conjunction
oun
Strong’sG3767
therefore, then
stem oun-495 times in the New Testamentin 23 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
οὖν is a common connecting particle that never begins a sentence. Its main use is to mark a logical consequence, drawing a conclusion from what has just been said: "therefore," "then," "wherefore" 1234. It appears this way in statements, exhortations, and questions alike, and can also introduce an inference drawn from a participial clause or a conditional clause 1.
The word also has a looser use simply to carry a narrative forward or to pick it up again after a digression, functioning more like "so," "then," "now" than as a mark of strict logical inference 13. In this sense it signals continuation or resumption of the story rather than drawing a conclusion from it 13.
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
οὖν,
particle expressing consequence or simple sequence (never standing first in a sentence),G. Abbott-Smith, A Manual Greek Lexicon of the New Testament, 1922 — public domain. References open in the reader.
Strong’s G3767 — the 1890 definition, and where the word comes from
Saidoon
(adverbially) certainly, or (conjunctionally) accordingly
Fromapparently a primary word;
King Jamesand (so, truly), but, now (then), so (likewise then), then, therefore, verily, 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
Ionic dialect and Doric dialect ὦν (the latter in Refs 8th c.BC+, adverb certainly, in fact, confirming something, frequently in contrast with something which is not confirmed, in Refs 8th c.BC+ only in combination with γε (see. γοῦν), γάρ, οὔτε or μήτε, ὡς, ἐπεί, μέν, etc.:
1 really, φημὶ γὰρ οὖν κατανεῦσαι.. Κρονίωνα for I declare that Zeus did really promise.., Refs 8th c.BC+; τόφρα γὰρ οὖν ἑπόμεσθα.., ὄφρ᾽ for we followed them up to the very point, where.., Refs 8th c.BC+; ἐλέχθησαν λόγοι ἄπιστοι μὲν ἐνίοισι Ἑλλήνων, ἐλέχθησαν δ᾽ ὦν but they really were spoken, Refs 5th c.BC+; Θηβαῖοι μὲν ταῦτα λέγουσι.., Πλαταιῆς δ᾽ οὐχ ὁμολογοῦσι.., ἐκ δ᾽ οὖν τῆς γῆς ἀνεχώρησαν at all events they did return, Refs 5th c.BC+; so δ᾽ οὖν after a parenthesis; εἰ δή τις ὑμῶν οὕτως ἔχει,—οὐκ ἀξιῶ μὲν γὰρ ἔγωγε,—εἰ δ᾽ οὖν but if he is so, Refs 5th c.BC+; so ἀλλ᾽ οὖν.. γε but at all events, Refs 5th c.BC+; ἔμπης οὖν ἐπιμεῖναι ἐς αὔριον to stay nevertheless at least till to-morrow, Refs 8th c.BC+; οὖν concessive, I grant you, τάχ᾽ οὖν τις ἄκων ἔσχε Refs 8th c.BC+; Τληπόλεμος δ᾽, ἐπεὶ οὖν τράφ᾽ ἐνὶ μεγάρῳ εὐπήκτῳ, αὐτίκα.. κατέκτα when once, i.e. as soon as, he had grown up, Refs; νεβροί, αἵ τ᾽ ἐπεὶ οὖν ἔκαμον.. ἑστᾶσ᾽ which, as soon as they are tired, stand still, Refs; to indicate that something foreshadowed has actually occurred, ἀγορήνδε καλέσσατο λαὸν Ἀχιλλεύς.., οἱ δ᾽ ἐπεὶ οὖν ἤγερθεν Refs 8th c.BC+; τὸν δ᾽ ὡς οὖν ἐνόησε Refs 8th c.BC+; οὔτ᾽ οὖν.., οὔτε.. or οὔτε.., οὔτ᾽ οὖν.. both = neither.. nor, but preferred according as the first or second clause is to be marked by emphasis,Refs 8th c.BC+; so εἰ.., εἴτ᾽ οὖν.. if.., or if.., Refs 5th c.BC+; εἴτ᾽ οὖν, εἴτε μὴ γενήσεται whether it shall be so, or no, Refs 5th c.BC+; ξεῖνος αἴτ᾽ ὦν ἀστός, i.e. αἴτε ξ. αἴτ᾽ ὦν ἀ., Refs 5th c.BC+ even as, just as, Refs 5th c.BC+; εἰ δ᾽ ἔστιν, ὥσπερ οὖν ἔστι, θεός if he is, as he in fact is, a god, Refs 5th c.BC+; for μὲν οὖν, see at {μέν} Refs 5th c.BC+
2 added to indefinite Prons. and adverbs, like Latin cunque, ὅστις whoever, ὁστισοῦν whosoever; ὅπως how, ὁπωσοῦν howsoever; ἄλλος ὁστισοῦν another, be he who he may; so ὁποιοσοῦν, ὁποιοστισοῦν, ὁποσοσοῦν, ὁπωσδηποτοῦν, ὁπητιοῦν, ὁποθενοῦν, etc., (see entry).
II to continue a narrative, so, then, καὶ τὰ μὲν οὖν.. θῆκαν Refs 8th c.BC+; ὅτ᾽ οὖν since, then,.., Refs 5th c.BC+; ζεῖ οὖν ἐν τούτῳ.. Refs 5th c.BC+ is very common in this sense; so δ᾽ οὖν Refs 5th c.BC+; οὖν is also used alone merely to resume after a parenthesis or long protasis, well, as I was saying, ὦ Λακεδαιμόνιοι, χρήσαντος τοῦ θεοῦ.., ὑμεας γὰρ πυνθάνομαι προεστάναι..,—ὑμέας ὦν.. προσκαλέομαι.. Refs 5th c.BC+
II.2 ὦν is frequently inserted by Refs 5th c.BC+participle, οἱ δὲ φέροντες ἐς τὴν ἀγορήν, ἀπ᾽ ὦν ἔδοντοRefs; so in Refs 5th c.BC+: this tmesis is rare in Attic dialect, ὥστε γε καὐτόν σε κατ᾽ οὖν ἔβαλεν Refs 5th c.BC+; but occurs in later writers, Dorieus cited in Refs 3rd c.BC+
III in inferences, then, therefore, not in Refs 8th c.BC+; in a statement, Refs; very common from Refs 5th c.BC+ downwards; so καὶ σὺ οὖν you too therefore, Refs 5th c.BC+; compare οὐ γὰρ οὖν, τοιγαροῦν: strengthened, δὴ οὖν Refs 5th c.BC+: in questions, τίς οὖν ὁ λύσων σ᾽ ἐστίν ; Refs 5th c.BC+, etc.; ἆρ᾽ οὖν δή ; Refs 5th c.BC+; τί οὖν δή ; 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.
Where it appears
Every verse the word appears in, filed under the form it takes there.
495 occurrences, 100 of them printed here — the rest are in the reader
oun100×
Matthew 1:17“so”Pantais oun tais geneais apo Abraam heōs David …In all, then, there were fourteen generations from Abraham to David, fourteen from David to the exile to …
Matthew 3:8“therefore”poiavar oun karpon axion tau metanoiauProduce fruit, then, in keeping with repentance.
Matthew 3:10“therefore”… tan rizan teiu dendreiu keiotō; pantem oun dendrem mē poiarōntem karpon kalon ekkoptotō …… ready at the root of the trees, and every tree that does not produce good fruit will be cut down and thrown …
Matthew 5:19“therefore”hos ean oun luateia henan taiu entolaiu houtaiu taiu …So then, whoever breaks one of the least of these commandments and teaches …
Matthew 5:23“therefore”ean oun prosferaseiō tem dōrem su epi tem …So if you are offering your gift at the altar and …
Matthew 5:48Evi oun vis teleiois hōs tos patros vu …Be perfect, therefore, as your heavenly Father is perfect.[’’]
Matthew 6:2Hotan oun poiaseiō eleēmosunan, mē salpizaseia emprosthen su, …So when you give to the needy …
Matthew 6:8“therefore”mē oun homoiiveia autoi, oidatē gar tos patros …Do not be like them, for your Father knows what you …
Matthew 6:9Houtōs oun proseuchovōr vis; Patror nu tos en …So then, this is how you should pray …
Matthew 6:22“therefore”… teu sōmeu atō tos ofthalmos. ean oun ateiō tos ofthalmos su haplouos, holem …The eye is the lamp of the body. If your eyes are good, your whole body will …
Matthew 6:23… tem sōmem su skoteinem eti. ei oun tem fōtem tem en si skotem …… will be full of darkness. If then the light within you is darkness …
Matthew 6:31mē oun merimnaveia legarōntois; Tinem esthianeia? ē; Tinem …Therefore do not worry, saying, ‘What shall …
Matthew 6:34mē oun merimnaveia eis tan aurion, tas gar …Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for …
Matthew 7:11“then”ei oun vis ponērois arōntois oidavē domeim agatheim …So if you who are evil know how to give good gifts to your …
Matthew 7:12“therefore”Panteim oun hoseim ean thelaveiō hina poialeiō vi …In everything, then, do to others as you would have …
Matthew 7:24Pantos oun hotinos akouatō mu toin logoin houtoin …Therefore everyone who hears these words of …
Matthew 9:38divar oun tou kuriou tou therismou hopōs ekbalateia …Ask the Lord of the harvest, therefore, to send out workers into His …
Matthew 10:16… hōs probateim en mese lukoiu; genovōr oun fronimois hōs tois ofiois kai akeraiois …… you out like sheep among wolves; therefore be as shrewd as snakes and …
Matthew 10:26“therefore”Mē oun fobiveia autoin; oudenem gar atō kaluptorēntem …So do not be afraid of them. For there is nothing concealed that …
Matthew 10:31mē oun fobovōr; polleiu strouthieiu diaferavō vis.So do not be afraid; you are …
Matthew 10:32Pantos oun hotinos homologati en mi emprosthen toiu …Therefore everyone who confesses Me before men …
Matthew 12:12“then”pose oun diaferatō anthrōpos probateu. hōste exestinatō tei …How much more valuable is a man than a sheep! Therefore it is lawful to do good on the Sabbath.”
Matthew 12:26… Satanon ekbalatō, epi heauton merizita; pōs oun stēiti tas basileias autou?… he is divided against himself. How then can his kingdom stand?
Matthew 13:18Vis oun akouavar tan parabolan tou sperarantou.Consider, then, the parable of the sower:
Matthew 13:27… sperasa en to so agro? pothen oun echatō zizanieim?… good seed in your field? Where then did the weeds come from?’
Matthew 13:28“then”… tois de doulois auto legalō; Thelasō oun apercharantois sulleganeia auteim?… he replied. So the servants asked him, ‘Do you want us to go and pull them up?’
Matthew 13:40“therefore”hōsper oun sullegotō teim zizanieim kai pure kaiotō, …As the weeds are collected and burned in the fire, so will …
Matthew 13:56… ouchi pantais pros nin alō? pothen oun houto houteim panteim?… sisters with us as well? Where then did this man get all these …
Matthew 17:10… eperōtala auton tois mathētois legarōntois; Tinem oun tois grammatevois legalō hoti Ēliaon datō …The disciples asked Him, “Why then do the scribes say that Elijah …
Matthew 18:4hotinos oun tapeinati heauton hōs tem paidiem houtem, …Therefore, whoever humbles himself like this little …
Matthew 18:26“so”piptarantos oun tos doulos proskunate auto legarōntos; Makrothumasar …Then the servant fell on his knees before him. ‘Have patience with me …
Matthew 18:29piptarantos oun tos sundoulos autou parakalate auton legarōntos; …So his fellow servant fell down and …
Matthew 18:31“so”horarantois oun tois sundoulois autou teim generanteim lupila …When his fellow servants saw what had happened, they were greatly distressed, and they …
Matthew 19:6… alō duo alla sarkas henas. hem oun tos theos suzeugata anthrōpos mē chōrizatōr.… no longer two, but one flesh. Therefore what God has joined together, let …
Matthew 19:7legalō auto; Tinem oun Mōusos enteleta dōara bibliem apostasieu kai …“Why then,” they asked, “did Moses order a …
Matthew 21:25… Ek ouranou, legati ni; Dia tinem oun ouk pisteuava auto?… From heaven,’ He will ask, ‘Why then did you not believe him?’
Matthew 21:40hotan oun erchateia tos kurios tou ampelōnou, tinem …Therefore, when the owner of the vineyard …
Matthew 22:9poreuovōr oun epi tain diexodain taiu hodaiu, kai …Go therefore to the crossroads and invite to …
Matthew 22:17“then”legasar oun ni tinem si dokatō; exestinatō dōara …So tell us what You think: Is it lawful to pay taxes to …
Matthew 22:21“therefore”… auto; Kaisarou. tote legatō autoi; Apodōavar oun teim Kaisarou Kaisaro kai teim tou …“Caesar’s,” they answered. So Jesus told them, “Give to Caesar what is Caesar’s, and to God …
Matthew 22:28“therefore”en ta anastasia oun tinou toiu hepta eti gunaikas? pantois …In the resurrection, then, whose wife will she be of the seven? For all of them …
Matthew 22:43legatō autoi; Pōs oun David en pneume kalatō auton kurion …Jesus said to them, “How then does David in the Spirit call …
Matthew 22:45“then”ei oun David kalatō auton kurion, pōs huios …So if David calls Him ‘Lord,’ how can He be David’s son?”
Matthew 23:3“therefore”panteim oun hoseim ean legaleia vi poiavar kai …So practice and observe everything they tell you. But do not do …
Matthew 23:20“therefore”tos oun omnuarantos en te thusiastērie omnuatō en …… he who swears by the altar swears by it and …
Matthew 24:15Hotan oun horaveia tem bdelugmem tau erēmōsiau tem …So when you see standing in the …
Matthew 24:26ean oun legaleia vi; Idou en ta erēma …So if they tell you, ‘There He …
Matthew 24:42grēgoravōr oun, hoti ouk oidavē poia hēmera tos …Therefore keep watch, because you do not …
Matthew 25:13grēgoravōr oun, hoti ouk oidavē tan hēmeran oude …Therefore keep watch, because you do not …
Matthew 25:27date sin oun balara teim argurieim mu toi trapezitoi, …Then you should have deposited my money …
Matthew 25:28airavar oun apo autou tem talantem kai dōavar …Therefore take the talent from him and …
Matthew 26:54pōs oun plērileia tais grafais hoti houtōs datō …But how then would the Scriptures be fulfilled that …
Matthew 27:17sunagorēntoiu oun autoiu legata autoi tos Pilatos; Tinon …So when the crowd had assembled, Pilate …
Matthew 27:22legatō autoi tos Pilatos; Tinem oun poiameia Iēsun ton legorōnton christon? legalō …“What then should I do with Jesus who …
Matthew 27:64“therefore”keleuasar oun asfalizira ton tafon heōs tau tritau …… order that the tomb be secured until the third day. Otherwise …
Matthew 28:19poreuirantois oun mathēteuavar panteim teim ethneim, baptizarōntois autoin …Therefore go and make disciples of all …
Mark 10:9hem oun tos theos suzeugata anthrōpos mē chōrizatōr.Therefore what God has joined together, let …
Mark 11:31… leganeia; Ek ouranou, legati; Dia tinem oun ouk pisteuava auto?… From heaven,’ He will ask, ‘Why then did you not believe him?’
Mark 13:35grēgoravōr oun, ouk oidavē gar pote tos kurios …Therefore keep watch, because you do not …
Mark 15:12… Pilatos palin apokrinirantos legate autoi; Tinem oun thelavō poiameia hon legavō ton basilevon …So Pilate asked them again, “What then do you want me to do …
Mark 16:19“then”Tos men oun kurios Iēsus meta tem lalara autoi …After the Lord Jesus had spoken to them, He was …
Luke 3:7Legate oun toi ekporeuorōntoi ochloi baptizira hupo autou; …Then John said to the crowds coming …
Luke 3:8“therefore”poiavar oun karpoin axioin tau metanoiau; kai mē …… fruit, then, in keeping with repentance. And do not begin to …
Luke 3:9“therefore”… tan rizan teiu dendreiu keiotō; pantem oun dendrem mē poiarōntem karpon kalon ekkoptotō …The axe lies ready at the root of the trees, and every tree that does not produce good fruit will be cut down and thrown …
Luke 3:10… eperōtale auton tois ochlois legarōntois; Tinem oun poianeia?The crowds asked him, “What then should we do?”
Luke 3:18“so”Polleim men oun kai hetereim parakalarōntos euangelizote ton laon;With these and many other exhortations, John proclaimed the good news to the people.
Luke 4:7“then”sis oun ean proskunaseia enōpion mu, eti su …So if You worship me, it will all be Yours.”
Luke 7:31Tine oun homoiami toin anthrōpoin tau geneau houtau, …“To what, then, can I compare the men of …
Luke 7:42“now”… echarōntoiu autoiu apodōara amfoteroi charizeta. tinos oun autoiu polloterem agapati auton?When they were unable to repay him, he forgave both of them. Which one, then, will love him more?”
Luke 8:18blepavōr oun pōs akouavō; hos an gar echateiō, …Pay attention, therefore, to how you listen. Whoever has …
Luke 10:2… pollos, tois de ergatois oligois; divar oun tou kuriou tou therismou hopōs ergatoin …… Ask the Lord of the harvest, therefore, to send out workers into His …
Luke 10:40“then”… mu monan min kataleipate diakonarō? legasar oun auta hina mi sunantilabeteia.… care that my sister has left me to serve alone? Tell her to help me!”
Luke 11:13“then”ei oun vis ponērois huparcharōntois oidavē domeim agatheim …So if you who are evil know how to give good gifts to your …
Luke 11:35“therefore”skopasōr oun mē tem fōtem tem en si …… careful, then, that the light within you is not darkness.
Luke 11:36“therefore”ei oun tem sōmem su holem fōteinem, mē …So if your whole body is full of light, with no part of …
Luke 12:26“then”ei oun oude elachistem dunovō, tinem peri teiu …So if you cannot do such a small thing, why do you worry about the rest?
Luke 13:14“therefore”… en hai datō ergazorō; en autai oun erchorōntois therapeuovōr kai mē ta hēmera …… had healed on the Sabbath. “There are six days for work,” he told the crowd. “So come and be healed on those days and not on the Sabbath.”
Luke 13:18“therefore”Legate oun; Tine homoias atō tas basileias tou …… asked, “What is the kingdom of God like? To what can I …
Luke 14:33“therefore”houtōs oun pantos ek vu hos ouk apotassotō …… any one of you who does not give up …
Luke 14:34“now”Kalem oun tem halatem; ean de kai tem …Salt is good, but if the salt loses its …
Luke 16:11“then”ei oun en to adiko mamōno pistois ouk …So if you have not been faithful with worldly wealth, who will …
Luke 16:27legata de; Erōtamō sin oun, patror, hina pempaseia auton eis ton …‘Then I beg you, father,’ he said …
Luke 19:12“therefore”legata oun; Anthrōpos tinos eugenos poreuita eis chōran …So He said, “A man of noble birth went to a distant country to lay …
Luke 20:15… auton exō tou ampelōnou apoktenala. tinem oun poiati autoi tos kurios tou ampelōnou?… the vineyard and killed him. What then will the owner of the vineyard …
Luke 20:17tos de embleparantos autoi legata; Tinem oun atō tem graforēntem houtem; Lithon hon …… looked directly at them and said, “Then what is the meaning of that …
Luke 20:29hepta oun adelfois ale; kai tos prōtos labarantos …Now there were seven brothers. The first …
Luke 20:33“therefore”tas gunaikas oun en ta anastasia tinou autoiu genotō …So then, in the resurrection, whose wife will she be? For all …
Luke 20:44“therefore”David oun auton kurion kalatō, kai pōs autou …Thus David calls Him ‘Lord.’ So how can He …
Luke 21:7“therefore”Eperōtala de auton legarōntois; Didaskalor, pote oun houteim eti, kai tinem tem sēmem …“Teacher,” they asked, “when will these things happen? And what will be the sign that they …
Luke 21:14“therefore”tithavar oun en tai kardiai vu mē promeletarō …So make up your mind not to worry …
Luke 22:70legala de pantois; Sis oun asō tos huios tou theou? tos …So they all asked, “Are You then the Son of God?” He replied …
Luke 23:16paideuarantos oun auton apoluami.Therefore I will punish Him and release …
Luke 23:22“therefore”… aitiem thanatou heuriskama en auto; paideuarantos oun auton apoluami.… I have found in Him no offense worthy of death. So after I punish Him, I will release Him.”
John 1:21kai erōtala auton; Tinem oun? sis Ēliaos asō? kai legatō; Ouk …“Then who are you?” they inquired. “Are …
John 1:22“then”legala oun auto; Tinos asō? hina apokrisian dōaneia …So they said to him, “Who are you? We need an answer for those …
John 1:25… erōtala auton kai legala auto; Tinem oun baptizasō ei sis ouk asō tos …asked him, “Why then do you baptize, if you are …
John 1:39legatō autoi; Erchovōr kai horevi. erchala oun kai horala pou menatō, kai para …“Come and see,” He replied. So they went and saw where He …
John 2:18“so”apokrinila oun tois Ioudaiois kai legala auto; Tinem …… of this, the Jews demanded, “What sign can …
John 2:20“then”legala oun tois Ioudaiois; Tesserakonta kai hex etei …… took forty-six years to build,” the Jews replied, “and …
John 2:22“so”hote oun egerita ek nekroiu, mimnēskila tois mathētois …… He was raised from the dead, His disciples remembered that He …