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φαίνω

phaínō

G5316 verb

SILEX Entry

Definition

To give light, shine, or emit brightness; to become visible or be made manifest; by extension, to appear, become evident, or be plainly seen. In some contexts, can also mean to seem or appear in the sense of perception. The core sense involves visibility, either literal (emitting light, shining) or metaphorical (making something known, being evident).

Semantic Range

to give light, to emit light, to shine, to become visible, to appear, to manifest, to be seen, to seem, to become evident

Root / Etymology

From the root φαν- (related to φῶς, 'light') with the suffix -αίνω, forming a verb meaning 'to bring to light, to cause to appear.' The base idea is to give light or make visible.

Historical & Contextual Notes

φαίνω appears in both classical and Koine Greek with the sense of 'to shine, to bring to light.' In classical texts, it often describes something that literally emits or reflects light (stars, lamps), but is frequently extended to metaphorical uses such as 'to make manifest' or 'bring into public knowledge.' In the Septuagint and New Testament, φαίνω and its compounds (such as φανερόω, 'to make manifest') are used in both literal and figurative senses. The passive form (φαίνομαι) commonly means 'to appear,' 'to become visible,' or even 'to seem.' English translations often vary between 'shine,' 'appear,' or 'be seen,' depending on context. The primary distinction from terms like λάμπω (to shine brightly, to blaze) is that φαίνω emphasizes visibility, revelation, or the act of becoming evident, rather than intensity of light. Occurrences may denote physical light (sun, lamp), an object becoming visible, or even abstract concepts becoming known. In the New Testament, the term is often used in eschatological or revelatory contexts (e.g., the light appearing), as well as in ordinary observation ('he appeared'). The translation tradition sometimes collapses these nuances, reducing the verb to 'appear' or 'shine' without conveying the full scope of the term's revelatory or evidential character.

Translation Consistency

primary "appear" 18 occurrences

Appear naturally covers the full SILEX range — to become visible, be manifest, or seem — and is the most natural, flexible English verb for both literal shining/visibility and metaphorical manifestation. It preserves typical English usage in NT contexts and ensures consistent rendering across all forms.

Alternatives (13 occurrences):
"shining" (4x) "might be manifested" (2x) "made visible" (2x) "shine" (2x) "becoming visible" (1x) "manifested" (1x) "visible things" (1x)

Original Strong's Gloss (1890)

prolongation for the base of φῶς; to lighten (shine), i.e. show (transitive or intransitive, literal or figurative):-- appear, seem, be seen, shine, X think.

Root Family

φαν- (emphanízō) — to make visible, to bring to light, to reveal

Root φαν- to show, to shine, to bring to light
Strong's Lemma SIBI-P1
G1718 ἐμφανίζω Make manifest!
G2016 ἐπιφανής manifest (feminine singular accusative)
G5322 φανός of lamps
G852 ἀφανής unseen
G855 ἄφαντος not manifest

Word Forms

18 distinct forms

SIDANCE Surface Transliteration Morphology Common SIBI-P1 SIBI-P2 Occurrences
G5316-01 ἐφάνη ephane V AOR PASS IND 3P SG appeared was made visible was made to appear 5
G5316-05 φαίνεται phainetai V PRS MID IND 3P SG appears shows itself is appearing 4
G5316-03 φαίνει phainei V PRS ACT IND 3P SG shines is shining is shining 3
G5316-13 φανῇ phane V AOR PASS SUBJ 3P SG it might appear might be manifested may be appeared 3
G5316-04 φαίνεσθε phainesthe V PRS PASS IND 2P PL appear you are being made visible you (plural) are being made to appear 2
G5316-18 φανῶσιν phanosin V AOR PASS SUBJ 3P PL they may appear they might be manifested they might be manifested 2
G5316-02 ἐφάνησαν ephanesan V AOR PASS IND 3P PL appeared they were made visible they appeared 1
G5316-06 φαινομένη phainomene V PRS MID PTCP NOM F SG appearing becoming visible appearing 1
G5316-07 φαινομένων phainomenon V PRS MID PTCP GEN N PL which appear of the things becoming visible the visible things 1
G5316-08 φαινομένου phainomenou V PRS MID PTCP GEN M SG had appeared of the one becoming visible of the one becoming visible 1

Occurrences in Scripture

31 occurrences

SIDANCE Reference Word Transliteration Morphology Common SIBI-P1 SIBI-P2
G5316-01 Matthew 1:20 ἐφάνη ephane V AOR PASS IND 3P SG appeared was made visible appeared
G5316-08 Matthew 2:7 φαινομένου phainomenou V PRS MID PTCP GEN M SG had appeared of the one becoming visible of the one becoming visible
G5316-05 Matthew 2:13 φαίνεται phainetai V PRS MID IND 3P SG appeared shows itself is appearing
G5316-05 Matthew 2:19 φαίνεται phainetai V PRS MID IND 3P SG appears shows itself is appearing
G5316-18 Matthew 6:5 φανῶσιν phanosin V AOR PASS SUBJ 3P PL they may be seen they might be manifested they might be manifested
G5316-18 Matthew 6:16 φανῶσιν phanosin V AOR PASS SUBJ 3P PL they may appear they might be manifested they might be manifested
G5316-15 Matthew 6:18 φανῇς phanes V AOR PASS SUBJ 2P SG you appear you may be made visible you may be made visible
G5316-01 Matthew 9:33 ἐφάνη ephane V AOR PASS IND 3P SG has been seen was made visible was made to appear
G5316-01 Matthew 13:26 ἐφάνη ephane V AOR PASS IND 3P SG appeared was made visible was made to appear
G5316-10 Matthew 23:27 φαίνονται phainontai V PRS MID IND 3P PL appear they are becoming visible they appear
G5316-04 Matthew 23:28 φαίνεσθε phainesthe V PRS PASS IND 2P PL appear you are being made visible you (plural) are being made to appear
G5316-05 Matthew 24:27 φαίνεται phainetai V PRS MID IND 3P SG appears shows itself is appearing
G5316-16 Matthew 24:30 φανήσεται phanesetai V FUT PASS IND 3P SG will appear will be made visible will be made visible
G5316-05 Mark 14:64 φαίνεται phainetai V PRS MID IND 3P SG appears shows itself is appearing
G5316-01 Mark 16:9 ἐφάνη ephane V AOR PASS IND 3P SG He appeared was made visible was made to appear
G5316-01 Luke 9:8 ἐφάνη ephane V AOR PASS IND 3P SG had appeared was made visible appeared
G5316-02 Luke 24:11 ἐφάνησαν ephanesan V AOR PASS IND 3P PL appeared they were made visible they appeared
G5316-03 John 1:5 φαίνει phainei V PRS ACT IND 3P SG shines is shining is appearing
G5316-09 John 5:35 φαίνων phainon V PRS ACT PTCP NOM M SG shining shining shining
G5316-13 Romans 7:13 φανῇ phane V AOR PASS SUBJ 3P SG it might appear might be manifested may be appeared
G5316-17 2 Corinthians 13:7 φανῶμεν phanomen V AOR PASS SUBJ 1P PL may appear we may be manifested we may be manifested
G5316-04 Philippians 2:15 φαίνεσθε phainesthe V PRS MID IND 2P PL you shine you are being made visible you (plural) are being made to appear
G5316-07 Hebrews 11:3 φαινομένων phainomenon V PRS MID PTCP GEN N PL which appear of the things becoming visible the visible things
G5316-06 James 4:14 φαινομένη phainomene V PRS MID PTCP NOM F SG appearing becoming visible appearing
G5316-14 1 Peter 4:18 φανεῖται phaneitai V FUT MID IND 3P SG shall appear will make itself visible will appear
G5316-11 2 Peter 1:19 φαίνοντι phainonti V PRS ACT PTCP DAT M SG shining to the one shining shining
G5316-03 1 John 2:8 φαίνει phainei V PRS ACT IND 3P SG is shining is shining is shining
G5316-03 Revelation 1:16 φαίνει phainei V PRS ACT IND 3P SG shines is shining is shining
G5316-13 Revelation 8:12 φάνῃ phane V AOR ACT SUBJ 3P SG might shine might be manifested may be appeared
G5316-13 Revelation 18:23 φάνῃ phane V AOR ACT SUBJ 3P SG shall shine might be manifested may shine
G5316-12 Revelation 21:23 φαίνωσιν phainosin V PRS ACT SUBJ 3P PL shine that they may shine forth they may shine forth
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