phōs · light

What it means

phōs (φῶς) is a Greek word of the Bible that means “light”.

How to say it

Approximate pronunciation. Vowels sound as in Spanish (a as in father, e as in bed, i as in machine, o as in note, u as in rule); the syllable in bold is stressed. The voice is your device's.

Its senses in the Bible

1. Light from the sun, a lamp or heaven.
2. God's light that shows the truth.

From Abbott-Smith (1922) · Thayer (1889)

Word study

Light: the brightness of the sun or of a lamp; also a fire. Figuratively, the truth and life of God over against darkness. Of the same group are φαίνω (shine) and φωτίζω (give light).

• Light that is seen: a brightness from heaven Acts 9:3Acts 22:6
• “I am the light of the world” John 8:12John 12:46
• “God is light”; walking in the light 1 John 1:51 John 1:7
• A light for the nations Luke 2:32Acts 13:47
• A fire that has been lit Mark 14:54Luke 22:56

How we translate it

“Light” 69 times. Light and darkness keep their words throughout, so that the contrast that runs through John and his letters can be seen (John 8:12). In Mark 14:54 the word names the fire in the courtyard and is translated “warming himself at the fire”; in James 1:17, “the Father of lights”, the heavenly lights.

How it is translated

The words this translation uses for it, most frequent first.

• light ×69
• lights ×2
• fire ×1

Related words

Words of the same family, by Strong’s numbering.

Where it appears

• Matthew×7
• Mark×1
• Luke×6
• John×23
• Acts×10
• Romans×2
• 2 Corinthians×3
• Ephesians×5
• Colossians×1
• 1 Thessalonians×1
• 1 Timothy×1
• James×1
• 1 Peter×1
• 1 John×6
• Revelation×4

• Matthew 4:16

  the people who sat in darkness saw a great light, and for those who sat in the region and shadow of death, light dawned on them.”

• Matthew 5:14

  You are the light of the world. A city set on a mountain cannot be hidden.

• Matthew 5:16

  In the same way, let your light shine before people, so that they may see your good works and glorify your Father who is in heaven.

• Matthew 6:23

  but if your eye is bad, your whole body will be full of darkness. So if the light that is in you is darkness, how great is the darkness!

• Matthew 10:27

  What I tell you in the dark, say in the light; and what you hear in the ear, proclaim on the housetops.

• Matthew 17:2

  And he was transfigured before them, and his face shone like the sun, and his clothes became white as the light.

• Mark 14:54

  And Peter followed him from a distance, right into the courtyard of the high priest; and he was sitting with the attendants and warming himself at the fire.

• Luke 2:32

  a light for revelation to the nations and glory for your people Israel.”

• Luke 8:16

  And no one after lighting a lamp covers it with a jar or puts it under a bed, but puts it on a lampstand, so that those who come in may see the light.

• Luke 11:35

  So see to it that the light in you is not darkness.

• Luke 12:3

  Therefore whatever you have said in the dark will be heard in the light, and what you have spoken in the ear in the inner rooms will be proclaimed on the housetops.

• Luke 16:8

  And the master praised the unrighteous manager because he had acted shrewdly; for the sons of this age are more shrewd than the sons of light in dealing with their own generation.

• Luke 22:56

  And a certain servant girl, seeing him sitting facing the light and looking intently at him, said, “This man also was with him.”

• John 1:4

  in him was life, and the life was the light of mankind.

• John 1:5

  And the light shines in the darkness, and the darkness did not overcome it.

• John 1:7

  He came for testimony, to testify about the light, so that all might believe through him.

• John 1:8

  He was not the light, but he came to testify about the light.

• John 1:9

  The true light, which gives light to every person, was coming into the world.

• John 3:19

  And this is the judgment: that the light has come into the world, and people loved the darkness rather than the light, for their works were evil.

• John 3:20

  For everyone who does wicked things hates the light and does not come to the light, so that his works may not be exposed.

• John 3:21

  But whoever does the truth comes to the light, so that it may be shown plainly that his works have been done in God.”

• John 5:35

  He was the lamp that burns and shines, and you were willing to rejoice for an hour in his light.

• John 8:12

  So Jesus spoke to them again, saying, “I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will never walk in the darkness, but will have the light of life.”

• John 9:5

  While I am in the world, I am the light of the world.”

• John 11:9

  Jesus answered, “Are there not twelve hours in the day? If anyone walks in the day, he does not stumble, because he sees the light of this world.

• John 11:10

  But if anyone walks in the night, he stumbles, because the light is not in him.”

• John 12:35

  So Jesus said to them, “The light is among you a little while longer. Walk while you have the light, so that darkness may not overtake you; and whoever walks in the darkness does not know where he is going.

• John 12:36

  While you have the light, believe in the light, so that you may become sons of light.” Jesus spoke these things, and he went away and was hidden from them.

• John 12:46

  I have come as light into the world, so that everyone who believes in me may not remain in the darkness.

• Acts 9:3

  And as he was going, it happened that he was approaching Damascus, and suddenly a light from heaven flashed around him.

• Acts 12:7

  And look, an angel of the Lord stood by, and a light shone in the cell; and striking Peter’s side he woke him, saying, “Get up quickly.” And the chains fell off his hands.

• Acts 13:47

  For so the Lord has commanded us: ‘I have set you as a light for the nations, that you may be for salvation to the end of the earth.’”

• Acts 16:29

  And asking for lights, he rushed in and, trembling, fell down before Paul and Silas.

• Acts 22:6

  And it happened, as I was traveling and drawing near to Damascus, about noon, that suddenly a great light from heaven flashed around me;

• Acts 22:9

  And those who were with me saw the light, but they did not hear the voice of the one who was speaking to me.

• Acts 22:11

  And since I could not see because of the glory of that light, being led by the hand by those who were with me, I came into Damascus.

• Acts 26:13

  at midday, on the road, I saw, King, a light from heaven, beyond the brightness of the sun, shining around me and those traveling with me.

• Acts 26:18

  to open their eyes, so that they may turn from darkness to light and from the power of Satan to God, so that they may receive forgiveness of sins and an inheritance among those who have been sanctified by faith in me.’

• Acts 26:23

  that the Messiah would suffer, and that, being the first out of the resurrection of the dead, he would proclaim light both to the people and to the nations.”

• Romans 2:19

  and are confident that you yourself are a guide of the blind, a light to those in darkness,

And 32 more times.