Lexical Definition

‎φαίνω‎ phaínō (fah'-ee-no) to shine/appear ^G:V
prolongation for the base of ‎φῶς‎

appear, seem, be seen, shine, X think.

• to lighten (shine), i.e. show (transitive or intransitive, literal or figurative)

Abbott-Smith

φαίνω [in LXX for אור hi., ראה ni., etc. ;]
I. Act.,
1. to bring to light, cause to appear (so most freq. in cl.).
2. Absol., to give light, shine (Hom., Plat., al.): Jo 1:5 5:35, II Pe 1:19, I Jo 2:8, Re 1:16 8:12 18:23 21:23.
II. Pass., to come to light, appear, be manifest: Mt 2:7 13:26 24:27, 30, Lk 9:8, Phl 2:15, He 11:3, I Pe 4:18 (LXX); opp. to ἀφανίζεσθαι, Ja 4:14; c. dat. pers. (Bl. § 54, 4), Mt 1:20 2:13, 19, Mk 16:9; c. nom. pred., Mt 23:27, 28, Ro 7:13, II Co 13:7; id. c. dat. pers., Mt 6:5, 16, 18 (seq. nom. ptcp., but not as in cl.; v. Bl., § 73, 4); impers., Mt 9:33; of the mind and judgment (= δοκεῖ, q.v.), Mk 14:64 (cf. I Es 2:21), Lk 24:11.†
SYN.: v.s. δοκέω

Abbott-Smith References

Liddell-Scott-Jones

φαίνω,

[Refs 8th c.BC+], Epic dialect also φαείνω (which see):—future φᾰνῶ, [Refs 5th c.BC+]; Ionic dialect φᾰνέω (ἀπο-) [Refs 5th c.BC+], optative φᾰνοίην [Refs 5th c.BC+]: aorist 1 ἔφηνα [Refs 8th c.BC+]; Doric dialect ἔφᾱνα [Refs 5th c.BC+]subjunctive, ἀπο-φάνῃ uncertain reading in [Refs]; φάνῃς [Refs 4th c.BC+]; so in late Prose, (ἐξ-) [NT+2nd c.AD+]; Epic dialect iterative φάνεσκε (intransitive) [Refs 8th c.BC+]: perfect πέφαγκα [Refs 4th c.BC+]perfect πέφηνα (see. below[Refs], Doric dialect3rd.pers. plural ἐκ-πεφάναντι [Refs 5th c.BC+]; pluperfect ἐπεφήνειν [Refs 2nd c.AD+]:—middle, future infinitive φᾰνεῖσθαι [Refs 8th c.BC+], Ionic dialect φᾰνέομαι [Refs 5th c.BC+]; the forms φανῆσθον and Doric dialect imperative φάνευ are corrupt in [Refs 5th c.BC+]aorist 1 ἐφηνάμην (transitive) [Refs 5th c.BC+]:—passive, Ionic dialect imperfect φαινέσκετο [Refs 8th c.BC+]: future φᾰνήσομαι [Refs 5th c.BC+]future πεφήσεται [Refs 8th c.BC+]: aorist 1 ἐφάνθην [Refs 5th c.BC+]; Epic dialect 3rd.pers. singular φαάνθη [Refs 8th c.BC+], 3rd.pers. plural φάανθεν [Refs]aorist 2 ἐφάνην [ᾰ], Epic dialect φάνην [Refs 8th c.BC+]; Epic dialect 3rd.pers. plural φάνεν [Refs 8th c.BC+]; Epic dialect subjunctive φανήῃ [Refs 8th c.BC+]; Epic dialect infinitive φανήμεναι [Refs]: perfect πέφασμαι [Refs 5th c.BC+], 3rd.pers. singular πέφανται [Refs 8th c.BC+]; πέφᾰται in [φαίνω in sense 4th-5th c.BC: Aeschylus Tragicus 1.5">Refs 5th c.BC+], or to φημ; infinitive πεφάνθαι [Refs 5th c.BC+]; participle πεφασμένος [Refs 8th c.BC+]; 3rd.pers. plural pluperfect ἐπέφαντο [Refs 8th c.BC+]

__A active, bring to light, cause to appear, in physical sense, τέρας τινὶ φ. make a sign appear to one, [φαίνων 8th c.BC: Ilias Homerus Epicus “Illiad” 2.353; γένυσι φ. ὀπώραν 5th c.BC: Pindarus Lyricus “N.” 5.6; δύο μορφὰς φ. 4th-5th c.BC: Aeschylus Tragicus “Fragmenta - American Journal of Philology” 304.5; τὸν αὐχένα 5th c.BC: Herodotus Historicus 2.132 ">Refs 8th c.BC+]; ἔφην᾽ ἄφαντον φῶς, i.e. fire, [Refs 5th c.BC+]; φ. μηρούς, ἐπιγουνίδα, show by baring, i.e. uncover.., [Refs 8th c.BC+]; reflect an image in water, τὰ δέ νιν καλὰ κύματα φαίνει [Refs 3rd c.BC+] —middle, τὰ τόξα.. τοῖσιν Ἀργείοισι φήνασθαι θέλει exhibit them as his own, [Refs 5th c.BC+]
__b make known, reveal, disclose, ἐς τὸ φῶς φανεῖ κακά [Refs 8th c.BC+]; φανεῖ.. κωκύματα wailings will show forth [the truth of what I say], [Refs 5th c.BC+] wilt make us appear.., [Refs]
__c γόνον Ἑλένῃ φ. show her a child, i. e. grant her to bear one, [Refs 8th c.BC+]; φ. παράκοιτίν τινι show (i.e. give) one a wife, [Refs]
__2 of sound, make it clear to the ear, make it ring clear, ἀοιδὴν φαίνειν [Refs 4th c.BC+]
__3 show forth, display in action, ἀρετήν [Refs 8th c.BC+]; ὕβριν[Refs 4th c.BC+]
__3.b set forth, expound, νοήματα [Refs 8th c.BC+]; but τὰ λαμπρὰ.. φ. ἔπη make them good, [Refs 5th c.BC+]
__4 inform against one, denounce, φανῶ σε (σε φανῶ codices) τοῖς πρυτάνεσι [Refs 5th c.BC+]: denounce a thing as contraband, [Refs 5th c.BC+]; τὰ φανθέντα articles denounced as contraband, [Refs]give information, ὁ φήνας ἢ ὁ γραψάμενος [Refs 5th c.BC+]
__5 φαίνειν φρουράν, call up a levy, at Sparta, [Refs 5th c.BC+]; also φ. θυσίαν proclaim, order a sacrifice, [Refs 4th c.BC+] —passive, πέφαται θνατοῖσι νίκας ὕστερον εὐφροσύνα has been ordained, [Refs 5th c.BC+]
__II absolutely, give light, shine, φαίνοντες νύκτας.. δαιτυμόνεσσι [Refs 8th c.BC+]; of the sun, moon, etc., φ. τινί [Refs 5th c.BC+]; compare φάω: so ἦρι μὲν φαίνοντι in spring when it shines forth, [Refs 4th c.BC+]; of the Dioscuri shining in mid-air, [Refs 5th c.BC+] soft shining hope, [Refs 4th c.BC+]
__II.b Φαίνων, οντος, ὁ, the planet Saturn, [Refs 4th c.BC+]; accusative -ωνα [Refs]
__III Epic dialect iterative φάνεσκε appeared, μετὰ πρώτοισι φάνεσκε [Refs 8th c.BC+]
__III.2 perfect [Refs 5th c.BC+]
__B passive, come to light, appear, φάνεν δέ οἱ εὐρέες ὦμοι, being stripped bare, [Refs 8th c.BC+]: frequently of fire, shine brightly, πυρὰ φαίνετο Ἰλιόθι πρό [Refs 8th c.BC+]shone like fire, [Refs 8th c.BC+]: frequently of the rising of heavenly bodies, ἄστρα φαεινὴν ἀμφὶ σελήνην φαίνετ᾽ ἀριπρεπέα [Refs 8th c.BC+]; of the first gleam of daybreak, ἦμος δ᾽ ἠριγένεια φάνη ῥοδοδάκτυλος Ἠώς [Refs 8th c.BC+]; ἅμ᾽ ἠοῖ φαινομένηφι at break of day, [Refs 8th c.BC+]: of a rising wind, οὐδέ ποτ᾽ οὖροι πνείοντες φαίνονθ᾽ ἁλιαέες [Refs 8th c.BC+]; of a vapour, ἐκ νεφέων ἐρεβεννὴ φ. ἀήρ [Refs 8th c.BC+]
__B.2 of persons, οἴῳ φαινομένη appearing to him alone, [Refs 8th c.BC+]; οὗπερ κἀφάνης where thou didst first appear, [Refs 5th c.BC+]; ὁδόν φανῆναι a pregnant expression for ἐλθεῖν ὁδὸν ὥστε φανῆναι, [Refs]; πόθεν φαίν; whence come you? [Refs 5th c.BC+]; οὐδαμοῦ φ. is nowhere to be seen, [Refs]
__B.2.b come into being, φανεὶς δύστηνος born to misery, [Refs 5th c.BC+]; become, ἐκ βασιλέως ἰδιώτην φανῆναι [Refs 5th c.BC+]; to be made out, δοῦλος λόγοισιν.. φανείς [Refs 5th c.BC+]
__B.3 of events, come about, τέλος οὔ πώ τι πέφανται [Refs 8th c.BC+]; ἔργον, ἄεθλον, etc.,[Refs 8th c.BC+]; of sayings, to be set forth, λόγος ἀρχαῖος φανείς[Refs]
__B.II appear to be so and so, with infinitive, δμῳάων ἥ τίς τοι ἀρίστη φαίνεται εἶναι [Refs 8th c.BC+]: frequently with infinitive omitted, οὗ καὶ πρόσθεν ἀρίστη φαίνετο βουλή [Refs 8th c.BC+] also with participle, to be manifest: thus, ἐμοὶ σὺ πλουτέειν μέγα φαίνεαι you appear to me to be very rich, [Refs 5th c.BC+]; but εὔνοος ἐφαίνετο ἐών he was manifestly well-inclined, [Refs 5th c.BC+]; οὐκ ἄκαιρα φαίνεται λέγειν he appears to be speaking.., [Refs 4th c.BC+]; but φανέονται λέγοντες οὐδέν it will be manifest that they talk nonsense, [Refs 5th c.BC+]participle omitted, πέφανται ἁρματηλάτας σοφός (i.e. ὤν) [Refs 5th c.BC+]; Κᾶρες ἐφάνησαν (i.e. ὄντες) they were seen to be Carians, [Refs 5th c.BC+]; τί φαίνομαι (i.e. ὤν) δῆτ; what do I look like? [Refs 5th c.BC+]
__B.II.2 in Philosophy, φαίνομαι (absolutely) is sometimes used of what appears to the senses, φαίνεται δ᾽ οὐδὲν is observed, [Refs 4th c.BC+]: sometimes of what is mentally manifest, [Refs]; to be evident, [Refs]: especially appear to the imagination [Refs 5th c.BC+]: especially in participle φαινόμενος, η, ον:
__B.II.2.a appearing in sense experience, τὰ φ. κατὰ τὴν αἴσθησιν [Refs]sense-data, [Refs 4th c.BC+] = celestial phenomena, title of a work by Eudoxus, versified by Aratus, [Refs 4th c.BC+]: generally, τὸ μὴ ἐκ φαινομένων τὸ βλεπόμενον γεγονέναι [NT]
__B.II.2.b mentally apparent, opposed to ὄντα τῇ ἀληθείᾳ, [Refs 5th c.BC+]; τὸ φ. εἰπεῖν to express one's opinion, [Refs 1st c.AD+]: hence, specious, fallacious, φ. ἐνθυμήματα, opposed to ὄντα, [Refs 4th c.BC+]
__B.II.2.c τὰ φ. what is to be seen, show, [Refs 4th c.AD+]
__B.II.3 frequently in answers in Plato's dialogue, φαίνεται, yes, Prt.[Refs]: [τοῦτο] φῂς εἶνα; Answ. φαίνομαι (i.e. λέγειν) [Refs 5th c.BC+]
__B.II.3.b later impersonal with dative person et infinitive, it seems good, ἐάν σοι φαίνηται Wilcken [Refs 3rd c.BC+], etc.; ὁπότε αὐτῷ φανείη στρατιὰν ἐξάγειν [Refs 1st c.BC+]
__B.II.4 joined with δοκέω, εἰ δὴ κακός τε φ. δοκῶ τέ σοι [Refs 5th c.BC+]
__B.II.5 οὐδαμοῦ φαίνεσθαι 'to be nowhere', metaphorically from racing, [Refs 5th c.BC+]
__B.III τὰ φανθέντα, see above [Refs 4th c.BC+]

_{LSJ Scripture Refs: Luke.1.79 ☩ Acts.21.3 ☩ Heb.11.3}