What does λύχνος (lýchnos) mean in the Bible?
λύχνος (lýchnos): Portable lamp providing localized light; figuratively represents spiritual illumination, witnessing, or divine presence.
Greek · G3088
λύχνος
A portable lamp or other illuminator (literally or figuratively)
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 the Connect page. Screenshots are helpful.
λύχνος G3088
Pronunciation lýchnos
What does λύχνος (lýchnos) mean in the Bible?
λύχνος (lýchnos): Portable lamp providing localized light; figuratively represents spiritual illumination, witnessing, or divine presence.
Full entry for λύχνος (G3088) · Open the biblical lexicon
Questions this entry answers
How does the BSB render G3088?
The BSB source-word alignment has 14 aligned rows for this entry. Common renderings include a lamp (5), lamp (5), of a lamp (2), lamps (1), to a lamp (1).
Where does λύχνος (lýchnos) appear in Scripture?
The source-word alignment first shows this entry at Matthew 5:15. Its strongest book concentrations include Luke (6), Revelation (3), Matthew (2), 2 Peter (1).
Are there verse guides for λύχνος (lýchnos)?
This entry includes 2 verse guides that explain exact original-language forms in context.
Source Word Evidence
BSB source-word alignment connects this entry to exact verse rows, English rendering, source form, transliteration, and parsing.
How English Renders It a lamp 5× Matthew 5:15, Luke 8:16, Luke 11:33, Luke 11:36
lamp 5× Matthew 6:22, Mark 4:21, Luke 11:34, John 5:35
of a lamp 2× Revelation 18:23, Revelation 22:5
lamps 1× Luke 12:35
to a lamp 1× 2 Peter 1:19
Show sample aligned rows
Matthew 5:15 λύχνον to a lamp Noun - Accusative Masculine Singular Matthew 6:22 λύχνος to lamp Noun - Nominative Masculine Singular Mark 4:21 λύχνος to lamp Noun - Nominative Masculine Singular Luke 8:16 λύχνον to a lamp Noun - Accusative Masculine Singular Luke 11:33 λύχνον to a lamp Noun - Accusative Masculine Singular Luke 11:34 λύχνος to lamp Noun - Nominative Masculine Singular Luke 11:36 λύχνος to a lamp Noun - Nominative Masculine Singular Luke 12:35 λύχνοι to lamps Noun - Nominative Masculine Plural Luke 15:8 λύχνον to a lamp Noun - Accusative Masculine Singular John 5:35 λύχνος to lamp Noun - Nominative Masculine Singular
Usage map
A compact distribution from source-word alignment before the full evidence tables.
First aligned row Matthew 5:15
Aligned rows 14
Books represented 6
Matthew 2 Mark 1 Luke 6 John 1 2 Peter 1 Revelation 3
Source forms
λύχνος 6x lychnos Matthew 6:22, Mark 4:21, Luke 11:34, Luke 11:36
λύχνον 4x lychnon Matthew 5:15, Luke 8:16, Luke 11:33, Luke 15:8
λύχνου 2x lychnou Revelation 18:23, Revelation 22:5
λύχνοι 1x lychnoi Luke 12:35
λύχνῳ 1x lychnō 2 Peter 1:19
Parsing patterns
Noun - Nominative Masculine Singular 6x Matthew 6:22, Mark 4:21, Luke 11:34, Luke 11:36
Noun - Accusative Masculine Singular 4x Matthew 5:15, Luke 8:16, Luke 11:33, Luke 15:8
Noun - Genitive Masculine Singular 2x Revelation 18:23, Revelation 22:5
Noun - Dative Masculine Singular 1x 2 Peter 1:19
Noun - Nominative Masculine Plural 1x Luke 12:35
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.
Matthew 5:15 Noun Accusative Singular Masculine
λύχνον luchnon a portable lamp or other illuminator (literally or figuratively) names the object of the lamp illustration. Read verse guide Revelation 22:5 Noun Genitive Singular Masculine
λύχνου luchnou a portable lamp or other illuminator (literally or figuratively) The genitive form supports a dependent, non-subject role for lamp, which reinforces the verse's contrast between ordinary light sources and God's direct illumination. Read verse guide Evidence Summary
KingdomRevelation
Greek word. Portable lamp providing localized light; figuratively represents spiritual illumination, witnessing, or divine presence.
Source Gloss
a portable lamp or other illuminator (literally or figuratively)
Extended definition Source: STEPBible TBESG + Abbott-Smith
Portable lamp providing localized light; figuratively represents spiritual illumination, witnessing, or divine presence.
a lamp (portable, and usually set on a stand, λυχνία): Mat.5:15, Luk.11:36; ἔρχεται ὁ λ., Mrk.4:21; λ. ἅπτειν Luk.8:16 11:33 15:8; φῶς λύχνου, Rev.18:23; id. opposite to φ.ἡλίου, Rev.22:5; metaphorically, of the eye, Mat.6:22 Luk.11:34; of John the Baptist, Jhn.5:35; of the Lamb, Rev.21:23; of prophecy, 2Pe.1:19; of spiritual readiness, pl., λύχνοι (as always in LXX; frequently in Att.. λύχνα), Luk.12:35.
Synonymsλαμπάς, q.v
Greek Text Appearances
Textus Receptus witness, full corpus Greek token appearances from Scrivener 1894 Textus Receptus in the full New Testament corpus.
14 Greek text appearances shown. Linked morphology labels have verse guides.
lucnon
a lamp
Read verse Matthew 6:22 Noun Nominative Singular Masculine
λύχνος lucnov
a lamp
Read verse Mark 4:21 Noun Nominative Singular Masculine
λύχνος lucnov
a lamp
Read verse Luke 8:16 Noun Accusative Singular Masculine
λύχνον lucnon
a lamp
Read verse Luke 11:33 Noun Accusative Singular Masculine
λύχνον lucnon
a lamp
Read verse Luke 11:34 Noun Nominative Singular Masculine
λύχνος lucnov
a lamp
Read verse Luke 11:36 Noun Nominative Singular Masculine
λύχνος lucnov
a lamp
Read verse Luke 12:35 Noun Nominative Plural Masculine
λύχνοι lucnoi
a lamp
Read verse Luke 15:8 Noun Accusative Singular Masculine
λύχνον, lucnon
a lamp
Read verse John 5:35 Noun Nominative Singular Masculine
λύχνος lucnov
a lamp
Read verse 2 Peter 1:19 Noun Dative Singular Masculine
λύχνῳ lucnw
a lamp
Read verse Revelation 18:23 Noun Genitive Singular Masculine
λύχνου lucnou
a lamp
Read verse Revelation 21:23 Noun Nominative Singular Masculine
λύχνος lucnov
a lamp
Read verse lucnou
a lamp
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 this word appears across different grammatical cases and numbers.
This word appears as a noun across 5 case and number patterns. The form changes show how the word functions in a sentence; they do not change the basic lexical meaning by themselves.
Form patterns 5 Aligned forms 14 Case pattern Nominative (7) Number pattern Singular (13)
Nominative · Singular · Masculine Matt 6:22 · Mark 4:21 · Luke 11:34 · Luke 11:36 · John 5:35 · Rev 21:23 6×
Nominative · Plural · Masculine Luke 12:35 1×
Dative · Singular · Masculine 2 Pet 1:19 1×
Selected Scripture Witnesses
Selected passage-level study witnesses for this word. This section is not the full occurrence list.
Additional Occurrences
Luke 11:33–36 λύχνον lýchnos
Lamp
Luke 8:16–18 λύχνος lýchnos
Lamp
Mark 4:21–25 λύχνος lýchnos
lamp, source of light
New Testament Witnesses
lamp
lamp
Showing 5 selected witnesses from 14 lexical occurrence verses.
Word Origins
λύχνος is built from this root:
Why This Word Matters
Symbolizes the revealing light of kingdom truth.
Symbolizes divine revelation.
Canonical Themes
Kingdom Revelation
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.
Sources
MorphGNT Strong's Dictionary XML — CC0 1.0 Public Domain
Open Scriptures Hebrew Bible (morphhb/OSHB) — CC BY 4.0
Open Scriptures Hebrew Lexicon — CC BY 4.0
Berean Standard Bible (BSB) source-word alignment - CC0 Public Domain