φαίνω
phainō
to shine/appear
Lexicon Entry
Lexicon data from STEPBible TIPNR, Tyndale House, Cambridge. Licensed under CC BY 4.0.
What Original Readers Understood
ExploredThe Greek word φαίνω (phainō) is a verb that means "to shine" or "appear." In its 31 occurrences in the Bible, it is used to convey the idea of something becoming visible or manifest. This can refer to physical light, such as the sun or moon, but also to the visible manifestation of a person's character, emotions, or spiritual state. The range of usage for φαίνω is broad, encompassing both literal and figurative meanings. It can describe the appearance of natural phenomena, like the rising of the sun (Matthew 4:16), as well as the visible manifestation of a person's inner life, such as the "light" of faith (Matthew 5:16). In some cases, φαίνω is used to describe the revelation of knowledge or understanding, such as the "light" of understanding that comes from reading Scripture (2 Timothy 3:16-17). The significance of φαίνω lies in its role as a metaphor for the relationship between the visible and invisible worlds. It highlights the idea that our inner lives and spiritual states can be made visible to others, and that this visibility can have a profound impact on our relationships and our understanding of the world around us.
Source data & methodology
Occurrences in Scripture
31 total occurrences across the text
But when he thought about these things, behold, an angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream, saying, “Joseph, son of David, don’t be afraid to take to yourself Mary, your wife, for that which is conceived in her is of the Holy Spirit.
Matthew 2:7Then Herod secretly called the wise men, and learned from them exactly what time the star appeared.
Matthew 2:13Now when they had departed, behold, an angel of the Lord appeared to Joseph in a dream, saying, “Arise and take the young child and his mother, and flee into Egypt, and stay there until I tell you, for Herod will seek the young child to destroy him.”
Matthew 2:19But when Herod was dead, behold, an angel of the Lord appeared in a dream to Joseph in Egypt, saying,
Matthew 6:5“When you pray, you shall not be as the hypocrites, for they love to stand and pray in the synagogues and in the corners of the streets, that they may be seen by men. Most certainly, I tell you, they have received their reward.
Matthew 6:16“Moreover when you fast, don’t be like the hypocrites, with sad faces. For they disfigure their faces, that they may be seen by men to be fasting. Most certainly I tell you, they have received their reward.
Matthew 6:18so that you are not seen by men to be fasting, but by your Father who is in secret, and your Father, who sees in secret, will reward you.
Matthew 23:27“Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you are like whitened tombs, which outwardly appear beautiful, but inwardly are full of dead men’s bones, and of all uncleanness.
Matthew 23:28Even so you also outwardly appear righteous to men, but inwardly you are full of hypocrisy and iniquity.
Matthew 9:33When the demon was cast out, the mute man spoke. The multitudes marveled, saying, “Nothing like this has ever been seen in Israel!”
Matthew 13:26But when the blade sprang up and produced fruit, then the darnel weeds appeared also.
Matthew 24:27For as the lightning flashes from the east, and is seen even to the west, so will the coming of the Son of Man be.
Matthew 24:30and then the sign of the Son of Man will appear in the sky. Then all the tribes of the earth will mourn, and they will see the Son of Man coming on the clouds of the sky with power and great glory.
Mark 14:64You have heard the blasphemy! What do you think?” They all condemned him to be worthy of death.
Mark 16:9Now when he had risen early on the first day of the week, he appeared first to Mary Magdalene, from whom he had cast out seven demons.
Luke 9:8and by some that Elijah had appeared, and by others that one of the old prophets had risen again.
Luke 24:11These words seemed to them to be nonsense, and they didn’t believe them.
John 1:5The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness hasn’t overcome it.
John 5:35He was the burning and shining lamp, and you were willing to rejoice for a while in his light.
Romans 7:13Did then that which is good become death to me? May it never be! But sin, that it might be shown to be sin, was producing death in me through that which is good; that through the commandment sin might become exceedingly sinful.
2 Corinthians 13:7Now I pray to God that you do no evil; not that we may appear approved, but that you may do that which is honorable, though we are as reprobate.
Philippians 2:15that you may become blameless and harmless, children of God without defect in the middle of a crooked and perverse generation, among whom you are seen as lights in the world,
Hebrews 11:3By faith, we understand that the universe has been framed by the word of God, so that what is seen has not been made out of things which are visible.
James 4:14Whereas you don’t know what your life will be like tomorrow. For what is your life? For you are a vapor that appears for a little time, and then vanishes away.
1 Peter 4:18“If it is hard for the righteous to be saved, what will happen to the ungodly and the sinner?”
2 Peter 1:19We have the more sure word of prophecy; and you do well that you heed it, as to a lamp shining in a dark place, until the day dawns, and the morning star arises in your hearts:
1 John 2:8Again, I write a new commandment to you, which is true in him and in you; because the darkness is passing away and the true light already shines.
Revelation 1:16He had seven stars in his right hand. Out of his mouth proceeded a sharp two-edged sword. His face was like the sun shining at its brightest.
Revelation 8:12The fourth angel sounded, and one third of the sun was struck, and one third of the moon, and one third of the stars; so that one third of them would be darkened, and the day wouldn’t shine for one third of it, and the night in the same way.
Revelation 18:23The light of a lamp will shine no more at all in you. The voice of the bridegroom and of the bride will be heard no more at all in you; for your merchants were the princes of the earth; for with your sorcery all the nations were deceived.
Revelation 21:23The city has no need for the sun or moon to shine, for the very glory of God illuminated it, and its lamp is the Lamb.