - 3rd Person Singular 5x Mark 2:26, Luke 4:2, Luke 6:4, Luke 24:43
Verb - Aorist Subjunctive Active - 1st Person Plural 5x Matthew 6:31, Luke 22:8, 1 Corinthians 8:8, 1 Corinthians 15:32
Verb - Aorist Subjunctive Active - 1st Person Singular 5x Mark 14:14, Luke 17:8, Luke 22:11, Luke 22:16
Verb - Aorist Subjunctive Active - 2nd Person Plural 5x Matthew 6:25, Luke 12:22, Luke 12:29, John 6:53
Verb - Aorist Imperative Active - 2nd Person Singular 4x Luke 12:19, John 4:31, Acts 10:13, Acts 11:7
Using This Word Well
Be careful not to...
- Ask whether the passage is describing bodily food, misunderstood provision, or faithful reception of Jesus.
- Let John's bread teaching call for faith without forcing every eating reference into one doctrinal category.
Avoid claiming...
- Do not claim that G5315 always means sacramental participation.
- Do not claim that the crowd's eating proves faith; Jesus says they can eat the loaves and miss the sign.
Evidence Summary
Greek word. to eat (literally or figuratively)
Strong's G5315
Lexical occurrences 0 verses Greek text appearances 97 times 16 shown below Verse guides 0 guides
Source Gloss
to eat (literally or figuratively)
Extended definition
:--eat, meat.
Greek Text Appearances
Textus Receptus witness, full corpus Greek token appearances from Scrivener 1894 Textus Receptus in the full New Testament corpus.
16 of 97 Greek text appearances shown. Linked morphology labels have verse guides.
Matthew 6:25 Verb Second Person Plural Second Aorist Active Subjunctive
φάγητε faghte
I eat
Read verse Matthew 6:31 Verb First Person Plural Second Aorist Active Subjunctive
φάγωμεν, fagwmen
I eat
Read verse Matthew 12:4 Verb Third Person Singular Second Aorist Active Indicative
ἔφαγεν, efagen
I eat
Read verse Matthew 12:4 Verb Second Aorist Active Infinitive
φαγεῖν, fagein
I eat
Read verse Matthew 14:16 Verb Second Aorist Active Infinitive
φαγεῖν. fagein
I eat
Read verse Matthew 14:20 Verb Third Person Plural Second Aorist Active Indicative
ἔφαγον efagon
I eat
Read verse Matthew 15:20 Verb Second Aorist Active Infinitive
φαγεῖν fagein
I eat
Read verse Matthew 15:32 Verb Third Person Plural Second Aorist Active Subjunctive
φάγωσι· fagwsin
I eat
Read verse Matthew 15:37 Verb Third Person Plural Second Aorist Active Indicative
ἔφαγον efagon
I eat
Read verse Matthew 25:35 Verb Second Aorist Active Infinitive
φαγεῖν· fagein
I eat
Read verse Matthew 25:42 Verb Second Aorist Active Infinitive
φαγεῖν· fagein
I eat
Read verse Matthew 26:17 Verb Second Aorist Active Infinitive
φαγεῖν fagein
I eat
Read verse Matthew 26:26 Verb Second Person Plural Second Aorist Active Imperative
φάγετε· fagete
I eat
Read verse Mark 2:26 Verb Third Person Singular Second Aorist Active Indicative
ἔφαγεν, efagen
I eat
Read verse Mark 2:26 Verb Second Aorist Active Infinitive
φαγεῖν fagein
I eat
Read verse Mark 3:20 Verb Second Aorist Active Infinitive
φαγεῖν. fagein
I eat
Read verseFull New Testament corpus: 260 chapters, 7,957 verses, 140,628 tokens. Data source: honza/textus-receptus (data only), with authority check against byztxt/greektext-textus-receptus.
Discourse Aspect
How this verb appears across 85 occurrences in the NT discourse index (MACULA Greek SBLGNT).
Aspect
Tense
aorist 82 future 3
Voice
active 82 middle 3
Mood
infinitive 30 subjunctive 26 indicative 23 imperative 3 participle 2 optative 1
NT Occurrences
Matthew 6:25 φάγητε aorist active subjunctive subjunctive Matthew 6:31 φάγωμεν aorist active subjunctive subjunctive Matthew 12:4 ἔφαγον aorist active indicative completed Matthew 12:4 φαγεῖν aorist active infinitive infinitive Matthew 14:16 φαγεῖν aorist active infinitive infinitive Matthew 14:20 ἔφαγον aorist active indicative completed Matthew 15:20 φαγεῖν aorist active infinitive infinitive Matthew 15:32 φάγωσιν aorist active subjunctive subjunctive Matthew 15:37 ἔφαγον aorist active indicative completed Matthew 25:35 φαγεῖν aorist active infinitive infinitive Matthew 25:42 φαγεῖν aorist active infinitive infinitive Matthew 26:17 φαγεῖν aorist active infinitive infinitive Matthew 26:26 φάγετε aorist active imperative imperative Mark 2:26 ἔφαγεν aorist active indicative completed Mark 2:26 φαγεῖν aorist active infinitive infinitive Mark 3:20 φαγεῖν aorist active infinitive infinitive Mark 5:43 φαγεῖν aorist active infinitive infinitive Mark 6:31 φαγεῖν aorist active infinitive infinitive Mark 6:36 φάγωσιν aorist active subjunctive subjunctive Mark 6:37 φαγεῖν aorist active infinitive infinitive Mark 6:37 φαγεῖν aorist active infinitive infinitive Mark 6:42 ἔφαγον aorist active indicative completed Mark 6:44 φαγόντες aorist active participle participle Mark 8:1 φάγωσιν aorist active subjunctive subjunctive Mark 8:2 φάγωσιν aorist active subjunctive subjunctive Mark 8:8 ἔφαγον aorist active indicative completed Mark 11:14 φάγοι aorist active optative optative Mark 14:12 φάγῃς aorist active subjunctive subjunctive Mark 14:14 φάγω aorist active subjunctive subjunctive Luke 4:2 ἔφαγεν aorist active indicative completed Luke 6:4 ἔφαγεν aorist active indicative completed Luke 6:4 φαγεῖν aorist active infinitive infinitive Luke 7:36 φάγῃ aorist active subjunctive subjunctive Luke 8:55 φαγεῖν aorist active infinitive infinitive Luke 9:13 φαγεῖν aorist active infinitive infinitive Luke 9:17 ἔφαγον aorist active indicative completed Luke 12:19 φάγε aorist active imperative imperative Luke 12:22 φάγητε aorist active subjunctive subjunctive Luke 12:29 φάγητε aorist active subjunctive subjunctive Luke 13:26 Ἐφάγομεν aorist active indicative completed
+45 more occurrences
Aspect reflects grammatical form — not authorial emphasis. Participles and infinitives are verbal adjectives and nouns respectively.
Clause data: MACULA Greek (Clear Bible, CC BY 4.0) · SBLGNT (Logos/SBL, CC BY 4.0)
Word Origins
φάγω is built from this root:
Part of These Phrases
Compound and idiomatic phrases that include this word. Follow a link to study the phrase and how its parts work together.
For the Preacher and Teacher
G5315 matters because John refuses to let eating remain only at the level of appetite. Jesus cares for bodies, feeds the crowd, and speaks in settings where food is real. Yet the Gospel repeatedly presses beyond the meal. In John 4, the disciples think about food while Jesus speaks of doing the Father's work. In John 6, the crowd can eat loaves and still fail to see the sign.
Jesus then speaks of eating the living bread in a way that demands faith in His self-giving life. In John 18, Passover eating appears while Jesus is being handed over. The word teaches readers to receive the gift, not merely consume the provision.
Anchor passage
John.6.51
Doctrinal connections
- G740 Bread: eating language in John 6 is governed by Jesus as the bread from heaven.
- G5315 Eat: repeated forms trace movement from meal to reception of Christ.
- G5176 Feed on: John 6 uses a related eating verb for abiding reception.
- G2222 Life: Jesus links eating the living bread with life forever.
- G2889 World: the bread Jesus gives is for the life of the world.
- G3957 Passover: John 18 places Passover eating beside Jesus' trial.
G5315 is a common verb for eating. In John, its meaning remains ordinary at the lexical level, while the discourse supplies theological depth through bread, life, and Jesus' flesh.
From Old to New Testament
Scripture remembers bread in the wilderness as God's provision. John receives that memory and centers it on Jesus, the living bread given by the Father for life.
Sources
MorphGNT Strong's Dictionary XML — CC0 1.0 Public Domain
Open Scriptures Hebrew Bible (morphhb/OSHB) — CC BY 4.0
Open Scriptures Hebrew Lexicon — CC BY 4.0
Berean Standard Bible (BSB) source-word alignment - CC0 Public Domain