to feed
bosko denotes feeding animals, whether pigs in fields or the lambs and sheep named in Jesus’ directions to Simon Peter.
The attested usage chiefly concerns animal feeding in scenes involving pigs, herds, and herdsmen; it also appears as Jesus’ direct instruction to Simon Peter concerning lambs and sheep.
Senses in use
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Feeding in pig-herd settings · dominant
In Luke 15:15, the present active infinitive occurs when a man is sent into fields in a clause the APB renders “to feed pigs.” In Matthew 8:30, Mark 5:11, and Luke 8:32, a present passive participle occurs with a herd of pigs that the APB describes as “feeding”; in Matthew 8:33, Mark 5:14, and Luke 8:34, present active participles identify the herdsmen who flee after the event.
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Directing the feeding of lambs and sheep · occasional
In John 21:15 and John 21:17, the present active second-person singular form is spoken directly to Simon Peter after the questions about love. The APB renders each closing direction as “Feed my lambs” and “Feed my sheep.”
In the Anselm Project Bible: The APB presents the pig-related clauses with “feed,” “feeding,” and “herdsmen,” while John 21:15 and John 21:17 close with “Feed my lambs” and “Feed my sheep.” These renderings confirm the clauses’ animal-feeding contexts rather than establish a separate English equivalent for every form.