希腊原文词研究
Ou (G3756) — Meaning & Usage in the Bible
οὐ is the standard Greek negative adverb expressing denial of fact, used with indicative verbs throughout the New Testament.
这个词的意思
The particle οὐ (ou), spelled οὐκ before a vowel with smooth breathing and οὐχ before a rough breathing, is the normal Greek adverb of negation. The lexicon defines it as the 'absolute negative,' used for the denial of fact. It generally accompanies indicative verbs to state that something is not the case.
Beyond simple negation, οὐ can stand alone for the emphatic answer 'No' (Mat. 13:29; Jhn. 1:21) and can appear in litotes such as 'not few' (i.e. many, Acts 17:4) or 'not unknown' (Acts 21:39). When followed by 'but' (ἀλλά), it forms the standard Greek construction for a sharp alternative: 'not … but.' In oaths and prohibitions with a future of the second person it delivers a strong command, as in the Lord's quotation of Deuteronomy: 'Thou shalt not make trial of the Lord thy God' (Mat. 4:7).
在圣经里的用法
The lexicon records 1,262 occurrences spanning 1,092 distinct verses, making οὐ the most frequent negation in the Greek New Testament. It is heavily used in the Gospels for Jesus' absolute statements: 'Man shall not live by bread alone' (Mat. 4:4), 'one jot or one tittle shall in no wise pass away from the law' (Mat. 5:18), and 'Ye shall in no wise enter into the kingdom of heaven' (Mat. 5:20).
It also handles cascading chains of negation across the Sermon on the Mount and the Epistles. In Mat. 5:21-33, each 'Ye have heard that it was said …' is answered by an absolute 'Thou shalt not' (Οὐ/Οὐκ/οὐ). The construction can link repeated negatives (Mat. 5:26) or intensify prohibition (Mat. 5:27, 33), showing how this single adverb carries the weight of decisive moral and theological negation throughout Scripture.
词条详解
- G3756 G3756, οὐ (ou): the absolute negative adverb in Greek, used to deny fact and generally paired with indicative verbs. The entry notes that its companion particle μή (a distinct negative) covers different territory.
示例经文
- Matthew 4:4 Jesus answers the tempter with an absolute οὐκ, quoting Deut. 8:3. The particle carries the force 'by no means' for the indicative 'Man shall not live by bread alone.'
- Matthew 4:7 Here οὐκ plus a second-person future produces an emphatic prohibition: 'Thou shalt not make trial of the Lord thy God.'
- Matthew 5:18 A classic absolute negation: 'shall in no wise pass away.' οὐ here reinforces the adverbial phrase to express total impossibility.
- Matthew 5:20 Another emphatic οὐ statement: 'ye shall in no wise enter into the kingdom of heaven.' Shows how the particle carries ultimate theological consequences.
常见问题
What is the basic meaning of G3756?
It is the standard Greek negative adverb 'no / not,' used to deny fact, generally with indicative verbs.
How is οὐ spelled before different vowels?
It is οὐκ before a vowel with smooth breathing and οὐχ before a vowel with rough breathing.
Why is οὐ so common in the Gospels?
Because it carries absolute statements by Jesus and OT quotations such as the Ten Commandments and Deuteronomy, where decisive negation is central.