oligos · little, few

What it means

oligos (ὀλίγος) is a Greek word of the Bible that means “little, few”.

Little, small; in the plural, few.

How to say it

Approximate pronunciation. Vowels sound as in Spanish (a as in father, e as in bed, i as in machine, o as in note, u as in rule); the syllable in bold is stressed. The voice is your device's.

Its senses in the Bible

1. In small number or amount, not many.
2. For a little while, in few words.

From Abbott-Smith (1922) · Thayer (1889)

How it is translated

The words this translation uses for it, most frequent first.

• few ×18
• little ×13
• small ×5
• short time ×2
• brief ×1
• briefly ×1
• some ×1

Related words

Words of the same family, by Strong’s numbering.

Where it appears

• Matthew×6
• Mark×4
• Luke×7
• Acts×10
• 2 Corinthians×1
• Ephesians×1
• 1 Timothy×2
• Hebrews×1
• James×1
• 1 Peter×4
• Revelation×4

• Matthew 7:14

  for narrow is the gate and constricted the way that leads to life, and few are those who find it.

• Matthew 9:37

  Then he says to his disciples, “The harvest is plentiful, but the workers are few;

• Matthew 15:34

  And Jesus says to them, “How many loaves do you have?” And they said, “Seven, and a few small fish.”

• Matthew 22:14

  For many are called, but few chosen.”

• Matthew 25:21

  His master said to him, ‘Well done, good and faithful slave; you were faithful over a few things, I will put you in charge of many things; enter into the joy of your master.’

• Matthew 25:23

  His master said to him, ‘Well done, good and faithful slave; you were faithful over a few things, I will put you in charge of many things; enter into the joy of your master.’

• Mark 1:19

  And going on a little, he saw James the son of Zebedee and John his brother, who were also in the boat mending the nets.

• Mark 6:5

  And he could not do any miracle there, except that he laid his hands on a few sick people and healed them.

• Mark 6:31

  And he says to them, “You yourselves come away by yourselves to a deserted place and rest a little.” For those who were coming and going were many, and they did not even have the chance to eat.

• Mark 8:7

  And they had a few small fish; and having blessed them, he said to set these also before them.

• Luke 5:3

  And getting into one of the boats, which was Simon’s, he asked him to put out a little from the land; and sitting down, he was teaching the crowds from the boat.

• Luke 7:47

  Therefore I tell you, her sins, which are many, are forgiven, because she loved much; but the one to whom little is forgiven loves little.”

• Luke 10:2

  And he was saying to them, “The harvest is indeed plentiful, but the workers are few; so ask the Lord of the harvest to send out workers into his harvest.

• Luke 10:42

  but few things are needed, or only one; for Mary has chosen the good portion, which will not be taken away from her.”

• Luke 12:48

  But the one who did not know, and did things deserving of blows, will be beaten with few blows. And from everyone to whom much was given, much will be required from him; and to whom they entrusted much, they will ask of him even more.

• Luke 13:23

  And someone said to him, “Lord, are those being saved few?” And he said to them,

• Acts 12:18

  Now when day came, there was no small commotion among the soldiers over what then had become of Peter.

• Acts 14:28

  And they stayed no little time with the disciples.

• Acts 15:2

  And when there was no small dissension and debate between Paul and Barnabas and them, they appointed Paul and Barnabas and some others of them to go up to Jerusalem, to the apostles and elders, about this question.

• Acts 17:4

  And some of them were persuaded and joined Paul and Silas, and so did a great multitude of the devout Greeks, and not a few of the leading women.

• Acts 17:12

  So many of them believed, and also of the Greek women of high standing and of men, not a few.

• Acts 19:23

  And there arose about that time no small disturbance concerning the Way.

• Acts 19:24

  For a certain man named Demetrius, a silversmith, who made silver shrines of Artemis, was bringing no small business to the craftsmen.

• Acts 26:28

  And Agrippa said to Paul, “In a short time you are persuading me to make myself a Christian.”

• Acts 26:29

  And Paul said, “I would pray to God that, whether in a short time or in a long time, not only you but also all who hear me today might become such as I myself am, except for these chains.”

• Acts 27:20

  And when neither sun nor stars appeared for many days, and no small storm was pressing on us, finally all hope of our being saved was being taken away.

• 2 Corinthians 8:15

  As it is written, “The one who gathered much did not have too much, and the one who gathered little did not have too little.”

• Ephesians 3:3

  how by revelation the mystery was made known to me, as I wrote before in brief,

• 1 Timothy 4:8

  for bodily training is of some value, but godliness is of value for everything, holding promise for the life that is now and for that to come.

• 1 Timothy 5:23

  No longer drink only water, but use a little wine because of your stomach and your frequent illnesses.

• Hebrews 12:10

  For they disciplined us for a few days as seemed best to them, but he does so for our good, so that we may share in his holiness.

• James 4:14

  you who do not know what tomorrow will bring. What is your life? For you are a vapor that appears for a little while and then vanishes.

• 1 Peter 1:6

  In this you rejoice greatly, though now for a little while, if necessary, you have been grieved by various trials,

• 1 Peter 3:20

  who had once disobeyed, when the patience of God was waiting in the days of Noah, while the ark was being prepared, in which a few, that is, eight persons, were saved through water.

• 1 Peter 5:10

  And the God of all grace, who called you to his eternal glory in the Messiah, after you have suffered a little, will himself equip, make firm, strengthen, and establish you.

• 1 Peter 5:12

  Through Silvanus, the faithful brother, as I consider him, I have written to you briefly, exhorting and testifying that this is the true grace of God. Stand firm in it.

• Revelation 2:14

  But I have a few things against you, that you have there some who hold fast the teaching of Balaam, who taught Balak to put a stumbling block before the sons of Israel, to eat food sacrificed to idols and to commit sexual immorality.

• Revelation 3:4

  But you have a few people in Sardis who have not soiled their clothes, and they will walk with me in white, for they are worthy.

• Revelation 12:12

  Therefore rejoice, you heavens and you who dwell in them! Woe to the earth and the sea, because the Devil has come down to you with great fury, knowing that he has little time.”

• Revelation 17:10

  five have fallen, one is, the other has not yet come; and when he comes, he must remain a little while.

And 1 more times.