What does λάμπω (lámpō) mean in the Bible?
This verb describes shining or giving light. Matthew uses it for the visible light that illustrates the disciples' good works and for Jesus' shining face at the transfiguration.
Greek · G2989
λάμπω
To shine
Reading a lexicon entry
What this page is: Each lexicon entry shows the original Hebrew or Greek word behind the English translation: its meaning, its range of use, and where it appears in Scripture.
Strong's number: The Strong's code (H- or G-) is the standard reference number for this word. It connects this entry to chapter and passage language tabs.
Where it appears: The witness passages show where this word is used in context. Click any to open the study page for that passage.
This lexicon entry is part of our ongoing editorial review. If you notice missing content, unclear wording, or a possible correction, please send us a note through theConnect page. Screenshots are helpful.
λάμπωG2989
Pronunciationlámpō
What does λάμπω (lámpō) mean in the Bible?
This verb describes shining or giving light. Matthew uses it for the visible light that illustrates the disciples' good works and for Jesus' shining face at the transfiguration.
Reader summary
Full entry for λάμπω (G2989) · Open the biblical lexicon
Questions this entry answers
How does the BSB render G2989?
The BSB source-word alignment has 7 aligned rows for this entry. Common renderings include shine (2), shone (2), [and] lights up (1), it gives light (1), made His light shine (1).
Where does λάμπω (lámpō) appear in Scripture?
The source-word alignment first shows this entry at Matthew 5:15. Its strongest book concentrations include Matthew (3), 2 Corinthians (2), Acts (1), Luke (1).
Are there verse guides for λάμπω (lámpō)?
This entry includes 2 verse guides that explain exact original-language forms in context.
What This Word Actually Means
This verb describes shining or giving light. Matthew uses it for the visible light that illustrates the disciples' good works and for Jesus' shining face at the transfiguration. Acts describes light shining in Peter's prison, and Paul speaks of God shining in hearts to give knowledge of His glory in Christ. These are different scenes and different uses of light, not interchangeable measures of spiritual intensity.
In Matthew 5:16, the good works are visible so that people glorify the Father in heaven. The attention is directed through the deeds toward God, rather than stopping at the disciple's reputation. Matthew 6:1 warns against practicing righteousness for human admiration. Read together, the passages distinguish helpful visibility from self-display. Paul's account in Second Corinthians 4:6-7 similarly joins light with the treasure held in fragile jars, so that the extraordinary power belongs to God rather than to an impressive messenger.
source_lexiconPassage contextCanonical parallel
How the Bible Uses It
Shining describes visible witness, Jesus' transfigured appearance, light in a prison rescue, and God's illumination of hearts. Each setting identifies the source, significance, and intended response to the light.
- Matt.5.16
In the same way, let your light shine before men, that they may see your good deeds and glorify your Father in heaven.
The visible good works are directed toward the Father's glory. The purpose clause guards against treating public admiration of the disciple as the goal of shining.
- Matt.17.2
There He was transfigured before them. His face shone like the sun, and His clothes became as white as the light.
Jesus' face shines at the transfiguration, and His clothes become radiant. The narrative describes this particular revelation of Jesus rather than a technique for measuring the holiness of other people's appearance.
- Acts.12.7
Suddenly an angel of the Lord appeared and a light shone in the cell. He tapped Peter on the side and woke him up, saying, “Get up quickly.” And the chains fell off his wrists.
Light shines in the cell as the angel awakens Peter and his chains fall away. This narrated rescue should be received as such without making escape the promised outcome for every imprisoned believer.
- 2Cor.4.6
For God, who said, “Let light shine out of darkness,” made His light shine in our hearts to give us the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ.
God shines in hearts to give knowledge of His glory in the face of Christ. The following image of treasure in jars of clay assigns the surpassing power to God, not to the messenger.
Source Word Evidence
BSB source-word alignment connects this entry to exact verse rows, English rendering, source form, transliteration, and parsing.
How English Renders Itshine2×Matthew 5:16, 2 Corinthians 4:6
shone2×Matthew 17:2, Acts 12:7
[and] lights up1×Luke 17:24
it gives light1×Matthew 5:15
made His light shine1×2 Corinthians 4:6
Show sample aligned rows
Matthew 5:15λάμπειtoit gives lightVerb - Present Indicative Active - 3rd Person SingularMatthew 5:16λαμψάτωtoshineVerb - Aorist Imperative Active - 3rd Person SingularMatthew 17:2ἔλαμψενtoshoneVerb - Aorist Indicative Active - 3rd Person SingularLuke 17:24λάμπειto[and] lights upVerb - Present Indicative Active - 3rd Person SingularActs 12:7ἔλαμψενtoshoneVerb - Aorist Indicative Active - 3rd Person Singular2 Corinthians 4:6λάμψειtoshineVerb - Future Indicative Active - 3rd Person Singular2 Corinthians 4:6ἔλαμψενtomade His light shineVerb - Aorist Indicative Active - 3rd Person Singular
Usage map
A compact distribution from source-word alignment before the full evidence tables.
First aligned rowMatthew 5:15
Aligned rows7
Books represented4
Matthew3Luke1Acts12 Corinthians2
Source forms
ἔλαμψεν3xelampsenMatthew 17:2, Acts 12:7, 2 Corinthians 4:6
λάμπει2xlampeiMatthew 5:15, Luke 17:24
λαμψάτω1xlampsatōMatthew 5:16
λάμψει1xlampsei2 Corinthians 4:6
Parsing patterns
Verb - Aorist Indicative Active - 3rd Person Singular3xMatthew 17:2, Acts 12:7, 2 Corinthians 4:6
Verb - Present Indicative Active - 3rd Person Singular2xMatthew 5:15, Luke 17:24
Verb - Aorist Imperative Active - 3rd Person Singular1xMatthew 5:16
Verb - Future Indicative Active - 3rd Person Singular1x2 Corinthians 4:6
Using This Word Well
Be careful not to...
- Seek appropriate consent and discretion before making another person's need visible in an account of service.
- Encourage faithful witness without requiring an outgoing temperament or a public platform as proof of spiritual life.
Avoid claiming...
- Do not claim that shining means attracting admiration to oneself; Matthew 5:16 directs glory to the Father.
- Do not claim that God's light guarantees escape from every danger; Acts 12 records a particular rescue rather than that universal promise.
Key Verse and Form Guides
Verse-level guides showing how this original-language form works in its specific context, including grammar, verse function, and guarded interpretation.
Evidence Summary
Greek word. to shine
Source Gloss
to shine
Extended definitionSource: STEPBible TBESG + Abbott-Smith
to shine: Mat.5:15-16 17:2, Luk.17:24, Act.12:7, 2Co.4:6 (cf. ἐκ-, περι-λάμπω).
Greek Text Appearances
Textus Receptus witness, full corpusGreek token appearances from Scrivener 1894 Textus Receptus in the full New Testament corpus.
7 Greek text appearances shown. Linked morphology labels have verse guides.
lampei
I shine
Read verselamyatw
I shine
Read verseMatthew 17:2Verb Third Person Singular Aorist Active Indicative
ἔλαμψεelamyen
I shine
Read verseLuke 17:24Verb Third Person Singular Present Active Indicative
λάμπει,lampei
I shine
Read verseActs 12:7Verb Third Person Singular Aorist Active Indicative
ἔλαμψενelamyen
I shine
Read verse2 Corinthians 4:6Verb Aorist Active Infinitive
λάμψαι,lamyai
I shine
Read verse2 Corinthians 4:6Verb Third Person Singular Aorist Active Indicative
ἔλαμψενelamyen
I shine
Read verseFull New Testament corpus: 260 chapters, 7,957 verses, 140,628 tokens. Data source: honza/textus-receptus (data only), with authority check against byztxt/greektext-textus-receptus.
Grammatical Forms
How mood, tense, and voice shift the force of this verb in context.
This verb appears through different tense, voice, mood, or stem patterns. Those forms help readers see how the action is presented in context.
Form groups2Aligned forms7TensesAorist, Present, FutureVoicesActive
Tenses
Voices
Discourse Aspect
How this verb appears across 7 occurrences in the NT discourse index (MACULA Greek SBLGNT).
Aspect
Tense
aorist4present2future1
Voice
active7
Mood
indicative6imperative1
NT Occurrences
Matthew 5:15λάμπειpresent active indicativeongoingMatthew 5:16λαμψάτωaorist active imperativeimperativeMatthew 17:2ἔλαμψενaorist active indicativecompletedLuke 17:24λάμπειpresent active indicativeongoingActs 12:7ἔλαμψενaorist active indicativecompleted2 Corinthians 4:6λάμψειfuture active indicativeprospective2 Corinthians 4:6ἔλαμψενaorist active indicativecompleted
Aspect reflects grammatical form — not authorial emphasis. Participles and infinitives are verbal adjectives and nouns respectively.
Clause data: MACULA Greek (Clear Bible, CC BY 4.0) · SBLGNT (Logos/SBL, CC BY 4.0)
Word Origins
λάμπω is a primary verb - no further derivation.
Part of These Phrases
Compound and idiomatic phrases that include this word. Follow a link to study the phrase and how its parts work together.
For the Preacher and Teacher
Jesus tells His disciples to let their light shine in Matthew 5:16, and He names the intended result: people see good works and glorify the Father in heaven. Visibility is present, but the disciple's admiration is not the stated destination. The image leads from the work toward the Father.
Matthew 6:1 then warns against practicing righteousness in order to be seen by people. The two passages require attention to purpose rather than a rule that every good act must be public or every public act is insincere. A teacher can encourage honest service that others may notice without turning those served into material for the helper's reputation. The practical question is whether the act and the way it is made visible honor God and care for the neighbor. Some service can be seen; some needs discretion. Neither setting gives a person permission to manufacture spiritual importance through publicity.
Anchor passage
Matt.5.16
Doctrinal connections
- Matthew 5:15-16 uses a household light to describe visible good works whose stated result is glory to the Father.
- Matthew 6:1-3 warns against righteousness performed for admiration, supplying a necessary comparison about the purpose of visibility.
- Matthew 17:2 locates shining in Jesus' transfiguration, keeping that revelation distinct from ordinary judgments about personal charisma.
- Acts 12:7 describes divine rescue in a particular prison scene without promising identical outcomes to all believers.
- Second Corinthians 4:6-7 connects God's light in hearts with fragile messengers, so that power is recognized as God's.
- Genesis 1:3 supplies the creation-light background evoked by Paul's account of the God who commands light from darkness.
The verb denotes shining, while the subject and context show whether physical light, Jesus' appearance, or illumination of the heart is in view. Neither the common image nor the verb's sound makes every use a description of the same event or a spiritual rank.
From Old to New Testament
Genesis 1:3 narrates God's command for light. Second Corinthians 4:6 invokes the God who commands light from darkness when describing the knowledge of His glory in Christ. Paul uses creation language to explain divine illumination; the connection does not make a believer's personality identical to the original act of creation.
Passage contextCanonical parallelPastoral application