φωτίζω G5461
Illuminate, give light; enlighten spiritually; bring hidden things to light, reveal
Rooted in phos (light), this verb moves from physical illumination to spiritual enlightenment to revelatory disclosure. John 1:9 declares the true light 'enlightens' every person coming into the world -- a claim about universal spiritual illumination. In Revelation, the same verb describes the glory of God literally lighting the heavenly city (21:23) and the angel whose splendor illuminates the whole earth (18:1). Paul employs a third dimension: bringing hidden things 'to light,' whether God's secret counsels at the last day (1 Cor 4:5) or the mystery of Christ's plan now revealed (Eph 3:9). The Spanish and French translations consistently use 'iluminar/eclairer' across all three senses, while German 'erleuchten' does the same, suggesting the metaphorical unity underlying these distinctions.
Senses
1. enlighten, give spiritual understanding — To enlighten a person spiritually, granting insight, understanding, or conversion. John 1:9 uses this of the true light enlightening every person; Hebrews 6:4 and 10:32 speak of those 'once enlightened' -- an experience so formative that Spanish 'iluminados' and German 'erleuchtet' became near-technical terms for baptismal illumination. Luke 11:36 applies it to inner light filling the whole body when the eye is healthy. 5×
AR["المُسْتَنيرينَ", "مُستَنيرَةً", "مُسْتَنِيرِينَ", "يُنيرُكَ", "يُنِيرُ"]·ben["আলোকিত", "আলোকিত-করে", "আলোকিত-হয়ে", "যারা-দীপ্ত-হয়েছিল"]·DE["erleuchten", "erleuchtet"]·EN["enlightened", "enlightens", "having-been-enlightened", "illuminates"]·FR["erleuchten", "éclairer"]·heb["הְאָרִים", "מֵאִיר", "מוּאָרִים", "נֵאָרִים"]·HI["चमकाता-है", "प्रकशित", "प्रकाशित-करती-है", "प्रकाशित-किए-गए,", "प्रकाशित-होकर,"]·ID["diterangi", "menerangi", "setelah-diterangi,"]·IT["illuminare", "photize", "photizei"]·jav["dipunpadhangaken", "madhangi", "sampun-kapadhangan"]·KO["밝혀진", "비추는", "비추리라", "비춤-받은-자들이", "비춤-받은-후에"]·PT["ilumina", "iluminados", "tendo-sido-iluminados"]·RU["освещает", "просветившись", "просвещённые", "просвещённых"]·ES["habiendo-sido-iluminados", "ilumina", "iluminados", "te-ilumine"]·SW["inaangaza", "inakuangazia", "mkiangaziwa", "mlipoangaliwa", "walioangaliwa"]·TR["aydinlanmis", "aydınlatılmış-olarak", "aydınlatılmışları", "aydınlatır"]·urd["روشن-کرتا-ہے", "روشن-کرے", "روشن-کیے-جانے-کے-بعد", "روشن-ہوئی", "روشن-ہوئے"]
2. illuminate, shine upon — To illuminate physically or eschatologically, shining light upon a place or people. In Revelation 18:1 an angel's glory illuminates the earth; in 21:23 and 22:5 God's glory and the Lamb replace sun and lamp as the city's light source. Spanish distinguishes tenses -- 'fue iluminada' (was illuminated) vs. 'alumbrará' (will illuminate) -- marking whether the illumination is visionary or prophetic. First Corinthians 4:5 bridges to the revelatory sense: the Lord will illuminate even the hidden things of darkness. 4×
AR["أَضاءَتْ", "أَضاءَها", "سَيُضيءُ", "سَيُنيرُ"]·ben["আলোকিত-করবেন", "আলোকিত-করে", "আলোকিত-হল"]·DE["erleuchten"]·EN["illuminated", "was-illuminated", "will-illuminate", "will-shine"]·FR["erleuchten", "illuminer"]·heb["הֵאִיר", "הֵאִירָה", "יָאִיר"]·HI["प्रकाशित-करती-है", "प्रकाशित-करेगा", "प्रकाशित-हुई", "प्रभु"]·ID["akan-menerangi", "diterangi", "menerangi"]·IT["illuminare"]·jav["badhe-madhangi", "badhé-madhangi", "kapadhangan", "sampun-madhangi"]·KO["밝아졌다", "비추리라", "비추실-것이다", "비추었다"]·PT["foi-iluminada", "iluminará", "iluminou"]·RU["будет-светить", "осветила", "осветилась", "осветит"]·ES["alumbrará", "fue-iluminada", "iluminará", "iluminó"]·SW["atawaangazia", "atayaangaza", "ilimulikwa", "umeuangazia"]·TR["aydınlatacak", "aydınlattı", "aydınlatıldı", "ve-"]·urd["روشن-کرتا-ہے", "روشن-کرے-گا", "روشن-ہوئی"]
3. bring to light, reveal — To bring something concealed into the open, to reveal or make known. In Ephesians 3:9 Paul's mission is to 'bring to light' the mystery of God's plan hidden for ages, where Spanish 'iluminar' and French 'eclairer' extend the light metaphor to disclosure. In 2 Timothy 1:10, Christ has 'brought to light' life and immortality through the gospel -- the definitive unveiling that transforms hidden possibility into proclaimed reality. 2×
AR["أَنارَ", "أُنيرَ"]·ben["আলো-দিয়েছেন", "আলোকিত-করতে"]·DE["erleuchten"]·EN["having-brought-to-light", "to-enlighten"]·FR["erleuchten"]·heb["הֵאִיר-הַ-", "לְהָאִיר"]·HI["प्रकशित-करन", "प्रकशित-किय"]·ID["menerangi", "yang-menerangi"]·IT["illuminare"]·jav["madhangi", "nglairaké-terang"]·KO["비추도록", "비추신"]·PT["iluminar", "tendo-trazido-à-luz"]·RU["просветить", "явившего"]·ES["iluminar", "que-iluminó"]·SW["akaletea-nuru", "kuangaza"]·TR["aydinlatmak", "aydınlatan"]·urd["روشن-کرنے-والے", "روشن-کرنے-کو"]
Related Senses
H4325 1. water, waters (582×)H6965b 1. Qal: to rise, arise, get up (432×)H2091 1. gold (the metal) (389×)H0068 1. stone, rock (material/object) (267×)H5178a 1. bronze/copper as metal (131×)H6083 1. dust, dry earth, soil (108×)H8313 1. burn, set fire to (94×)H2734 1. anger was kindled (82×)G5204 1. water (80×)H2822 1. darkness, absence of light (80×)G5457 1. light (illumination) (71×)G0450 1. rise, stand up (physical) (69×)H6965b 2. Qal: to stand firm, endure, be valid (50×)H6999a 2. burn sacrifice on altar (Hifil) (45×)H5553 1. rock, cliff (physical feature) (43×)H6965b 4. Hifil: to establish, confirm (covenant/kingdom/word) (40×)H1197a 1. burn, be on fire (39×)H4306 1. rain, showers (38×)H1653 1. rain, precipitation (34×)G4655 1. darkness (30×)
BDB / Lexicon Reference
φωτίζω, future φωτίσω NT:—I. absolutely, shine, give light, ὁ ἄνθραξ [οὐ δύναται] φωτίζειν ὥσπερ ἡ φλόξ Refs 4th c.BC+ __II transitive, illuminate, ὁ ἥλιος φ. τὸν κόσμον Refs 1st c.BC+ —passive, τὸ φωτιζόμενον, opposed to τὸ φωτίζον,Refs 2nd c.AD+; of a planet, Refs 5th c.AD+ __II.2 bring to light, make known, τὴν ἑκατέρων αἵρεσιν NT+2nd c.BC+:—passive, γράμματα ἑαλωκότα καὶ πεφωτισμένα Refs 2nd…