Greek word · G852

ἀφανής

aphanēs

hidden

Unseen, invisible, hidden; obscure, unknown; vanished. Formed from a- ('not') + phainō ('to appear, shine').

Appears once in the Greek New Testament. ·

What it means

ἀφανής, -ές

(φαίνω), [in LXX: Nehemiah 4:8(2), Job 24:20, Sirach 20:30 41:14, 2Ma.3:34 * ;]

unseen, hidden: Hebrews 4:13.†

(AS)

From G. Abbott-Smith, A Manual Greek Lexicon of the New Testament (1922), via STEPBible.org (CC BY 4.0).

In depth

From the study of Hebrews 4:13

Range of meaning

Unseen, invisible, hidden; obscure, unknown; vanished. Formed from a- ('not') + phainō ('to appear, shine').

Against the English

'Hidden' (BSB, WEB) is accurate. KJV turns the negative around ('not manifest'), which is also accurate.

Used elsewhere in the period

Used in the LXX (e.g. Sir 20:30, 'hidden wisdom') and in classical and Hellenistic Greek for what is out of view. It is the opposite of phaneros, 'visible, evident'.

Where it appears

Hebrews · 1

  1. Hebrews 4:13 ἀφανὴς hidden

    Nothing in all creation is hidden from God’s sight; everything is uncovered and exposed before the eyes of Him to whom we must give account.

    Here: Literally 'not-appearing'. Nothing escapes notice or stays out of view. Elsewhere it is used of things hidden or gone from sight.

Word data: STEPBible.org (CC BY 4.0), main text only.