BIBLE GREEK WORD STUDY
Hos (G3739) — Greek Relative Pronoun
Hos (ὅς) is the Greek relative pronoun meaning 'who, which, what, that,' used to link clauses by referring back to a person, thing, or idea.
Meaning of the word
Hos (ὅς) functions as the primary Greek relative pronoun, used to introduce a clause that qualifies or identifies a preceding noun. Its basic force is 'who,' 'which,' 'what,' or 'that,' and it is often rendered in English simply as 'that.' Because it agrees with its antecedent in gender and number while taking the case required by its own clause, the surrounding sentence structure must be examined to interpret it correctly.
Alongside its strictly relative sense, hos sometimes takes on a demonstrative force, standing in for 'he,' 'she,' 'it,' or 'they' — 'the one who,' 'the very one.' This overlapping use between relative and demonstrative is reflected in the lexicon note that calls it 'relatively (sometimes demonstrative).' Its form changes by case: ὅς/ἥ/ὅ for nominative, οὗ/ἧς/οὗ for genitive, and so on.
Usage in Scripture
In the Sermon on the Mount (Matthew 5–7), hos carries the bulk of Jesus' teaching, repeatedly introducing 'whoever' and 'whatever' clauses: 'Whosoever therefore shall break one of these least commandments…' (Matthew 5:19), 'whosoever shall put away his wife…' (Matthew 5:31), 'with what measure ye mete…' (Matthew 7:2). The breadth of its distribution in this section shows that host is the workhorse connector in continuous discourse, not a theologically loaded term.
In John's prologue, hos participates in some of the most quoted theological statements of the New Testament: 'All things were made through him; and without him was not anything made that hath been made' (John 1:3), and 'the light which lighteth every man, coming into the world' (John 1:9). Here the relative pronoun ties creation and revelation directly to the Logos, demonstrating how a grammatical particle can carry doctrinal weight when it points back to Christ.
The word in detail
- G3739 Hos (ὅς) is the standard relative pronoun in NT Greek, glossed 'who, which, what, that.' It functions both as a true relative ('the one who/which…') and occasionally with a demonstrative force ('he/she/it who…'). It is inflected by gender, number, and case (nominative ὅς/ἥ/ὅ, genitive οὗ/ἧς/οὗ, etc.), and its antecedent agreement helps determine its precise role in each clause.
Example verses
- Matthew 5:19 Hos introduces the first of Jesus' 'whoever' clauses in the Sermon on the Mount. The relative identifies the agent who breaks or keeps the least commandments, framing the entire discourse that follows around personal responsibility.
- Matthew 7:2 Here ὧν (genitive plural) and ᾧ (dative) appear in the same proverb, showing hos inflecting to express the standard by which judgment is measured. 'What measure' in Greek is literally 'with whatever measure,' highlighting the reciprocal logic of divine judgment.
- John 1:3 In the lofty relative clause 'that hath been made' (ὃ γέγονεν), hos designates the totality of created reality as the antecedent — every single thing without exception. Grammatically a minor relative, theologically it is foundational for the Logos doctrine of creation.
- John 1:9 Hos introduces 'the light which lighteth every man' (ὃ φωτίζει πάντα ἄνθρωπον). The relative clause functions almost appositively, identifying who this 'true light' is by its universal enlightening work.
Common questions
Is hos a relative pronoun or a demonstrative?
Primarily a relative pronoun, but the lexicon marks it as 'relatively (sometimes demonstrative).' In some clauses it leans toward 'he/she/it,' so context determines whether it functions strictly as 'who/which' or as 'the one who.'
How is hos different from other Greek relative words like hostis?
Hos is the simple relative pronoun covering most cases. Hostis adds an indefinite or qualitative sense ('whoever,' 'such as'). In Matthew 5 and 7, hos often carries the 'whoever' force typical of hostis, but grammatically remains the basic relative.
Why does the form of hos change in verses like Matthew 6:8 (ὧν) and Matthew 7:2 (ᾧ)?
Because Greek inflects by case, and hos adjusts to the grammatical role inside its own clause while still agreeing with its antecedent in gender and number. The shifts you see are genitive and dative forms of the same pronoun.