οὐαί ouai

Greek word for “woe!” · Strong’s G3759 · used 46 times in 35 verses

Explore it in the Word Atlas

Meaning

οὐαί; interj. of grief or denunciation;

How it is translated

Glosses given for ouai in context, with how often each is used:

• woe 41
• woe to 3
• woe! 1
• woes 1

Where it is used

Chapters where it is used most

Matthew 23 (7), Luke 11 (6), Luke 6 (3), Revelation 18 (3), Matthew 11 (1), Matthew 18 (1), Matthew 24 (1), Matthew 26 (1), Mark 13 (1), Mark 14 (1)

Forms

• οὐαὶ 25
• Οὐαὶ 16
• οὐαί 3
• Οὐαί 2

Words used with it

Words that share verses with ouai more often than their overall frequency would suggest:

• ὑποκριτής hupokritēs “hypocrite” 6
• Φαρισαῖος Pharisaios “Pharisee” 8
• γραμματεύς grammateus “scribe” 6
• θηλάζω thēlazō “to suckle” 3
• πλήν plēn “but/however” 4
• μέγας megas “great” 6
• ἐκεῖνος ekeinos “that” 6
• γαστήρ gastēr “belly” 3
• εἷς ehis “one” 6
• ἀνάγκη anagkē “necessity” 3
• Χοραζίν Chorazin “Chorazin” 2
• ἡδύοσμος hēduosmos “mint” 2

Key verses

The verses using ouai that are most connected by cross-references (King James Version):

• Matthew 11:21 — Woe unto thee, Chorazin! woe unto thee, Bethsaida! for if the mighty works, which were done in you, had been done in Tyre and Sidon, they would have repented…
• Matthew 18:7 — Woe unto the world because of offences! for it must needs be that offences come; but woe to that man by whom the offence cometh!
• Matthew 23:13 — But woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! for ye shut up the kingdom of heaven against men: for ye neither go in yourselves, neither suffer ye them…
• Matthew 23:16 — Woe unto you, ye blind guides, which say, Whosoever shall swear by the temple, it is nothing; but whosoever shall swear by the gold of the temple, he is a…
• Matthew 23:23 — Woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! for ye pay tithe of mint and anise and cummin, and have omitted the weightier matters of the law, judgment,…
• Matthew 26:24 — The Son of man goeth as it is written of him: but woe unto that man by whom the Son of man is betrayed! it had been good for that man if he had not been born.
• Luke 6:25 — Woe unto you that are full! for ye shall hunger. Woe unto you that laugh now! for ye shall mourn and weep.
• Luke 11:42 — But woe unto you, Pharisees! for ye tithe mint and rue and all manner of herbs, and pass over judgment and the love of God: these ought ye to have done, and…
• 1 Corinthians 9:16 — For though I preach the gospel, I have nothing to glory of: for necessity is laid upon me; yea, woe is unto me, if I preach not the gospel!
• Jude 1:11 — Woe unto them! for they have gone in the way of Cain, and ran greedily after the error of Balaam for reward, and perished in the gainsaying of Core.
• Revelation 12:12 — Therefore rejoice, ye heavens, and ye that dwell in them. Woe to the inhabiters of the earth and of the sea! for the devil is come down unto you, having great…
• Revelation 18:10 — Standing afar off for the fear of her torment, saying, Alas, alas, that great city Babylon, that mighty city! for in one hour is thy judgment come.

See all 35 verses in the Word Atlas

Hebrew and Greek text, tagging, glosses and lexicon definitions: STEPBible.org, Tyndale House Cambridge (TAHOT, TAGNT, TBESH, TBESG; CC BY 4.0), adapted. Counts follow King James verse numbering; a word counts each time it is written.