What does ὅπου (hópou) mean in the Bible?
Hopou means where or wherever. It can mark a simple location, the place someone is going, the field of missionary labor, or the sphere in which a person follows.
Greek · G3699
ὅπου
Where(-ever)
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ὅπου G3699
Pronunciation hópou
What does ὅπου (hópou) mean in the Bible?
Hopou means where or wherever. It can mark a simple location, the place someone is going, the field of missionary labor, or the sphere in which a person follows.
Reader summary
Full entry for ὅπου (G3699) · Open the biblical lexicon
Questions this entry answers
How does the BSB render G3699?
The BSB source-word alignment has 82 aligned rows for this entry. Common renderings include where (54), wherever (8), - (1), [the hometown of] (1), [There] (1).
Where does ὅπου (hópou) appear in Scripture?
The source-word alignment first shows this entry at Matthew 6:19. Its strongest book concentrations include John (30), Mark (15), Matthew (13), Revelation (8).
What This Word Actually Means
Hopou means where or wherever. It can mark a simple location, the place someone is going, the field of missionary labor, or the sphere in which a person follows. In Jesus' speech the word often receives weight from the promise around it: where He is, His servant will be; where He goes, His disciples will finally be; where He is, those given by the Father will behold His glory.
The word itself is not a doctrine of heaven or discipleship. It is the sentence that gives the theological force. Still, hopou helps readers see that biblical hope is not bare geography. The richest uses point to being with Christ, following Christ, and trusting Christ's mission where He sends His people.
How the Bible Uses It
Hopou moves from ordinary where-language to passages where Christ's location, His servants, and His promised presence shape discipleship and hope.
- Matt.6.21
For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.
Jesus links the location of treasure and the direction of the heart, making where-language expose worship and desire.
- Luke.9.57
As they were walking along the road, someone said to Jesus, “I will follow You wherever You go.”
A would-be follower says he will follow Jesus wherever He goes, placing hopou in the vocabulary of costly discipleship.
- John.3.8
The wind blows where it wishes. You hear its sound, but you do not know where it comes from or where it is going. So it is with everyone born of the Spirit.”
Jesus uses wind language to describe what is heard but not controlled, so hopou serves the mystery of birth by the Spirit.
- John.6.62
Then what will happen if you see the Son of Man ascend to where He was before?
Jesus speaks of the Son of Man ascending to where He was before, joining location language to His heavenly origin and return.
- John.12.26
If anyone serves Me, he must follow Me; and where I am, My servant will be as well. If anyone serves Me, the Father will honor him.
Jesus says His servant must follow Him and will be where He is, tying service to fellowship with the Lord.
- John.14.3
And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come back and welcome you into My presence, so that you also may be where I am.
Jesus promises to welcome His people into His presence so that they may be where He is.
- John.17.24
Father, I want those You have given Me to be with Me where I am, that they may see the glory You gave Me because You loved Me before the foundation of the world.
Jesus prays that those given to Him may be with Him where He is and see His glory.
- Rom.15.20
In this way I have aspired to preach the gospel where Christ was not known, so that I would not be building on someone else’s foundation.
Paul describes preaching where Christ was not known, giving hopou a mission-field use shaped by apostolic strategy.
- Heb.6.20
Where Jesus our forerunner has entered on our behalf. He has become a high priest forever in the order of Melchizedek.
Jesus enters as forerunner on behalf of His people, so where-language supports hope anchored in priestly access.
- Rev.14.4
These are the ones who have not been defiled with women, for they are virgins. They follow the Lamb wherever He goes. They have been redeemed from among men as firstfruits to God and to the Lamb.
The redeemed follow the Lamb wherever He goes, using the word for complete allegiance to the 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 where 54× Matthew 6:19, Matthew 6:20, Matthew 6:21, Matthew 13:5
wherever 8× Matthew 8:19, Matthew 24:28, Matthew 26:13, Mark 6:56
- 1× John 11:32
[the hometown of] 1× John 12:1
[There] 1× John 19:18
[to see] 1× Mark 5:40
above Him 1× Mark 2:4
Here 1× Colossians 3:11
In the case of 1× Hebrews 9:16
into which 1× Revelation 20:10
on 1× Mark 2:4
since [there is] 1× 1 Corinthians 3:3
to the place where 1× John 14:4
to where 1× John 6:62
to wherever 1× Mark 6:55
When 1× Mark 6:10
Whenever 1× Mark 9:18
Wherever [there is] 1× Luke 17:37
which 1× Revelation 17:9
whichever {house} 1× Mark 14:14
while 1× John 20:19
Yet not even 1× 2 Peter 2:11
Show sample aligned rows
Matthew 6:19 ὅπου to where Adverb Matthew 6:19 ὅπου to where Adverb Matthew 6:20 ὅπου to where Adverb Matthew 6:20 ὅπου to where Adverb Matthew 6:21 ὅπου to where Adverb Matthew 8:19 ὅπου to wherever Adverb Matthew 13:5 ὅπου to where Adverb Matthew 24:28 ὅπου to Wherever Adverb Matthew 25:24 ὅπου to where Adverb Matthew 25:26 ὅπου to where Adverb
Usage map
A compact distribution from source-word alignment before the full evidence tables.
First aligned row Matthew 6:19
Aligned rows 82
Books represented 12
Matthew 13 Mark 15 Luke 5 John 30 Acts 2 Romans 1 1 Corinthians 1 Colossians 1 Hebrews 3 James 2 2 Peter 1 Revelation 8
Source forms
ὅπου 74x hopou Matthew 6:19, Matthew 6:20, Matthew 6:21, Matthew 8:19
Ὅπου 8x Hopou Mark 6:10, Luke 17:37, John 7:36, John 8:22
Parsing patterns
Adverb 82x Matthew 6:19, Matthew 6:20, Matthew 6:21, Matthew 8:19
Using This Word Well
Be careful not to...
- Ask what the passage says is located there before drawing application.
- When Jesus speaks of where He is, keep the focus on His presence rather than speculation.
Avoid claiming...
- Do not claim hopou alone defines heaven or the final state.
- Do not claim every where or wherever use carries the same theological weight.
Evidence Summary
Greek word. Relative adverb marking place; extends to time, condition, and cause in later NT usage.
Strong's G3699
Lexical occurrences 81 verses Greek text appearances 82 times 16 shown below Word forms 2 forms 81 references Verse guides 0 guides
Study link Luke 17:20-37 Source Gloss
where(-ever)
Greek Text Appearances
Textus Receptus witness, full corpus Greek token appearances from Scrivener 1894 Textus Receptus in the full New Testament corpus.
16 of 82 Greek text appearances shown. Linked morphology labels have verse guides.
Matthew 6:19 Adverb
ὅπου opou
where, whither
Read verse Matthew 6:19 Adverb
ὅπου opou
where, whither
Read verse Matthew 6:20 Adverb
ὅπου opou
where, whither
Read verse Matthew 6:20 Adverb
ὅπου opou
where, whither
Read verse Matthew 6:21 Adverb
ὅπου opou
where, whither
Read verse Matthew 8:19 Adverb
ὅπου opou
where, whither
Read verse Matthew 13:5 Adverb
ὅπου opou
where, whither
Read verse Matthew 24:28 Adverb
ὅπου opou
where, whither
Read verse Matthew 25:24 Adverb
ὅπου opou
where, whither
Read verse Matthew 25:26 Adverb
ὅπου opou
where, whither
Read verse Matthew 26:13 Adverb
ὅπου opou
where, whither
Read verse Matthew 26:57 Adverb
ὅπου opou
where, whither
Read verse Matthew 28:6 Adverb
ὅπου opou
where, whither
Read verse Mark 2:4 Adverb
ὅπου opou
where, whither
Read verse Mark 4:5 Adverb
ὅπου opou
where, whither
Read verse Mark 4:15 Adverb
ὅπου opou
where, whither
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.
Grammatical Forms
How this word appears across different grammatical cases and numbers.
This word appears as a noun across 2 case and number patterns. The form changes show how the word functions in a sentence; they do not change the basic lexical meaning by themselves.
Form patterns 2 Aligned forms 81
Verse guides are not available for this word yet, so verse references remain plain evidence markers.
Matt 6:21 · Matt 8:19 · Matt 24:28 · Matt 25:24 · Matt 25:26 · Matt 26:13 · Mark 5:40 · Mark 6:10 · Mark 6:55 · Mark 6:56 · Mark 9:18 · Mark 13:14 · Mark 14:9 · Mark 14:14 · Luke 9:57 · Luke 12:34 42×
Matt 6:19 · Matt 6:20 · Matt 13:5 · Matt 26:57 · Matt 28:6 · Mark 2:4 · Mark 4:5 · Mark 4:15 · Mark 9:48 · Mark 14:14 · Mark 16:6 · Luke 12:33 · Luke 22:11 · John 1:28 · John 4:20 · John 4:46 39×
Selected Scripture Witnesses
Selected passage-level study witnesses for this word. This section is not the full occurrence list.
Biblical Witnesses
Relative adverb indicating location in eschatological context, where the body is
With verb of motion expressing direction, whither rather than where proper
Showing 2 selected witnesses from 81 lexical occurrence verses.
Word Origins
ὅπου is built from these roots:
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
The core insight of hopou is that place language often reveals allegiance. Where treasure is, the heart follows. Where Jesus goes, the would-be disciple must reckon with cost. Where Jesus is, His servant belongs. Where He prepares a place, His people are welcomed into His presence. Where Paul preaches, mission reaches places that have not heard Christ named.
The word is grammatically modest, but it helps readers notice the relational shape of biblical location. It asks not only where a place is, but who is there, who is followed, what is loved, what mission is embraced, and what promise defines the destination for Christ's people.
Anchor passage
John.14.3
Doctrinal connections
- Matthew.6.21: where treasure is, the heart is also.
- Luke.9.57: discipleship language can promise following wherever Jesus goes.
- John.12.26: Christ's servant is promised fellowship where Christ is.
- John.14.3: Jesus prepares and welcomes His people into His presence.
- Romans.15.20: gospel mission presses into places where Christ has not been named.
- Revelation.14.4: the redeemed follow the Lamb wherever He goes.
Hopou is an adverb of place or sphere. Its force ranges from simple location to wherever clauses, so the governing verb and wider sentence must set the claim.
From Old to New Testament
Scripture often ties place to covenant presence: Eden, tabernacle, temple, exile, return, and the final dwelling of God with His people. Hopou participates in that larger pattern when it points to being where Christ is.
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