### Core Meaning & Semantic Range
The Greek word **nomḗ**, represented by `{{G3542}}`, refers to **pasture** or **pasturage**. It appears **2 times** in **2 unique verses**. Its definition includes both the act of feeding and the food itself, and it can be used figuratively to describe the spreading of a gangrene.
### Biblical Occurrences & Contextual Analysis
In the biblical narrative, `{{G3542}}` is used in two sharply contrasting ways. In a positive sense, it signifies spiritual sustenance. Jesus states that those who enter through Him "shall be saved, and shall go in and out, and find **pasture**" [[John 10:9]]. Conversely, it is used to describe the destructive nature of false teaching, whose word "will **eat** as doth a canker" [[2 Timothy 2:17]], illustrating a corrupting spread.
### Related Words & Concepts
Several related words clarify the two distinct applications of `{{G3542}}`:
* `{{G2147}}` **heurískō** (to find): This word is directly paired with `{{G3542}}` in the context of salvation, where a believer will "find **pasture**" [[John 10:9]]. It emphasizes the discovery of spiritual provision.
* `{{G1044}}` **gángraina** (an ulcer ("gangrene")): This term is used to describe the effect of the corrupting "word" in [[2 Timothy 2:17]], which spreads like a **canker**. It defines the negative, destructive nature of `{{G3542}}` in this context.
* `{{G2192}}` **échō** (to hold, have): In [[2 Timothy 2:17]], this word combines with `{{G3542}}` to form the phrase "will **eat**," signifying that the false word will have or possess a consuming, spreading quality.
### Theological Significance
The theological weight of `{{G3542}}` is found in its stark duality, representing both life and corruption.
* **Divine Provision:** The promise to "find **pasture**" [[John 10:9]] is a metaphor for the spiritual nourishment, safety, and life that is found exclusively through Jesus, who identifies Himself as "the door."
* **Spiritual Decay:** The warning that a false word will "eat as doth a **canker**" [[2 Timothy 2:17]] highlights the contagious and destructive power of errant doctrine. It doesn't just mislead; it actively consumes and corrupts from within.
### Summary
In summary, `{{G3542}}` is a potent word whose meaning is defined by its immediate context. It can represent the life-giving **pasture** and security found by entering through Jesus [[John 10:9]], or it can depict the consuming, destructive spread of false words that **eat** like a gangrene [[2 Timothy 2:17]]. The word powerfully illustrates the biblical contrast between the sustenance that leads to life and the corruption that leads to decay.
TRV