φῶςphōs
compare G5316 (φαίνω), G5346 (φημί)); luminousness (in the widest application, natural or artificial, abstract or concrete, literal or figurative)
Greek (New Testament) · G5457
Meanings
light (opposed to τὸ σκότος, ἡ σκοτία): Matthew 17:2, Matthew 17:5, John 11:9, John 11:10, 2 Corinthians 4:6; ἡλίου, Revelation 22:5; of a lamp, Luke 8:16, Luke 11:33, John 5:35, Revelation 18:23; of a supernatural heavenly light, Acts 9:3, Acts 12:7, Acts 22:6, Acts 22:9, Acts 22:11, Acts 26:13; hence, ἄγγελος φωτός, 2 Corinthians 11:14; ὁ κλήρος τ. ἁγίων ἐν τ. φ., Colossians 1:12; of the divine glory, Revelation 21:24; by by metonymy, of that which gives light: of fire, Mark 14:54, Luke 22:56 (classical Greek; 1 Maccabees 12:29; cf. DCG, i, 595); plural, of a lamp or torch, Acts 16:29; of heavenly bodies, James 1:17.
Metaph.
(a) of God: 1 John 1:5, 1 John 1:7; φῶς οἰκῶν ἀπρόσιτον, 1 Timothy 6:16
(b) of spiritual truth and its effects on the lives of men: Matthew 4:16, Matthew 5:16, John 1:4, John 1:5, John 3:19-21, Acts 26:18, Acts 26:23, 2 Corinthians 6:14, Ephesians 5:13, 1 Peter 2:9, 1 John 2:8; τ. φ. τ. ζωῆς, John 8:12; τ. ὅπλα τοῦ φ., Romans 13:12; καρπὸς τοῦ φ., Ephesians 5:9; έν τ. φ. περιπατεῖν (εἶναι, μένειν), 1 John 1:7, 1 John 2:9, 1 John 2:10; υἱοὶ (τέκνα) τοῦ φ., Luke 16:8, John 12:36, Ephesians 5:8, 1 Thessalonians 5:5; by by metonymy, of one from whom truth shines forth: Acts 13:47 (LXX), Romans 2:19; especially of Christ, Luke 2:32, John 1:7, John 1:8, John 12:35, John 12:36, John 12:46; τ. φ. τ. κόσμου, John 8:12, John 9:5; τ. φ. τ. ἀληθινόν, John 1:9; of Christians, Matthew 5:14, Ephesians 5:8
(c) of the spiritual understanding: τ. φ. τὸ ἐν σοί, Matthew 6:23, Luke 11:35
(d) adverbially, of that which is open to view (opposed to ἐν τ. σκοτίᾳ): ἐν τ. φ., Matthew 10:27, Luke 12:3.
Synonyms
see φέγγος
Same root
- φωστήρphōstḗr · G5458an illuminator, i.e. (concretely) a luminary, or (abstractly) brilliancy
- φαίνωphaínō · G5316to lighten (shine), i.e. show (transitive or intransitive, literal or figurative)
- φέγγοςphéngos · G5338brilliancy
- φωτίζωphōtízō · G5461to shed rays, i.e. to shine or (transitively) to brighten up (literally or figuratively)
- φωσφόροςphōsphóros · G5459light-bearing ("phosphorus"), i.e. (specially), the morning-star (figuratively)
- φημίphēmí · G5346to show or make known one's thoughts, i.e. speak or say
- φωτεινόςphōteinós · G5460lustrous, i.e. transparent or well-illuminated (figuratively)
Where it appears
Appears 71 times in the Bible.
- Matthew 4:16 the people who sat in darkness have seen a great light. And for those who lived in the land where death casts its shadow, a light has shined.”
- Matthew 5:14 “You are the light of the world—like a city on a hilltop that cannot be hidden.
- Matthew 5:16 In the same way, let your good deeds shine out for all to see, so that everyone will praise your heavenly Father.
- Matthew 6:23 But when your eye is unhealthy, your whole body is filled with darkness. And if the light you think you have is actually darkness, how deep that darkness is!
- Matthew 10:27 What I tell you now in the darkness, shout abroad when daybreak comes. What I whisper in your ear, shout from the housetops for all to hear!
- Matthew 17:2 As the men watched, Jesus’ appearance was transformed so that his face shone like the sun, and his clothes became as white as light.
See every passage
- Matthew 4:16, 5:14, 5:16, 6:23, 10:27, 17:2
- Mark 14:54
- Luke 2:32, 8:16, 11:33, 11:35, 12:3, 16:8, 22:56
- John 1:4, 1:5, 1:7, 1:8, 1:9, 3:19, 3:20, 3:21, 5:35, 8:12, 9:5, 11:9, 11:10, 12:35, 12:36, 12:46
- Acts 9:3, 12:7, 13:47, 16:29, 22:6, 22:9, 22:11, 26:13, 26:18, 26:23
- Romans 2:19, 13:12
- 2 Corinthians 4:6, 6:14, 11:14
- Ephesians 5:8, 5:9, 5:13
- Colossians 1:12
- 1 Thessalonians 5:5
- 1 Timothy 6:16
- James 1:17
- 1 Peter 2:9
- 1 John 1:5, 1:7, 2:8, 2:9, 2:10
- Revelation 18:23, 21:24, 22:5
Source: G. Abbott-Smith, A Manual Greek Lexicon of the New Testament (1922), public domain.