λαμπρός G2986
Bright, shining, radiant in appearance; also splendid, magnificent, or luxurious in quality.
An adjective whose semantic range stretches from physical luminosity to social grandeur. When describing angelic garments (Acts 10:30; Rev 15:6) or the river of life 'bright as crystal' (Rev 22:1), the word denotes visible radiance — Spanish 'brillante,' French 'brillant,' German 'glänzend.' But when James warns against favoring the man in 'splendid clothing' (Jas 2:2-3), the brightness is metaphorical: it is the sheen of wealth and social status. Revelation 18:14 extends this further with 'splendid things' lost in Babylon's fall. The two senses overlap — fine garments can literally gleam — but the multilingual evidence shows translators consistently distinguishing luminous radiance from costly magnificence.
Senses
1. bright / shining / radiant — Emitting or reflecting light; visually luminous, shining, or radiant. Used of Cornelius's angelic visitor in 'bright clothing' (Acts 10:30), the mocking robe placed on Jesus (Luke 23:11), the linen of heavenly armies 'bright and pure' (Rev 15:6; 19:8), and the river of life 'bright as crystal' (Rev 22:1). Spanish uses 'brillante' and 'resplandeciente,' French 'brillant,' and German 'glänzend' — all centering on the emission or reflection of light as the primary quality. 6×
AR["اللّامِعُ", "لامِعًا", "لَامِعٍ"]·ben["উজ্জ্বল"]·DE["glaenzend", "λαμπρὰν", "λαμπρᾷ"]·EN["bright"]·FR["brillant"]·heb["בָּהִיר", "הַ-זָּהִיר", "זוֹהֵר", "מַבְהִיק", "מַזְהִיר"]·HI["के", "चमकदार", "चमकीला"]·ID["berkilau", "jernih", "terang", "yang-bersinar", "yang-indah"]·IT["lampran", "lampron", "lampros", "splendente"]·jav["endah", "mencorong", "sumorot", "sumunar,"]·KO["빛나는"]·PT["resplandecente"]·RU["светлая", "светлую", "светлый", "светлым,", "сияющей"]·ES["brillante", "brillante;", "espléndida", "resplandeciente"]·SW["angavu", "chamchanga", "kingʼaacho,", "kingʼaacho;", "yanayong'aa,"]·TR["parlak"]·urd["چمکتا", "چمکدار"]
2. splendid / magnificent / luxurious — Splendid, magnificent, or luxurious in quality, emphasizing costliness, grandeur, or social impressiveness rather than mere luminosity. James warns against deferring to the man in 'splendid' clothing while despising the poor (Jas 2:2-3), and Revelation 18:14 lists 'splendid things' among Babylon's lost luxuries. English shifts from 'bright' to 'splendid/fine,' signaling that the emphasis has moved from physical radiance to social and material grandeur — the gleam of wealth rather than the gleam of light. 3×
AR["البَهاءِ", "الفاخِرَ", "فاخِرٍ"]·ben["উজ্জ্বল", "চমৎকার"]·DE["glaenzend"]·EN["splendid", "splendid-things"]·FR["brillant"]·heb["הַבָּהִיר", "מַבְרִיק"]·HI["चमकदार", "चमकीली"]·ID["cemerlang,", "cemerlang;", "mewah"]·IT["lampra", "lampran"]·jav["mencorong", "éndah,", "éndah;"]·KO["빛나는-것들이", "화려한,", "화려한;"]·PT["coisas-esplêndidas", "esplêndida"]·RU["блестящее", "светлой;", "светлую,"]·ES["brillante", "esplandecientes"]·SW["maridadi", "mazuri"]·TR["parlak", "parlak-şeyler"]·urd["چمکدار", "چمکدار؛", "چمکدار٬"]
Related Senses
H3808 1. simple negation (not) (4839×)G1722 1. locative: in, within (2442×)H1004b 1. house, dwelling, building (2015×)G3756 1. not (negation particle) (1635×)H4480a 1. source or separation (1198×)H5892b 1. city, town (1093×)G1519 1. direction: into, to, toward (1061×)H3427 1. Qal: to dwell, inhabit (937×)G1537 1. from, out of (source/origin) (886×)H8034 1. Name (designation / identifier) (856×)G3361 1. subjective negation (not) (834×)G1909 1. on, upon (spatial surface) (757×)H0369 1. existential negation: there is not (738×)H5869a 1. in the eyes/sight of (evaluative) (734×)H5650 1. Servant, attendant, subject (723×)H0408 1. prohibitive negation do-not (712×)G2443 1. so that, in order that (purpose/result) (665×)G0575 1. from (649×)G1223 1. through, by means of (582×)H3541 1. thus, so, in this manner (569×)
BDB / Lexicon Reference
λαμπρός, ά, όν, feminine -ή in Epic dialect Refs 8th c.BC+:— bright, radiant, of the sun and stars, λ. φάος ἠελίοιο Refs 8th c.BC+; -ότατος, of Sirius, Refs; λαμπρὰ σελήνη Hes.[same places],Refs 5th c.BC+; of the eyes, Refs 5th c.BC+; of metallic bodies, λ. φάλοι, κόρυθες, Refs 8th c.BC+: neuter as adverb, θώρηκες λαμπρὸν γανόωντες Refs __2 of white cloths and the like, bright, λαμπρὸς δ᾽ ἦν…