ὅστις

The Greek relative pronoun *hostis* (ὅστις) combines the relative pronoun *hos* (ὅς, "who, which") and the indefinite particle *tis* (τις, "anyone, someone"). This combination yields a pronoun with an indefinite or general sense, often translated as "whoever," "whatever," or "whichever." While *hos* points to a specific antecedent, *hostis* indicates an unspecified or generalized antecedent, referring to a class or type of person or thing rather than a particular individual. It functions to introduce clauses that describe a general characteristic or condition.

In various biblical contexts, *hostis* emphasizes the universal applicability of a statement or the general nature of a group. For instance, in moral injunctions, it suggests "anyone who" performs a certain action. In passages describing spiritual principles, it can denote "whatever" type of behavior or attitude is under discussion. It can also be used to present a reason or a causal relationship, similar to "seeing that" or "inasmuch as." The nuance often depends heavily on the surrounding grammatical construction and the broader theological context of the passage.

While *hostis* shares some semantic space with *hos*, its indefinite component adds a layer of generalization. It is not merely defining a person or thing, but rather sketching a type or category. This makes it particularly suitable for ethical statements, parables, and descriptions of the kingdom of God, where general principles are often communicated. The KJV renderings reflect this broad range, from "whatsoever" to "whosoever" to simply "which" or "they that," depending on how the indefinite nature fits the English idiom.