ὄρος (oros)
oros
mountain
Quick Reference
- Language
- Koine Greek
- Testament
- New Testament
- Occurrences
- 65 verses
- Root
- —
Word Overview
The Greek noun oros refers to a mountain, serving as the standard New Testament equivalent for the Hebrew har found in the Septuagint. It describes elevated landforms distinct from the surrounding lowlands, such as the hills above the Sea of Galilee where Jesus often taught (Matthew 5:1) or withdrew to pray (Mark 6:46). The term appears frequently across the Gospels and Revelation, anchoring key events like the Transfiguration on a high peak (Matthew 17:1) and John’s vision of the New Jerusalem descending from heaven (Revelation 21:10).
Lexical sources note a subtle distinction between oros and the smaller hill word bounos, though both describe raised terrain. Beyond its physical sense, the word carries proverbial weight for overcoming great obstacles. Jesus uses this imagery when speaking of faith capable of moving mountains (Matthew 17:20), and Paul references it to illustrate the power of love (1 Corinthians 13:2). This usage suggests that oros represents not just geography, but significant challenges that divine action can remove.
Based on public-domain lexicons (Strong's, Thayer, Gesenius, Brown-Driver-Briggs and others).
What This Word Means for Your Faith
In the New Testament, a mountain is more than just high ground; it is a place where heaven touches earth. Jesus frequently withdrew to these elevated places to pray, seeking intimacy with the Father away from the noise of the crowds. This pattern invites us to see our own moments of solitude not as escapes, but as sacred spaces for listening and renewal.
Mountains also symbolise the great obstacles we face in life. When Jesus spoke of faith moving mountains, He was addressing the impossible challenges that seem to block our path. The promise is not that every difficulty vanishes instantly, but that divine power can shift what seems immovable. This offers hope when we feel overwhelmed by circumstances beyond our control.
Whether standing on the Mount of Olives or facing a personal crisis, the imagery reminds us that God meets us in the heights and the depths alike. We are invited to trust that no barrier is too great for His grace to overcome.
How it's translated
How this word is rendered word-by-word in the 65 verses where it appears, by frequency.
- mountain22×
- Mount15×
- mountains6×
- a mountain5×
- mountains,3×
- mountain,3×
- mountains;2×
- mount2×
- hill2×
- mountain;1×
- mountain.1×
- in mountains1×
Forms in the text
The inflected forms of this word as they appear in Scripture, by frequency.
- ὄρος28×
- ὄρους11×
- ὄρει9×
- ὄρη,3×
- ὄρη3×
- ὄρεσιν3×
- ὄρους,1×
- ὄρος,1×
- ὄρη·1×
- ὄρεσιν·1×
- ὄρει·1×
- ὄρει.¶1×
Key Verses
-
Matthew 5:1
Seeing the multitudes, he went up onto the mountain. When he had sat down, his disciples came to him.
This verse establishes the mountain as the setting for the Sermon on the Mount, where Jesus teaches core ethical principles from a position of authority and separation.
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Matthew 17:20
He said to them, “Because of your unbelief. For most certainly I tell you, if you have faith as a grain of mustard seed, you will tell this mountain, ‘Move from here to there,’ and it will move; and nothing will be impossible for you.
Here Jesus uses the mountain as a metaphor for faith, illustrating that even small trust in God can address seemingly insurmountable problems.
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Mark 6:46
After he had taken leave of them, he went up the mountain to pray.
This occurrence highlights Jesus’ habit of ascending to a mountain alone for prayer after ministering to the people, modelling spiritual discipline.
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Matthew 24:3
As he sat on the Mount of Olives, the disciples came to him privately, saying, “Tell us, when will these things be? What is the sign of your coming, and of the end of the age?”
Sitting on the Mount of Olives, Jesus begins His eschatological discourse, linking this specific geographic location with prophetic revelation about the end times.
Frequently Asked Questions
What does the word 'mountain' symbolise in the Bible?
Why did Jesus often go up to a mountain?
What is the difference between 'oros' and 'bounos'?
Every Occurrence (65 verses across 10 books)
Matthew 16 verses
Again, the devil took him to an exceedingly high mountain, and showed him all the kingdoms of the world and their glory.
Matthew 5:1Seeing the multitudes, he went up onto the mountain. When he had sat down, his disciples came to him.
Matthew 5:14“You are the light of the world. A city located on a hill can’t be hidden.
Matthew 8:1When he came down from the mountain, great multitudes followed him.
Matthew 14:23After he had sent the multitudes away, he went up into the mountain by himself to pray. When evening had come, he was…
Matthew 15:29Jesus departed from there and came near to the sea of Galilee; and he went up on the mountain and sat there.
Matthew 17:1After six days, Jesus took with him Peter, James, and John his brother, and brought them up into a high mountain by…
Matthew 17:9As they were coming down from the mountain, Jesus commanded them, saying, “Don’t tell anyone what you saw, until the…
Matthew 17:20He said to them, “Because of your unbelief. For most certainly I tell you, if you have faith as a grain of mustard…
Matthew 18:12“What do you think? If a man has one hundred sheep, and one of them goes astray, doesn’t he leave the ninety-nine, go…
Matthew 21:1When they came near to Jerusalem and came to Bethsphage, to the Mount of Olives, then Jesus sent two disciples,
Matthew 21:21Jesus answered them, “Most certainly I tell you, if you have faith and don’t doubt, you will not only do what was done…
Matthew 24:3As he sat on the Mount of Olives, the disciples came to him privately, saying, “Tell us, when will these things be?…
Matthew 24:16then let those who are in Judea flee to the mountains.
Matthew 26:30When they had sung a hymn, they went out to the Mount of Olives.
Matthew 28:16But the eleven disciples went into Galilee, to the mountain where Jesus had sent them.