5461. phótizó
Lexical Summary
phótizó: To enlighten, illuminate, bring to light, make clear.

Original Word: φωτίζω
Part of Speech: Verb
Transliteration: phótizó
Pronunciation: fo-tid'-zo
Phonetic Spelling: (fo-tid'-zo)
KJV: enlighten, illuminate, (bring to, give) light, make to see
NASB: enlightened, bring to light, illumined, brought, enlightens, illumine, illumines
Word Origin: [from G5457 (φῶς - light)]

1. to shed rays, i.e. to shine
2. (transitively) to brighten up
{literally or figuratively}

Strong's Exhaustive Concordance
enlighten, illuminate, make to see.

From phos; to shed rays, i.e. To shine or (transitively) to brighten up (literally or figuratively) -- enlighten, illuminate, (bring to, give) light, make to see.

see GREEK phos

HELPS Word-studies

Cognate: 5461 phōtízō (from 5457 /phṓs, "light") – properly, enlighten; (figuratively) God sharing His life, exposing and overcoming darkness – like the ignorance (prejudice) caused by sin. See 5457 (phōs).

NAS Exhaustive Concordance
Word Origin
from phós
Definition
to shine, give light
NASB Translation
bring to light (2), brought (1), enlightened (3), enlightens (1), illumine (1), illumined (2), illumines (1), light (1).

Thayer's Greek Lexicon
STRONGS NT 5461: φωτίζω

φωτίζω; future φωτίσω (Revelation 22:5 L WH; 1 Corinthians 4:5), Attic φωτιῶ (Revelation 22:5 G T Tr); 1 aorist ἐφωτισα; perfect passive participle πεφωτισμενος; 1 aorist passive ἐφοτίσθην;

1. intransitive, to give light, to shine (Aristotle, Theophrastus, Plutarch, others; the Sept. for אור, Numbers 8:2, etc.): ἐπί τινα, Revelation 22:5 (Rom. WH brackets ἐπί).

2. transitive,

a. properly, to enlighten, light up, illumine: τινα, Luke 11:36: τήν πόλιν, Revelation 21:23 (ἀκτισι τόν κόσμον, of the sun, Diodorus 3, 48; the Sept. for הֵאִיר); γῆ ἐφωτίσθη ἐκ τῆς δόξης (A. V. was lightened) shone with his glory, Revelation 18:1.

b. to bring to light, render evident: τά κρυπτά τοῦ σκότους, 1 Corinthians 4:5; (Ephesians 3:9 according to the reading of T L brackets WH text (but see c.)) (τήν αἵρεσιν τίνος, the preference, opinion, of one, Polybius 23, 3, 10; τήν ἀλήθειαν, Epictetus diss. 1, 4, 31; πεφωτισμενων τῶν πραγματον ὑπό τῆς ἀληθείας, Lucian, cal. non tem. cred. 32); to cause something to exist and thus to come to light and become clear to all: ζωήν καί ἀφθαρσίαν διά τοῦ εὐαγγελίου, opposed to καταργῆσαι τόν θάνατον, 2 Timothy 1:10.

c. by a use only Biblical and ecclesiastical, to enlighten spiritually, imbue with saving knowledge: τινα, John 1:9; with a saving knowledge of the gospel: hence, φωτισθέντες of those who have been made Christians, Hebrews 6:4; Hebrews 10:32; followed by an indirect question Ephesians 3:9 (see b. above) (Sir. 45:17; for הֵאִיר, Psalm 118:130 (; for הורָה, to instruct, inform, teach, Judges 13:8, Alex.; 2 Kings 12:2; φωτιοῦσιν αὐτούς τό κρίμα τοῦ Θεοῦ τῆς γῆς, 2 Kings 17:27 (cf. 1 Kings 17:28; others)); to give understanding to: πεφωτίσμενοι τούς ὀφθαλμούς τῆς καρδίας (Rec. διανοίας), as respects the eyes of your soul, Ephesians 1:18 (Buttmann, § 145, 6); ((cf. Sir. 31:20 (Sir. 34:20), etc.)).

Topical Lexicon
Overview

The New Testament verb rendered “light,” “give light,” or “enlighten” occurs eleven times and consistently portrays the gracious action of God that dispels darkness—whether cosmic, moral, intellectual, or eschatological. It is always divine or divinely-mediated activity: the Father, the Son, the Spirit, or God’s messengers impart clarity, revelation, and life. The word never describes human self-enlightenment; it is received, not achieved.

Christ the True Light

John introduces the incarnate Word as “the true Light who gives light to everyone” (John 1:9). Here the term identifies Jesus Christ as the universal source of revelation and salvation, echoing Isaiah’s promise that the Servant would be “a light for the nations.” All subsequent New Testament uses flow from this foundational christological assertion: the Light has come, and darkness cannot overcome Him.

Personal Illumination in Salvation

Twice Hebrews recalls how believers were once “enlightened” (Hebrews 6:4; 10:32), a shorthand for conversion that includes conviction of sin, reception of truth, and participation in the Holy Spirit. Likewise Paul celebrates the gospel’s effect: God “saved us and called us to a holy calling…now revealed by the appearing of our Savior Christ Jesus, who has…brought life and immortality to light through the gospel” (2 Timothy 1:10). Salvation is pictured as a dawning; the soul once shrouded in death awakens to incorruptible life.

Ongoing Spiritual Insight

Illumination is not confined to initial faith. Paul prays that believers may have “the eyes of your hearts enlightened” to grasp the hope, riches, and power that are theirs in Christ (Ephesians 1:18). Later he states his ministry purpose: “to enlighten everyone about the administration of this mystery” (Ephesians 3:9). Apostolic teaching functions as a conduit of divine light, deepening understanding and fortifying assurance.

Ethical and Ecclesial Implications

Jesus teaches, “If your whole body is full of light, with no part in darkness, it will be radiant as when a lamp illumines you with its brightness” (Luke 11:36). Spiritual illumination produces moral clarity and integrity; the enlightened heart yields an enlightened life. Paul applies the same principle corporately: when the Lord returns “He will bring to light what is hidden in darkness and will expose the motives of men’s hearts” (1 Corinthians 4:5). Divine light tests authenticity, purifies the church, and guarantees just judgment.

Cosmic and Eschatological Manifestations

Revelation depicts climactic bursts of divine brightness. An angel’s descent causes the whole earth to be “illuminated with his glory” (Revelation 18:1). The New Jerusalem needs “no sun or moon to shine on it, for the glory of God gives it light, and its lamp is the Lamb” (Revelation 21:23), and “the Lord God will be their light” through unending ages (Revelation 22:5). The consummation fulfills every earlier beam of gospel light, establishing a universe permanently free from night.

Historical Theology

Early church writers saw baptism as “illumination,” stressing the decisive transfer from ignorance to knowledge of God. During the Reformation, the doctrine of the Spirit’s inner illumination was central to the authority of Scripture, asserting that the same God who inspired the Word must enlighten readers’ minds. Evangelical missions have long cherished this verb, trusting that the proclamation of Christ “enlightens” darkened cultures without erasing their God-given dignity.

Ministry Significance Today

1. Proclamation: Preaching should aim not merely at information but at Spirit-empowered illumination that awakens sinners and builds saints.
2. Prayer: Like Paul, shepherds intercede for enlightened hearts, confident that spiritual perception is God’s gift.
3. Holiness: Personal and corporate lives must reflect the light received, rejecting secrecy and compromise.
4. Hope: Eschatological passages assure believers that present darkness is temporary; the Lamb’s radiance will soon fill all things.

Summary

Across its occurrences, the verb underscores God’s initiative to shine truth and life into a dark world through Christ, His Word, and His people, culminating in the radiant glory of the age to come.

Forms and Transliterations
εφωτισεν εφώτισεν ἐφώτισεν εφωτισθη εφωτίσθη ἐφωτίσθη πεφωτισμενους πεφωτισμένους φωτιεί φωτιείς φωτιζει φωτιζεί φωτίζει φωτίζειν φωτίζεις φωτιζη φωτίζη φωτίζῃ φωτίζου φωτίζουσα φωτίζουσαν φωτίζουσι φωτίζουσιν φωτίζων φωτιούσιν φωτισαι φωτίσαι φωτισαντος φωτίσαντος φωτίσατε φωτισάτω φωτισει φωτίσει φωτισθεντας φωτισθέντας φωτισθεντες φωτισθέντες φωτισθήσεται φωτίσθητε φωτισμοίς φώτισον ephotisen ephōtisen ephṓtisen ephotisthe ephotísthe ephōtisthē ephōtísthē pephotismenous pephotisménous pephōtismenous pephōtisménous photisai photísai phōtisai phōtísai photisantos photísantos phōtisantos phōtísantos photisei photísei phōtisei phōtísei photisthentas photisthéntas phōtisthentas phōtisthéntas photisthentes photisthéntes phōtisthentes phōtisthéntes photize phōtizē photizei photízei phōtizei phōtízei phōtízēi
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Englishman's Concordance
Luke 11:36 V-PSA-3S
GRK: τῇ ἀστραπῇ φωτίζῃ σε
NAS: the lamp illumines you with its rays.
KJV: doth give thee light.
INT: shining might light you

John 1:9 V-PIA-3S
GRK: ἀληθινὸν ὃ φωτίζει πάντα ἄνθρωπον
NAS: into the world, enlightens every
KJV: which lighteth every man
INT: true that which enlightens every man

1 Corinthians 4:5 V-FIA-3S
GRK: ὃς καὶ φωτίσει τὰ κρυπτὰ
NAS: will both bring to light the things hidden
KJV: both will bring to light the hidden things
INT: who both will bring to light the hidden things

Ephesians 1:18 V-RPM/P-AMP
GRK: πεφωτισμένους τοὺς ὀφθαλμοὺς
NAS: of your heart may be enlightened, so
KJV: understanding being enlightened; that
INT: being enlightened the eyes

Ephesians 3:9 V-ANA
GRK: καὶ φωτίσαι πάντας τίς
NAS: and to bring to light what
KJV: all [men] see what
INT: and to enlighten all what [is]

2 Timothy 1:10 V-APA-GMS
GRK: τὸν θάνατον φωτίσαντος δὲ ζωὴν
NAS: death and brought life
KJV: immortality to light through
INT: death having brought to light moreover life

Hebrews 6:4 V-APP-AMP
GRK: τοὺς ἅπαξ φωτισθέντας γευσαμένους τε
NAS: who have once been enlightened and have tasted
KJV: for those who were once enlightened, and
INT: those once having been enlightened having tasted moreover

Hebrews 10:32 V-APP-NMP
GRK: ἐν αἷς φωτισθέντες πολλὴν ἄθλησιν
NAS: when, after being enlightened, you endured
KJV: which, after ye were illuminated, ye endured
INT: in which having been enlightened much conflict

Revelation 18:1 V-AIP-3S
GRK: ἡ γῆ ἐφωτίσθη ἐκ τῆς
NAS: and the earth was illumined with his glory.
KJV: and the earth was lightened with his
INT: the earth was enlightened with the

Revelation 21:23 V-AIA-3S
GRK: τοῦ θεοῦ ἐφώτισεν αὐτήν καὶ
NAS: of God has illumined it, and its lamp
KJV: the glory of God did lighten it, and
INT: of God enlightened it and

Revelation 22:5 V-FIA-3S
GRK: ὁ θεὸς φωτίσει ἐπ' αὐτούς
NAS: God will illumine them; and they will reign
KJV: them light: and
INT: God enlightens above them

Strong's Greek 5461
11 Occurrences


ἐφώτισεν — 1 Occ.
ἐφωτίσθη — 1 Occ.
πεφωτισμένους — 1 Occ.
φωτίσαι — 1 Occ.
φωτίσαντος — 1 Occ.
φωτίσει — 2 Occ.
φωτισθέντας — 1 Occ.
φωτισθέντες — 1 Occ.
φωτίζῃ — 1 Occ.
φωτίζει — 1 Occ.

5460
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