noun · neuter
fōtem
Strong’sG5457
light, a source of light
stem fōt-72 times in the New Testamentin 15 of 27 books4 of 6 forms occur
What it means
A plain-English reading of the word, with the lexicons it draws on — Abbott-Smith, Strong's, and Liddell-Scott-Jones — right below it, in full.
AI Summary
Light — the opposite of darkness — is the basic sense of this word, covering ordinary light such as sunlight, lamplight, and also light of a supernatural, heavenly kind 1. Strong's describes it broadly as luminousness in the widest sense, whether natural or artificial, literal or figurative 2, and Dodson glosses it simply as light, or a source of light 4.
By extension the word can name the thing that gives off light rather than the light itself, such as a fire, a lamp, or a torch 1.
The word is also used figuratively in several related ways: of God himself; of spiritual truth and the effect it has on how people live; of Christ, and of Christians insofar as they let truth shine out from them; of spiritual understanding or insight; and, adverbially, of whatever is done or made openly, in public view, as opposed to being hidden in secrecy 1.
LSJ notes that the form φῶς is simply a contracted spelling of the older word phaos 3.
Sources: 1 Abbott-Smith 2 Strong's 3 LSJ 4 Dodson. Condensed by anthropic/claude-sonnet-5 on 2026-09-23 — it may still misstate what these say; check them yourself if it matters to you.
The lexicons it was drawn from, in full:
Abbott-Smith — the 1922 lexicon entry, in full
φῶς (Att.. contr. from φάος; < φάω), gen., φωτός, τό,
[in LXX chiefly for אוֹר;]
SYN.: v.s. φέγγος
G. Abbott-Smith, A Manual Greek Lexicon of the New Testament, 1922 — public domain. References open in the reader.
Strong’s G5457 — the 1890 definition, and where the word comes from
Saidfoce
compare G5316, G5346); luminousness (in the widest application, natural or artificial, abstract or concrete, literal or figurative)
Fromfrom an obsolete φάω (to shine or make manifest, especially by rays;
King Jamesfire, light.
James Strong, Exhaustive Concordance of the Bible, 1890 — public domain. The numbers in it link to the entries here.
Liddell-Scott-Jones — the classical dictionary this word appears in
contraction for φάος, light (which see). φῴς, ἡ, plural φῷδες, contraction from φωΐς (which see).
H. G. Liddell, R. Scott, H. S. Jones, A Greek-English Lexicon (9th ed., 1925–1940) — digitised by the Perseus Digital Library and corrected and expanded by Tyndale House, Cambridge, via STEPBible-Data's TFLSJ table, CC BY 4.0. Covers all of Greek literature, not just the Bible.
Translated as
Every occurrence, sorted by the English it was actually given — the evidence for what the word means, not a gloss of it.
Berean Standard Bible (BSB), dedicated to the public domain — berean.bible.
Biblang forms
Every form this word takes in Biblang, with the Greek it corresponds to and how often the New Testament uses it.
| Job in the sentence case | one singular | more than one plural |
|---|---|---|
| subject or object direct | fōtem25×φῶς | fōteim |
| of, belonging to genitive | fōteu13×φωτὸς | fōteiu1×φώτων |
| to, for dative | fōte9×φωτὶ | fōtei |
Tinted cells are forms the New Testament never uses, so there is no Greek to show against them — but they are still correct Biblang, built from the slots below like any other.
Why these forms, and no others — the slots that make them
fōte is this word in every one of its forms. The slots after it make all the rest.
same in every form varies — every value shown
Where it appears
Every verse the word appears in, filed under the form it takes there.
72 occurrences, every one of them listed
fōtem“light”subject or objectdirect singular25×
Matthew 4:16… kathorōntoi en chōra kai skia thanatou fōtem anatellata autoi.… of the shadow of death, a light has dawned.”
Matthew 5:14Vis avō tem fōtem tou kosmou. ouk dunotō polas kruptira …You are the light of the world. A city on …
Matthew 5:16houtōs lampatar tem fōtem vu emprosthen toiu anthrōpoiu, hopōs horaleia …In the same way, let your light shine before men, that they may …
Matthew 6:23… su skoteinem eti. ei oun tem fōtem tem en si skotem atō, tem …… full of darkness. If then the light within you is darkness, how great …
Matthew 17:2… himatieim autou geneta leukeim hōs tem fōtem.… clothes became as white as the light.
Luke 11:35skopasōr oun mē tem fōtem tem en si skotem atō.Be careful, then, that the light within you is not darkness.
John 1:4… ate, kai tas zōas ate tem fōtem toiu anthrōpoiu;… life, and that life was the light of men.
John 1:5kai tem fōtem en ta skotia fanatō, kai tas …The Light shines in the darkness, and the …
John 1:8ouk ate ekeinos tem fōtem, alla hina marturateia peri teu fōteu.He himself was not the Light, but he came to testify about …
John 1:9ate tem fōtem tem alēthinem hem fōtizatō panton anthrōpon …The true Light, who gives light to everyone, was coming into the …
John 3:19… de atō tas krisias hoti tem fōtem erchatē eis ton kosmon kai agapala …And this is the verdict: The Light has come into the world, but …
John 8:12… tos Iēsus legarōntos; Mis amō tem fōtem tou kosmou; tos akoloutharōntos mi ouk …… people and said, “I am the light of the world. Whoever follows Me …
John 9:5hotan en to kosmo ameiō, fōtem amō tou kosmou.… in the world, I am the light of the world.”
John 11:10… en ta nukta, proskoptatō, hoti tem fōtem ouk atō en auto.… will stumble, because he has no light.”
John 12:35… tos Iēsus; Ēti mikron chronon tem fōtem en vi atō. peripatavōr hōs tem …… you. Walk while you have the Light, so that darkness will not overtake …
John 12:46mis fōtem eis ton kosmon erchamē, hina pantos …… come into the world as a light, so that no one who believes …
Acts 9:3… ta Damaska, exaifnōs tē auton periastraptata fōtem ek tou ouranou,… Damascus on his journey, suddenly a light from heaven flashed around him.
Acts 12:7kai idou angelos kuriou epistēata, kai fōtem lampata en te oikēme; pataxarantos de …… of the Lord appeared and a light shone in the cell. He tapped …
2 Corinthians 4:6… tos theos tos legarantos; Ek skoteu fōtem lampati, hos lampata en tai kardiai …For God, who said, “Let light shine out of darkness,” made His …
Ephesians 5:8ave gar pote skotem, nun de fōtem en kurio; hōs tekneim fōteu peripatavōr,… once darkness, but now you are light in the Lord. Walk as children …
Ephesians 5:14“light”pantem gar tem fanerorōntem fōtem atō. dio legatō; Egerasōr, tos katheudarōntor, …So it is said: “Wake up, O sleeper, rise up …
1 John 1:5… kai anangelanō vi, hoti tos theos fōtem atō kai skotias en auto ouk …… and announce to you: God is light, and in Him there is no …
1 John 2:8… hoti tas skotias paragotō kai tem fōtem tem alēthinem ēdē fanatō.… darkness is fading and the true light is already shining.
Revelation 18:23kai fōtem luchnou ouk mē fanateia en si …The light of a lamp will never shine …
Revelation 22:5… ouk echalō chreian fōteu luchnou kai fōtem hēliou, hoti kurios tos theos fōtizati …… will have no need for the light of a lamp or of the …
fōteu“light”of, belonging togenitive singular13×
Luke 16:8… houtou fronimoterois huper toin huioin teu fōteu eis tan genean tan heautoiu alō.… kind than are the sons of light.
John 1:7… eis marturian, hina marturateia peri teu fōteu, hina pantois pisteualeia dia autou.… a witness to testify about the Light, so that through him everyone might …
John 1:8… fōtem, alla hina marturateia peri teu fōteu.… he came to testify about the Light.
John 12:36… pisteuavōr eis tem fōtem, hina huiois fōteu geneveia. Houteim lalata Iēsus, kai apercharantos …… that you may become sons of light.” After Jesus had spoken these things …
Acts 22:11… ouk emblepame apo tau doxau teu fōteu ekeineu, cheiragōgorōntos hupo toiu suneiarōntoiu mi …Because the brilliance of the light had blinded me, my companions led …
Romans 13:12… skoteu, endueneia de teim hopleim teu fōteu.… and put on the armor of light.
2 Corinthians 11:14… gar tos Satanos metaschēmatizotō eis angelon fōteu;… himself masquerades as an angel of light.
Ephesians 5:8… de fōtem en kurio; hōs tekneim fōteu peripatavōr,… the Lord. Walk as children of light,
Ephesians 5:9tos gar karpos teu fōteu en panta agathōsuna kai dikaiosuna kai …for the fruit of the light consists in all goodness, righteousness, and …
Ephesians 5:13teim de panteim elenchorōnteim hupo teu fōteu fanerotō,But everything exposed by the light becomes visible, for everything that is …
1 Thessalonians 5:5pantois gar vis huiois fōteu avō kai huiois hēmerau. ouk anō …… you are all sons of the light and sons of the day; we …
Revelation 21:24kai peripatali teim ethneim dia teu fōteu autau; kai tois basilevois tau gēau …By its light the nations will walk, and into …
Revelation 22:5“light”… eti ēti, kai ouk echalō chreian fōteu luchnou kai fōtem hēliou, hoti kurios …There will be no more night in the city, and they will have no need for the light of a lamp or of the sun. For the Lord God will shine on them, and they will …
fōte“light”to, fordative singular9×
Matthew 10:27“light”… en ta skotia, legavar en te fōte; kai hem eis tem ouem akouavō, …… tell you in the dark, speak in the daylight; what is whispered in your ear, proclaim from the housetops.
Luke 12:3“light”… en ta skotia legava en te fōte akouiti, kai hem pros tem ouem …… have spoken in the dark will be heard in the daylight, and what you have whispered in the inner rooms …
John 5:35… thelava agalliira pros hōran en te fōte autou;… a season to bask in his light.
2 Corinthians 6:14… dikaiosuna kai anomia, ē tinas koinōnias fōte pros skotem?… with wickedness? Or what fellowship does light have with darkness?
Colossians 1:12… tou klērou toiu hagioiu en te fōte,… inheritance of the saints in the light.
1 John 1:7ean de en te fōte peripataneiō hōs autos atō en te …But if we walk in the light as He is in the light …
1 John 1:7… peripataneiō hōs autos atō en te fōte, koinōnian echanō meta allēloiu kai tem …… light as He is in the light, we have fellowship with one another …
1 John 2:9tos legarōntos en te fōte arō kai ton adelfon autou misarōntos …… anyone claims to be in the light but hates his brother, he is …
1 John 2:10… agaparōntos ton adelfon autou en te fōte menatō, kai skandalem en auto ouk …… loves his brother remains in the light, and there is no cause of …
fōteiu“lights”of, belonging togenitive plural1×
James 1:17… atō, katabainarōntem apo tou patrou teiu fōteiu, para ho ouk eniatō parallagas ē …… from the Father of the heavenly lights, with whom there is no change …
fōtem23×
Matthew 4:16tos laos tos kathorōntos en skotia fōtem horata megem, kai toi kathorōntoi en …… in darkness have seen a great light; on those living in the land …
Mark 14:54… toiu hupēretoiu kai thermainorōntos pros tem fōtem.… officers and warmed himself by the fire.
Luke 2:32fōtem eis apokalupsian ethneiu kai doxan laou …a light for revelation to the Gentiles, and …
Luke 8:16… tithatō, hina tois eisporeuorōntois blepaleiō tem fōtem.… those who enter can see the light.
Luke 22:56“light”… auton paidiskas tinas kathorōnton pros tem fōtem kai atenizarantas auto legata; Kai houtos …A servant girl saw him seated in the firelight and looked intently at him. “This man also was with Him,” she said.
John 3:19… anthrōpois mallon tem skotem ē tem fōtem, ate gar autoiu ponēreim teim ergeim.… loved the darkness rather than the Light because their deeds were evil.
John 3:20… gar tos fauleim prassarōntos misatō tem fōtem kai ouk erchotō pros tem fōtem, …Everyone who does evil hates the Light, and does not come into the …
John 3:20… fōtem kai ouk erchotō pros tem fōtem, hina mē elenchiteia teim ergeim autou;… and does not come into the Light for fear that his deeds will …
John 3:21… poiarōntos tan alētheian erchotō pros tem fōtem, hina faneriteia autou teim ergeim hoti …… practices the truth comes into the Light, so that it may be seen …
John 8:12… en ta skotia, alla echati tem fōtem tau zōau.… the darkness, but will have the light of life.”
John 11:9… ta hēmera, ouk proskoptatō, hoti tem fōtem tou kosmou houtou blepatō;… stumble, because he sees by the light of this world.
John 12:35… en vi atō. peripatavōr hōs tem fōtem echavō, hina mē skotias vin katalabateia, …… For a little while longer, the Light will be among you. Walk while …
John 12:36hōs tem fōtem echavō, pisteuavōr eis tem fōtem, hina …While you have the Light, believe in the Light, so that …
John 12:36… tem fōtem echavō, pisteuavōr eis tem fōtem, hina huiois fōteu geneveia. Houteim lalata …… have the Light, believe in the Light, so that you may become sons …
Acts 13:47… ni tos kurios; Tithamē sin eis fōtem ethneiu teu arō sin eis sōtērēan …… us: ‘I have made you a light for the Gentiles, to bring salvation …
Acts 22:6… mesēmbrian exaifnōs ek tou ouranou periastraptara fōtem hikanem peri min,… was approaching Damascus, suddenly a bright light from heaven flashed around me.
Acts 22:9… de sun mi arōntois tem men fōtem theasela tan de fōnan ouk akouala …My companions saw the light, but they could not understand the …
Acts 26:13… tan lamprotan tou hēliou perilamparantem min fōtem kai toin sun mi poreuorōntoin;… on the road, I saw a light from heaven, brighter than the sun …
Acts 26:18… autoiu, teu epistrefara apo skoteu eis fōtem kai tau exousiau tou Satanou epi …… they may turn from darkness to light and from the power of Satan …
Acts 26:23… christos, ei prōtos ek anastasiau nekroiu fōtem mellatō katangelarō to tē lao kai …… rise from the dead, would proclaim light to our people and to the …
Romans 2:19peithasē tē siauton hodēgon arō tufloiu, fōtem toiu en skote,… a guide for the blind, a light for those in darkness,
1 Timothy 6:16tos monos echarōntos athanasian, fōtem oikarōntos aprositem, hon horata oudenos anthrōpoiu …… is immortal and dwells in unapproachable light. No one has ever seen Him …
1 Peter 2:9… vin kalarantou eis tem thaumastem autou fōtem;… out of darkness into His marvelous light.
fōteim1×
Acts 16:29aitarantos de fōteim eispēdata kai entromos generantos prospiptata to …Calling for lights, the jailer rushed in and fell …