conjunction
hōste
Strong’sG5620
so that, therefore
stem hōste-83 times in the New Testamentin 14 of 27 booksnever changes form
What it means
A plain-English reading of the word, with the lexicons it draws on — Abbott-Smith, Strong's, and Liddell-Scott-Jones — right below it, in full.
AI Summary
ὥστε is a Greek connecting word that introduces the result or consequence of what has just been stated, meaning so that or so as to 124. It most often takes an infinitive to express this result — sometimes simply the actual outcome of an action, sometimes a result that was intended or designed 1 — and it can also be followed by a personal verb form to state a result with added force 13.
It also works as an inferential word, drawing a conclusion from what precedes, meaning so then or therefore 124. In this use it can introduce a statement, a command, or an exhortation that follows logically from the preceding argument 1.
Sources: 1 Abbott-Smith 2 Strong's 3 LSJ 4 Dodson. Condensed by anthropic/claude-sonnet-5 on 2026-09-23 — it may still misstate what these say; check them yourself if it matters to you.
The lexicons it was drawn from, in full:
Abbott-Smith — the 1922 lexicon entry, in full
ὥσ-τε
G. Abbott-Smith, A Manual Greek Lexicon of the New Testament, 1922 — public domain. References open in the reader.
Strong’s G5620 — the 1890 definition, and where the word comes from
Saidhoce'-teh
so too, i.e. thus therefore (in various relations of consecution, as follow)
King James(insomuch) as, so that (then), (insomuch) that, therefore, to, wherefore.
James Strong, Exhaustive Concordance of the Bible, 1890 — public domain. The numbers in it link to the entries here.
Liddell-Scott-Jones — the classical dictionary this word appears in
as adverb, bearing the same relation to ὡς as ὅστε to ὅς, and used by Refs 8th c.BC+ more frequently than ὡς in similes, when it is commonly written divisim, and is relative to a demonstrative ὥς: sometimes with present Indic., Refs 8th c.BC+: sometimes with aorist, ὥς τε λέων ἐχάρη Refssubjunctive present or aorist, Refs 8th c.BC+: all three usages combined in one simile, with varied construction, Refs 8th c.BC+:—the verb is sometimes omitted, λάμφ᾽ ὥς τε στεροπή Refs is chiefly Epic dialect Refs 5th c.BC+, but it occurs in Refs 7th c.BC+
II to mark the power or virtue by which one does a thing, as being, inasmuch as, like{ἅτε}, τὸν δ᾽ ἐξήρπαξ᾽ Ἀφροδίτη ῥεῖα μάλ᾽, ὥ. θεός Refs 8th c.BC+; ὥ. περὶ ψυχῆς since it was for life, Refs 8th c.BC+
B as conjunction to express the actual or intended result of the action in the principal clause:
B.I mostly with infinitive, so as or for to do a thing, twice in Refs 8th c.BC+ if thy heart is eager to return, Refs 8th c.BC+; οὐ τηλίκος.., ὥ. σημάντορι πάντα πιθέσθαι not of such age as to obey a master in all things, Refs 8th c.BC+; ὥ. ἀποπλησθῆναι (ἀποπλῆσαι codices) τὸν χρησμόν Refs 5th c.BC+; also in Trag. and Attic dialect after demonstratives, οὔπω τοσοῦτον ἠπατημένος κυρῶ ὥστ᾽ ἄλλα χρῄζειν Refs 5th c.BC+; this construction is found in cases where (as in Refs 8th c.BC+ seems superfluous; so after ἐθέλειν, Κύπρις.. ἤθελ᾽ ὥ. γίγνεσθαι τόδε Refs 5th c.BC+; after ἔστι, for ἔξεστι, Refs 5th c.BC+; after ψηφίζεσθαι, Refs 5th c.BC+; after ἐπαίρειν, Refs 5th c.BC+; after words implying request, δεηθέντες.. ὥ. ψηφίσασθαι Refs
B.I.2 after Comparatives with ἤ, when the possibility of the consequence is denied compare (ὡς Refs 5th c.BC+ woes too great for tears, Refs 5th c.BC+ is sometimes left out, νόσημα μεῖζον ἢ φέρειν Refs 5th c.BC+; similarly with the Posit., ψυχρὸν ὥ. λούσασθαι too cold to bathe in, Refs 5th c.BC+; ἡμεῖς ἔτι νέοι ὥ. διελέσθαι too young to.., Refs 5th c.BC+ too few.. Refs 5th c.BC+
B.I.3 ὥστε.. ἄν is used with infinitive, of contingencies more or less improbable, οὕτως ἐκάετο ὥστε μήτε.. ἄλλο τι ἢ γυμνοὶ ἀνέχεσθαι, ἥδιστά τε ἂν ἐς ὕσωρ ψυχρὸν σφᾶς αὐτοὺς ῥίπτειν Refs 5th c.BC+
B.I.4 sometimes implying on condition that.., like{ἐφ᾽ ᾧτε}, παραδοῦναι σφᾶς αὐτοὺς Ἀθηναίοις, ὥστε βουλεῦσαι ὅ τι ἂν ἐκείνοις δοκῇ Refs 5th c.BC+
B.II with Indic., to express the actual or possible result with emphasis, οὐκ οὕτω φρενοβλαβὴς ὁ Πρίαμος οὐδὲ οἱ ἄλλοι.., ὥ. κινδυνεύειν ἐβούλοντο Refs 5th c.BC+; ἀσθενέες οὕτω, ὥ... διατετρανέεις Refs; οὕτως ἀγνωμόνως ἔχετε, ὥ. ἐλπίζετε..; are you so foolish that you expect.. ? Refs 5th c.BC+; with ἄν and the imperfect or aorist implying a supposed case, ὥστ᾽, εἰ φρονῶν ἔπρασσον, οὐδ᾽ ἂν ὧδ᾽ ἐγιγνόμην κακός Refs 5th c.BC+; ὥστε οὐκ ἂν ἔλαθεν αὐτόθεν ὁρμώμενος Refs 5th c.BC+
B.II.2 at the beginning of a sentence, to mark a strong conclusion, and so, therefore, ὥστ᾽.. ὄλωλα καί σε προσδιαφθερῶ Refs 5th c.BC+; before a question, ὥ. τίς ἂν ἀπετόλμησε..; Refs 5th c.BC+
B.II.3 with optative, with ἄν, Refs 5th c.BC+; after optative in principal clause, Refs
B.II.4 with subjunctive, in order that, in Thessalian dialect, τὸς ταμίας φροντίσαι οὕστε.. γενειθεῖ τᾶ πόλι ἁ δόσις Refs
B.III with participle, instead of infinitive, after a participle in the principal clause, τοσοῦτον ἁπάντων διενεγκόντες, ὥσθ᾽ ὑπὲρ Ἀργείων δυστυχησάντων Θηβαίοις.. ἐπιτάττοντες κτλ. Refs 5th c.BC+; οὕτω σφόδρα μισοῦντα τοῦτον, ὥστε πολὺ δὴ (ἂν Dobree) θᾶττον διαθέμενον κτλ. Refs 4th c.BC+
B.IV πόλεμος σκληρὸς ὥστε λίαν extremely, LXX
B.V in later Greek, followed by Preps., Παρμένοντι κλειδὸς ὥ. ἐπὶ τὸ Διοσκούριον Refs 3rd c.BC+; ξύλον ὥ. ἐπὶ τὴν ἅμαξαν Refs 3rd c.BC+; μόλυβδος ὥ. εἰς τὸ Κύνθιον Refs 3rd c.BC+; κριθῶν ὥ. εἰς τὰ κτήνη barley for the animals, Refs 3rd c.BC+; ὥ. εἰς ξένια φοίνικας Refs 3rd c.BC+
B.V.b with dative, for, χρεία αὐτοῦ ἐστὶν ὥ. Πισικλεῖ it is needed for P., Refs 3rd c.BC+; ὥ. τοῖς χησίν Refs 3rd c.BC+
H. G. Liddell, R. Scott, H. S. Jones, A Greek-English Lexicon (9th ed., 1925–1940) — digitised by the Perseus Digital Library and corrected and expanded by Tyndale House, Cambridge, via STEPBible-Data's TFLSJ table, CC BY 4.0. Covers all of Greek literature, not just the Bible.
Translated as
Every occurrence, sorted by the English it was actually given — the evidence for what the word means, not a gloss of it.
Berean Standard Bible (BSB), dedicated to the public domain — berean.bible.
Where it appears
Every verse the word appears in, filed under the form it takes there.
83 occurrences, every one of them listed
hōste77×
Matthew 8:24… seismos megos geneta en ta thalassa, hōste tem ploiem kaluptorō hupo teiu kumeiu, …… storm came up on the sea, so that the boat was engulfed by the …
Matthew 8:28… ek teiu mnēmeieiu exerchorōntois, chalepois liōs hōste mē ischuarō tinon parerchara dia tau …… the tombs. They were so violent that no one could pass that way.
Matthew 10:1… autou dōata autoi exousian pneumeiu akatharteiu hōste ekbalarō auteim kai therapeuarō pantan nosan …And calling His twelve disciples to Him, Jesus gave them authority over …
Matthew 12:12“so”pose oun diaferatō anthrōpos probateu. hōste exestinatō tei sabbatei kalōs poiarō.How much more valuable is a man than a sheep! Therefore it is lawful to do good on the Sabbath.”
Matthew 12:22… tuflos kai kōfos; kai therapeuata auton, hōste ton kōfon lalarō kai bleparō.… Jesus, and He healed the man so that he could speak and see.
Matthew 13:2“so that”kai sunagila pros auton ochlois pollois, hōste auton eis ploiem embainaranton kathorō, kai …Such large crowds gathered around Him that He got into a boat and sat down, while all …
Matthew 13:32… teiu lachaneiu atō kai genotō dendrem, hōste erchara teim peteineim tou ouranou kai …… garden plants and becomes a tree, so that the birds of the air come …
Matthew 13:54“so that”… didaskate autoin en ta sunagōga autoiu, hōste ekplēssorō autoin kai legarō; Pothen houto …… the people in their synagogue, and they were astonished. “Where did this man get such wisdom and miraculous powers …
Matthew 15:31“so”hōste ton ochlon thaumazara bleparōntoin kōfoin lalarōntoin …The crowd was amazed when they saw the mute speaking, the crippled …
Matthew 15:33… Pothen ni en erēmia artois tosoutois hōste chortazara ochlon tosouton?… place could we find enough bread to feed such a large crowd?”
Matthew 19:6hōste ouketi alō duo alla sarkas henas. …So they are no longer two, but …
Matthew 23:31“thus”hōste marturavō heautoi hoti huiois avō toiu …So you testify against yourselves that you are the sons of those who murdered …
Matthew 24:24… kai dōali sēmeim megeim kai terateim hōste planara ei dunatem kai toin eklektoin;… and perform great signs and wonders to deceive even the elect, if that …
Matthew 27:1… presbuterois tou laou kata tou Iēsu hōste thanatara auton;… of the people conspired against Jesus to put Him to death.
Matthew 27:14“so that”… apokrinita auto pros oude henem rēmem, hōste thaumazarō ton hēgemonon liōs.… gave no answer, not even to a single charge, much to the governor’s amazement.
Mark 1:27“so that”kai thambila hapantois, hōste suzētarō pros heautoin legarōntoin; Tinem atō …All the people were amazed and began to ask one another, “What is this? A …
Mark 1:45“so that”… kērussarō polleim kai diafēmizarō ton logon, hōste mēketi auton dunorō fanerōs eis polan …… out and openly began to proclaim and spread the news. Consequently, Jesus could no longer enter a town in plain view, but He stayed out …
Mark 2:2“so that”kai sunagila pollois hōste mēketi chōrarō mēde teim pros tan …… no more room, not even outside the door, as …
Mark 2:12“so that”… airarantos ton krabatton exerchata emprosthen pantoiu, hōste ekstēorō pantoin kai doxazarō ton theon …And immediately the man got up, picked up his mat, and walked out in front of them all. As a result, they were all astounded and glorified God, saying, “We …
Mark 2:28“so”hōste kurios atō tos huios tou anthrōpou …Therefore, the Son of Man is Lord even of …
Mark 3:10“so that”polloin gar therapeuata, hōste epipiptarō auto hina autou hapteleia hosois …For He had healed so many that all who had diseases were pressing forward to touch Him.
Mark 3:20… oikon; kai sunerchotō palin tos ochlos, hōste mē dunorō autoin mēde arton esthiara.… and once again a crowd gathered, so that He and His disciples could not …
Mark 4:1“so that”… kai sunagotō pros auton ochlos pollotatos, hōste auton eis ploiem embainaranton kathorō en …… Jesus began to teach beside the sea, and such a large crowd gathered around Him that He got into a boat and sat in it …
Mark 4:32… teiu lachaneiu kai poiatō kladoin megoin, hōste dunorō hupo tan skian auteu teim …… plants and puts forth great branches, so that the birds of the air nest …
Mark 4:37… teim kumeim epibalate eis tem ploiem, hōste ēdē gemizorō tem ploiem.… waves were breaking over the boat, so that it was being swamped.
Mark 9:26… sparassarantos exerchata; kai geneta hōsei nekros hōste toin polloin legarō hoti apothnēskata.… The boy became like a corpse, so that many said, “He is dead.”
Mark 10:8… eli tois duo eis sarkan henan; hōste ouketi alō duo alla henas sarkas;… the two will become one flesh.’ So they are no longer two, but …
Mark 15:5“so that”tos de Iēsus ouketi oudenem apokrinita, hōste thaumazarō ton Pilaton.But to Pilate’s amazement, Jesus made no …
Luke 4:29“so that”… epi heu tas polas oikodomotelē autoiu, hōste katakrēmnizara auton;… the hill on which the town was built, in order to throw Him over the …
Luke 5:7“so that”… erchala, kai pimplēala amfotereim teim ploieim hōste buthizorō auteim.… and they came and filled both boats so full that they began to sink.
Luke 12:1… hei episunagirantaiu taiu muriadaiu tou ochlou, hōste katapatarō allēloin, archeta legarō pros toin …… crowd of many thousands had gathered, so that they were trampling one another. Jesus …
Luke 20:20“so that”… dikaioin arō, hina epilabeleia autou logou, hōste paradōara auton ta archa kai ta …… pretended to be sincere. They were hoping to catch Him in His words in order to hand Him over to the rule and authority of the governor.
John 3:16… gar agapata tos theos ton kosmon hōste ton huion ton monogenon dōata, hina …For God so loved the world that He gave His one and only …
Acts 1:19“so that”… gnōstem geneta pantoi toi katoikarōntoi Ierousalēm, hōste kalira tem chōriem ekeinem ta idia …This became known to all who lived in Jerusalem, so they called that field in their own language Akeldama …
Acts 5:15“so that”hōste kai eis tain plateiain ekferarō toin …… people brought the sick into the streets and laid …
Acts 14:1… sunagōgan toiu Ioudaioiu kai lalara houtōs hōste pisteuara Ioudaioiu tē kai Hellēnoiu pollem …… synagogue, where they spoke so well that a great number of Jews and …
Acts 15:39geneta de paroxusmos hōste apochōrizira autoin apo allēloiu, ton tē …Their disagreement was so sharp that they parted company. Barnabas took Mark …
Acts 16:26“so that”afnōs de seismos geneta megos hōste saleuira teim themelieim teu desmōtērieu, anoigila …Suddenly a strong earthquake shook the foundations of the prison. At once …
Acts 19:10houtem de geneta epi eteim duo, hōste pantoin toin katoikarōntoin tan Asian akouara …This continued for two years, so that everyone who lived in the province …
Acts 19:12hōste kai epi toin asthenarōntoin apoferorō apo …so that even handkerchiefs and aprons that had …
Acts 19:16“so that”… ponērem katakurieuarantos amfoteroiu ischuata kata autoiu, hōste gumnoin kai traumatizorēntoin ekfeugara ek tou …… with the evil spirit jumped on them and overpowered them all. The attack was so violent that they ran out of the house naked and wounded.
Romans 7:6… tou nomou, apothnēskarantois en ho katechone, hōste douleuarō nin en kainota pneumeu kai …… have been released from the law, so that we serve in the new way …
Romans 7:12hōste tos men nomos hagios, kai tas …So then, the law is holy, and the …
Romans 13:2“therefore”hōste tos antitassorōntos ta exousia ta tou …Consequently, whoever resists authority is opposing …
Romans 15:19“so that”… sēmeiu kai terateiu, en dunamia pneumeu; hōste min apo Ierousalēm kai kuklō mechris …… power of signs and wonders, and by the power of the Spirit of God. So from Jerusalem all the way around to Illyricum, I have fully …
1 Corinthians 1:7“so that”hōste vin mē husterorō en mēdene charisme, …Therefore you do not lack any spiritual gift as you …
1 Corinthians 3:7“so then”hōste oute tos futeuarōntos atō tinem oute …So neither he who plants nor he who waters is anything, but only …
1 Corinthians 3:21“so”hōste mēdenos kauchotōr en anthrōpoi; panteim gar …… stop boasting in men. All things are …
1 Corinthians 4:5hōste mē pro kairou tinem krinavōr, heōs …Therefore judge nothing before the appointed time …
1 Corinthians 5:1… porneias hotinas oude en tei ethnei, hōste gunaikan tinon tou patrou echarō.It is actually reported that there is sexual immorality among you …
1 Corinthians 5:8hōste heortazaneiō, mē en zuma palaia mēde …Therefore let us keep the feast, not …
1 Corinthians 7:38hōste kai tos gamizarōntos tan parthenan heautou …So then, he who marries the virgin does …
1 Corinthians 10:12“therefore”hōste tos dokarōntos stēarē blepatōr mē piptateia,So the one who thinks he is standing firm should be careful not to fall.
1 Corinthians 13:2“so that”… kai ean echameiō pantan tan pistian hōste oreim metastēarō, agapan de mē echameiō, …… knowledge, and if I have absolute faith so as to move mountains, but have not love, I am …
1 Corinthians 14:22hōste tais glōssais eis sēmem alō ouk …Tongues, then, are a sign, not for believers …
1 Corinthians 14:39“therefore”hōste, adelfoir mu, zēlavōr tem profēteuarō, kai …So, my brothers, be eager to prophesy, and do not …
2 Corinthians 1:8… hoti kata huperbolan huper dunamian barina, hōste exaporira nin kai teu zōarō;… far beyond our ability to endure, so that we despaired even of life.
2 Corinthians 2:7hōste tounantion mallon vin charizera kai parakalara, …… ought to forgive and comfort him, so that he will not be overwhelmed by …
2 Corinthians 3:7“so that”… grammei entuporēntas lithoi genita en doxa, hōste mē dunorō atenizara toin huioin Israēl …… engraved in letters on stone, came with such glory that the Israelites could not gaze at the face of …
2 Corinthians 4:12hōste tos thanatos en ni energotō, tas …So then, death is at work in us …
2 Corinthians 5:17hōste ei tinos en Christo, kainas ktisias; …Therefore if anyone is in Christ, he …
2 Corinthians 7:7… odurmon, ton vu zēlon huper mu, hōste min mallon chairira.… mourning, and your zeal for me, so that I rejoiced all the more.
Galatians 2:13… sunupokrinila auto kai tois loipois Ioudaiois, hōste kai Barnabos sunapagita autoiu ta hupokrisia.… Jews joined him in his hypocrisy, so that by their hypocrisy even Barnabas was …
Galatians 3:9“so then”hōste tois ek pistiau eulogolō sun to …So those who have faith are blessed along with Abraham, the man of faith.
Galatians 3:24“therefore”hōste tos nomos paidagōgos nu genatē eis …So the law became our guardian to lead …
Galatians 4:7hōste ouketi asō doulos alla huios; ei …So you are no longer a slave …
Galatians 4:16“so then”hōste echthros vu genamē alētheuarōntos vi?… I now become your enemy by telling you the truth?
Philippians 1:13“so that”hōste toin desmoin mu faneroin en Christo …… everyone else that I am in chains for Christ.
Philippians 4:1hōste, adelfoir mu agapētoir kai epipothētoir, charar …Therefore, my brothers, whom I love and …
1 Thessalonians 1:7“so that”hōste genera vin tupon pantoi toi pisteuarōntoi …… a result, you have become an example to all the believers in Macedonia …
1 Thessalonians 1:8… vu tas pros ton theon exerchatē, hōste mē chreian echarō nin lalarō tinem;… has gone out to every place, so that we have no need to say …
1 Thessalonians 4:18hōste parakalavōr allēloin en toi logoi houtoi.Therefore encourage one another with these words.
2 Thessalonians 1:4“therefore”hōste autoin nin en vi enkauchorō en …… is why we boast among God’s churches about your perseverance and faith in the face of all the persecution and affliction you are enduring.
2 Thessalonians 2:4“so that”… epi panton legorōnton theon ē sebasmem, hōste auton eis ton naon tou theou …… exalt himself above every so-called god or object of worship. So he will seat himself in the temple of God, proclaiming himself …
Hebrews 13:6hōste tharrarōntoin nin legarō; Kurios mi boēthos, …So we say with confidence: “The Lord …
1 Peter 1:21“so that”… ek nekroiu kai doxan auto dōaranton, hōste tan pistian vu kai elpidan arō …… raised Him from the dead and glorified Him; and so your faith and hope are in God.
1 Peter 4:19“therefore”hōste kai tois pascharōntois kata tem thelēmem …So then, those who suffer according to God’s will should entrust …
Hōste6×
Romans 7:4Hōste, adelfoir mu, kai vis thanativa to …Therefore, my brothers, you also died to …
1 Corinthians 11:27Hōste hos an esthiateiō ton arton ē …Therefore, whoever eats the bread or drinks …
1 Corinthians 11:33“so then”Hōste, adelfoir mu, sunerchorōntois eis tem esthiara …So, my brothers, when you come together to eat, wait for …
1 Corinthians 15:58Hōste, adelfoir mu agapētoir, hedraiois genovōr, ametakinētois, …Therefore, my beloved brothers, be steadfast and …
2 Corinthians 5:16“therefore”Hōste nis apo tou nun oudenon oidanē …So from now on we regard no one according to …
Philippians 2:12Hōste, agapētoir mu, kathōs pantote hupakouava, mē …Therefore, my beloved, just as you have …