5457. phós
Strong's Lexicon
phós: Light

Original Word: φῶς
Part of Speech: Noun, Neuter
Transliteration: phós
Pronunciation: foce
Phonetic Spelling: (foce)
Definition: Light
Meaning: light, a source of light, radiance.

Word Origin: Derived from the root word φάω (phao), meaning "to shine" or "to make manifest."

Corresponding Greek / Hebrew Entries: - H216 (אוֹר, 'or) - Light

- H3974 (מָאוֹר, ma'or) - Luminary, light

Usage: In the New Testament, "phós" primarily denotes light in both a literal and metaphorical sense. Literally, it refers to natural light, such as daylight or the light of a lamp. Metaphorically, it is used to describe spiritual illumination, truth, and the divine presence of God. It often symbolizes purity, holiness, and the revelation of God's truth to humanity.

Cultural and Historical Background: In the ancient world, light was a powerful symbol of life, knowledge, and divine presence. In Jewish tradition, light was associated with God's creation and His guidance, as seen in the pillar of fire that led the Israelites. In Greco-Roman culture, light was also a symbol of knowledge and enlightenment. The New Testament writers, particularly John, use "phós" to convey the transformative power of Christ as the "Light of the World," bringing spiritual enlightenment and salvation.

HELPS Word-studies

5457 phṓs (a neuter noun) – properly, light (especially in terms of its results, what it manifests); in the NT, the manifestation of God's self-existent life; divine illumination to reveal and impart life, through Christ.

NAS Exhaustive Concordance
Word Origin
cont. of phaos (light, daylight); from the same as phainó
Definition
light
NASB Translation
fire (1), firelight (1), light (68), lights (2).

Thayer's Greek Lexicon
STRONGS NT 5457: φῶς

φῶς, φωτός, τό (contracted from φάος, from φάω to shine), from Homer (who (as well as Pindar) uses the form φάος) down, Hebrew אור, light (opposed to τό σκότος, σκοτία);

1. properly,

a. universally: Θεός εἰπών ἐκ σκότους φῶς λάμψαι, 2 Corinthians 4:6 (Genesis 1:3); λευκά ὡς τό φῶς, Matthew 17:2; νεφέλη φωτός (Griesbach text) i. e. consisting of light, equivalent to φωτεινεη in R L T Tr WH, Matthew 17:5; τό φῶς τοῦ κόσμου, of the sun, John 11:9; τό φῶς οὐκ ἐστιν ἐν αὐτῷ, the light (i. e. illumining power) is not in him, consequently he does not see or distinguish the filings about him, John 11:10; the light emitted by a lamp, Luke 8:16; ( L Tr text WH). a heavenly light, such as surrounds angels when they appear on earth: hence, ἄγγελος φωτός, 2 Corinthians 11:14, and illumines the place where they appear, Acts 12:7; a light of this kind shone around Paul when he was converted to Christ, Acts 22:6, (), (Winer's Grammar, 371 (348)); with the addition of οὐρανόθεν, Acts 26:13; of ἀπό (or ἐκ) τοῦ οὐρανοῦ, Acts 9:3.

b. by metonymy, anything emitting light: a heavenly luminary (or star), plural James 1:17 (see πατήρ, 3 a.); fire, because it is light and gives light: Luke 22:56; θερμαίνεσθαι πρός τό φῶς, Mark 14:54 (1 Macc. 12:29; Xenophon, Hell. 6, 2, 29; Cyril 7, 5, 27); a lamp or torch: plural φῶτα, Acts 16:29 (φῶς ἔχειν, Xenophon, Hell. 5, 1, 8; in plural often in Plutarch).

c. light i. e. brightness (Latinsplendor) (see a. above), ἡλίου, Revelation 22:5; of a lamp, John 5:35 (where it symbolizes his rank, influence, worth, mighty deeds); with the addition of λύχνου, Revelation 18:23 (Jeremiah 25:10); of the divine Shechinah (see δόξα, III. 1), Revelation 21:24 (Psalm 88:16 (); Isaiah 60:1, 19f).

2. φῶς is often used in poetic discourse, in metaphor, and in parable;

a. The extremely delicate, subtile, pure, brilliant quality of light has led to the use of φῶς as an appellation of God, i. e. as by nature incorporeal, spotless, holy (cf. Westcott, Epistles of St. John, p. 15ff): 1 John 1:5 (Wis. 7:26 where cf. Grimm); he is said εἶναι ἐν τῷ φωτί, in a state of supreme sanctity, 1 John 1:7; φῶς οἴκων ἀπρόσιτον, a figure describing his nature as alike of consummate majesty and inaccessible to human comprehension, 1 Timothy 6:16 (Psalm 103:2 ()); used of that heavenly state, consummate and free from every imperfection, to which the true disciples of Christ will be exalted, equivalent to the kingdom of light, Colossians 1:12.

b. By a figure frequently in the N. T. (cf. in classic Greek τῆς ἀληθείας τό φῶς, Euripides, L T. 1046 etc.; see Liddell and Scott, under the word, II. 2), φῶς is used to denote truth and its knowledge, together with the spiritual purity congruous with it (opposed to τό σκότος b., σκοτία, which see): ζωή ἦν τό φῶς τῶν ἀνθρώπων, had the nature of light in men, i. e. became the source of human wisdom, John 1:4; especially the saving truth embodied in Christ and by his love and effort imparted to mankind, Matthew 4:16; John 1:5; John 3:19-21; Acts 26:18, 23; 2 Corinthians 6:14; Ephesians 5:13{a} (cf. below); τό φῶς τό ἀληθινόν, 1 John 2:8; τό θαυμαστόν τοῦ Θεοῦ φῶς, 1 Peter 2:9 (Clement of Rome, 1 Cor. 36, 2 [ET] cf. 59, 2 [ET]); τό φῶς ὑμῶν, the divine truth with which ye are imbued, Matthew 5:16; ἔχειν τό φῶς τῆς ζωῆς, the light by which the true life is gained, John 8:12; τά ὅπλα (Lachmann marginal reading ἔργα) τοῦ φωτός, Romans 13:12; καρπός τοῦ φωτός, Ephesians 5:9 G L T Tr WH; ἐν τῷ φωτί περιπατεῖν, to live agreeably to saving wisdom, 1 John 1:7; ἐν τῷ φωτί εἶναι, to be imbued with saving wisdom, μένειν, to continue devoted to it, to persevere in keeping it, 1 John 2:9f; οἱ υἱοί τοῦ φωτός (see υἱός, 2, p. 635{a}), Luke 16:8; John 12:36; 1 Thessalonians 5:5; τέκνα φωτός (see τέκνον, c. β., p. 618^a), Ephesians 5:8. by metonymy, φῶς; is used of one in whom wisdom and spiritual purity shine forth, and who imparts the same to others: φῶς τῶν ἐν σκότει, Romans 2:19; (φῶς ἐθνῶν, Acts 13:47); in a pre-eminent sense is Jesus the Messiah called φῶς and τό φῶς: Luke 2:32; John 1:7; John 12:35f, 46; τό φῶς τοῦ κόσμου, John 8:12; John 9:5 (τό φῶς τοῦ κόσμου τό δοθέν ἐν ὑμῖν εἰς φωτισμόν παντός ἀνθρώπου, Test xii. Patr. test. Levi § 14); τό φῶς τό ἀληθινόν, John 1:9; by the same name the disciples of Jesus are distinguished, Matthew 5:14; Christians are called φῶς ἐν κυρίῳ, having obtained saving wisdom in communion with Christ, Ephesians 5:8. πᾶν τό φανερούμενον φῶς ἐστιν, everything made manifest by the aid of Christian truth has taken on the nature of light, so that its true character and quality are no longer hidden, Ephesians 5:13{b} (others take φῶς here in an outward or physical sense, and regard the statement as a general truth confirmatory of the assertion made respecting spiritual 'φωτός just before (cf. above)).

c. By a figure borrowed from daylight φῶς is used of that which is exposed to the view of all: ἐν τῷ φωτί (opposed to ἐν τῇ σκοτία), openly, publicly (ἐν φαει, Pindar Nem. 4, 63), Matthew 10:27; Luke 12:3.

d. reason, mind; the power of understanding especially moral and spiritual truth: τό φῶς τό ἐν σοι, Matthew 6:23; Luke 11:35. (Synonym: see φέγγος, at the end.)

Strong's Exhaustive Concordance
fire, light.

From an obsolete phao (to shine or make manifest, especially by rays; compare phaino, phemi); luminousness (in the widest application, natural or artificial, abstract or concrete, literal or figurative) -- fire, light.

see GREEK phaino

see GREEK phemi

Forms and Transliterations
φως φῶς φωτα φώτα φῶτα φωτι φωτί φωτὶ φωτος φωτός φωτὸς φωτων φώτων phos phôs phōs phō̂s phota phôta phōta phō̂ta photi photí photì phōti phōtí phōtì photon phōtōn phṓton phṓtōn photos photós photòs phōtos phōtós phōtòs
Links
Interlinear GreekInterlinear HebrewStrong's NumbersEnglishman's Greek ConcordanceEnglishman's Hebrew ConcordanceParallel Texts
Englishman's Concordance
Matthew 4:16 N-ANS
GRK: ἐν σκότει φῶς εἶδεν μέγα
NAS: A GREAT LIGHT, AND THOSE
KJV: saw great light; and to them which
INT: in darkness a light have seen great

Matthew 4:16 N-NNS
GRK: σκιᾷ θανάτου φῶς ἀνέτειλεν αὐτοῖς
NAS: OF DEATH, UPON THEM A LIGHT DAWNED.
KJV: shadow of death light is sprung up.
INT: shadow of death a light has dawned on them

Matthew 5:14 N-NNS
GRK: ἐστὲ τὸ φῶς τοῦ κόσμου
NAS: You are the light of the world.
KJV: Ye are the light of the world. A city
INT: are the light of the world

Matthew 5:16 N-NNS
GRK: λαμψάτω τὸ φῶς ὑμῶν ἔμπροσθεν
NAS: Let your light shine before
KJV: Let your light so shine
INT: let shine the light of you before

Matthew 6:23 N-NNS
GRK: οὖν τὸ φῶς τὸ ἐν
NAS: then the light that is in you is darkness,
KJV: If therefore the light that is in
INT: therefore the light that [is] in

Matthew 10:27 N-DNS
GRK: ἐν τῷ φωτί καὶ ὃ
NAS: speak in the light; and what
KJV: [that] speak ye in light: and what
INT: in the light and what

Matthew 17:2 N-NNS
GRK: ὡς τὸ φῶς
NAS: became as white as light.
KJV: white as the light.
INT: as the light

Mark 14:54 N-ANS
GRK: πρὸς τὸ φῶς
NAS: and warming himself at the fire.
KJV: warmed himself at the fire.
INT: at the fire

Luke 2:32 N-NNS
GRK: φῶς εἰς ἀποκάλυψιν
NAS: A LIGHT OF REVELATION TO THE GENTILES,
KJV: A light to lighten
INT: a light for revelation

Luke 8:16 N-ANS
GRK: βλέπωσιν τὸ φῶς
NAS: who come in may see the light.
KJV: they which enter in may see the light.
INT: might see the light

Luke 11:33 N-ANS
GRK: εἰσπορευόμενοι τὸ φῶς βλέπωσιν
INT: enter in the light might see

Luke 11:35 N-NNS
GRK: μὴ τὸ φῶς τὸ ἐν
NAS: watch out that the light in you is not darkness.
KJV: therefore that the light which
INT: lest the light that [is] in

Luke 12:3 N-DNS
GRK: ἐν τῷ φωτὶ ἀκουσθήσεται καὶ
NAS: will be heard in the light, and what
KJV: in the light; and
INT: in the light will be heard and

Luke 16:8 N-GNS
GRK: υἱοὺς τοῦ φωτὸς εἰς τὴν
NAS: than the sons of light.
KJV: than the children of light.
INT: sons of the light in the

Luke 22:56 N-ANS
GRK: πρὸς τὸ φῶς καὶ ἀτενίσασα
NAS: him as he sat in the firelight and looking intently
KJV: by the fire, and
INT: by the light and having looked intently on

John 1:4 N-NNS
GRK: ἦν τὸ φῶς τῶν ἀνθρώπων
NAS: and the life was the Light of men.
KJV: the life was the light of men.
INT: was the light of men

John 1:5 N-NNS
GRK: καὶ τὸ φῶς ἐν τῇ
NAS: The Light shines in the darkness,
KJV: And the light shineth in
INT: And the light in the

John 1:7 N-GNS
GRK: περὶ τοῦ φωτός ἵνα πάντες
NAS: about the Light, so
KJV: bear witness of the Light, that all
INT: concerning the light that all

John 1:8 N-NNS
GRK: ἐκεῖνος τὸ φῶς ἀλλ' ἵνα
NAS: He was not the Light, but [he came] to testify
KJV: not that Light, but [was sent] to
INT: he the light but that

John 1:8 N-GNS
GRK: περὶ τοῦ φωτός
NAS: about the Light.
KJV: bear witness of that Light.
INT: concerning the light

John 1:9 N-NNS
GRK: Ἦν τὸ φῶς τὸ ἀληθινὸν
NAS: There was the TRUE Light which, coming
KJV: the true Light, which
INT: Was the light true

John 3:19 N-NNS
GRK: ὅτι τὸ φῶς ἐλήλυθεν εἰς
NAS: is the judgment, that the Light has come
KJV: that light is come
INT: that light has come into

John 3:19 N-ANS
GRK: ἢ τὸ φῶς ἦν γὰρ
NAS: than the Light, for their deeds
KJV: rather than light, because their
INT: than the light were indeed

John 3:20 N-ANS
GRK: μισεῖ τὸ φῶς καὶ οὐκ
NAS: hates the Light, and does not come
KJV: evil hateth the light, neither cometh
INT: hates the light and not

John 3:20 N-ANS
GRK: πρὸς τὸ φῶς ἵνα μὴ
NAS: and does not come to the Light for fear
KJV: cometh to the light, lest his
INT: to the light that not

Strong's Greek 5457
73 Occurrences


φῶς — 48 Occ.
φῶτα — 1 Occ.
φωτί — 9 Occ.
φώτων — 1 Occ.
φωτὸς — 14 Occ.

















5456
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