What does οὖν (oûn) mean in the Bible?
Οὖν is a Greek particle often translated therefore, then, so, or accordingly. It can mark consequence, inference, continuation, or movement from explanation to exhortation.
Greek · G3767
οὖν
(Adverbially) certainly, or (conjunctionally) accordingly
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οὖν G3767
Pronunciation oûn
What does οὖν (oûn) mean in the Bible?
Οὖν is a Greek particle often translated therefore, then, so, or accordingly. It can mark consequence, inference, continuation, or movement from explanation to exhortation.
Reader summary
Full entry for οὖν (G3767) · Open the biblical lexicon
Questions this entry answers
How does the BSB render G3767?
The BSB source-word alignment has 503 aligned rows for this entry. Common renderings include then (125), So (121), - (89), therefore (76), . . . (14).
Where does οὖν (oûn) appear in Scripture?
The source-word alignment first shows this entry at Matthew 1:17. Its strongest book concentrations include John (203), Acts (61), Matthew (57), Romans (48).
What This Word Actually Means
Οὖν is a Greek particle often translated therefore, then, so, or accordingly. It can mark consequence, inference, continuation, or movement from explanation to exhortation.
Pastorally, this word matters because Scripture often teaches by holy consequence. Justification leads to peace with God. Union with Christ leads to not letting sin reign. Calling leads to a worthy walk. The particle helps readers follow the author's movement from truth to response.
But therefore language should not be detached from what came before. The word points backward and forward. The preceding argument supplies the ground, and the following clause shows the response or conclusion.
Lexical sourcegrammatical
How the Bible Uses It
Oun is currently counted about 494 times in the local Greek artifact. It often marks therefore, then, so, consequence, or continuation.
- Matt.3.8
Produce fruit, then, in keeping with repentance.
John calls for fruit, then, in keeping with repentance. The particle ties exhortation to the warning and message.
- Rom.5.1
Therefore, since we have been justified through faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ,
Paul says therefore, since we have been justified through faith, we have peace with God. The particle marks a major gospel inference.
- Rom.6.12
Therefore do not let sin reign in your mortal body so that you obey its desires.
Therefore do not let sin reign. The particle moves doctrine into moral command.
- Rom.8.12
Therefore, brothers, we have an obligation, but it is not to the flesh, to live according to it.
Therefore, brothers, we have an obligation. The particle carries the argument into Spirit-shaped living.
- Eph.4.1
As a prisoner in the Lord, then, I urge you to walk in a manner worthy of the calling you have received:
Paul urges a worthy walk, then, as a prisoner in the Lord. The particle connects doctrine and calling to exhortation.
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 then 125× Matthew 1:17, Matthew 3:8, Matthew 6:23, Matthew 7:12
So 121× Matthew 5:23, Matthew 6:2, Matthew 7:11, Matthew 10:26
- 89× Matthew 6:8, Matthew 6:22, Matthew 12:12, Matthew 13:28
therefore 76× Matthew 5:48, Matthew 6:31, Matthew 6:34, Matthew 7:24
. . . 14× Luke 14:33, Luke 21:7, John 8:12, Acts 25:11
[When] 10× Matthew 18:31, John 6:5, John 6:14, John 6:19
vvv 10× Matthew 13:40, Luke 3:18, John 5:18, John 18:27
At this 9× John 6:41, John 6:52, John 7:35, John 8:59
Now 6× Luke 20:29, Acts 1:18, Hebrews 2:14, Hebrews 7:11
So then 6× Matthew 5:19, Matthew 6:9, Matthew 23:20, Luke 20:33
Meanwhile 5× John 12:9, John 12:17, John 18:19, Acts 11:19
and 4× Matthew 3:10, Luke 3:9, John 4:52, John 19:42
[and] 3× John 19:16, John 20:11, Acts 17:20
[But] 2× Acts 2:30, Acts 26:22
As a result 2× John 11:54, Acts 17:12
[only] 1× Romans 4:9
{you,} then 1× Romans 2:21
And after 1× Acts 8:25
As soon as 1× John 21:7
At once 1× Acts 22:29
Because of 1× John 21:23
Because of this 1× John 9:16
But 1× Acts 25:4
Now then 1× 1 Corinthians 11:20
On account of this 1× John 2:18
Since 1× Acts 19:36
So [when] 1× Acts 25:17
still 1× John 9:18
Surely 1× Acts 26:4
That 1× John 3:29
That is why 1× John 8:24
then [has become] 1× Galatians 4:15
then, [is] 1× Romans 3:27
Therefore, since 1× 1 Peter 4:1
Thus 1× Luke 20:44
Yet 1× John 4:45
Show sample aligned rows
Matthew 1:17 οὖν to then Conjunction Matthew 3:8 οὖν to then Conjunction Matthew 3:10 οὖν to and Conjunction Matthew 5:19 οὖν to So then Conjunction Matthew 5:23 οὖν to So Conjunction Matthew 5:48 οὖν to therefore Conjunction Matthew 6:2 οὖν to So Conjunction Matthew 6:8 οὖν to - Conjunction Matthew 6:9 οὖν to So then Conjunction Matthew 6:22 οὖν to - Conjunction
Usage map
A compact distribution from source-word alignment before the full evidence tables.
First aligned row Matthew 1:17
Aligned rows 503
Books represented 23
Matthew 57 Mark 6 Luke 33 John 203 Acts 61 Romans 48 1 Corinthians 19 2 Corinthians 10 Galatians 6 Ephesians 7 Philippians 6 Colossians 5 1 Thessalonians 2 2 Thessalonians 1 1 Timothy 4 2 Timothy 3 Philemon 1 Hebrews 13 James 5 1 Peter 5 2 Peter 1 3 John 1 Revelation 6
Source forms
οὖν 500x oun Matthew 1:17, Matthew 3:8, Matthew 3:10, Matthew 5:19
〈οὖν〉 2x oun Matthew 14:15, John 13:26
οὖν‿ 1x oun Philippians 3:8
Parsing patterns
Conjunction 503x Matthew 1:17, Matthew 3:8, Matthew 3:10, Matthew 5:19
Using This Word Well
Be careful not to...
- Look backward for the ground and forward for the conclusion before teaching the force of therefore.
Avoid claiming...
- Do not claim oun always marks a major doctrinal transition.
- Do not claim a therefore proves a connection unless the surrounding argument supplies it.
Evidence Summary
Greek word. (adverbially) certainly, or (conjunctionally) accordingly
Strong's G3767
Lexical occurrences 494 verses Greek text appearances 528 times 16 shown below Word forms 1 form 494 references Verse guides 0 guides
Source Gloss
(adverbially) certainly, or (conjunctionally) accordingly
Greek Text Appearances
Textus Receptus witness, full corpus Greek token appearances from Scrivener 1894 Textus Receptus in the full New Testament corpus.
16 of 528 Greek text appearances shown. Linked morphology labels have verse guides.
Matthew 1:17 Conjunction
οὖν oun
therefore, then
Read verse Matthew 3:8 Conjunction
οὖν oun
therefore, then
Read verse Matthew 3:10 Conjunction
οὖν oun
therefore, then
Read verse Matthew 5:19 Conjunction
οὖν oun
therefore, then
Read verse Matthew 5:23 Conjunction
οὖν oun
therefore, then
Read verse Matthew 5:48 Conjunction
οὖν oun
therefore, then
Read verse Matthew 6:2 Conjunction
οὖν oun
therefore, then
Read verse Matthew 6:8 Conjunction
οὖν oun
therefore, then
Read verse Matthew 6:9 Conjunction
οὖν oun
therefore, then
Read verse Matthew 6:22 Conjunction
οὖν oun
therefore, then
Read verse Matthew 6:23 Conjunction
οὖν oun
therefore, then
Read verse Matthew 6:31 Conjunction
οὖν oun
therefore, then
Read verse Matthew 6:34 Conjunction
οὖν oun
therefore, then
Read verse Matthew 7:11 Conjunction
οὖν oun
therefore, then
Read verse Matthew 7:12 Conjunction
οὖν oun
therefore, then
Read verse Matthew 7:24 Conjunction
οὖν oun
therefore, then
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 1 case and number pattern. The form changes show how the word functions in a sentence; they do not change the basic lexical meaning by themselves.
Form patterns 1 Aligned forms 494
Verse guides are not available for this word yet, so verse references remain plain evidence markers.
Matt 1:17 · Matt 3:8 · Matt 3:10 · Matt 5:19 · Matt 5:23 · Matt 5:48 · Matt 6:2 · Matt 6:8 · Matt 6:9 · Matt 6:22 · Matt 6:23 · Matt 6:31 · Matt 6:34 · Matt 7:11 · Matt 7:12 · Matt 7:24 494×
Word Origins
οὖν is a primary word - no further derivation.
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
Oun helps readers follow consequence or continuation. It often marks the move from what has been said to what should now be concluded or done.
Anchor passage
Rom.5.1
Doctrinal connections
- δικαίωσις: justification, related to Romans 5:1.
- ἁμαρτία: sin, related to Romans 6:12.
- πνεῦμα: Spirit, related to Romans 8.
- κλῆσις: calling, related to Ephesians 4:1.
Oun is postpositive, so it normally does not stand first in Greek word order even when translated first in English. It signals inference, consequence, or continuation.
From Old to New Testament
Scripture repeatedly moves from what God has done to how His people should live. oun often marks that movement in Greek argument.
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