"to light, give light to, illuminate, shine upon, Lk. 11:36; Rev. 18:1; 21:23; met. to enlighten spiritually, Jn. 1:9; Eph. 1:18; 3:9; Heb. 6:4; 10:32; to reveal, to bring to light, make known, 1 Cor. 4:5; 2 Tim. 1:10; intrans. shine, Rev. 22:5*"
Definition and meaning
to light, give light to, illuminate, shine upon, Lk. 11:36; Rev. 18:1; 21:23; met. to enlighten spiritually, Jn. 1:9; Eph. 1:18; 3:9; Heb. 6:4; 10:32; to reveal, to bring to light, make known, 1 Cor. 4:5; 2 Tim. 1:10; intrans. shine, Rev. 22:5*
In the original Greek the word is written: φωτίζω
Historical context
Luke wrote as a historian addressing a Greek audience. He carefully interviewed eyewitnesses and arranged events in order. The social and economic realities he describes — Roman taxation, Jewish religious hierarchy, the marginalization of women and the poor — are consistent with first-century Judea under Roman administration.
The people who first heard this word were not reading a book — they were living through empires, oppression, exile, and covenant. Every word carried the weight of that reality. Understanding it changes how you read Scripture.
Scripture references
These are the most notable occurrences of photizo (G5461) across the King James Bible.
If thy whole body therefore be full of light, having no part dark, the whole shall be full of light, as when the bright shining of a candle doth give thee light.
That was the true Light, which lighteth every man that cometh into the world.
Therefore judge nothing before the time, until the Lord come, who both will bring to light the hidden things of darkness, and will make manifest the counsels of the hearts: and then shall every man have praise of God.
The eyes of your understanding being enlightened; that ye may know what is the hope of his calling, and what the riches of the glory of his inheritance in the saints,
And to make all men see what is the fellowship of the mystery, which from the beginning of the world hath been hid in God, who created all things by Jesus Christ:
But is now made manifest by the appearing of our Saviour Jesus Christ, who hath abolished death, and hath brought life and immortality to light through the gospel:
For it is impossible for those who were once enlightened, and have tasted of the heavenly gift, and were made partakers of the Holy Ghost,
But call to remembrance the former days, in which, after ye were illuminated, ye endured a great fight of afflictions;
And after these things I saw another angel come down from heaven, having great power; and the earth was lightened with his glory.
And the city had no need of the sun, neither of the moon, to shine in it: for the glory of God did lighten it, and the Lamb is the light thereof.
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Common questions
Strong's G5461 (photizo) is a Greek word that means: to light, give light to, illuminate, shine upon, Lk. 11:36; Rev. 18:1; 21:23; met. to enlighten spiritually, Jn. 1:9; Eph. 1:18; 3:9; Heb. 6:4; 10:32; to reveal, to bring to light, make known, 1 Cor. ... It appears 11 times in the King James Bible.
The word photizo (G5461) appears 11 times in the original Greek text.
Strong's G5461 is photizo, a Greek word defined as: to light, give light to, illuminate, shine upon, Lk. 11:36; Rev. 18:1; 21:23; met. to enlighten spiritually, Jn. 1:9; Eph. 1:18; 3:9; Heb. 6:4; 10:32;. James Strong catalogued this in his 1890 concordance to help English readers study the original languages of the Bible.
photizo is a Greek word found in the New Testament.