Thayer's
STRONGS NT 3766: οὐκοῦνοὐκοῦν (from
οὐκ and
οὖν), adverb,
not therefore; and since a speaker often introduces in this way his own opinion (see
Krüger, as below), the particle is used affirmatively,
therefore, then, the force of the negative disappearing. Hence, the saying of Pilate
οὐκοῦν βασιλεύς εἰ σύ must be taken affirmatively: "then (since thou speakest of thy
βασιλεία) thou art a king!" (German also
bistdudocheinKönig!),
John 18:37 (cf.
Buttmann, 249 (214)); but it is better to write
οὐκοῦν, so that Pilate, arguing from the words of Christ, asks, not without irony,
art thou not a king then? or
in any case, thou art a king, art thou not? cf.
Winer's Grammar, 512 (477). The difference between
οὐκοῦν and
οὐκοῦν is differently stated by different writers; cf.
Herm. ad Vig., p. 792ff;
Krüger, § 69, 51, 1 and 2; Kühner, § 508, 5 ii., p. 715ff, also the 3rd excurs. appended to his edition of
Xenophon, memor.; (
Bäumlein, Partikeln, pp. 191-198).