ὅστις (G3748) — Greek Lexicon

ὅστις

hóstis

G3748 relative pronoun

SILEX Entry

Definition

Relative pronoun indicating indefinite or general reference, often translated as 'whoever', 'anyone who', or 'those who'. The core meaning is: someone or something (persons or things) which, whoever, whichever, whatever, anyone/anything that, those who/which. In contexts, it functions to introduce a general condition, open category, or to emphasize the indefinite nature of the antecedent. In legal, proverbial, or ethical sayings in Koine, ὅστις is often used in contrast to a simple relative pronoun (ὅς) to underline generalized or hypothetical reference.

Semantic Range

whoever, whosoever, anyone who, whatever, anything which, whoever (indefinite), whichever, everyone who, all those who, that which, those who

Root / Etymology

Compound of ὅς (who, which) and τὶς (someone, anyone); forms an indefinite or generalizing relative pronoun distinct from the simple ὅς. The suffix -τις adds indefiniteness to the relative pronoun.

Historical & Contextual Notes

In classical Greek, ὅστις (and its forms) served as a strengthened or indefinite relative pronoun, marking an indefinite or general antecedent rather than a specific one, and often used to form conditional or generic statements. In the Koine period, especially in the New Testament, ὅστις and its forms continue to function similarly, sometimes overlapping semantically with ὅς, but typically maintaining its more indefinite or generalized sense ('whoever', 'anyone who'). In Hellenistic and Septuagint Greek, it is used to state general truths, legal or proverbial sayings, or in discourse to regulate inclusion. Standard English translations vary: sometimes simply 'who', often 'whoever' or 'everyone who'; context determines the level of indefiniteness. Occasionally, in translation, nuance can be lost if ὅστις is rendered as the simple relative 'who' or 'that' rather than capturing its open, indefinite sense.

Translation Consistency

primary "whoever" 29 occurrences

ὅστις is primarily an indefinite relative—introducing ‘anyone/anyone who,’ ‘those who,’ or a general conditional category. "Whoever" is the most natural single-word English rendering that preserves that indefiniteness and generalizing force across contexts (it covers singular/plural and the ‘anyone/those who’ sense better than plain "who" and is more natural than formal alternatives). Although a few occurrences refer to things, using "whoever" maintains consistency and the typical Koine usage of ὅστις as an open, indefinite relative pronoun.

Alternatives (21 occurrences):

"who" (8x) "which" (7x) "those who" (3x) "when" (2x) "it" (1x)

Original Strong's Gloss (1890)

from ὅς and τὶς; which some, i.e. any that; also (definite) which same:--X and (they), (such) as, (they) that, in that they, what(-soever), whereas ye, (they) which, who(-soever). Compare ὅτι.

Root Family

ὁστ- (hóstis) — someone who, anyone who, whichever, whoever, whatever

Root ὁστ- someone who, anyone who, whichever, whoever, whatever

Word Forms

6 distinct forms

SIDANCE	Surface	Transliteration	Morphology	Common	SIBI-P1	SIBI-P2	Occurrences
`G3748-04`	οἵτινες	oitines	`PRO.R NOM M PL`	who	those who	those whoever	60
`G3748-03`	ἥτις	etis	`PRO.R NOM F SG`	which	whoever (fem. sg.)	which	38
`G3748-05`	ὅστις	ostis	`PRO.R NOM M SG`	whoever	whoever	whoever	26
`G3748-01`	αἵτινες	aitines	`PRO.R NOM F PL`	which	those who	those who	10
`G3748-02`	ἅτινα	atina	`PRO.R NOM N PL`	which things	whatever things	which things	5
`G3748-06`	ὅτου	otou	`PRO.R GEN M SG`	when	of whoever	when	5

Occurrences in Scripture

144 occurrences

SIDANCE	Reference	Word	Transliteration	Morphology	Common	SIBI-P1	SIBI-P2
`G3748-05`	Matthew 2:6	ὅστις	ostis	`PRO.R NOM M SG`	who	whoever	who
`G3748-06`	Matthew 5:25	ὅτου	otou	`PRO.R GEN M SG`	you are	of whoever	when
`G3748-05`	Matthew 5:39	ὅστις	ostis	`PRO.R NOM M SG`	whoever	whoever	whoever
`G3748-05`	Matthew 5:41	ὅστις	ostis	`PRO.R NOM M SG`	whoever	whoever	whoever
`G3748-04`	Matthew 7:15	οἵτινες	oitines	`PRO.R NOM M PL`	who	those who	those whoever
`G3748-05`	Matthew 7:24	ὅστις	ostis	`PRO.R NOM M SG`	whoever	whoever	whoever
`G3748-05`	Matthew 7:24	ὅστις	ostis-2	`PRO.R NOM M SG`	who	whoever	who
`G3748-05`	Matthew 7:26	ὅστις	ostis	`PRO.R NOM M SG`	who	whoever	who
`G3748-05`	Matthew 10:32	ὅστις	ostis	`PRO.R NOM M SG`	who	whoever	whoever
`G3748-05`	Matthew 10:33	ὅστις	ostis	`PRO.R NOM M SG`	whoever	whoever	whoever
`G3748-05`	Matthew 12:50	ὅστις	ostis	`PRO.R NOM M SG`	whoever	whoever	whoever
`G3748-05`	Matthew 13:12	ὅστις	ostis	`PRO.R NOM M SG`	whoever	whoever	whoever
`G3748-05`	Matthew 13:12	ὅστις	ostis-2	`PRO.R NOM M SG`	whoever	whoever	whoever
`G3748-05`	Matthew 13:52	ὅστις	ostis	`PRO.R NOM M SG`	who	whoever	whoever
`G3748-04`	Matthew 16:28	οἵτινες	oitines	`PRO.R NOM M PL`	who	those who	those whoever
`G3748-05`	Matthew 18:4	ὅστις	ostis	`PRO.R NOM M SG`	Whoever	whoever	whoever
`G3748-04`	Matthew 19:12	οἵτινες	oitines	`PRO.R NOM M PL`	who	those who	those whoever
`G3748-04`	Matthew 19:12	οἵτινες	oitines-2	`PRO.R NOM M PL`	who	those who	those whoever
`G3748-04`	Matthew 19:12	οἵτινες	oitines-3	`PRO.R NOM M PL`	who	those who	those whoever
`G3748-05`	Matthew 19:29	ὅστις	ostis	`PRO.R NOM M SG`	who	whoever	whoever
`G3748-05`	Matthew 20:1	ὅστις	ostis	`PRO.R NOM M SG`	who	whoever	who
`G3748-05`	Matthew 21:33	ὅστις	ostis	`PRO.R NOM M SG`	who	whoever	who
`G3748-04`	Matthew 21:41	οἵτινες	oitines	`PRO.R NOM M PL`	who	those who	those whoever
`G3748-05`	Matthew 22:2	ὅστις	ostis	`PRO.R NOM M SG`	who	whoever	whoever
`G3748-05`	Matthew 23:12	ὅστις	ostis	`PRO.R NOM M SG`	whoever	whoever	whoever
`G3748-05`	Matthew 23:12	ὅστις	ostis-2	`PRO.R NOM M SG`	whoever	whoever	whoever
`G3748-04`	Matthew 23:27	οἵτινες	oitines	`PRO.R NOM M PL`	which	those who	those whoever
`G3748-01`	Matthew 25:1	αἵτινες	aitines	`PRO.R NOM F PL`	who	those who	those who
`G3748-01`	Matthew 27:55	αἵτινες	aitines	`PRO.R NOM F PL`	which	those who	those who
`G3748-03`	Matthew 27:62	ἥτις	etis	`PRO.R NOM F SG`	which	whoever (fem. sg.)	which
`G3748-04`	Mark 4:20	οἵτινες	oitines	`PRO.R NOM M PL`	who	those who	those whoever
`G3748-04`	Mark 9:1	οἵτινες	oitines	`PRO.R NOM M PL`	who	those who	those whoever
`G3748-04`	Mark 12:18	οἵτινες	oitines	`PRO.R NOM M PL`	who	those who	those whoever
`G3748-04`	Mark 15:7	οἵτινες	oitines	`PRO.R NOM M PL`	who	those who	those whoever
`G3748-04`	Luke 1:20	οἵτινες	oitines	`PRO.R NOM M PL`	which	those who	which
`G3748-03`	Luke 2:4	ἥτις	etis	`PRO.R NOM F SG`	which	whoever (fem. sg.)	which
`G3748-03`	Luke 2:10	ἥτις	etis	`PRO.R NOM F SG`	which	whoever (fem. sg.)	which
`G3748-03`	Luke 7:37	ἥτις	etis	`PRO.R NOM F SG`	who	whoever (fem. sg.)	who
`G3748-03`	Luke 7:39	ἥτις	etis	`PRO.R NOM F SG`	who	whoever (fem. sg.)	who
`G3748-01`	Luke 8:3	αἵτινες	aitines	`PRO.R NOM F PL`	who	those who	those who
`G3748-04`	Luke 8:15	οἵτινες	oitines	`PRO.R NOM M PL`	who	those who	those whoever
`G3748-03`	Luke 8:26	ἥτις	etis	`PRO.R NOM F SG`	which	whoever (fem. sg.)	which
`G3748-03`	Luke 8:43	ἥτις	etis	`PRO.R NOM F SG`	who	whoever (fem. sg.)	who
`G3748-04`	Luke 9:30	οἵτινες	oitines	`PRO.R NOM M PL`	who	those who	those whoever
`G3748-03`	Luke 10:42	ἥτις	etis	`PRO.R NOM F SG`	which	whoever (fem. sg.)	which
`G3748-03`	Luke 12:1	ἥτις	etis	`PRO.R NOM F SG`	which	whoever (fem. sg.)	which
`G3748-06`	Luke 12:50	ὅτου	otou	`PRO.R GEN M SG`	it	of whoever	it
`G3748-06`	Luke 13:8	ὅτου	otou	`PRO.R GEN M SG`	that	of whoever	when
`G3748-05`	Luke 14:15	ὅστις	ostis	`PRO.R NOM M SG`	whoever	whoever	whoever
`G3748-05`	Luke 14:27	ὅστις	ostis	`PRO.R NOM M SG`	Whoever	whoever	whoever

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