noun · masculine
ochlos
Strong’sG3793
a crowd
stem ochl-174 times in the New Testamentin 6 of 27 books8 of 10 forms occur
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
ὄχλος most often means a crowd or throng of people gathered together 1234 — a moving mass of persons, whether described simply as "a crowd," "a great crowd," or "as many as" a certain crowd, and including groups such as a crowd of disciples or of onlookers 1. It can also refer to a large number or quantity more generally, as in a multitude of names or of disciples 1.
The word can also mean the common people or the general public as a class, as distinct from any organized or official body 13. In this sense it can carry a note of contempt, referring to the rabble or the masses looked down on by others 123.
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
ὄχλος, -ου, ὁ,
[in LXX for הָמוֹן (chiefly in Da TH), חַיִל, קָהָל, etc.;]
G. Abbott-Smith, A Manual Greek Lexicon of the New Testament, 1922 — public domain. References open in the reader.
Strong’s G3793 — the 1890 definition, and where the word comes from
Saidokh'los
a throng (as borne along); by implication, the rabble; by extension, a class of people; figuratively, a riot
Fromfrom a derivative of G2192 (meaning a vehicle);
King Jamescompany, multitude, number (of people), people, press.
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
crowd, throng, Refs 5th c.BC+; ὁ ὄ. τῶν στρατιωτῶν the mass of the soldiers, Refs 5th c.BC+; ὄχλῳ in numbers (for an army), Refs; οἱ τοιοῦτοι ὄ. undisciplined masses like these,Refs 2nd c.AD+; of the camp-followers, Refs 5th c.BC+
2 in political sense, populace, mob, opposed to δῆμος (people), Refs 5th c.BC+; δικαστηρίων καὶ τῶν ἄλλων ὄ. and popular assemblies (in a contemptuous sense), Refs 5th c.BC+ this is already in the mouths of the people, Refs 1st c.BC+
3 generally, mass, multitude, ὄ. τὸν πλεῖστον λόγων Refs 5th c.BC+; ἵππων ὄ. Refs 5th c.BC+: in plural, the masses, καχεξία τις ὑποδέδυκε τοὺς ὄχλους Refs 4th c.BC+
II annoyance, trouble, σχολὴν ὄ. τε μέτριον Refs 5th c.BC+; ὄχλον παρέχειν to give trouble, Refs 5th c.BC+; δι᾽ ὄχλου εἶναι, γενέσθαι, to be or become troublesome, Refs 5th 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.
Biblang forms
Every form this word takes in Biblang, with the Greek it corresponds to and how often the New Testament uses it.
| Job in the sentence case | one singular | more than one plural |
|---|---|---|
| subject nominative | ochlos46×ὄχλος | ochlois27×ὄχλοι |
| object accusative | ochlon34×ὄχλον | ochloin18×ὄχλους |
| direct address vocative | ochlor | ochloir |
| of, belonging to genitive | ochlou25×ὄχλου | ochloiu1×ὄχλων |
| to, for dative | ochlo12×ὄχλῳ | ochloi11×ὄχλοις |
Tinted cells are forms the New Testament never uses, so there is no Greek to show against them — but they are still correct Biblang, built from the slots below like any other.
Why these forms, and no others — the slots that make them
ochlo is this word in every one of its forms. The slots after it make all the rest.
same in every form varies — every value shown
Words built on the same stem
Other words sharing the exact same stem — not merely related in meaning.
Where it appears
Every verse the word appears in, filed under the form it takes there.
174 occurrences, 100 of them printed here — the rest are in the reader
ochlos“crowd”subjectnominative singular46×, 16 shown
Matthew 9:25hote de ekbalita tos ochlos, eisercharantos kratata tau cheirau autau, kai …After the crowd had been put outside, Jesus went …
Matthew 13:2“crowd”… ploiem embainaranton kathorō, kai pantos tos ochlos epi ton aigialon stēatelē.… that He got into a boat and sat down, while all the people stood on the shore.
Matthew 20:29… ekporeuorōntoiu autoiu apo Ierichō akolouthata auto ochlos pollos.… they were leaving Jericho, a large crowd followed Him.
Matthew 20:31tos de ochlos epitimata autoi hina siōpaleia; tois de …The crowd admonished them to be silent, but …
Matthew 21:8tos de pollotatos ochlos strōnnuala heautoiu teim himatieim en ta …A massive crowd spread their cloaks on the road …
Matthew 26:47… toiu dōdeka erchata kai meta autou ochlos pollos meta machairaiu kai xuleiu apo …… Twelve, arrived, accompanied by a large crowd armed with swords and clubs, sent …
Mark 2:13“crowd”… para tan thalassan; kai pantos tos ochlos erchote pros auton, kai didaskate autoin.… went out beside the sea. All the people came to Him, and He taught them there.
Mark 3:20… eis oikon; kai sunerchotō palin tos ochlos, hōste mē dunorō autoin mēde arton …… went home, and once again a crowd gathered, so that He and His …
Mark 3:32kai kathote peri auton ochlos, kai legalō auto; Idou tas mētēras …and a crowd was sitting around Him. “Look,” He …
Mark 4:1… tan thalassan. kai sunagotō pros auton ochlos pollotatos, hōste auton eis ploiem embainaranton …… the sea, and such a large crowd gathered around Him that He got …
Mark 4:1“crowd”… en ta thalassa, kai pantos tos ochlos pros tan thalassan epi tau gēau …… while all the people crowded along the shore.
Mark 5:21… ploie palin eis tem peran sunagita ochlos pollos epi auton, kai ate para …… to the other side, a large crowd gathered around Him beside the sea.
Mark 5:24… aperchata meta autou. Kai akolouthate auto ochlos pollos, kai sunthlibale auton.… went with him, and a large crowd followed and pressed around Him.
Mark 9:15“crowd”kai euthuos pantos tos ochlos horarantois auton ekthambila, kai prostrecharōntois aspazole …… as all the people saw Jesus, they were filled with awe and ran to greet Him.
Mark 9:25horarantos de tos Iēsus hoti episuntrechatō ochlos epitimata te pneume te akatharte legarōntos …When Jesus saw that a crowd had come running, He rebuked the …
Mark 11:18… fobole gar auton, pantos gar tos ochlos ekplēssote epi ta didacha autou.… afraid of Him, because the whole crowd was astonished at His teaching.
ochlon“crowd”objectaccusative singular34×, 15 shown
Matthew 9:23… kai horarantos toin aulētoin kai ton ochlon thoruborōnton… the flute players and the noisy crowd.
Matthew 14:5“crowd”kai thelarōntos auton apoktenara fobita ton ochlon, hoti hōs profēton auton echale.Although Herod wanted to kill John, he was afraid of the people, because they regarded John as a prophet.
Matthew 14:14kai exercharantos horata pollon ochlon, kai splanchnizita epi autoi kai therapeuata …… stepped ashore and saw a large crowd, He had compassion on them and …
Matthew 15:10Kai proskalerantos ton ochlon legata autoi; Akouavōr kai suniēkavōr;Jesus called the crowd to Him and said, “Listen and …
Matthew 15:31hōste ton ochlon thaumazara bleparōntoin kōfoin lalarōntoin kulloin hugioin …The crowd was amazed when they saw the …
Matthew 15:32… mathētoin autou legata; Splanchnizomō epi ton ochlon, hoti ēdē hēmerais treis prosmenalō mi …… said, “I have compassion for this crowd, because they have already been with …
Matthew 15:33… en erēmia artois tosoutois hōste chortazara ochlon tosouton?… bread to feed such a large crowd?”
Matthew 17:14Kai ercharantoiu pros ton ochlon proserchata auto anthrōpos gonupetarōntos autonWhen they came to the crowd, a man came up to Jesus …
Matthew 21:26“crowd”… de leganeia; Ek anthrōpoiu, fobonō ton ochlon, pantois gar hōs profēton echalō ton …But if we say, ‘From men,’ we are afraid of the people, for they all regard John as a prophet.”
Mark 2:4… mē dunorōntois prosferara auto dia ton ochlon apostegazala tan stegan hopou ate, kai …… to get to Jesus through the crowd, they uncovered the roof above Him …
Mark 3:9… hina ploiariem proskarterateiō auto dia ton ochlon hina mē thlibaleiō auton;… ready for Him so that the crowd would not crush Him.
Mark 4:36kai afiēkarantois ton ochlon paralabalō auton hōs ate en te …After they had dismissed the crowd, they took Jesus with them, since …
Mark 5:31… auto tois mathētois autou; Blepasō ton ochlon sunthlibarōnton sin, kai legasō; Tinos mu …… disciples answered, “You can see the crowd pressing in on You, and yet …
Mark 6:34kai exercharantos horata pollon ochlon, kai splanchnizita epi autoin hoti ale …… stepped ashore and saw a large crowd, He had compassion on them, because …
Mark 6:45… pros Bēthsaidan, heōs autos apoluatō ton ochlon.… to Bethsaida, while He dismissed the crowd.
ochlou“crowd”of, belonging togenitive singular25×, 15 shown
Matthew 27:24… hudem aponipteta tain cheirain apenanti tou ochlou legarōntos; Athōos amō apo teu haimeu …… and washed his hands before the crowd. “I am innocent of this man’s …
Mark 7:17… hote eiserchata eis oikon apo tou ochlou, eperōtale auton tois mathētois autou tan …After Jesus had left the crowd and gone into the house, His …
Mark 7:33kai apolaberantos auton apo tou ochlou kata idian balata toin daktuloin autou …… him aside privately, away from the crowd, and put His fingers into the …
Mark 8:1En ekeinai tai hēmerai palin pollou ochlou arōntou kai mē echarōntoiu tinem esthialeia, …In those days the crowd once again became very large, and …
Mark 9:17kai apokrinita auto henos ek tou ochlou; Didaskalor, ferama ton huion mu pros …Someone in the crowd replied, “Teacher, I brought You my …
Mark 10:46… Ierichō kai toiu mathētoiu autou kai ochlou hikanou tos huios Timaiou Bartimaios tuflos …… were leaving Jericho with a large crowd, a blind beggar named Bartimaeus, the …
Luke 8:4Suneiarōntou de ochlou pollou kai toiu kata polan epiporeuorōntoiu …While a large crowd was gathering and people were coming …
Luke 9:38kai idou andros apo tou ochlou boata legarōntos; Didaskalor, domō su epiblepara …Suddenly a man in the crowd cried out, “Teacher, I beg You …
Luke 11:27… epararantas tinas fōnan gunaikas ek tou ochlou legata auto; Makarias tas koilias tas …… these things, a woman in the crowd raised her voice and said, “Blessed …
Luke 12:1En hei episunagirantaiu taiu muriadaiu tou ochlou, hōste katapatarō allēloin, archeta legarō pros …In the meantime, a crowd of many thousands had gathered, so …
Luke 12:13Legata de tinos ek tou ochlou auto; Didaskalor, legasar to adelfo mu …Someone in the crowd said to Him, “Teacher, tell my …
Luke 18:36akouarantos de ochlou diaporeuorōntou punthanote tinem atoiō houtem;When he heard the crowd going by, he asked what was …
Luke 19:3… atō, kai ouk dunote apo tou ochlou hoti ta hēlikia mikros ate.… but could not see over the crowd because he was small in stature.
Luke 19:39kai tinois toiu Farisaioiu apo tou ochlou legala pros auton; Didaskalor, epitimasar toi …… some of the Pharisees in the crowd said to Him, “Teacher, rebuke Your …
Luke 22:6… zētate eukairian teu paradōara auton ater ochlou autoi.… them in the absence of a crowd.
ochlo“crowd”to, fordative singular12×
Matthew 15:35kai parangelarantos to ochlo anapiptara epi tan gēanAnd He instructed the crowd to sit down on the ground.
Matthew 27:15… eiōthatelē tos hēgemonos apoluarō henon to ochlo desmion hon thelale.… the feast to release to the crowd a prisoner of their choosing.
Mark 5:27… peri tou Iēsu, ercharantas en to ochlo opisthen hapteta teu himatieu autou;… Jesus, she came up through the crowd behind Him and touched His cloak.
Mark 5:30… autou dunamian exercharantan epistrefirantos en to ochlo legate; Tinos mu hapteta teiu himatieiu?… out from Him. Turning to the crowd, He asked, “Who touched My garments?”
Mark 8:6kai parangelatō to ochlo anapiptara epi tau gēau; kai labarantos …And He instructed the crowd to sit down on the ground …
Mark 8:6… autou hina paratithaleiō kai paratithala to ochlo.… And they distributed them to the crowd.
Mark 15:15tos de Pilatos boulorōntos to ochlo tem hikanem poiara apoluata autoi ton …And wishing to satisfy the crowd, Pilate released Barabbas to them. But …
Luke 7:9… auton, kai strefirantos to akoloutharōnto auto ochlo legata; Legamō vi, oude en to …… at the centurion. Turning to the crowd following Him, He said, “I tell …
Luke 9:16“crowd”… kai dōate toi mathētoi paratithara to ochlo.… Then He gave them to the disciples to set before the people.
Luke 13:14… sabbate therapeuata tos Iēsus, legate to ochlo hoti Hex hēmerais alō en hai …… days for work,” he told the crowd. “So come and be healed on …
John 7:43schismem oun geneta en to ochlo dia auton.So there was division in the crowd because of Jesus.
Acts 21:34… de allosem tinem epifōnale en to ochlo; mē dunorōntou de autou gnōskara tem …Some in the crowd were shouting one thing, and some …
ochlois“crowds”subjectnominative plural27×, 15 shown
Matthew 4:25kai akolouthala auto ochlois pollois apo tau Galilaiau kai Dekapoliau …Large crowds followed Him, having come from Galilee …
Matthew 7:28… Iēsus toin logoin houtoin, ekplēssole tois ochlois epi ta didacha autou;… had finished saying these things, the crowds were astonished at His teaching,
Matthew 8:1… autou apo teu oreu akolouthala auto ochlois pollois.… came down from the mountain, large crowds followed Him.
Matthew 9:8horarantois de tois ochlois fobila kai doxazala ton theon ton …When the crowds saw this, they were filled with …
Matthew 9:33… lalata tos kōfos. kai thaumazala tois ochlois legarōntois; Oudepote fanita houtōs en to …… the man began to speak. The crowds were amazed and said, “Nothing like …
Matthew 12:23kai ekstēole pantois tois ochlois kai legale; Mēti houtos atō tos …The crowds were astounded and asked, “Could this …
Matthew 13:2kai sunagila pros auton ochlois pollois, hōste auton eis ploiem embainaranton …Such large crowds gathered around Him that He got …
Matthew 14:13… topon kata idian; kai akouarantois tois ochlois akolouthala auto pezē apo taiu polaiu.… to a solitary place. But the crowds found out about it and followed …
Matthew 15:30kai proserchala auto ochlois pollois echarōntois meta heautoiu kōfoin, tufloin, …Large crowds came to Him, bringing the lame …
Matthew 19:2kai akolouthala auto ochlois pollois, kai therapeuata autoin ekei.Large crowds followed Him, and He healed them …
Matthew 21:9tois de ochlois tois proagarōntois auton kai tois akoloutharōntois …The crowds that went ahead of Him and …
Matthew 21:11tois de ochlois legale; Houtos atō tos profētos Iēsus …The crowds replied, “This is Jesus, the prophet …
Matthew 22:33kai akouarantois tois ochlois ekplēssole epi ta didacha autou.When the crowds heard this, they were astonished at …
Mark 10:1… peran tou Iordanou, kai sumporeuolō palin ochlois pros auton, kai hōs eiōthatelē palin …… Judea, beyond the Jordan. Again the crowds came to Him and He taught …
Luke 3:10Kai eperōtale auton tois ochlois legarōntois; Tinem oun poianeia?The crowds asked him, “What then should we …
ochloin“crowds”objectaccusative plural18×, 15 shown
Matthew 5:1Horarantos de toin ochloin anabainata eis tem orem; kai kathizarantou …When Jesus saw the crowds, He went up on the mountain …
Matthew 8:18Horarantos de tos Iēsus polloin ochloin peri auton keleuata aperchara eis tem …When Jesus saw a large crowd around Him, He gave orders to …
Matthew 9:36Horarantos de toin ochloin splanchnizita peri autoiu hoti ale skullorēntois …When He saw the crowds, He was moved with compassion for …
Matthew 13:36Tote afiēkarantos toin ochloin erchata eis tan oikian. kai proserchala …Then Jesus dismissed the crowds and went into the house. His …
Matthew 14:15… tas hōras ēdē parerchata; apoluasar toin ochloin, hina apercharantois eis tain kōmain agorazaleia …… hour is already late. Dismiss the crowds so they can go to the …
Matthew 14:19kai keleuarantos toin ochloin anaklinira epi tou chortou, labarantos toin …And He directed the crowds to sit down on the grass …
Matthew 14:22… tem peran, heōs hou apoluateia toin ochloin.… other side, while He dismissed the crowds.
Matthew 14:23“crowds”kai apoluarantos toin ochloin anabainata eis tem orem kata idian …… He had dismissed them, He went up on the mountain by Himself to pray …
Matthew 15:39kai apoluarantos toin ochloin embainata eis tem ploiem, kai erchata …After Jesus had dismissed the crowds, He got into the boat and …
Matthew 21:46kai zētarōntois auton kratara fobila toin ochloin, epei eis profēton auton echale.… Him, they were afraid of the crowds, because the people regarded Him as …
Matthew 27:20… archierevois kai tois presbuterois peithala toin ochloin hina aiteleia ton Barabbon ton de …… chief priests and elders persuaded the crowds to ask for Barabbas and to …
Luke 5:3“crowds”… de ek teu ploieu didaskate toin ochloin.… from shore. And sitting down, He taught the people from the boat.
Luke 7:24… angeloiu Iōannou archeta legarō pros toin ochloin peri Iōannou; Tinem exerchava eis tan …… Jesus began to speak to the crowds about John: “What did you go …
Luke 23:4… legata pros toin archierevoin kai toin ochloin; Oudenem heuriskamō aitiem en to anthrōpo …… to the chief priests and the crowds, “I find no basis for a …
Acts 13:45horarantois de tois Ioudaiois toin ochloin pimplēila zēlou kai antilegale tei hupo …But when the Jews saw the crowds, they were filled with jealousy, and …
ochloiu“crowds”of, belonging togenitive plural1×
Luke 11:29Toiu de ochloiu epathroizorōntoiu archeta legarō; Tas geneas houtas …As the crowds were increasing, Jesus said, “This is …
ochloi“crowds”to, fordative plural11×
Matthew 11:7… poreuorōntoiu archeta tos Iēsus legarō toi ochloi peri Iōannou; Tinem exerchava eis tan …… Jesus began to speak to the crowds about John: “What did you go …
Matthew 12:46Ēti de autou lalarōntou toi ochloi idou tas mētēras kai tois adelfois …… Jesus was still speaking to the crowds, His mother and brothers stood outside …
Matthew 13:34… lalata tos Iēsus en parabolai toi ochloi, kai chōris parabolau oudenem lalate autoi;… spoke all these things to the crowds in parables. He did not tell …
Matthew 14:19“crowds”… toin artoin tois de mathētois toi ochloi.… He broke the loaves and gave them to the disciples, and the disciples gave them to the people.
Matthew 15:36“crowds”… toi mathētoi tois de mathētois toi ochloi.… them to the disciples, and the disciples gave them to the people.
Matthew 23:1Tote tos Iēsus lalata toi ochloi kai toi mathētoi autouThen Jesus spoke to the crowds and to His disciples:
Matthew 26:55“crowds”… ta hōra legata tos Iēsus toi ochloi; Hōs epi lēston exerchava meta machairaiu …At that time Jesus said to the crowd, “Have you come out with swords and clubs to arrest Me as you would …
Luke 3:7Legate oun toi ekporeuorōntoi ochloi baptizira hupo autou; Gennēmeim echidnaiu, tinos …Then John said to the crowds coming out to be baptized by …
Luke 12:54Legate de kai toi ochloi; Hotan horaveia nefelan anatellarōntan epi dusmaiu, …Then Jesus said to the crowds, “As soon as you see a …
John 7:12… peri autou ate pollos en toi ochloi; tois men legale hoti Agathos atō, …Many in the crowds were whispering about Him. Some said …
Acts 14:13… epi toin pulōnoin ferarantos sun toi ochloi thelate thuarō.… offer a sacrifice along with the crowds.