3799. opsis
Lexical Summary
opsis: Appearance, sight, face, countenance

Original Word: ὄψις
Part of Speech: Noun, Feminine
Transliteration: opsis
Pronunciation: OP-sis
Phonetic Spelling: (op'-sis)
KJV: appearance, countenance, face
NASB: face, appearance
Word Origin: [from G3700 (ὀπτάνομαι - appearing)]

1. (properly) sight (the act)
2. (by implication) the visage, an external show

Strong's Exhaustive Concordance
appearance, countenance, face.

From optanomai; properly, sight (the act), i.e. (by implication) the visage, an external show -- appearance, countenance, face.

see GREEK optanomai

NAS Exhaustive Concordance
Word Origin
from opópa (perf. of horaó)
Definition
the act of seeing, the sense of sight
NASB Translation
appearance (1), face (2).

Thayer's Greek Lexicon
STRONGS NT 3799: ὄψις

ὄψις, ὄψεως, (ὈΠΤΩ, ὄψομαι (cf. ὀφθαλμός)), from Homer down; the Sept. chiefly for מַרְאֶה;

1. seeing, sight.

2. face, countenance: John 11:44; Revelation 1:16.

3. the outward appearance, look (many lexicographers give this neuter and objective sense precedence): κρίνειν κατ' ὄψιν, John 7:24.

Topical Lexicon
Meaning in Context

Strong’s Greek 3799 (ὄψις) consistently refers to a person’s visible “face” or “outward appearance.” In the New Testament it conveys either the merely external aspect that can mislead human judgment or, conversely, the radiant countenance that reveals resurrection life and divine glory.

Occurrences in Scripture

1. John 7:24 – “Stop judging by outward appearances, and start judging justly.”
2. John 11:44 – “The man who had been dead came out… and his face wrapped in a cloth.”
3. Revelation 1:16 – “His face was like the sun shining at its brightest.”

Historical Setting

• In first-century Judaism the “face” symbolized identity and honor. Public life centered on maintaining a good external reputation, yet the prophets had long warned Israel not to confuse outward conformity with true righteousness (for example, Isaiah 29:13).
• Greco-Roman society prized beauty and status marked by appearance. The gospel confronts both cultures by insisting that the hidden person of the heart matters most (1 Samuel 16:7; 1 Peter 3:4).

Theological Significance

1. Discernment versus superficiality (John 7:24)

Jesus exposes the danger of judging by ὄψις alone. Righteous judgment assesses matters in light of God’s Word and character rather than external religiosity. This harmonizes with passages such as Deuteronomy 1:17 and James 2:1–4, underscoring Scripture’s unified call to impartiality.
2. Resurrection power over mortality (John 11:44)

The wrapped ὄψις of Lazarus highlights the finality of death; yet Christ commands life where decay reigned. When the grave cloth is removed, the formerly veiled face becomes evidence that “I am the resurrection and the life” (John 11:25).
3. Eschatological glory (Revelation 1:16)

John beholds the glorified Son of Man whose ὄψις blazes like the midday sun. The same word that can describe a shrouded corpse now portrays the risen Lord, linking the believer’s hope of transformation to Christ’s exalted visage (2 Corinthians 3:18; 1 John 3:2).

Practical Ministry Applications

• Cultivate righteous judgment. Church leaders and believers must resist snap evaluations based on looks, charisma, or social standing. Biblical discernment requires prayerful dependence on the Spirit and conformity to scriptural standards.
• Proclaim freedom from grave-cloth living. Many who have been made alive in Christ still carry remnants of their old identity. Pastoral care aims to “unbind” saints so their faces reflect new-creation joy (Romans 6:4).
• Fix eyes on the glorious Christ. Worship, preaching, and discipleship should consistently present the radiant ὄψις of Jesus, stirring believers to holiness and evangelism (2 Corinthians 4:6).

Typological and Prophetic Insights

Lazarus’s covered face anticipates the “veil” that will one day be removed from all peoples (Isaiah 25:7–8). Revelation’s shining face reveals the fulfillment: God’s servants “will see His face” (Revelation 22:4). Thus ὄψις traces a redemptive arc from hiddenness and death to unveiled, eternal communion.

Relation to Broader Biblical Themes

• Presence: “Face” often stands for personal presence. Through Christ, believers gain access to the Father’s favor (Matthew 18:10; Hebrews 9:24).
• Transformation: Encountering God’s face results in moral and spiritual change (Exodus 34:29; 2 Corinthians 3:18).
• Judgment: Outward appearances cannot hide the heart from the One whose face “eyes are like blazing fire” (Revelation 1:14).

Summary

Strong’s 3799 underscores the contrast between human emphasis on outward appearance and God’s concern for inward reality, while simultaneously portraying the triumphant glory that shines from the resurrected Christ. The term calls the Church to righteous discernment, confident hope in bodily resurrection, and wholehearted worship of the One whose face will satisfy the redeemed for all eternity.

Forms and Transliterations
όψει όψεις οψιν όψιν ὄψιν οψις όψις ὄψις όψον opsin ópsin opsis ópsis
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Englishman's Concordance
John 7:24 N-AFS
GRK: κρίνετε κατ' ὄψιν ἀλλὰ τὴν
NAS: according to appearance, but judge
KJV: according to the appearance, but
INT: Judge according to appearance but

John 11:44 N-NFS
GRK: καὶ ἡ ὄψις αὐτοῦ σουδαρίῳ
NAS: with wrappings, and his face was wrapped around
KJV: his face was bound about
INT: and the face of him with a handkerchief

Revelation 1:16 N-NFS
GRK: καὶ ἡ ὄψις αὐτοῦ ὡς
NAS: sword; and His face was like
KJV: and his countenance [was] as the sun
INT: and the face of him as

Strong's Greek 3799
3 Occurrences


ὄψιν — 1 Occ.
ὄψις — 2 Occ.

3798
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