852. aphanés

Lexicon

aphanés: Invisible, hidden, unseen

Original Word: ἀφανής
Part of Speech: Adjective
Transliteration: aphanés
Pronunciation: af-an-ACE
Phonetic Spelling: (af-an-ace')
Definition: Invisible, hidden, unseen
Meaning: invisible, unseen, hidden.

Strong's Exhaustive Concordance

invisible, hidden

From a (as a negative particle) and phaino; non-apparent) -- that is not manifest.

see GREEK a

see GREEK phaino

NAS Exhaustive Concordance

Word Origin
from alpha (as a neg. prefix) and phainó
Definition
unseen
NASB Translation
hidden (1).

Thayer's Greek Lexicon

STRONGS NT 852: ἀφανής

ἀφανής, ἀφανες (φαίνω), not manifest, hidden: Hebrews 4:13. (Often in Greek writings from (Aeschylus and) Herodotus down.) (Cf. δῆλος, and Schmidt, chapter 130.)

Topical Lexicon

Word Origin: Derived from the Greek prefix ἀ- (a-), meaning "not" or "without," and φαίνω (phainō), meaning "to appear" or "to shine."

Corresponding Greek / Hebrew Entries: While there is no direct Hebrew equivalent for ἀφανής, similar concepts of hiddenness or invisibility can be found in Hebrew words such as סָתַר (sathar, Strong's Hebrew 5641), meaning "to hide" or "to conceal," and עָלַם (alam, Strong's Hebrew 5956), meaning "to hide" or "to be hidden." These terms are used in the Old Testament to describe things that are concealed or not visible, often in the context of God's hidden plans or the hidden nature of wisdom.

Usage: The word ἀφανής is used in the New Testament to describe things that are not visible or are hidden from sight. It can refer to both physical invisibility and metaphorical or spiritual hiddenness.

Context: The Greek term ἀφανής appears in the New Testament to convey the concept of invisibility or hiddenness. It is used to describe things that are not immediately apparent to the human eye or understanding. This term can be applied in various contexts, including the spiritual realm, where certain truths or realities are not visible to the physical eye but are understood through faith.

In the Berean Standard Bible, ἀφανής is used in passages that emphasize the hidden nature of certain spiritual truths or the unseen aspects of God's kingdom. For example, in Mark 4:22, Jesus teaches, "For there is nothing hidden that will not be disclosed, and nothing concealed that will not be brought to light." Here, ἀφανής underscores the idea that what is currently unseen or hidden will eventually be revealed.

The concept of ἀφανής also aligns with the biblical theme of faith, as described in Hebrews 11:1, where faith is defined as "the assurance of what we hope for and the certainty of what we do not see." This highlights the importance of trusting in the unseen realities of God's promises and the spiritual truths that guide believers' lives.

The use of ἀφανής in the New Testament encourages believers to look beyond the visible and tangible, urging them to seek understanding and wisdom in the hidden and spiritual aspects of their faith journey.

Forms and Transliterations

αφανης αφανής ἀφανὴς aphanes aphanēs aphanḕs

Englishman's Concordance

Hebrews 4:13 Adj-NFS
GRK: ἔστιν κτίσις ἀφανὴς ἐνώπιον αὐτοῦ
NAS: creature hidden from His sight,
KJV: any creature that is not manifest in his
INT: there is a created thing hidden before him

Strong's Greek 852
1 Occurrence

ἀφανὴς — 1 Occ.