3756. ou, ouk, ouch
Strong's Lexicon
ou, ouk, ouch: no, not

Original Word: οὐ, οὐκ, οὐχ
Part of Speech: Particle, Negative
Transliteration: ou, ouk, ouch
Pronunciation: oo, ook, ookh
Phonetic Spelling: (oo)
Definition: no, not
Meaning: no, not.

Word Origin: A primary word; the absolute negative adverb.

Corresponding Greek / Hebrew Entries: The Hebrew equivalent often used for negation is לֹא (lo, Strong's H3808), which similarly functions as a negative particle in the Hebrew Bible.

Usage: The Greek word "οὐ" (ou) is used as a strong negative particle, signifying absolute negation. It is employed to deny statements, propositions, or questions, and is often used to emphasize the impossibility or non-existence of something. The variations "οὐκ" (ouk) and "οὐχ" (ouch) are used before words beginning with vowels or aspirated sounds, respectively.

Cultural and Historical Background: In the context of Koine Greek, which was the common language of the Eastern Mediterranean from the time of Alexander the Great until the Byzantine Empire, "οὐ" was a fundamental part of negation in speech and writing. It was used in various contexts, from everyday conversation to formal philosophical discourse. In the New Testament, it serves to clarify theological truths and moral teachings by negating falsehoods or incorrect assumptions.

HELPS Word-studies

3756 ouno ("not"). 3756 (ou) objectively negates a statement, "ruling it out as fact."

[3756 (ou) is written ouk before smooth breathings and oux before a rough breathing.]

NAS Exhaustive Concordance
Word Origin
a prim. word
Definition
not, no
NASB Translation
all* (1), any the less (2), before* (1), cannot (1), cannot* (49), certainly* (1), ever* (3), except (1), failed (1), few* (1), great* (1), greatly* (1), impossible* (1), incessantly* (1), kept...a virgin* (1), kept right* (1), long* (1), neither (2), neither* (3), never (6), never* (17), no (147), no* (22), none (4), none* (3), nor (3), nothing (8), nothing* (13), nowhere* (2), number (1), number* (2), only* (5), rather (2), rather than (1), refrain (1), refused* (1), than* (2), unable* (6), unaware* (3), unwilling* (12), unworthy* (1), virgin* (1), without (2), without* (6).

Thayer's Greek Lexicon
STRONGS NT 3756: οὐ

οὐ before a consonant, οὐκ before a vowel with a smooth breathing, and οὐχ before an aspirated vowel; but sometimes in the best manuscripts οὐχ occurs even before a smooth breathing; accordingly, L T WH marginal reading have adopted οὐχ ἰδού, Acts 2:7; L T οὐχ Ἰουδαϊκῶς, Galatians 2:14 (see WH, Introduction, § 409); L οὐχ ὀλίγος, Acts 19:23; οὐχ ἠγάπησαν, Revelation 12:11; and contrariwise οὐκ before an aspirate, as οὐκ ἕστηκεν, John 8:44 T; (οὐκ ἕνεκεν, 2 Corinthians 7:12 T); (οὐκ εὗρον, Luke 24:3; (οὐκ ὑπάρχει, Acts 3:6) in manuscript א (also C*; cf. the Alex. manuscript in 1 Esdr. 4:2, 12; Job 19:16; Job 38:11, 26)); cf. Winers Grammar, § 5, 1 d. 14; Buttmann, 7; (A. V. Schütz, Hist. Alphab. Art., Berol. 1875, pp. 54-58; Sophocles, Hist. of Greek Alphab., 1st edition 1848, p. 64f (on the breathing); Tdf., the Sept., edition 4, Proleg., pp. xxxiii. xxxiv.; Scrivener, Collation etc., 2nd edition, p. 55: no. 9; id. manuscript Bezae, p. xlvii. no. 11 (cf. p. xiii. no. 5); Kuenen and Cobet, N. T. etc., p. 87f; Tdf. Proleg., p. 90f; WH. Introductory §§ 405ff, and Appendix, p. 143f); the Sept. for לֹא, אַיִן, אֵין; a particle of negation, not (how it differs from μή has been explained in μή, at the beginning); it is used:

1. absolutely and accented, οὐ, nay, no (Winer's Grammar, 476 (444)): in answers, δέ φησίν. οὐ, Matthew 13:29; ἀπεκρίθη. Οὐ, John 1:21; (), cf. 7:12; repeated, οὐ οὐ, it strengthens the negation, nay, nay, by no means, Matthew 5:37; ἤτω ὑμῶν τό οὐ οὐ, let your denial be truthful, James 5:12; on 2 Corinthians 1:17-19, see ναί.

2. It is joined to other words — to a finite verb, simply to deny that what is declared in the verb applies to the subject of the sentence: Matthew 1:25 (οὐκ ἐγίνωσκεν αὐτήν); Mark 3:25; Luke 6:43; John 10:28; Acts 7:5; Romans 1:16, and times without number. It has the same force when conjoined to participles: ὡς οὐκ ἀέρα δέρων, 1 Corinthians 9:26; οὐκ ὄντος αὐτῷ τέκνου, at the time when he had no child, Acts 7:5 (μή ὄντος would be, although he had no child); add, Romans 8:20; 1 Corinthians 4:14; 2 Corinthians 4:8; Galatians 4:8, 27; Colossians 2:19; Philippians 3:3; Hebrews 11:35; 1 Peter 1:8; ... οὐκ ὤν ποιμήν, John 10:12 (where according to classical usage μή must have been employed, because such a person is imagined as is not a shepherd; (cf. Buttmann, 351 (301) and μή, I. 5 b.)). in relative sentences: εἰσιν ... τινες οἱ οὐ πιστεύουσιν, John 6:64; add, Matthew 10:38; Matthew 12:2; Luke 6:2; Romans 15:21; Galatians 3:10, etc.; οὐκ ἐστιν ὅς and οὐδέν ἐστιν followed by a future: Matthew 10:26; Luke 8:17; Luke 12:2; τίς ἐστιν, ὅς οὐ followed by a present indicative: Acts 19:35; Hebrews 12:7; cf. Winers Grammar, 481 (448); Buttmann, 355 (305); in statements introduced by ὅτι after verbs of understanding, perceiving, saying, etc.: John 5:42; John 8:55, etc.; ὅτι οὐκ (where οὐκ is pleonastic) after ἀρνεῖσθαι, 1 John 2:22; cf. Buttmann, § 148, 13; (Winer's Grammar, § 65, 2 β.); — to an infinitive, where μή might have been expected: τίς ἔτι χρεία κατά τήν τάξιν Μελχισέδεκ ἕτερον ἀνίστασθαι ἱερέα καί οὐ κατά τήν τάξιν Ἀαρών λέγεσθαι, Hebrews 7:11 (where the difficulty is hardly removed by saying (e. g. with Winer's Grammar, 482 (449)) that οὐ belongs only to κατά τήν τάξιν Ἀαρών, not to the infinitive). it serves to deny other parts of statements: οὐκ ἐν σοφία λόγου, 1 Corinthians 1:17; οὐ μέλανι, οὐκ ἐν πλαξί λιθίναις, 2 Corinthians 3:3, and many other examples; — to deny the object, ἔλεος (R G ἔλεον) θέλω, οὐ θυσίαν, Matthew 9:13; Matthew 12:7; οὐκ ἐμέ δέχεται, Mark 9:37. It blends with the term to which it is prefixed into a single and that an affirmative idea (Winers Grammar, 476 (444); cf. Buttmann, 347 (298)); as, οὐκ ἐάω, to present, hinder, Acts 16:7; Acts 19:30 (cf., on this phrase, Herm. ad Vig., p. 887f); οὐκ ἔχω, to be poor, Matthew 13:12; Mark 4:25 (see ἔχω, I. 2 a., p. 266{b}); τά οὐκ ἀνήκοντα (or οὐκ ἀνῆκεν, L T Tr WH), unseemly, dishonorable, Ephesians 5:4 (see μή, I. 5 d. at the end, p. 410a; (cf. Buttmann, § 148, 7{a}.; Winer's Grammar, 486 (452))); often so as to form a litotes; as, οὐκ ἀγνοέω, to know well, 2 Corinthians 2:11 (Wis. 12:10); οὐκ ὀλίγοι, not a few, i. e. very many, Acts 17:4, 12; Acts 19:23; Acts 15:2; Acts 14:28; Acts 27:20; οὐ πολλαί ἡμέραι, a few days, Luke 15:13; John 2:12; Acts 1:5; οὐ πολύ, Acts 27:14; οὐ μετρίως, Acts 20:12; οὐκ ἄσημος, not undistinguished (A. V. no mean etc.), Acts 21:39; οὐκ ἐκ μέτρου, John 3:34. it serves to limit the term to which it is joined: οὐ πάντως, not altogether, not entirely (see πάντως, c. β.); οὐ πᾶς, not any and every one, Matthew 7:21; plural, οὐ πάντες, not all, Matthew 19:11; Romans 9:6; Romans 10:16; οὐ πᾶσα σάρξ, not every kind of flesh, 1 Corinthians 15:39; οὐ παντί τῷ λαῷ, not to all the people, Acts 10:41; on the other hand, when οὐ is joined to the verb, πᾶς ... οὐ must be rendered no one, no (as in Hebrew, now כָּל ... לֹא, now לֹא ... כָּל; cf. Winer, Lex. Hebrew et Chald., p. 513f): Luke 1:31; Ephesians 5:5; 1 John 2:21; Revelation 22:3; πᾶσα σάρξ ... οὐ with a verb, no flesh, no mortal, Matthew 24:22; Mark 13:20; Romans 3:20; Galatians 2:16; cf. Winers Grammar, § 26, 1; (Buttmann, 121 (106)). Joined to a noun it denies and annuls the idea of the noun; as, τόν οὐ λαόν, a people that is not a people (German einNichtvolk, a no-people), Romans 9:25, cf. 1 Peter 2:10; ἐπ' οὐκ ἔθνει (R. V. with that which is no nation), Romans 10:19 (so עָם לֹא; אֵל לֹא, a no-god, Deuteronomy 32:21; עֵץ לֹא, a not-wood, Isaiah 10:15; οὐκ ἀρχιερεύς, 2 Macc. 4:13; οὐ διάλυσις, Thucydides 1, 137, 4; οὐ περιτείχισις 3, 95, 2; οὐκ ἐξουσία 5, 50, 3; δἰ ἀπειροσυναν ... κουκ ἀπόδειξιν, Euripides, Hippolytus 196, and other examples in Greek writings; non sutor, Horace sat. 2, 3, 106; non corpus, Cicero, acad. 1, 39 at the end); cf. Winers Grammar, 476 (444); (Buttmann, § 148, 9); οὐκ ἠγαπημένη, Romans 9:25; οἱ οὐκ ἠλεημένοι, 1 Peter 2:10.

3. followed by another negative,

a. it strengthens the negation: οὐ κρίνω οὐδένα, John 8:15; add, Mark 5:37; 2 Corinthians 11:9 (8); οὗ οὐκ ἦν οὐδέπω οὐδείς κείμενος, Luke 23:53 (see οὐδέπω); οὐκ ... οὐδέν, nothing at all, Luke 4:2; John 6:63; John 11:49; John 12:19; John 15:5; οὐ μέλει σοι περί οὐδενός, Matthew 22:16; οὐκ ... οὐκέτι, Acts 8:39; cf. Matthiae, § 609, 3; Kühner, ii. § 516; Winers Grammar, § 55, 9{b}; (Buttmann, § 148, 11).

b. as in Latin, it changes a negation into an affirmation (cf. Matthiae, § 609, 2; Klotz ad Devar. ii. 2, p. 695f; Winers Grammar, § 55, 9 a.; Buttmann, § 148, 12); οὐ παρά τοῦτο οὐκ ἐστιν ἐκ τοῦ σώματος, not on this account is it not of the body, i. e. it belongs to the body, does not cease to be of the body, 1 Corinthians 12:15; οὐ δυνάμεθα εἴδομεν καί ἠκούσαμεν μή λαλεῖν, we are unable not to speak (A. V. we cannot but speak), Acts 4:20.

4. It is used in disjunctive statements where one thing is denied that another may be established (Winers Grammar, § 55, 8; cf. Buttmann, 356 (306)): οὐκ ... ἀλλά, Luke 8:52; Luke 24:6 (WH reject the clause); John 1:33; John 7:10, 12, 16; John 8:49; Acts 10:41; Romans 8:20; 1 Corinthians 15:10; 2 Corinthians 3:3; 2 Corinthians 8:5; Hebrews 2:16, etc.; see ἀλλά II. 1; οὐχ ἵνα ... ἀλλ' ἵνα, John 3:17; οὐχ ἵνα ... ἀλλά, John 6:38; οὐ μόνον ... ἀλλά καί, see ἀλλά, II. 1 and μόνος, 2; οὐκ ... εἰ μή, see εἰ, III. 8 c., p. 171{b}; οὐ μή with subjunctive aorist followed by εἰ μή, Revelation 21:27 (see εἰ as above, β.).

5. It is joined to other particles: οὐ μή, not at all, by no means, surely not, in no wise, see μή, IV.; οὐ μηκέτι with aorist subjunctive Matthew 21:19 L T Tr marginal reading WH. μή οὐ, where μή is interrogative (Latinnum) and οὐ negative (cf. Buttmann, 248 (214), 354 (304); Winer's Grammar, 511 (476)): Romans 10:18; 1 Corinthians 9:4; 1 Corinthians 11:22. εἰ οὐ, see εἰ, III. 11, p. 172a. οὐ γάρ (see γάρ, I., p. 109b), Acts 16:37.

6. As in Hebrew לֹא with imperfect, so in Biblical Greek οὐ with 2 person future is used in emphatic prohibition (in secular authors it is milder; cf. Winers Grammar, § 43, 5 c.; also 501f (467f); (Buttmann, § 139, 64); Fritzsche on Matthew, p. 259f (cf. p. 252f) thinks otherwise, but not correctly): Matthew 6:5; and besides in the moral precepts of the O. T., Matthew 4:7; Matthew 19:18; Luke 4:12; Acts 23:5; Romans 7:7; Romans 13:9.

7. οὐ is used interrogatively — when an affirmative answer is expected (Latinnonne; (Winers Grammar, § 57, 3{a}; Buttmann, 247 (213))): Matthew 6:26, 30; Matthew 17:24; Mark 4:21; Mark 12:24; Luke 11:40; John 4:35; John 7:25; Acts 9:21; Romans 9:21; 1 Corinthians 9:1, 6f, 12; James 2:4, and often; οὐκ οἴδατε κτλ.; and the like, see εἰδῶ, II. 1, p. 174{a}; ἀλλ' οὐ, Hebrews 3:16 (see ἀλλά, I. 10, p. 28{a}); οὐκ ἀποκρίνῃ οὐδέν; answerest thou nothing at all? Mark 14:60; Mark 15:4; — where an exclamation of reproach or wonder, which denies directly, may take the place of a negative question: Mark 4:13, 38; Luke 17:18; Acts 13:10 (cf. Buttmann, § 139, 65); (on which see ἄρα, 1); cf. Winer's Grammar, as above; οὐ μή πίω αὐτό; shall I not drink it? John 18:11; cf. Winers Grammar, p. 512 (477); (cf. Buttmann, § 139, 2).

STRONGS NT 3756: οὐχοὐχ, see οὐ.

Strong's Exhaustive Concordance
nay, neither, never, no

Also (before a vowel) ouk (ook), and (before an aspirate) ouch (ookh) a primary word; the absolute negative (compare me) adverb; no or not -- + long, nay, neither, never, no (X man), none, (can-)not, + nothing, + special, un(-worthy), when, + without, + yet but. See also ou me, mekos.

see GREEK me

see GREEK ou me

see GREEK mekos

Forms and Transliterations
ακουσόμεθα απηλευθερώθη από αποθανείσθε διέρρηξαν έγνωσαν ἐγώ εκ εξ επεκαλέσαντο έχουσι ήξει ηρνήσω μετενόησαν μη ότι Ου οὐ οὔ οὒ οὐδὲ ουκ οὐκ οὖκ ουκέσπειρα ουκέστησεν ουκέτι ουκεφείσατο ουξ ουχ οὐχ όυχ ουχήμαρτες ουχήρπασε ουχί οὐχὶ πάντες ποιούμεν ώδινον ego egō egṓ ou oú où ouch ouchi ouchì oude oudè ouk oûk
Links
Interlinear GreekInterlinear HebrewStrong's NumbersEnglishman's Greek ConcordanceEnglishman's Hebrew ConcordanceParallel Texts
Englishman's Concordance
Matthew 1:25 Adv
GRK: καὶ οὐκ ἐγίνωσκεν αὐτὴν
NAS: but kept her a virgin until
KJV: her not till
INT: and not knew her

Matthew 2:18 Adv
GRK: αὐτῆς καὶ οὐκ ἤθελεν παρακληθῆναι
NAS: FOR HER CHILDREN; AND SHE REFUSED TO BE COMFORTED,
KJV: and would not be comforted, because
INT: of her and not would be comforted

Matthew 2:18 Adv
GRK: παρακληθῆναι ὅτι οὐκ εἰσίν
NAS: BECAUSE THEY WERE NO MORE.
KJV: because they are not.
INT: be comforted because no more are they

Matthew 3:11 Adv
GRK: ἐστίν οὗ οὐκ εἰμὶ ἱκανὸς
KJV: shoes I am not worthy to bear:
INT: is he of whom not I am fit

Matthew 4:4 Adv
GRK: εἶπεν Γέγραπται Οὐκ ἐπ' ἄρτῳ
KJV: Man shall not live by
INT: he said It has been written Not by bread

Matthew 4:7 Adv
GRK: Πάλιν γέγραπται Οὐκ ἐκπειράσεις Κύριον
KJV: again, Thou shalt not tempt the Lord
INT: Again it has been written not You will test [the] Lord

Matthew 5:14 Adv
GRK: τοῦ κόσμου οὐ δύναται πόλις
KJV: on an hill cannot be hid.
INT: of the world not is able A city

Matthew 5:17 Adv
GRK: τοὺς προφήτας οὐκ ἦλθον καταλῦσαι
KJV: I am not come
INT: the prophets not I came to abolish

Matthew 5:18 Adv
GRK: μία κεραία οὐ μὴ παρέλθῃ
INT: one tittle no not shall pass away

Matthew 5:20 Adv
GRK: καὶ Φαρισαίων οὐ μὴ εἰσέλθητε
INT: and Pharisees no not shall you enter

Matthew 5:21 Adv
GRK: τοῖς ἀρχαίοις Οὐ φονεύσεις ὃς
KJV: Thou shalt not kill;
INT: to the ancients not You will murder whoever

Matthew 5:26 Adv
GRK: λέγω σοι οὐ μὴ ἐξέλθῃς
INT: I say to you no not shall you come out

Matthew 5:27 Adv
GRK: ὅτι ἐρρέθη Οὐ μοιχεύσεις
KJV: Thou shalt not commit adultery:
INT: that it was said not You will commit adultery

Matthew 5:33 Adv
GRK: τοῖς ἀρχαίοις Οὐκ ἐπιορκήσεις ἀποδώσεις
KJV: Thou shalt not forswear thyself,
INT: to the ancients not You will swear falsely you will keep

Matthew 5:36 Adv
GRK: ὀμόσῃς ὅτι οὐ δύνασαι μίαν
KJV: because thou canst not make one
INT: shall you swear because not you are able one

Matthew 5:37 Adv
GRK: ναὶ ναί οὒ οὔ τὸ
NAS: yes [or] 'No, no;
KJV: Yea, yea; Nay, nay: for
INT: Yes yes no no [anything]

Matthew 5:37 Adv
GRK: ναί οὒ οὔ τὸ δὲ
NAS: [or] 'No, no; anything beyond
KJV: yea; Nay, nay: for whatsoever is more
INT: yes no no [anything] moreover

Matthew 6:1 Adv
GRK: μή¦γε μισθὸν οὐκ ἔχετε παρὰ
NAS: you have no reward
KJV: otherwise ye have no reward of
INT: lest reward no you have with

Matthew 6:5 Adv
GRK: ὅταν προσεύχησθε οὐκ ἔσεσθε ὡς
KJV: thou prayest, thou shalt not be as
INT: when you pray not you will be as

Matthew 6:20 Adv
GRK: ὅπου κλέπται οὐ διορύσσουσιν οὐδὲ
KJV: thieves do not break through nor
INT: where theives not do break in nor

Matthew 6:24 Adv
GRK: ἑτέρου καταφρονήσει οὐ δύνασθε θεῷ
KJV: despise the other. Ye cannot serve God
INT: other he will despise not You are able God

Matthew 6:26 Adv
GRK: οὐρανοῦ ὅτι οὐ σπείρουσιν οὐδὲ
KJV: they sow not, neither
INT: air that not they sow nor

Matthew 6:26 Adv
GRK: τρέφει αὐτά οὐχ ὑμεῖς μᾶλλον
KJV: Are ye not much better than
INT: feeds them not you much

Matthew 6:28 Adv
GRK: πῶς αὐξάνουσιν οὐ κοπιῶσιν οὐδὲ
KJV: they toil not, neither
INT: how they grow [they do] not labor nor

Matthew 6:30 Adv
GRK: οὕτως ἀμφιέννυσιν οὐ πολλῷ μᾶλλον
KJV: the oven, [shall he] not much
INT: thus clothes [will he] not much more

Strong's Greek 3756
1634 Occurrences


οὐ — 699 Occ.
οὐχ — 105 Occ.
οὐκ — 830 Occ.

















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