Lexical Summary houtó and houtós: Thus, so, in this manner, this, these Original Word: οὕτω and οὗτος Strong's Exhaustive Concordance after thatOr (before a vowel houtos hoo'-toce adverb from houtos; in this way (referring to what precedes or follows) -- after that, after (in) this manner, as, even (so), for all that, like(-wise), no more, on this fashion(-wise), so (in like manner), thus, what. see GREEK houtos HELPS Word-studies 3779 hoútō (an adverb, derived from the demonstrative pronoun, 3778 /hoútos, "this") – like this . . .; in this manner, in this way (fashion), in accordance with this description (i.e. corresponding to what follows); in keeping with; along this line, in the manner spoken. NAS Exhaustive Concordance Word Originadverb from houtos, Definition in this way, thus NASB Translation even so (1), exactly (2), exactly* (1), follows (2), in such a manner (1), in such a way (4), just (2), like this (5), like* (1), same (2), same manner (1), same way (5), so (125), such (2), then (1), thereby (1), this (1), this is the way (2), this is how (1), this effect (1), this manner (4), this respect (1), this way (22), thus (7), way (7), way this (1). Thayer's Greek Lexicon STRONGS NT 3779: οὕτωοὕτω and οὕτως (formerly in printed editions οὕτω appeared before a consonant, οὕτως before a vowel; but (recent critical editors, following the best manuscripts ("Codex Sinaiticus has οὕτω but fourteen times in the N. T." Scrivener, Collation etc., p. liv.; cf. his Introduction etc., p. 561), have restored οὕτως; viz. Treg. uniformly, 205 times; Tdf. 203 times, 4 times οὕτω; Lachmann 196 times, 7 times οὕτω (all before a consonant); WH 196 times, 10 times οὕτω (all before a consonant); cf. Tdf. Proleg., p. 97; WHs Appendix, p. 146f); cf. Winers Grammar, § 5, 1 b.; B. 9; (Lob. Pathol. Elementa ii. 218ff); cf. Krüger, § 11, 12, 1; Kühner, § 72, 3 a.), adverb (from οὗτος) (fr. Homer down), the Sept. for כֵּן, in this manner, thus, so: 1. by virtue of its native demonstrative force it refers to what precedes; "in the manner spoken of; in the way described; in the way it was done; in this manner; in such a manner; thus, so": Matthew 6:30; Matthew 11:26; Matthew 17:12; Matthew 19:8; Mark 14:59; Luke 1:25; Luke 2:48; Luke 12:28; Romans 11:5; 1 Corinthians 8:12; 1 Corinthians 15:11; Hebrews 6:9; (2 Peter 3:11 WH Tr marginal reading); οὐχ οὕτως ἔσται (L Tr WH ἐστιν (so also T in Mark)) ἐν ὑμῖν, it will not be so among you (I hope), Matthew 20:26; Mark 10:43; ὑμεῖς οὐχ οὕτως namely, ἔσεσθε, Luke 22:26; ἐάν ἀφῶμεν αὐτόν οὕτως namely, ποιοῦντα, thus as he has done hitherto (see ἀφίημι, 2 b.), John 11:48; it refers to similitudes and comparisons, and serves to adapt them to the case in hand, Matthew 5:16 (even so, i. e. as the lamp on the lampstand); Matthew 12:45; Matthew 13:49; Matthew 18:14; Matthew 20:16; Luke 12:21 (WH brackets the verse); 2. it prepares the way for what follows: Matthew 6:9; Luke 19:31; John 21:1; οὕτως ἦν, was arranged thus, was on this wise (Winers Grammar, 465 (434); Buttmann, § 129, 11), Matthew 1:18; οὕτως ἐστι τό θέλημα τοῦ Θεοῦ followed by an infinitive, so is the will of God, that, 1 Peter 2:15. before language quoted from the O. T.: Matthew 2:5; Acts 7:6; Acts 13:34, 47; 1 Corinthians 15:45; Hebrews 4:4. 3. with adjectives, so (Latintam, marking degree of intensity): Hebrews 12:21; Revelation 16:18; postpositive, τί δειλοί ἐστε οὕτως; Mark 4:40 (L Tr WH omit); in the same sense with adverbs, Galatians 1:6; or with verbs, so greatly, 1 John 4:11; οὕτως ... ὥστε, John 3:16. οὐδέποτε ἐφάνη οὕτως, it was never seen in such fashion, i. e. such an extraordinary sight, Matthew 9:33 (ἐφάνη must be taken impersonally; cf. Bleek, Synoptative Erklär. i. p. 406 (or Meyer at the passage)); οὐδέποτε οὕτως εἴδομεν, we never saw it so, i. e. with such astonishment, Mark 2:12. 4. οὕτως or οὕτως καί in comparison stands antithetic to an adverb or a relative pronoun (Winers Grammar, § 53, 5; cf. Buttmann, 362 (311) c.): καθάπερ ... οὕτως, Romans 12:4; 1 Corinthians 12:12; 2 Corinthians 8:11; καθώς ... οὕτως, Luke 11:30; Luke 17:26; John 3:14; John 12:50; John 14:31; John 15:4; 2 Corinthians 1:5; 2 Corinthians 10:7; 1 Thessalonians 2:4; Hebrews 5:3; οὕτως ... καθώς, Luke 24:24; Romans 11:26; Philippians 3:17; ὡς ... οὕτως, Acts 8:32; Acts 23:11; Romans 5:15, 18; 1 Corinthians 7:17; 2 Corinthians 7:14; 1 Thessalonians 2:8; 1 Thessalonians 5:2; οὕτως ... ὡς, Mark 4:26; John 7:46 (L WH omit; Tr brackets the clause); 1 Corinthians 3:15; 1 Corinthians 4:1; 1 Corinthians 9:26; Ephesians 5:28; James 2:12; οὕτως ὡς ... μή ὡς, 2 Corinthians 9:5 (G L T Tr WH); ὥσπερ ... οὕτως, Matthew 12:40; Matthew 13:40; Matthew 24:27, 37, 39; Luke 17:24; John 5:21, 26; Romans 5:12, 19, 21; Romans 6:4; Romans 11:31; 1 Corinthians 11:12; 1 Corinthians 15:22; 1 Corinthians 16:1; 2 Corinthians 1:7 R G; Galatians 4:29; Ephesians 5:24 R G; after καθ' ὅσον, Hebrews 9:27f; οὕτως ... ὅν τρόπον, Acts 1:11; Acts 27:25; ὅν τρόπον ... οὕτως, 2 Timothy 3:8 (Isaiah 52:14); κατά τήν ὁδόν ἥν λέγουσιν αἵρεσιν οὕτω κτλ., after the Way (i. e. as it requires (cf. ὁδός, 2 a. at the end)) so etc. Acts 24:14. 5. Further, the following special uses deserve notice: a. (ἔχει) ὅς (better ὁ) μέν οὕτως ὅς (better ὁ) δέ οὕτως, one after this manner, another after that, i. e. different men in different ways, 1 Corinthians 7:7 (πότε μέν οὕτως καί πότε οὕτως φάγεται ἡ μάχαιρα, 2 Samuel 11:25). b. οὕτως, in the manner known to all, i. e. according to the context, so shamefully, 1 Corinthians 5:3. c. in that state in which one finds oneself, such as one is (cf. Winer's Grammar, 465 (434)): τί με ἐποίησας οὕτως, Romans 9:20; οὕτως of those εἶναι, μένειν who remain unmarried, 1 Corinthians 7:26, 40; ὁ νικῶν οὕτως περιβαλεῖται viz. as (i. e. because he is) victor (others in the manner described in verse 4), Revelation 3:5 L T Tr WH. d. thus forthwith, i. e. without hesitation (cf. English off-hand, without ceremony, and the colloquial right, just): John 4:6; cf. Passow, under the word, 4; (Liddell and Scott, under the word, IV.; see 1 above; add John 13:25 T WH Tr brackets (cf. Green, Critical Notes at the passage)) e. in questions (Latinsicine?) (English exclamatory so then, what): Mark 7:18 (German sonach) (others take οὕτως here as expressive of degree. In Matthew 26:40, however, many give it the sense spoken of; cf. too 1 Corinthians 6:5); οὕτως ἀποκρίνῃ; i. e. so impudently, John 18:22; with an adjective, so (very), Galatians 3:3. (But these examples, although classed together by Fritzsche also (Commentary on Mark, p. 150f), seem to be capable of discrimination. The passage from Galatians, for instance, does not seem to differ essentially from examples under 3 above.) f. In classical Greek οὕτως often, after a conditional, concessive, or temporal protasis, introduces the apodosis (cf. Passow, under the word, 1 h.; (Liddell and Scott, under the word I. 7)). 1 Thessalonians 4:14 and Revelation 11:5 have been referred to this head; Buttmann, 357 (307); (cf. Winer's Grammar, § 60, 5 (especially a.)). But questionably; for in the first passage οὕτως may also be taken as equivalent to under these circumstances, i. e. if we believe what I have said (better cf. Winer's Grammar, as above); in the second passage οὕτως denotes in the manner spoken of, i. e. by fire proceeding out of their mouth. The adverb occurs 209 times, appearing in every major section of the New Testament—Gospels, Acts, Pauline and General Epistles, and Revelation. It conveys “so, thus, in this manner,” marking either (1) the way something happens, (2) the measure or degree to which it happens, or (3) the logical consequence that follows. Its frequency underlines how often the writers appeal to an authoritative pattern, whether set by God, by Christ, or by apostolic instruction. Indicative of Divine Pattern 1. Redemptive Plan John 3:16: “For God so loved the world that He gave His one and only Son.” The adverb places the manner of God’s love on display; the cross is not an afterthought but the divinely ordained way. Romans 5:19 likewise shows that “so through the obedience of the One, the many will be made righteous,” grounding salvation history in a specific redemptive pattern. 2. Fulfillment of Prophecy Acts 3:18: “God foretold through all the prophets that His Christ would suffer, and in this way He has fulfilled it.” The word binds prophetic promise to historical realization, underscoring Scripture’s internal coherence. 3. Christ’s Example Matthew 3:15: “Let it be so now; it is fitting for us to fulfill all righteousness in this way.” Jesus’ baptism becomes the righteous pattern for obedience, not merely a personal act. Ethical Instructions for Disciples 1. Visible Witness Matthew 5:16: “In the same way, let your light shine before men.” The believer’s conduct is to mirror the example just cited, making the adverb a bridge from principle to practice. 2. Golden Rule Matthew 7:12: “So in everything, do to others what you would have them do to you.” The single word compresses the entire ethical demand into a direct application. 3. Mutual Love Ephesians 5:28: “In the same way, husbands ought to love their wives as their own bodies.” Here it locks marital love to Christ’s self-giving love for the church (Ephesians 5:25). Ecclesiological Applications 1. Orderly Worship and Giving 1 Corinthians 16:1: “Now about the collection for the saints, do what I directed the churches of Galatia to do. So should you also.” The term secures uniform practice among congregations. 2. Ministry Support 1 Corinthians 9:14: “In the same way, the Lord has prescribed that those who preach the gospel should receive their living from the gospel.” Apostolic precedent becomes normative church policy. 3. Corporate Identity Romans 12:5: “So we, who are many, are one body in Christ.” The adverb ties the church’s unity to the analogy of the human body, defining community life. Eschatological Expectation 1. Second Coming Acts 1:11: “This same Jesus, who has been taken from you into heaven, will come back in the same way you have seen Him go into heaven.” The eyewitness departure sets the template for His visible return. 1 Thessalonians 4:17: “And so we will always be with the Lord.” The word reaches beyond manner to guarantee the ultimate permanent state of believers. 2. Final Judgment Revelation 18:21: “So will Babylon the great city be thrown down with violence, and will never be found again.” Divine retribution follows a fixed, decisive pattern. Pastoral and Homiletical Value 1. Modeling Sermons and Prayers Matthew 6:9: “So then, this is how you should pray: ‘Our Father in heaven…’” Preachers and teachers can draw direct lines from Christ’s patterns to congregational practice. 2. Encouraging Perseverance Hebrews 12:21: “So terrifying was the sight that Moses said, ‘I am trembling with fear.’” The adverb heightens the warning, urging believers to steadfastness. 3. Underscoring Assurance Romans 6:11: “So you also must count yourselves dead to sin but alive to God in Christ Jesus.” It anchors subjective reckoning in an objective reality accomplished by Christ. Historical Reception Early patristic writers latched onto key occurrences—especially John 3:16 and Acts 1:11—to articulate orthodox doctrine on the incarnation, atonement, and return of Christ. The repeated “so” became shorthand for non-negotiable patterns: the manner of divine love, the visible return of Christ, and the ethical life of believers. Throughout church history, confessions and catechisms have echoed these texts to frame doctrine and duty alike. Practical Implications for Ministry • When Scripture says “so,” it signals a divinely approved model; faithful ministry asks, “In what manner?” and then follows suit. In all 209 occurrences, the term consistently ties God’s saving acts to human response, revelation to obedience, and promise to fulfillment, weaving a seamless fabric of doctrine and life. Englishman's Concordance Matthew 1:18 AdvGRK: ἡ γένεσις οὕτως ἦν Μνηστευθείσης NAS: Christ was as follows: when His mother KJV: Christ was on this wise: When as his INT: the birth thus came about having been betrothed Matthew 2:5 Adv Matthew 3:15 Adv Matthew 5:12 Adv Matthew 5:16 Adv Matthew 5:19 Adv Matthew 6:9 Adv Matthew 6:30 Adv Matthew 7:12 Adv Matthew 7:17 Adv Matthew 9:33 Adv Matthew 11:26 Adv Matthew 12:40 Adv Matthew 12:45 Adv Matthew 13:40 Adv Matthew 13:49 Adv Matthew 17:12 Adv Matthew 18:14 Adv Matthew 18:35 Adv Matthew 19:8 Adv Matthew 19:10 Adv Matthew 19:12 Adv Matthew 20:16 Adv Matthew 20:26 Adv Matthew 23:28 Adv Strong's Greek 3779 |
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