3706. horasis
Lexical Summary
horasis: Vision, sight

Original Word: ὅρασις
Part of Speech: Noun, Feminine
Transliteration: horasis
Pronunciation: ho'-ra-sis
Phonetic Spelling: (hor'-as-is)
KJV: sight, vision
NASB: appearance, vision, visions
Word Origin: [from G3708 (ὁράω - saw)]

1. the act of gazing
2. (externally) an aspect
3. (internally) an inspired appearance

Strong's Exhaustive Concordance
sight, vision.

From horao; the act of gazing, i.e. (externally) an aspect or (internally) an inspired appearance -- sight, vision.

see GREEK horao

NAS Exhaustive Concordance
Word Origin
from horaó
Definition
the act of seeing, a vision, appearance
NASB Translation
appearance (2), vision (1), visions (1).

Thayer's Greek Lexicon
STRONGS NT 3706: ὅρασις

ὅρασις, ὁράσεως, (ὁράω);

1. the act of seeing: ὀμμάτων χρῆσις εἰς ὅρασιν, Wis. 15:15; the sense of sight, Aristotle, de anima 3, 2; Diodorus 1, 59; Plutarch, mor., p. 440f; plural the eyes, ἐκκόπτειν τάς ὁράσεις, Diodorus 2, 6.

2. appearance, visible form: Revelation 4:3 (Numbers 24:4; Ezekiel 1:5, 26, 28; Sir. 41:20, etc.).

3. a vision, i. e. an appearance divinely granted in an ecstasy: Revelation 9:17; ὁράσεις ὄψονται, Acts 2:17 from Joel 2:28. (The Sept. chiefly for מַרְאֶה and חָזון.)

Topical Lexicon
Overview

The Greek noun ὅρασις (horasis) refers to a God-given vision or supernatural sight. In Scripture it depicts moments when the unseen realm is opened to human perception so that divine truth may be conveyed with unmistakable clarity. Such visions stand at the intersection of revelation and human experience, underscoring the nearness of God and His sovereign purpose in history.

Occurrences in the New Testament

Acts 2:17 – In Peter’s Pentecost sermon, citing Joel, the Spirit promises that “your young men will see visions”, anchoring the phenomenon of horasis in the outpouring of the last days and legitimizing prophetic activity in the church age.

Revelation 4:3 (twice) – John describes the appearance of the One on the throne: “The One seated there looked like jasper and carnelian, and a rainbow that gleamed like an emerald encircled the throne”. The repeated use of horasis emphasizes the overwhelming sensory impact of the heavenly court, framing the remainder of Revelation within an unveiled throne-room perspective.

Revelation 9:17 – John again reports, “And this is how I saw the horses in my vision,” introducing a symbolic tableau of judgment. The term alerts readers that what follows must be interpreted through prophetic imagery rather than wooden literalism, yet it remains true in every respect.

Theological Significance of Visions

1. Mediation of Revelation

Horasis functions as a divinely initiated bridge between heaven and earth. Whether through Peter’s citation of Joel or John’s apocalyptic disclosures, visions validate that God still speaks and that Scripture’s prophetic corpus is cohesive from Genesis through Revelation.

2. Authentication of Messengers

Visions authenticate the calling of prophets (Joel, John) and apostles (Peter) by grounding their message in God’s direct initiative. The biblical pattern shows that genuine horasis leads to fidelity to the gospel, never novelty or contradiction.

3. Eschatological Foretaste

In Revelation, horasis provides a foretaste of consummated reality. Believers are invited to view present sufferings in the light of the throne, the rainbow, and the Lamb, thereby fostering perseverance and worship.

Continuity with Old Testament Revelation

Horasis continues a long Old Testament trajectory: Abraham’s “vision” (Genesis 15:1), Isaiah’s temple encounter (Isaiah 6:1), Ezekiel’s wheels (Ezekiel 1:1), and Daniel’s night visions (Daniel 7:1). The New Testament usage shows that the same God who spoke “in many portions and in many ways” (Hebrews 1:1) now culminates revelation in Christ and through His Spirit.

Pastoral and Practical Implications

• Discernment – Because Scripture records both true and false visions (Jeremiah 23:16), believers must measure every claimed revelation against the closed canon of Scripture (1 Thessalonians 5:21).
• Encouragement – Recorded visions assure the church that persecution, whether Roman (Revelation) or contemporary, is bounded by God’s triumphant sovereignty.
• Mission – Acts 2 links horasis to evangelistic momentum; Spirit-empowered proclamation accompanies Spirit-given visions, resulting in the spread of the gospel.

Historical Reception in the Church

The early Fathers regarded John’s horasis as normative for the apocalyptic genre while carefully distinguishing canonical visions from later private revelations. Medieval theologians such as Gregory the Great stressed that authentic vision always humbles and sends the servant to concrete acts of love. The Reformation reaffirmed sola Scriptura, yet reformers acknowledged the ongoing illumination of the Spirit, respecting the category of horasis while refusing any revelation that competes with Scripture.

Related Greek Terms

While horasis denotes the vision itself, optasia highlights the act of appearing, and horama often describes the content seen. Together they weave a rich tapestry of biblical revelation that culminates in the unveiled glory of Jesus Christ.

Summary

Horasis in the New Testament marks critical junctures where heaven breaks into history, whether empowering the church at Pentecost or unveiling the climactic triumph of the Lamb. These Spirit-given visions uphold the unity of redemptive history, call believers to faithful witness, and anchor hope in the certainty that what is presently seen only by vision will soon be sight.

Forms and Transliterations
ορασει οράσει ὁράσει ορασεις οράσεις ὁράσεις οράσεσιν οράσεως όρασεως ορασιν όρασιν οράσις όρασις ορατής ορατικόν horasei horásei horaseis horáseis orasei oraseis
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Interlinear GreekInterlinear HebrewStrong's NumbersEnglishman's Greek ConcordanceEnglishman's Hebrew ConcordanceParallel Texts
Englishman's Concordance
Acts 2:17 N-AFP
GRK: νεανίσκοι ὑμῶν ὁράσεις ὄψονται καὶ
NAS: SHALL SEE VISIONS, AND YOUR OLD MEN
KJV: young men shall see visions, and your
INT: young men of you visions will see and

Revelation 4:3 N-DFS
GRK: καθήμενος ὅμοιος ὁράσει λίθῳ ἰάσπιδι
NAS: and a sardius in appearance; and [there was] a rainbow
KJV: was to look upon like
INT: [was] sitting like in appearance to a stone jasper

Revelation 4:3 N-DFS
GRK: θρόνου ὅμοιος ὁράσει σμαραγδίνῳ
NAS: like an emerald in appearance.
KJV: the throne, in sight like
INT: throne like in appearance to an emerald

Revelation 9:17 N-DFS
GRK: ἐν τῇ ὁράσει καὶ τοὺς
NAS: I saw in the vision the horses
KJV: in the vision, and
INT: in the vision and those

Strong's Greek 3706
4 Occurrences


ὁράσει — 3 Occ.
ὁράσεις — 1 Occ.

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