Word Study for G3634 (οἷος) | Strong's Concordance

hoîos /hoy'-os/ Ask about this word

Rootprobably akin to ὁ, ὅς, and ὅσος

Meaningsuch or what sort of (as a correlation or exclamation); especially the neuter (adverbially) with negative, not so

KJV usageso (as), such as, what (manner of), which.

Word Study

In depth

A plain-language study of hoîos — the range of meaning it carries, how Scripture actually uses it, and where it points. Written for readers who don’t know the original language.

Core Meaning & Semantic Range

The Greek word hoîos, represented by G3634, is a correlative or exclamatory term used to define what sort of or such as. It appears 15 times across 12 unique verses in the Bible. Its primary function is to describe the quality, nature, or character of a person, event, or object, often by way of comparison or to emphasize its unique kind.

Biblical Occurrences & Contextual Analysis

In scripture, G3634 is used to establish a standard or to describe an unparalleled quality. For example, Paul uses it to remind the Thessalonians of "what manner of men" the apostles were among them, linking their character to the power of the gospel 1 Thessalonians 1:5. Jesus uses it to rebuke his disciples, stating they do not know "what manner of spirit" they are of Luke 9:55. The word also expresses unprecedented magnitude, describing a future tribulation "such as was not since the beginning of the world" Matthew 24:21 and an earthquake "such as was not since men were upon the earth" Revelation 16:18.

Related Words & Concepts

Several related words provide further context for comparison and quality:

G5108 toioûtos (of this sort): This word often works in tandem with G3634 to complete a comparison. For instance, it establishes the principle of correspondence: "as is the heavenly, such are they also that are heavenly" 1 Corinthians 15:48.
G1096 gínomai (to become, come into being): This verb frequently sets the stage for G3634, describing the state that something has entered. It is used to describe Christ's raiment which became shining Mark 9:3 and the persecutions that came to Paul 2 Timothy 3:11.
G5082 tēlikoûtos (so vast): This adjective emphasizes figurative or literal magnitude. It is used alongside G3634 to stress the immensity of the final earthquake, describing it as "so mighty" Revelation 16:18.

Theological Significance

The theological weight of G3634 is found in its ability to draw critical distinctions and comparisons.

Standard of Conduct: The term establishes a benchmark for Christian character and ministry. Paul's reference to "what manner of men we were" is not a boast, but a demonstration of a life consistent with the gospel's power and assurance 1 Thessalonians 1:5.
Uniqueness of Divine Events: By describing eschatological events like the great tribulation Matthew 24:21 and the final earthquake Revelation 16:18 with G3634, scripture emphasizes their singular, unparalleled nature in human history. This points to the supreme power of God.
Principle of Correspondence: In passages like 1 Corinthians 15:48, the word underpins the theological concept that a being's nature corresponds to its source. "As is the earthy G5517, such are they also that are earthy G5517," creating a direct parallel between Adam and humanity, and Christ and believers.

Summary

In summary, G3634 is a crucial qualifier in the New Testament that goes beyond simple description. It is a word of comparison that defines the specific kind or quality of something, whether it be the character of a servant of God, the unmatched scale of a divine judgment, or the fundamental nature of humanity's relationship to its source. It forces the reader to consider the nature of things and evaluate them against a divine standard or an absolute example.

How the KJV Renders It

Translation

Strong’s lists the renderings but not their weight. These are counted from the King James text of the tagged verses — the bar under each is how often the translators actually reached for it. Select one to filter the occurrences below.

Grammatical Forms

Morphology

In the Greek New Testament, this word appears as correlative pronoun across 15 occurrences, inflected in 9 grammatical forms — each row is one form, and the bar is how often it is that form.

Nominative Singular Masculine 3×
Accusative Plural Masculine 2×
Accusative Singular Masculine 2×
Nominative Plural Masculine 2×
Nominative Singular Feminine 2×
Accusative Plural Neuter 1×
Genitive Singular Neuter 1×
Nominative Plural Neuter 1×
Nominative Singular Neuter 1×

Nominative: The subject of the verb.
Genitive: Possession or source — often "of".
Accusative: The direct object of the verb.
Singular: One.
Plural: More than one.
Masculine: Masculine grammatical gender.
Feminine: Feminine grammatical gender.
Neuter: Neuter grammatical gender.

Theographic Context

Context

The people, places, and span of history the verses containing this word touch on — drawn from the theographic tagging of Scripture. Select any name to isolate its verses in the occurrence list.

Biblical Distribution

Distribution

Appears in 12 verses across 10 of the 27 books. Most frequent in Mark and 2 Corinthians (2 verses each); never once in the other 17.

Matthew

Mark

Luke

Romans

1 Corinthians

2 Corinthians

Philippians

1 Thessalonians

2 Timothy

Revelation

Every Occurrence

Concordance

Every verse where the word is tagged in the King James text. Filter by book, by the English word the translators chose, or search within the verses.

Sources. Definition and numbering: James Strong, Exhaustive Concordance of the Bible (1890). Morphology: STEPBible / Tyndale House (CC BY). Verse tagging: the King James text keyed to Strong’s numbers. Every count on this page is computed from the tagged corpus, not estimated.