Lexical Summary oute: Neither, nor Original Word: οὔτε Strong's Exhaustive Concordance neither, norFrom ou and te; not too, i.e. Neither or nor; by analogy, not even -- neither, none, nor (yet), (no, yet) not, nothing. see GREEK ou see GREEK te HELPS Word-studies 3777 oúte (a conjunction derived from 3756 /ou, "not, denying as a fact" and 5037 /té, "also") – properly, nor (both not), neither also. [3777 /oúte ("neither, nor") occurs 87 times in the critical text and 94 times in the Textus Receptus.] NAS Exhaustive Concordance Word Originfrom ou, and te Definition and not, neither NASB Translation either (4), neither (11), neither...nor (4), neither...nor (11), neither...nor...nor (1), never* (1), no...either (1), nor (32), nothing (1), or (9), useless* (1). Thayer's Greek Lexicon STRONGS NT 3777: οὔτεοὔτε (οὐ and τέ), an adjunctive negative conjunction (from Homer down) (differing fr., μήτε as οὐ does from μή (which see ad at the beginning), and from οὐδέ as μήτε does from μηδέ; see μήτε and οὐδέ), neither; and not. 1. Examples in which οὔτε stands singly: a. οὐ ... οὔτε, Revelation 12:8 Rec. (where G L T Tr WH οὐδέ); Revelation 20:4 R G (where L T Tr WH οὐδέ); οὐδείς ἄξιος εὑρέθη ἀνοῖξαι τό βιβλίον οὔτε βλέπειν αὐτό, Revelation 5:4; cf. Winers Grammar, 491 (457); Buttmann, 367 (315); οὐ ... οὐδέ ... οὔτε, 1 Thessalonians 2:3 R G (where L T Tr WH more correctly οὐδέ) (Winers Grammar, 493 (459); Buttmann, 368 (315)); οὐδέ ... οὔτε (so that οὔτε answers only to the οὐ in οὐδέ), Galatians 1:12 R G T WH text (Winers Grammar, 492 (458); Buttmann, 366 (314)). b. οὔτε ... καί, like Latinneque ...et, neither ... and: John 4:11; 3 John 1:10 (Euripides, Iph. T. 591; but the more common Greek usage was οὐ ... τέ, cf. Klotz ad Devar. 2:2, p. 714; Passow, under the word, B. 2; (Liddell and Scott, under the word, II. 4); Winers Grammar, § 55, 7; (Buttmann, § 149, 13 c.)). c. By a solecism οὔτε is put for οὐδέ, not ... even: 1 Corinthians 3:2 Rec. (where G L T Tr WH οὐδέ) (Winers Grammar, 493 (459); Buttmann, 367 (315); § 149, 13 f.); Mark 5:3 R G (where L T Tr WH have restored οὐδέ (Winers Grammar, 490 (456); Buttmann, as above)); Luke 12:26 R G (where L T Tr WH οὐδέ (Winers Grammar, as above and 478 (445); Buttmann, 347 (298))); οὔτε μετενόησαν, Revelation 9:20 R L Tr (where G WH text οὐ, T οὐδέ not ... even; WH marginal reading οὔτε or οὐδέ (cf. Buttmann, 367 (315))); after the question μή δύναται ... σῦκα; follows οὔτε ἁλυκόν γλυκύ ποιῆσαι ὕδωρ, James 3:12 G L T Tr WH (as though οὔτε δύναται ... σῦκα had previously been in the writer's mind (cf. Winers Grammar, 493 (459); Buttmann, as above)). 2. used twice or more, neither ... nor (Latinnec ...nec;neque ...neque): Matthew 6:20; Matthew 22:30; Mark 12:25; (Mark 14:68 L text T Tr WH); Luke 14:35 (34); John 4:21; John 5:37; John 8:19; John 9:3; Acts 15:10; Acts 19:37; Acts 25:8; Acts 28:21; Romans 8:38f (where οὔτε occurs ten times); 1 Corinthians 3:7; 1 Corinthians 6:9f; (οὔτε eight times (yet T WH Tr marginal reading the eighth time οὐ)); Strong’s 3777 marks the negative correlative “neither…nor.” By pairing with itself or with μή/οὐ, it excludes every alternative under consideration. The term appears 87 times, scattered through narrative, discourse, parable, epistle, and apocalypse, supplying a consistent device for total negation. Structural Function in Koine Greek Οὔτε normally links two (or more) syntactically parallel elements—subjects, verbs, objects, clauses—to form one integrated denial. It may introduce the first element of the pair (e.g., Matthew 6:20) or follow a preceding negative (e.g., Romans 8:38). Because the conjunction assumes previous knowledge of both elements, it tightens argumentation and prevents ambiguity, showing that no part of the set escapes the negation. Emphasis on Exclusivity and Exhaustiveness Scripture often employs οὔτε to underscore comprehensive exclusion: The device assures the reader that alternative possibilities have been considered and decisively ruled out. Key Theological Passages 1. Soteriology: Romans 8:38-39 compresses ten antithetical pairs, seven of them bound by οὔτε, to proclaim unbreakable union with Christ. “For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor principalities, neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord.” Christological and Soteriological Implications By declaring what is categorically absent, οὔτε sharpens what is gloriously present. In Hebrews-like fashion (though Hebrews does not use 3777), the New Testament negates human merit and angelic mediation, intensifying the sufficiency of Christ alone. Each οὔτε eliminates a potential rival—works, lineage, observances—so that grace stands solitary. Ecclesial and Ethical Applications In 1 Corinthians 6:9-10 Paul strings nine οὔτε clauses to indict habitual unrighteousness: “Neither the sexually immoral, nor idolaters, nor adulterers…nor thieves…will inherit the kingdom of God.” Such exhaustive lists guide church discipline and personal examination, leaving no loophole for cherished sin while also preparing the ground for the gospel’s transforming “but you were washed” (1 Corinthians 6:11). Eschatological Assurance Οὔτε offers comfort to persecuted believers: The stark negation heightens anticipation of divine intervention. Homiletical Observations Preachers can lean on οὔτε to frame sermons emphasizing absolute statements: The conjunction’s rhythmic pairing readily forms antithetic parallelism that congregations remember. Historical Reception and Translation Choices Early Latin versions (neque…neque), Syriac (lā…w’lā), and later vernacular translations all sought to preserve the double-negative force. Reformation translators consistently rendered οὔτε with two “nor/neither” forms, maintaining emphatic cadence. Modern dynamic-equivalence translations sometimes collapse paired οὔτε phrases into a single clause, but traditional renderings better reflect the apostolic rhetorical punch. Practical Ministry Takeaways 1. Use οὔτε passages to counsel believers wavering between options Scripture denies (e.g., syncretism, legalism). Through eighty-seven Spirit-breathed instances, οὔτε teaches the church to embrace definitive boundaries, reject false inclusions, and rest in the absolute sufficiency of God’s redemptive plan. Englishman's Concordance Matthew 6:20 ConjGRK: οὐρανῷ ὅπου οὔτε σὴς οὔτε NAS: in heaven, where neither moth nor KJV: heaven, where neither moth nor INT: heaven where neither moth nor Matthew 6:20 Conj Matthew 12:32 Conj Matthew 12:32 Conj Matthew 22:30 Conj Matthew 22:30 Conj Mark 12:25 Conj Mark 12:25 Conj Mark 14:68 Conj Mark 14:68 Conj Luke 14:35 Conj Luke 14:35 Conj Luke 20:35 Conj Luke 20:35 Conj John 4:11 Conj John 4:21 Conj John 4:21 Conj John 5:37 Conj John 5:37 Conj John 8:19 Conj John 8:19 Conj John 9:3 Conj John 9:3 Conj Acts 2:31 Conj Acts 2:31 Conj |
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