– O –

Oath(s) (pledge, promise, vow)

A promise regarding future action which evokes the divine name

Genesis 22:16–18. An oath in the Lord’s name

Leviticus 19:12. Misusing the name of the Lord

Deuteronomy 10:20. Sacrosanct

Deuteronomy 31:7–8. God’s covenant with Israel

Isaiah 14:24. Assurance of a future

Matthew 5:34. Oaths prohibited

James 5:12. Letting yes be yes

Obedience (compliance, submission)

Submitting to the wishes or authority of someone else

Exodus 19:5. Obeying God’s promise

1 Samuel 15:22. Obedience is better than sacrifice.

Romans 5:19. Disobedience of Adam, obedience of Christ

Romans 6:17. Becoming obedient to God’s teaching

Philippians 2:12. Obeying your leaders

Titus 3:1. Obeying authorities

1 John 2:4–6. Ignoring obedience

Obeisance (adoration, honor, respect)

A gesture expressing respect, honor, or adoration typically to an authority such as a king

Genesis 49:8. Bowing down to brothers

2 Samuel 22:40. Opponents bow in respect.

Psalm 5:7. Reverence for God and His temple

Daniel 3:6. The price of refusing to honor the king

Matthew 4:9. Devil worship

1 Corinthians 14:25. Prostrate to the ground

Revelation 4:9–10. The elders bow before the throne.

Obesity (fat, overweight, stout)

The condition of being excessively overweight

Deuteronomy 32:14–15. Forgetting God and overeating

Judges 3:22. A bulging belly

Job 15:27. Packing on the pounds

Object lesson(s) of God (example, illustration, model)

A living, practical example of an idea or principle

Genesis 22:1–14. The sacrifice of Isaac

2 Samuel 12:1–15. Parable of David’s disobedience

Isaiah 20:2–3. God tells Isaiah to wander around naked.

Hosea 1:2. Hosea ordered to marry a prostitute

Jonah 4:5–11. Jonah’s lesson about compassion

Matthew 21:18–22. Cursing of the fig tree

Acts 10:9–33. Peter’s lesson about clean and unclean

Obligation (commitment, duty, obligation)

An action or responsibility one is duty-bound to accomplish

1 Samuel 21:7. Staying in the Lord’s presence

Nehemiah 10:32. Caring for God’s temple and priests

Romans 1:14. Obligation to minister to all

Romans 15:27. Taking care of others

1 Corinthians 9:16. Obliged to preach the Good News

Galatians 5:3. Under the obligation of the law

Obstacles (barrier, hurdle, stumbling block)

A barrier blocking or inhibiting progress

Leviticus 19:14. Do not create obstacles for the less fortunate.

Isaiah 8:14. God obstructs His enemies.

Acts 15:22–35. Removing the barrier of circumcision

Romans 9:31–32. Stumbling over the law

Romans 14:13. Not creating obstacles in the faith of others

1 Corinthians 8:9. Careful exercise of freedom

1 Peter 2:8. Tripping over God’s Word

Obstinate (inflexible, stubborn, unyielding)

Stubbornly refusing to alter one’s opinion or actions

Deuteronomy 2:30. God hardened a heart.

Jeremiah 11:8. Folly of ignoring God

Romans 2:5. Stirring up God’s anger

Ephesians 4:18. Alienated from the life of God

Titus 1:7. Church leader must not be obstinate.

Hebrews 4:7. Command to avoid stubbornness

Obstructions (see Obstacles)

Occult (magic, sorcery, witchcraft)

Practices related to supernatural or magical belief and behavior

Leviticus 19:31. Magic is unclean.

Deuteronomy 18:10. Magic forbidden

Isaiah 2:6–8. God’s people practicing superstition

Isaiah 44:25. Destroying the false prophets

Daniel 1:20. Wise men baffled

Acts 8:9–11. Simon amazes the crowd.

2 Thessalonians 2:9–10. False miracles

Revelation 21:8. Cast into the lake of fire

Occupation(s) (job, profession, work)

A job performed for compensation

Genesis 46:33–34. Shepherds

Deuteronomy 18:1–2. Priestly role of the Levites

Matthew 20:2. Working in the vineyard

Acts 18:1–3. Tentmakers

2 Corinthians 6:4–6. Enduring hard things for the work of God

Colossians 3:23. Working wholeheartedly in all things

Colossians 4:14. Physicians

Titus 3:13. Lawyers

Ocean (deep, sea, waters)

A large body of water which separates land

2 Samuel 22:16. God’s power over His creation

Job 38:16. The depths of the ocean

Psalm 93:3. The rising ocean

Proverbs 8:27. Following the horizon

Isaiah 51:10. The power of God

Habakkuk 3:10. Large waves

Odor (smell, stench)

A strong and distinctive smell

Joel 2:20. A foul odor of dead soldiers

John 11:39. The stench of a dead body

Offend/Offense (crime, hurt, transgression)

Breaking of a rule or law which violates a legal or social norm

Genesis 31:36. What offense have I committed?

Leviticus 16:16. Atoning for offenses

1 Samuel 25:28. Asking for forgiveness

Matthew 13:57. A prophet without honor

Luke 7:23. Blessed for not being offended

Acts 25:8. Crimes against the temple or state

Galatians 5:11. The offense of the cross

Offering(s) (contribution, gifts, sacrifices)

Something which is given or dedicated to God

Leviticus 1:3. Burnt offering

Leviticus 2:1. Grain offering

Leviticus 3:1. Fellowship offering

Leviticus 4:23. Sin offerings

Leviticus 5:6. Guilt offerings

Numbers 29:6. Regular offerings of God’s people

Romans 12:1. Bodies as living sacrifices

Ephesians 5:2. Christ gave His life as an offering.

Hebrews 7:27. Once-for-all sacrifice

1 Peter 2:5. Spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God

Officials (authorities, leaders, rulers)

Persons of authority in military service or legal and religious matters

Numbers 11:16. Moses appoints leaders.

2 Chronicles 26:11. Officials of the king

Mark 6:21. Officials of Herod

Acts 8:27. A foreign official

2 Corinthians 11:25. Troubling Roman officials

Titus 3:1. Government officials

Oil (ingredient, fuel, ointment)

Used for cooking, trading, anointing, and medicinal purposes

Exodus 29:2. Consecration service of the priests

Leviticus 24:2. Lighting a lamp

1 Kings 5:11. Large amounts of olive oil

Esther 2:12. Oil of myrrh

Mark 6:13. Curing ailments

James 5:14. Anointing the sick with oil

Old age (aging, elderly, mature)

The latter part of a person’s life

Genesis 15:15. Promise of old age

Genesis 21:2. Having a child in old age

Genesis 24:36. Miraculous birth in old age

Ruth 4:15. Family taking care of family

Job 5:26. Time of death

Luke 1:36. Giving birth in old age

Old Testament (covenant, law, Scriptures)

Originally in reference to the Hebrew Bible (and later Greek translations of the Hebrew Bible)

Mark 14:49. Fulfilling the Scriptures

Luke 24:27. Jesus taught through the Old Testament.

John 10:35–36. Scripture cannot be discredited.

Romans 15:4. Written to encourage us

1 Timothy 4:13. Encouraged to read publicly

2 Timothy 3:16. God-inspired

Olive tree (tree, wood)

A tree in Palestine cultivated for olive oil

1 Kings 6:23. Construction with olive wood

Psalm 52:8. Symbol of friendship and peace

Jeremiah 11:16. A broken tree

Hosea 14:6. Beautiful trees

Luke 22:39–41. Meditating and praying on the Mount of Olives

Romans 11:17. Grafting in a wild olive branch

Olivet Discourse (apocalyptic or eschatological discourse)

An extended eschatological teaching on the earthly situation in the latter days

Matthew 24:5–8. Exhortation to not be misled in the end

Matthew 24:9–13. Enduring persecution

Mark 13:14–20. Abomination of desolation

Mark 13:28–31. The Lord is near.

Mark 13:32–37. Being alert for the coming day

Omen(s) (portent, sign, signal)

Signs or warnings indicating a future event or action

Genesis 24:14. Seeking information through chance

Leviticus 19:26. Interpreting omens forbidden

Numbers 24:1. Ceasing to look for omens

Joshua 10:12. Joshua asks the Lord for an omen.

Omer (ephah, measure)

An ancient unit of measure, equivalent to half a gallon

Exodus 16:22. Four quarts

Exodus 16:36. Standard dry measure

Omnipotence (power, sovereignty, supremacy)

In reference to God’s power and sovereignty

Genesis 18:14. Is anything too hard for the Lord?

Numbers 23:19. God is able to keep His promises.

Psalm 115:3. God does whatever He wants.

Isaiah 55:11. Power of God’s word

Jeremiah 32:17. Nothing is too hard for God.

Daniel 4:35. No one can oppose God.

Zechariah 8:6. Power of the Lord of Armies

Matthew 19:26. All things are possible for God.

2 Corinthians 6:18. The Lord Almighty

Galatians 4:9. False gods are weak and not powerful.

Ephesians 3:20. Doing infinitely more than we can ask

Omnipresence (boundless, everywhere, ubiquitous)

God’s unlimited presence with respect to time and space

1 Kings 8:27. God cannot be contained by space.

Psalm 139:7–10. Cannot hide from God

Isaiah 66:1–2. Present in heaven and earth

Jeremiah 23:23–24. God is both near and far.

John 4:20. Worshiping God from anywhere

Romans 8:9–10. God’s Spirit lives in believers.

Colossians 1:17. God holds all things together.

Revelation 21:3. God’s dwelling is with humanity.

Omniscience (all-knowing, knowledge, wise)

The fact that God knows all things that can be known

Job 37:16. God knows everything.

Psalm 90:4. God’s perfect knowledge

Psalm 139:1–2. Known by God

Psalm 147:5. No limit to the Lord’s understanding

Isaiah 46:9–10. God who revealed the end from the beginning

Matthew 6:32. God’s perfect knowledge

Hebrews 4:13. God sees all things.

1 John 3:20. God knows all things.

Openness (directness, honesty, vulnerable)

Being forthright, telling the truth

Job 6:25. Painful discussions

Psalm 24:3–4. Honest before God

Psalm 32:5. Confessing sins to God

2 Corinthians 6:11. Vulnerability of the messenger

2 Corinthians 7:2. Opening hearts to trustworthy men

Galatians 4:16. Relational difficulty of being a truth-teller

1 John 1:9. Openness in confessing sin

Opinion(s) (belief, judgment, perspective)

A view or judgment concerning something which is not necessarily based on factual information

Deuteronomy 17:9. Asking for an opinion

Job 32:6. Timid to share one’s opinion

Proverbs 18:2. Fool’s joy in expressing an opinion

Romans 14:1. Avoid arguments over differences of opinion

1 Corinthians 7:25. Paul gives his own perspective

2 Corinthians 8:10. A helpful opinion

2 Corinthians 10:5. Destroying lofty opinions

Opportunist (entrepreneur, pioneer, swindler)

Taking advantage of circumstances for immediate personal gain

Mark 6:21–22. Seizing an opportunity

Luke 22:5–6. Money for betrayal

Opportunity(ies) (chance, moment, opening)

A condition or set of circumstances that allows for the completion of something

1 Corinthians 16:9. Doing effective work

Galatians 6:10. Doing good for others

Ephesians 4:27. Preventing the devil from opportunities

Ephesians 5:16. Opportunities amidst evil days

Colossians 4:3. Praying for opportunities to share God’s mystery

2 Peter 3:15. The Lord’s patience

Opposition (enmity, hostility, resistance)

Resistance expressed in action or argument against a person or idea

Job 17:2. Eyes focused on opposition

Luke 21:15. Able to stand against opposition

1 Corinthians 4:6. Wrongfully pitting believers against each other

Galatians 2:11. Paul opposes Cephas (Peter).

1 Thessalonians 2:2. Opposition to the Good News

2 Timothy 3:8. Enemies of the truth

Hebrews 12:3. Opposition which Jesus endured

Oppression (abuse, mistreat, persecution)

Cruel or unjust treatment of people under an afflictive rule

Genesis 15:13. God’s people oppressed in foreign land

Exodus 1:11. Israelites oppressed and forced to work as slaves

Deuteronomy 26:7. God hears the cries of the oppressed.

Judges 10:8. Oppression under bad leaders

Psalm 9:9. The Lord is a stronghold.

Proverbs 31:20. A righteous woman helps the oppressed.

Isaiah 1:17. Doing good

James 2:6. Rich oppressing the poor

Optimism (cheer, confidence, hope)

Hope or confidence in the face of pending circumstances

Job 8:21. Joy which is to come

Psalm 118:24. Rejoicing and gladness

Jeremiah 29:10–11. Assurance in God’s future plans

Ezekiel 13:10. False optimism

Romans 4:18. Abraham’s hope in God’s promise

2 Corinthians 5:6. Cheerful confidence

2 Thessalonians 2:16–17. Everlasting encouragement

Option(s) (alternative, choice(s), decision)

A choice between two or more alternatives

Deuteronomy 11:26. Choosing between blessing or curse

Joshua 24:15. Choose who you will serve.

1 Kings 18:21. Following the Lord or false gods

1 Chronicles 21:10. The Lord gives three options.

Joel 3:14. Standing in the valley of decision

Philippians 1:23. Life with Christ preferred over present life

Hebrews 11:24–25. Making the difficult choice

Opulence (luxury, materialism, wealth)

Extreme wealth or lavishness

Proverbs 19:10. Fools do not live in luxury.

Ecclesiastes 5:13. Riches lead to downfall.

Amos 6:4. Warning to those who are pampered

Luke 12:33. Valuing God’s kingdom

1 Timothy 6:17. Confidence in God’s riches

James 5:5. The danger of luxury

Oracle (message, revelation, word)

A message of revelation from God given by a prophet

Numbers 24:16. The true message from God

Malachi 1:1. Divine revelation

Romans 3:2. Entrusted with God’s oracles

1 Peter 4:11. Speaking God’s words

Orchestral music (ensemble, music, strings)

Music played by strings, woodwinds, and brass

Genesis 4:21. Early instrumentalist

2 Samuel 6:5. Celebrating in God’s presence

1 Chronicles 15:16–24. The important role of music

Psalm 150:4. Praising God with stringed instruments

Daniel 3:5. Call to (false) worship

Ordain/Ordination (consecrate, set apart)

The task of appointing leaders to the task of discipleship and church leadership

Mark 3:14. Apostles appointed

1 Timothy 4:14. Laying on of hands

1 Timothy 5:22. Do not hastily ordain.

2 Timothy 1:6. Developing the gifts of ministry

Titus 1:5. Appointing leaders

Order (command, commandments, instruction)

A judgment or instruction given from a figure of authority

Deuteronomy 25:2. Authority of a judge

Joshua 4:16. Instructions for the priests

Romans 6:17. Obedience to God’s teaching

Romans 15:4. Purpose of God’s prior instruction

1 Timothy 5:17. Honor spiritual leaders.

Titus 1:9. Devoted to trustworthy teaching

Ordinance(s) (command, decree, instruction)

A prescribed boundary for human behavior

Genesis 26:5. Blessed because of obedience

Deuteronomy 6:1. Teaching God’s decrees

2 Chronicles 33:8. Obeying God’s commands

Job 38:33. Knowing the ordinances of heaven

Ezekiel 43:18. Altar ordinances

Ephesians 2:14–15. Ordinances of the law abolished

Ordinary (common, normal, plain)

An attitude or appearance which is normal or nondescript

Exodus 30:32. Perfume which is not for ordinary people

Amos 8:11. No ordinary famine

1 Corinthians 1:28. God worked through ordinary means.

Organization (arrangement, coordination, planning)

A structured grouping of personnel or ideas

2 Samuel 6:1. Organizing good soldiers

1 Kings 5:12–18. Building the temple

Proverbs 15:22. Well-planned endeavors

Ezekiel 40:44–46. Organization of the priesthood

Acts 6:2–4. Organizing leadership within the body of Christ

1 Corinthians 12:28–31. Structure of church leadership

Colossians 2:5. Firm and ordered faith

Original sin (innate, guilt, sin)

Doctrine that says all humanity is sinful on account of Adam (and Eve’s) first sin

Genesis 3:1–19. The first sin by Adam and Eve

Psalm 14:3. No one is righteous.

Psalm 51:5. Born into sin

Jeremiah 17:9. The human mind is deceitful.

Romans 3:23. All have sinned.

Romans 5:12. Sin entered the world through Adam.

Romans 5:16. All condemned through one’s failure

Romans 7:18. A corrupting nature

Romans 8:8. Impossible to please God with the corrupt nature

Ephesians 2:3. Following the corrupt nature

Orphan (child, fatherless)

Parentless due to death or abandonment

Exodus 22:22–24. Commanded to care for orphans

Deuteronomy 26:12. Sharing with the less fortunate

Job 29:12. Friends caring for the helpless

Hosea 14:3. God’s special concern for orphans

Malachi 3:5. Judgment against those who oppress orphans

James 1:27. Pure, unstained religion

Outcast (leper, outsider, reject)

A person rejected or exiled from society

Exodus 29:33. Outsiders forbidden

2 Samuel 14:14. God’s forgiveness toward outcasts

Psalm 147:2. The Lord gathers Israel’s outcasts.

Jeremiah 30:17. Zion, the exiled outcast

Zephaniah 3:19. God’s saving of the outcast

1 Corinthians 14:16. Outsiders in Christian congregations

1 Corinthians 14:24. Convincing an outsider

Ephesians 2:19. Gentiles are no longer outsiders to God’s family.

Outnumbered (long shot, outmanned, weaker)

Numerically and statistically falling short of something

Numbers 3:48. Buying back the firstborn Israelites

Deuteronomy 7:7. God chose an outnumbered nation.

Deuteronomy 7:17–18. Remembering former deliverance when presently outnumbered

Psalm 3:1. Many enemies attacking

Psalm 40:12. Sins which outnumber hairs on one’s head

Philippians 3:18. Many living as enemies of the cross

Outreach (evangelism, gospel, mission)

The act of Christian witness to the gospel of Christ in the world

Matthew 28:16–20. Called to make disciples

Acts 8:26–40. Personal evangelism

Galatians 2:7. Reaching out to circumcised and uncircumcised

Colossians 1:12. Sharing God’s light

1 Peter 2:12. Living honorably among unbelievers

Overconfidence (brash, conceited, self-assured)

Confidence or self-assurance based upon exaggerated self-opinion

Deuteronomy 1:41–42. Underestimating an enemy

Joshua 7:3–4. Overconfidence of one’s strength

Isaiah 2:12. God will humble the arrogant.

2 Corinthians 12:7. Paul’s affliction keeps him humble in the Lord.

Philippians 2:3. Avoid self or conceited actions.

Overflowing (bulging, overfull, spilling)

The circumstance of having an abundance of something

Psalm 45:1. Overflowing with good news

Proverbs 18:4. Overflowing fountain of wisdom

Isaiah 66:12. Overflowing wealth

Romans 5:17. God’s overflowing kindness

2 Corinthians 8:2. Joy in the midst of suffering

2 Corinthians 9:8. The gift of God’s kindness

Ephesians 1:7. Forgiveness of failures because of God’s kindness

Overseer(s) (elder, deacon, leader)

An individual selected to serve the church in a capacity of leadership

Acts 14:23. Appointing elders

Ephesians 4:11. Multiple offices of gifts within the church

1 Timothy 3:1–2. Requirements of leaders

Hebrews 13:17. Submitting to the authority of leaders

James 5:14. Church leaders pray over the sick.

1 Peter 5:1–2. Shepherding the flock of God

Ownership (inheritance, possession, slavery)

Possessing certain items

Exodus 22:8–12. Disputes about ownership of animals

John 13:16. Slaves and masters

Acts 16:19. Upsetting the owners

2 Corinthians 1:22. God’s seal of ownership on us

Galatians 4:1. The rights of an heir

Ephesians 1:11. Receiving ownership in God’s kingdom through Christ

1 Peter 2:18. Respecting an earthly owner