Word Study for G1033 (βρῶμα) | Strong's Concordance

brōma /bro'-mah/ Ask about this word

Meaningfood (literally or figuratively), especially (ceremonially) articles allowed or forbidden by the Jewish law

KJV usagemeat, victuals.

Word Study

In depth

A plain-language study of brōma — the range of meaning it carries, how Scripture actually uses it, and where it points. Written for readers who don’t know the original language.

Core Meaning & Semantic Range

The Greek word brōma, represented by G1033, refers to food or meat, both in a literal and figurative sense. It appears 17 times across 15 unique verses and is often used to discuss articles of food allowed or forbidden under Jewish ceremonial law. The term encompasses everything from basic victuals to profound spiritual nourishment.

Biblical Occurrences & Contextual Analysis

In its literal sense, G1033 is used to describe physical sustenance. In the feeding of the multitude, the disciples note the need to buy meat for the people (Luke 9:13, Matthew 14:15). The term also applies to basic provisions, as when John the Baptist instructs the one with meat to share with him who has none Luke 3:11. Figuratively, Jesus redefines the concept of nourishment, stating, "My meat is to do the will of him that sent me" John 4:34. Paul also uses the word metaphorically, contrasting the elementary "milk" for immature believers with the solid meat of advanced doctrine for the mature 1 Corinthians 3:2.

Related Words & Concepts

Several related words help clarify the scope of food and consumption in scripture:

G1051 gála (milk): This word is often used figuratively and is directly contrasted with G1033 to distinguish between elementary and mature spiritual teaching 1 Corinthians 3:2.
G2907 kréas (flesh): This refers more specifically to butcher's meat. In a discussion about not offending a brother, Paul declares that if meat G1033 causes a problem, he will eat no flesh G2907 at all 1 Corinthians 8:13.
G4188 póma (drink): This term for a beverage is frequently paired with G1033 when discussing the ceremonial regulations of the Old Covenant, which consisted of rules about meats and drinks Hebrews 9:10.
G2068 esthíō (to eat): This verb describes the act of consumption. The morality of eating is not in the food itself but in the context, such as a man who eateth with offence Romans 14:20.

Theological Significance

The theological weight of G1033 is primarily concerned with Christian liberty and the nature of the New Covenant.

Christian Liberty and Conscience: Paul extensively uses meat as the example for disputes over matters of conscience. He urges believers not to let their liberty in eating meat cause a brother to stumble or be grieved Romans 14:15. The core principle is that the "work of God" should not be destroyed for the sake of meat Romans 14:20.
Spiritual vs. Physical Focus: The word highlights a shift in focus from the physical to the spiritual. God created meats to be received with thanksgiving 1 Timothy 4:3, but one's standing with God is not determined by them 1 Corinthians 8:8. The heart is to be established with grace, not with meats Hebrews 13:9.
The New Covenant: The Old Covenant's regulations, which stood "in meats and drinks," are described as carnal ordinances that were temporary until a "time of reformation" Hebrews 9:10.

Summary

In summary, G1033 functions as more than a simple word for food. While it denotes literal victuals for the body, its greater significance in the New Testament is as a central theme in discussions about Christian freedom, spiritual maturity, and the supremacy of grace over ceremonial law. The term illustrates how a common, physical necessity can be used to teach profound truths about the believer's relationship with God and others.

How the KJV Renders It

Translation

Strong’s lists the renderings but not their weight. These are counted from the King James text of the tagged verses — the bar under each is how often the translators actually reached for it. Select one to filter the occurrences below.

Grammatical Forms

Morphology

In the Greek New Testament, this word appears as a noun across 17 occurrences, inflected in 8 grammatical forms — each row is one form, and the bar is how often it is that form. Select any form to read what each part of its name means, and to filter the occurrence list to it.

βρώματα
βρῶμα
βρώμασιν
βρῶμα
βρώματί
βρωμάτων
βρώματος
βρώματα

Theographic Context

Context

The people, places, and span of history the verses containing this word touch on — drawn from the theographic tagging of Scripture. Select any name to isolate its verses in the occurrence list.

Biblical Distribution

Distribution

Appears in 15 verses across 8 of the 27 books. Most frequent in 1 Corinthians (5 verses); never once in the other 19.

Matthew

Mark

Luke

John

Romans

1 Corinthians

1 Timothy

Hebrews

Every Occurrence

Concordance

Every verse where the word is tagged in the King James text. Filter by book, by the English word the translators chose, by grammatical form, or search within the verses.

Sources. Definition and numbering: James Strong, Exhaustive Concordance of the Bible (1890). Morphology: STEPBible / Tyndale House (CC BY). Verse tagging: the King James text keyed to Strong’s numbers. Every count on this page is computed from the tagged corpus, not estimated.