What does ὅς (hós) mean in the Bible?
Hos is the Greek relative pronoun often translated who, which, that, whom, or whose. It links a statement to an antecedent so that the reader can see who or what the next clause is describing.
Greek · G3739
ὅς
The relatively (sometimes demonstrative) pronoun, who, which, what, that
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ὅς G3739
Pronunciation hós
What does ὅς (hós) mean in the Bible?
Hos is the Greek relative pronoun often translated who, which, that, whom, or whose. It links a statement to an antecedent so that the reader can see who or what the next clause is describing.
Reader summary
Full entry for ὅς (G3739) · Open the biblical lexicon
Questions this entry answers
How does the BSB render G3739?
The BSB source-word alignment has 1,410 aligned rows for this entry. Common renderings include - (231), what (105), which (99), whom (96), who (91).
Where does ὅς (hós) appear in Scripture?
The source-word alignment first shows this entry at Matthew 1:16. Its strongest book concentrations include Acts (225), Luke (193), John (157), Matthew (126).
Are there verse guides for ὅς (hós)?
This entry includes 26 verse guides that explain exact original-language forms in context.
What This Word Actually Means
Hos is the Greek relative pronoun often translated who, which, that, whom, or whose. It links a statement to an antecedent so that the reader can see who or what the next clause is describing. The word is common and normally grammatical, but it becomes pastorally important when it carries major statements about Christ, redemption, calling, or identity. In Matthew it can identify Mary as the one from whom Jesus was born or point to the beloved Son in whom the Father is pleased.
In Colossians and Hebrews it introduces high Christological description. The word itself does not create the doctrine. It keeps the sentence joined so the doctrine is attached to the right person or people.
How the Bible Uses It
Hos links clauses to their referents across genealogy, divine speech, redemption, Christology, and salvation sequence. Its pastoral value is grammatical clarity that protects doctrinal clarity.
- Matt.1.16
And Jacob the father of Joseph, the husband of Mary, of whom was born Jesus, who is called Christ.
The relative phrase identifies Mary as the one of whom Jesus was born, keeping the genealogy's final movement precise.
- Matt.3.17
And a voice from heaven said, “This is My beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased!”
The Father identifies the beloved Son in whom He is well pleased, tying the relative phrase to divine approval at Jesus' baptism.
- Eph.1.7
In Him we have redemption through His blood, the forgiveness of our trespasses, according to the riches of His grace
Paul links redemption and forgiveness to Him, keeping grace language attached to Christ in the flow of Ephesians 1.
- Col.1.15
The Son is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn over all creation.
The relative clause introduces Christ as the image of the invisible God and the firstborn over all creation.
- Heb.1.3
The Son is the radiance of God’s glory and the exact representation of His nature, upholding all things by His powerful word. After He had provided purification for sins, He sat down at the right hand of the Majesty on high.
Hebrews uses the relative construction to continue describing the Son as radiance, representation, sustainer, purifier, and enthroned Lord.
- Rom.8.30
And those He predestined, He also called; those He called, He also justified; those He justified, He also glorified.
Paul repeats the relative pronoun through the salvation sequence, tying predestined, called, justified, and glorified people together.
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 - 231× Matthew 1:25, Matthew 2:9, Matthew 2:16, Matthew 8:4
what 105× Matthew 6:8, Matthew 10:27, Matthew 11:4, Matthew 12:2
which 99× Matthew 11:20, Matthew 12:4, Matthew 27:33, Mark 2:26
whom 96× Matthew 1:16, Matthew 3:17, Matthew 11:10, Matthew 12:18
who 91× Matthew 11:10, Matthew 18:23, Matthew 18:28, Matthew 27:57
that 81× Matthew 10:26, Matthew 13:31, Matthew 13:33, Matthew 15:13
. . . 77× Matthew 14:22, Matthew 17:9, Matthew 18:30, Matthew 22:10
vvv 48× Matthew 24:50, Mark 10:38, Mark 11:23, Mark 15:6
whoever 37× Matthew 5:19, Matthew 5:31, Matthew 12:32, Matthew 16:25
[Him] 30× John 14:17, Acts 3:13, Acts 3:15, Acts 7:39
[He] 21× Matthew 13:23, Acts 5:36, Acts 7:20, Acts 8:27
whose 20× Matthew 3:11, Matthew 24:46, Mark 1:7, Mark 7:25
Whatever 18× Matthew 10:11, Matthew 14:7, Matthew 15:5, Matthew 16:19
if anyone 13× Matthew 10:14, Matthew 10:42, Matthew 15:5, Matthew 23:16
This 10× Acts 11:30, Colossians 3:15, 2 Thessalonians 2:14, 2 Thessalonians 3:17
where 10× Luke 4:17, Luke 23:53, John 6:21, John 11:6
[They] 9× Mark 4:16, Luke 8:13, Luke 9:31, Luke 10:30
he 9× Matthew 21:44, Mark 15:23, Luke 2:11, Romans 5:14
to whom 9× Matthew 19:11, Luke 19:15, John 5:21, John 13:26
the 8× Matthew 7:2, Matthew 24:38, Luke 1:20, Acts 1:2
Him 7× John 7:28, Acts 24:8, Ephesians 2:21, Ephesians 3:12
The One 7× Matthew 26:48, Mark 14:44, John 3:26, Acts 10:21
those 7× Mark 3:13, John 6:39, John 17:2, John 17:9
(which 6× Mark 7:34, John 1:38, John 1:41, John 1:42
[His] 6× Luke 3:17, Acts 7:52, Hebrews 3:6, Hebrews 12:26
[it] 6× Matthew 13:44, 1 Corinthians 2:8, 2 Corinthians 2:10, 1 Timothy 6:10
[them] 6× Matthew 27:56, Acts 25:16, Acts 26:17, Acts 28:15
Anyone who 6× Matthew 5:21, Matthew 5:22, Matthew 10:38, Mark 10:15
the [One] 6× John 1:45, John 3:34, John 6:29, John 11:3
[and] 5× Luke 23:51, Acts 5:36, Acts 14:8, 1 Corinthians 15:9
[Their] 5× Romans 3:14, 2 Corinthians 11:15, Philippians 3:19, Revelation 20:8
anyone 5× Matthew 18:6, 1 Corinthians 7:39, 2 Corinthians 2:10, 1 John 3:17
the things that 5× Acts 21:19, 2 Timothy 2:2, Titus 2:1, Revelation 1:19
to [them] 5× Acts 1:3, Acts 28:23, Galatians 2:5, Colossians 1:27
(that 4× Mark 7:11, Mark 15:16, Mark 15:42, Ephesians 5:5
[the] 4× Mark 4:24, Luke 17:27, 1 Corinthians 10:20, 2 Peter 1:19
as 4× Matthew 20:15, Acts 7:28, 1 Corinthians 7:36, 2 Corinthians 10:2
he who 4× Matthew 5:32, Mark 4:9, Luke 7:47, Romans 8:32
of what 4× John 3:11, John 8:38, Acts 22:15, Acts 26:16
of whom 4× Mark 14:71, John 1:15, Romans 10:14, 1 Timothy 1:15
one 4× Matthew 21:35, Matthew 22:5, Luke 23:33, Romans 9:21
the [one who] 4× Matthew 11:6, Luke 7:23, Luke 7:43, John 3:26
the things 4× 2 Corinthians 5:10, 2 Corinthians 11:12, 2 Timothy 3:14, Revelation 1:19
when 4× Luke 23:29, John 4:52, Acts 17:31, 2 Peter 3:12
[another] 3× Matthew 21:35, Romans 9:21, 1 Corinthians 11:21
[as] 3× Acts 9:17, Philippians 3:18, 1 Timothy 2:10
[every one] 3× Matthew 24:2, Mark 13:2, Luke 21:6
[One] 3× John 1:26, 1 Corinthians 11:21, 2 John 1:5
[than the One] 3× 2 Corinthians 11:4
[this] 3× Acts 26:7, Hebrews 5:11, 1 Peter 2:8
[those] 3× John 17:24, Romans 8:30
[when] 3× Luke 21:6, Acts 3:3, Romans 6:16
for whom 3× Mark 10:40, Galatians 4:19, Jude 1:13
some [seed] 3× Matthew 13:4, Mark 4:4, Luke 8:5
the one whom 3× John 13:23, John 20:2, 2 Corinthians 10:18
These 3× Colossians 2:17, Colossians 3:6, Revelation 4:5
Those who 3× Romans 15:21, Jude 1:22
to what 3× John 3:11, Revelation 2:25, Revelation 3:11
( which 2× Matthew 1:23, John 20:16
[and he] 2× Acts 24:6, 2 Thessalonians 3:3
[but] whom 2× Acts 4:10, Acts 25:19
[faith] 2× Hebrews 11:4, Hebrews 11:7
[her] 2× 1 Peter 3:6, Revelation 17:2
[the ark] 2× Hebrews 9:4, 1 Peter 3:20
[the name] 2× John 17:11, John 17:12
[the one] 2× John 9:19, Romans 10:14
[The Son] 2× Colossians 1:15, Hebrews 1:3
[these things] 2× Hebrews 9:5, 1 Peter 1:12
[These] 2× Colossians 2:22, 2 Peter 1:4
[where] 2× Acts 11:11, Revelation 18:19
a 2× Luke 10:8, Luke 10:10
Among [them] 2× 1 Timothy 1:20, 2 Timothy 2:17
at an 2× Matthew 24:44, Luke 12:40
His 2× Matthew 3:12, John 10:12
it 2× Matthew 13:32, Luke 15:8
of 2× Matthew 27:15, Luke 23:14
of [them] 2× Hebrews 11:38, 2 Peter 3:1
of it 2× Matthew 13:33, Luke 13:21
of which 2× Romans 6:21, Colossians 1:5
on the 2× Luke 17:29, Luke 17:30
one [person] 2× Romans 14:2, Romans 14:5
others 2× 2 Timothy 2:20, Jude 1:23
some 2× Mark 12:5, 2 Timothy 2:20
than 2× John 7:31, Philemon 1:21
them 2× Mark 15:40, Acts 22:5
They 2× Luke 6:18, Luke 12:24
those to whom 2× Matthew 11:27, Luke 10:22
to [another] 2× Matthew 25:15
To one 2× Matthew 25:15, 1 Corinthians 12:8
to which 2× Acts 2:32, Acts 13:2
to whom [be] 2× Galatians 1:5, Hebrews 13:21
while 2× Mark 2:19, Luke 5:34
with 2× Acts 17:23, Acts 19:16
( - 1× Acts 1:23
(vvv 1× Acts 4:36
[ then what about the One ] whom 1× John 10:36
[ This is the Spirit ] 1× Titus 3:6
[about him] 1× Acts 13:22
[about such matters] 1× Romans 14:22
[Abraham] 1× Romans 4:18
[all] whose 1× Revelation 13:8
[Although he] 1× Acts 28:4
[and] how [Jesus] 1× Acts 10:38
[and] of which 1× Colossians 1:23
[are they] whose 1× Romans 4:7
[are] those who 1× Luke 8:13
[But they] 1× 1 Peter 4:5
[But when his] 1× Acts 25:18
[children born] 1× John 1:13
[do] what 1× Matthew 26:50
[God] 1× Romans 2:6
[he was] in 1× 1 Corinthians 7:20
[him] {to see} 1× Hebrews 13:23
[his letters] 1× 2 Peter 3:16
[I] 1× Acts 22:4
[In] 1× Hebrews 6:8
[man] who 1× Luke 5:21
[matters] 1× 2 Peter 2:12
[of them] 1× Mark 3:14
[of] whom 1× John 8:54
[others] 1× Mark 12:5
[People] 1× Luke 5:17
[She] 1× Luke 2:37
[she] who 1× Acts 19:27
[situation] 1× 1 Corinthians 7:24
[so as] 1× 1 Corinthians 2:16
[Such a man’s] 1× Romans 2:29
[that house] 1× Luke 6:49
[that] 1× Acts 7:7
[that] is what 1× Acts 26:10
[the country] 1× Hebrews 11:15
[The death] 1× Romans 6:10
[the gospel] 1× Romans 1:2
[The islanders] 1× Acts 28:10
[the life] 1× Romans 6:10
[the man] 1× John 7:25
[the other] 1× Luke 23:33
[Theirs are] 1× Romans 9:5
[Theirs is] 1× Romans 9:4
[there] 1× Philippians 3:20
[these seven] 1× Acts 6:6
[These women] 1× Mark 15:41
[this gospel] 1× 1 Corinthians 15:2
[this hope] 1× Hebrews 6:19
[this is] 1× 1 Corinthians 2:13
[This man] 1× Mark 5:3
[this reason] 1× 1 Timothy 2:7
[this water] 1× 1 Peter 3:21
[those days] 1× Hebrews 10:32
[to cause] 1× Romans 14:21
[to them] 1× Acts 6:3
[to these] 1× Acts 21:24
[truth] 1× Acts 25:11
[When] he 1× Acts 11:23
[who] 1× Mark 3:19
[with] 1× Acts 7:38
[you were] 1× 1 Peter 2:10
[Your beauty] 1× 1 Peter 3:3
[your very] 1× Galatians 3:1
{let} what 1× 1 John 2:24
a third 1× Matthew 21:35
against him 1× Romans 4:8
against them 1× 2 Peter 2:3
and 1× Matthew 11:16
another 1× Matthew 22:5
anything 1× Romans 16:2
by 1× John 7:36
By [His] 1× 1 Peter 2:24
by [them] 1× Galatians 4:9
by whom 1× Acts 6:10
else 1× Mark 9:38
everyone on whom 1× Acts 8:19
for 1× Acts 7:17
for any additional 1× Luke 10:35
for them 1× 2 Peter 2:17
for us 1× Ephesians 2:4
for whatever 1× Mark 6:22
from [ these ways ] 1× 1 Timothy 1:6
from which 1× Acts 13:39
he on whom 1× Luke 20:18
her 1× Acts 16:14
If 1× Mark 6:11
if his 1× Matthew 7:9
in the same way 1× Acts 1:11
in what 1× 3 John 1:5
in whatever 1× 1 John 5:15
in whom 1× Romans 4:17
including 1× 2 Timothy 1:15
it {closely} 1× Acts 11:6
its 1× Colossians 1:25
Just as 1× 2 Timothy 3:8
like 1× Hebrews 12:8
of [the man] whose 1× John 18:26
of [their] 1× Hebrews 13:7
of [this gospel] 1× Ephesians 3:7
of this [fact] 1× Acts 3:15
of whose 1× John 1:27
on whom 1× Romans 9:18
one who 1× Hebrews 7:16
since 1× 2 Peter 3:4
So when 1× Hebrews 6:17
someone [else] 1× Romans 14:5
that [is] 1× Romans 14:23
that [made] 1× Hebrews 12:19
that for which 1× 1 Corinthians 10:30
That which 1× 1 John 1:1
The [life] 1× Galatians 2:20
the [man who] 1× 1 Corinthians 7:37
the man 1× John 4:18
the matters 1× 1 Corinthians 7:1
the meantime 1× Luke 12:1
the ones who 1× Revelation 14:4
the past 1× Luke 13:7
the same 1× Matthew 7:2
the time 1× Acts 24:18
Their 1× Romans 3:8
them [ proceeds ] 1× Romans 9:5
these things 1× Acts 15:29
these ways 1× Colossians 3:7
thing 1× Acts 24:21
things 1× Titus 1:11
things that 1× 2 Corinthians 12:4
this [pursuit] 1× Acts 26:12
this end 1× Colossians 1:29
this, then 1× Ephesians 3:4
those who are 1× Romans 1:6
though 1× 1 Peter 2:12
To [Him be] 1× 1 Timothy 6:16
to [him] 1× Hebrews 7:2
to [the one] 1× Romans 6:16
To [the] one 1× 2 Corinthians 2:16
to anyone 1× Luke 4:6
to him 1× Hebrews 11:18
To Him [be] 1× 2 Timothy 4:18
to it 1× 2 Peter 1:19
to still others 1× Jude 1:23
to the other 1× 2 Corinthians 2:16
to those for whom 1× Matthew 20:23
to whatever 1× 2 Peter 2:19
whatever grounds 1× Romans 2:1
which is 1× 1 Thessalonians 2:13
who {has made} 1× Revelation 14:8
with the 1× Luke 6:38
with the [One] 1× Mark 15:12
with which 1× 1 Timothy 1:11
You have for 1× John 17:26
You who 1× Romans 2:23
Show sample aligned rows
Matthew 1:16 ἧς to whom Personal / Relative Pronoun - Genitive Feminine Singular Matthew 1:23 ὅ to ( which Personal / Relative Pronoun - Nominative Neuter Singular Matthew 1:25 οὗ to - Personal / Relative Pronoun - Genitive Masculine Singular Matthew 2:9 ὃν to - Personal / Relative Pronoun - Accusative Masculine Singular Matthew 2:16 ὃν to - Personal / Relative Pronoun - Accusative Masculine Singular Matthew 3:11 οὗ to whose Personal / Relative Pronoun - Genitive Masculine Singular Matthew 3:12 οὗ to His Personal / Relative Pronoun - Genitive Masculine Singular Matthew 3:17 ᾧ to whom Personal / Relative Pronoun - Dative Masculine Singular Matthew 5:19 Ὃς to whoever Personal / Relative Pronoun - Nominative Masculine Singular Matthew 5:19 ὃς to whoever Personal / Relative Pronoun - Nominative Masculine Singular
Usage map
A compact distribution from source-word alignment before the full evidence tables.
First aligned row Matthew 1:16
Aligned rows 1,410
Books represented 27
Matthew 126 Mark 88 Luke 193 John 157 Acts 225 Romans 92 1 Corinthians 60 2 Corinthians 42 Galatians 24 Ephesians 33 Philippians 15 Colossians 38 1 Thessalonians 4 2 Thessalonians 12 1 Timothy 22 2 Timothy 20 Titus 9 Philemon 5 Hebrews 74 James 7 1 Peter 31 2 Peter 19 1 John 30 2 John 3 3 John 5 Jude 6 Revelation 70
Source forms
ὃ 199x ho Matthew 8:4, Matthew 10:26, Matthew 10:27, Matthew 12:2
ὃς 179x hos Matthew 5:19, Matthew 5:21, Matthew 5:22, Matthew 5:32
ὃν 163x hon Matthew 2:9, Matthew 2:16, Matthew 7:9, Matthew 12:18
ᾧ 119x hō Matthew 3:17, Matthew 7:2, Matthew 11:27, Matthew 17:5
οὗ 118x hou Matthew 1:25, Matthew 3:11, Matthew 3:12, Matthew 11:10
ἃ 107x ha Matthew 11:4, Matthew 11:16, Matthew 13:4, Matthew 13:17
ἣν 94x hēn Matthew 10:11, Matthew 13:33, Matthew 13:48, Matthew 15:13
ὧν 78x hōn Matthew 6:8, Luke 1:4, Luke 1:20, Luke 3:19
Parsing patterns
Personal / Relative Pronoun - Nominative Masculine Singular 219x Matthew 5:19, Matthew 5:21, Matthew 5:22, Matthew 5:31
Personal / Relative Pronoun - Accusative Neuter Singular 172x Matthew 8:4, Matthew 10:27, Matthew 12:2, Matthew 12:4
Personal / Relative Pronoun - Accusative Masculine Singular 167x Matthew 2:9, Matthew 2:16, Matthew 7:9, Matthew 12:18
Personal / Relative Pronoun - Accusative Feminine Singular 98x Matthew 10:11, Matthew 13:33, Matthew 13:48, Matthew 15:13
Personal / Relative Pronoun - Genitive Masculine Singular 98x Matthew 1:25, Matthew 3:11, Matthew 3:12, Matthew 11:10
Personal / Relative Pronoun - Accusative Neuter Plural 94x Matthew 11:4, Matthew 13:17, Matthew 21:15, Mark 1:44
Personal / Relative Pronoun - Dative Masculine Singular 79x Matthew 3:17, Matthew 11:27, Matthew 17:5, Matthew 25:15
Personal / Relative Pronoun - Nominative Neuter Singular 72x Matthew 1:23, Matthew 10:26, Matthew 13:8, Matthew 13:32
Using This Word Well
Be careful not to...
- When teaching from a relative clause, identify the antecedent before applying the statement.
- Use hos to slow down reading in dense doctrinal passages, especially where Christ, believers, or opponents are being described.
Avoid claiming...
- Do not claim that hos has an independent theological meaning beyond its grammatical work of linking a clause to a referent.
- Do not claim a promise or warning for the wrong audience by ignoring whom the relative clause describes.
Key Verse and Form Guides
Verse-level guides showing how this original-language form works in its specific context, including grammar, verse function, and guarded interpretation.
Colossians 1:15 Pronoun Nominative Singular Masculine
ὅς os the relatively (sometimes demonstrative) pronoun, who, which, what, that The pronoun mainly preserves continuity: it points back, identifies the clause subject, and lets the description of being the image of God attach to the already introduced referent. Read verse guide Colossians 1:18 Pronoun Nominative Singular Masculine
ὅς os the relatively (sometimes demonstrative) pronoun, who, which, what, that The pronoun keeps the focus on the already identified Christ and links the next titles and actions to him in one continuous description. Read verse guide Colossians 2:14 Pronoun Nominative Singular Neuter
ὃ o the relatively (sometimes demonstrative) pronoun, who, which, what, that The pronoun makes the clause explanatory and referential, so the verse reads as a unified statement about the same hostile record being removed. Read verse guide John 1:3 Pronoun Nominative Singular Neuter
ὃ o the relatively (sometimes demonstrative) pronoun, who, which, what, that The form strengthens the verse's totalizing scope by linking the last clause to the preceding claim about one thing, but it should be read as serving the clause movement, not overriding it. Read verse guide John 1:9 Pronoun Nominative Singular Neuter
ὃ o the relatively (sometimes demonstrative) pronoun, who, which, what, that The pronoun keeps the reader tied to the already described light and lets the verse explain that light by its ongoing illuminating action. Read verse guide John 1:13 Pronoun Nominative Plural Masculine
οἳ oi the relatively (sometimes demonstrative) pronoun, who, which, what, that The form helps the reader track the verse's subject and preserve the contrast between humanly sourced birth and God's action. Read verse guide John 1:15 Pronoun Accusative Singular Masculine
ὃν on the relatively (sometimes demonstrative) pronoun, who, which, what, that The form sharpens the identification of the one in view, but its interpretive weight comes from the sentence and verse context more than from morphology alone. Read verse guide John 1:26 Pronoun Accusative Singular Masculine
ὃν on the relatively (sometimes demonstrative) pronoun, who, which, what, that The form supports a pointed but still open identification: someone is already present, and the clause marks him as the one the hearers do not know. Read verse guide John 1:27 Pronoun Genitive Singular Masculine
οὗ ou the relatively (sometimes demonstrative) pronoun, who, which, what, that The grammar sharpens the relational focus of the verse: the speaker's unworthiness is stated in reference to the one already named as greater. Read verse guide John 1:27 Pronoun Nominative Singular Masculine
ὃς os the relatively (sometimes demonstrative) pronoun, who, which, what, that The form strengthens the connection between the two descriptions of the same person, so the emphasis falls on who he is in relation to John, not on the pronoun itself. Read verse guide John 1:30 Pronoun Genitive Singular Masculine
οὗ ou the relatively (sometimes demonstrative) pronoun, who, which, what, that The form sharpens the reader's sense that John is speaking about a specific person already in view, not about an abstract idea or a new topic. Read verse guide John 1:30 Pronoun Nominative Singular Masculine
ὃς os the relatively (sometimes demonstrative) pronoun, who, which, what, that The form helps the sentence read as a single identification: John describes the coming man by adding a relative clause about him. Read verse guide Show 14 more verse guides
John 1:33 Pronoun Accusative Singular Masculine
ὃν on the relatively (sometimes demonstrative) pronoun, who, which, what, that Read verse guide John 1:38 Pronoun Nominative Singular Neuter
(ὃ o the relatively (sometimes demonstrative) pronoun, who, which, what, that Read verse guide John 1:41 Pronoun Nominative Singular Neuter
(ὅ o the relatively (sometimes demonstrative) pronoun, who, which, what, that Read verse guide John 1:42 Pronoun Nominative Singular Neuter
(ὃ o the relatively (sometimes demonstrative) pronoun, who, which, what, that Read verse guide John 1:45 Pronoun Accusative Singular Masculine
Ὃν On the relatively (sometimes demonstrative) pronoun, who, which, what, that Read verse guide John 1:47 Pronoun Dative Singular Masculine
ᾧ o the relatively (sometimes demonstrative) pronoun, who, which, what, that Read verse guide Matthew 1:16 Pronoun Genitive Singular Feminine
ἧς es the relatively (sometimes demonstrative) pronoun, who, which, what, that Read verse guide Matthew 1:23 Pronoun Nominative Singular Neuter
ὅ o the relatively (sometimes demonstrative) pronoun, who, which, what, that Read verse guide Matthew 1:25 Pronoun Genitive Singular Masculine
οὗ ou the relatively (sometimes demonstrative) pronoun, who, which, what, that Read verse guide Revelation 22:6 Pronoun Accusative Plural Neuter
ἃ a the relatively (sometimes demonstrative) pronoun, who, which, what, that Read verse guide Romans 3:8 Pronoun Genitive Plural Masculine
ὧν on the relatively (sometimes demonstrative) pronoun, who, which, what, that Read verse guide Romans 3:14 Pronoun Genitive Plural Masculine
ὧν on the relatively (sometimes demonstrative) pronoun, who, which, what, that Read verse guide Romans 3:25 Pronoun Accusative Singular Masculine
ὃν on the relatively (sometimes demonstrative) pronoun, who, which, what, that Read verse guide Romans 3:30 Pronoun Nominative Singular Masculine
ὃς os the relatively (sometimes demonstrative) pronoun, who, which, what, that Read verse guide Evidence Summary
Greek word. Relative pronoun that agrees with antecedent in gender but may vary in case through attraction or construction according to sense.
Source Gloss
the relatively (sometimes demonstrative) pronoun, who, which, what, that
Greek Text Appearances
Textus Receptus witness, full corpus Greek token appearances from Scrivener 1894 Textus Receptus in the full New Testament corpus.
16 of 1,418 Greek text appearances shown. Linked morphology labels have verse guides.
hv
who, which, what, that
Read verse o
who, which, what, that
Read verse ou
who, which, what, that
Read verse Matthew 2:9 Pronoun Accusative Singular Masculine
ὃν on
who, which, what, that
Read verse Matthew 2:16 Pronoun Accusative Singular Masculine
ὃν on
who, which, what, that
Read verse Matthew 3:11 Pronoun Genitive Singular Masculine
οὗ ou
who, which, what, that
Read verse Matthew 3:12 Pronoun Genitive Singular Masculine
οὗ ou
who, which, what, that
Read verse Matthew 3:17 Pronoun Dative Singular Masculine
ᾧ w
who, which, what, that
Read verse Matthew 5:19 Pronoun Nominative Singular Masculine
ὃς ov
who, which, what, that
Read verse Matthew 5:19 Pronoun Nominative Singular Masculine
ὃς ov
who, which, what, that
Read verse Matthew 5:21 Pronoun Nominative Singular Masculine
ὃς ov
who, which, what, that
Read verse Matthew 5:22 Pronoun Nominative Singular Masculine
ὃς ov
who, which, what, that
Read verse Matthew 5:22 Pronoun Nominative Singular Masculine
ὃς ov
who, which, what, that
Read verse Matthew 5:31 Pronoun Nominative Singular Masculine
Ὃς ov
who, which, what, that
Read verse Matthew 5:32 Pronoun Nominative Singular Masculine
ὃς ov
who, which, what, that
Read verse Matthew 5:32 Pronoun Nominative Singular Masculine
ὃς ov
who, which, what, that
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 10 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 10 Aligned forms 1408 Case pattern Nominative (357) Number pattern Singular (441)
Nominative · Singular · Masculine Matt 5:19 · Matt 5:21 · Matt 5:22 · Matt 5:31 · Matt 5:32 · Matt 10:14 · Matt 10:38 · Matt 10:42 · Matt 11:6 · Matt 11:10 · Matt 12:11 · Matt 12:32 · Matt 13:23 · Matt 15:5 · Matt 16:25 · Matt 18:5 219×
Nominative · Singular · Neuter Matt 1:23 · Matt 10:26 · Matt 13:8 · Matt 13:32 · Matt 20:4 · Matt 27:33 · Mark 2:24 · Mark 3:17 · Mark 4:4 · Mark 5:33 · Mark 5:41 · Mark 7:11 · Mark 7:15 · Mark 7:34 · Mark 12:42 · Mark 13:11 72×
Nominative · Plural · Masculine Mark 4:16 · Luke 5:10 · Luke 5:17 · Luke 5:29 · Luke 6:18 · Luke 8:13 · Luke 9:27 · Luke 9:31 · Luke 10:30 · Luke 13:30 · Luke 17:12 · Luke 20:47 · Luke 23:29 · Luke 24:23 · John 1:13 · John 6:64 33×
Nominative · Plural · Neuter Matt 11:16 · Matt 13:4 · Luke 7:32 · John 6:13 · John 10:16 · John 20:30 · Eph 5:4 · Col 2:17 · Col 2:22 · 2 Tim 2:20 · Titus 2:1 · 1 Pet 1:12 · Rev 1:4 · Rev 1:19 · Rev 3:2 · Rev 3:4 23×
Nominative · Plural · Feminine Mark 15:41 · Luke 8:2 · Luke 23:27 · Luke 23:29 · Rev 5:8 5×
Nominative · Singular · Feminine Luke 2:37 · Luke 10:39 · Acts 9:36 · Rev 14:8 4×
Nominative · Plural · Masculine Eph 2:13 1×
Genitive · Singular · Masculine Matt 1:25 · Matt 3:11 · Matt 3:12 · Matt 11:10 · Matt 13:33 · Matt 14:22 · Matt 17:9 · Matt 18:7 · Matt 18:30 · Matt 18:34 · Matt 26:24 · Matt 26:36 · Mark 1:7 · Mark 13:30 · Mark 14:21 · Luke 3:16 97×
Genitive · Singular · Feminine Matt 1:16 · Matt 24:38 · Mark 7:25 · Mark 16:9 · Luke 1:20 · Luke 7:45 · Luke 8:2 · Luke 17:27 · John 11:2 · Acts 1:2 · Acts 1:22 · Acts 1:25 · Acts 3:25 · Acts 7:17 · Acts 16:14 · Acts 20:18 49×
Genitive · Plural · Neuter Matt 6:8 · Luke 1:20 · Luke 3:19 · Luke 9:36 · Luke 12:3 · Luke 15:16 · Luke 19:44 · Luke 23:14 · Luke 23:41 · John 7:31 · John 13:29 · John 21:10 · Acts 1:1 · Acts 3:21 · Acts 7:45 · Acts 8:24 44×
Selected Scripture Witnesses
Selected passage-level study witnesses for this word. This section is not the full occurrence list.
Biblical Witnesses
Relative pronoun introducing a restrictive clause about redemption through Christ's blood
Relative pronoun with neuter antecedent referring to inheritance and sealed promise
Relative pronoun with construction ad sensum, gender agreement with predicate noun
Relative pronoun in narrative context introducing subordinate clauses about stumbling blocks
Showing 4 selected witnesses from 1,408 lexical occurrence verses.
Word Origins
ὅς 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
The core insight of hos is that doctrinal clarity often depends on grammatical attachment. A relative pronoun may look small, but it tells the reader who is being described. In Colossians 1 and Hebrews 1, the claims that follow belong to the Son. In Ephesians 1, redemption is in Him. In Romans 8, the repeated those binds the saving sequence together. A preacher should not make the pronoun the star of the sermon, but neither should he ignore it.
The word protects the line between text and claim by keeping the clause connected to its referent. That is a basic act of faithful interpretation.
Anchor passage
Col.1.15
Doctrinal connections
- Col.1.15 uses the relative construction to begin a sustained confession of the Son's supremacy over creation.
- Heb.1.3 continues the Son's identity through relative description, joining glory, nature, providence, purification, and enthronement.
- Eph.1.7 attaches redemption and forgiveness to Christ, keeping grace grounded in Him rather than in an abstract benefit.
- Rom.8.30 repeats relative language to keep God's saving action tied to the same people through the sequence.
- Matt.3.17 shows relative language within divine testimony to the beloved Son.
- G3588 Ho often works nearby as an article, but hos specifically links a clause back to a referent and must not be blurred with the article.
Hos inflects for gender, number, and case because it agrees with its antecedent while also functioning in its own clause. Tracking the antecedent is often more important pastorally than naming the parsing label.
From Old to New Testament
Scripture regularly identifies people and promises by attaching description to the right referent: the son, the servant, the king, the people, the remnant. Hos serves this same interpretive discipline in Greek. The canonical lesson is careful attachment, not a theology of the pronoun by itself.
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