to shine/appear
phaino describes shining or becoming visible, including the outward appearance presented to others.
The occurrences most often describe persons, things, or events becoming visible or appearing; they also describe light shining and, in several warnings, an outward appearance that contrasts with what is inside. A smaller set presents something as evident or as seeming a certain way.
Senses in use
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Become visible or make an appearance · dominant
In Matthew 1:20 and Matthew 2:19, an angel appears to Joseph in dreams; in Matthew 13:26, weeds appear when the grass has sprouted. The present middle participle in James 4:14 describes a vapor appearing briefly, while Hebrews 11:3 contrasts what is seen with things that appear.
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Shine or give light · common
Present active forms occur where light shines in darkness in John 1:5 and where a lamp is shining in 2 Peter 1:19. The same use is visible in Revelation 1:16, where the face is like the sun shining, and in Revelation 8:12, where the day does not shine for part of it.
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Present an outward appearance · occasional
In Matthew 6:5 and Matthew 6:16, the aorist passive subjunctive forms occur in clauses about appearing before people while praying or fasting. Matthew 23:27 and Matthew 23:28 set an outward appearance of beauty or righteousness against what is inside; 2 Corinthians 13:7 similarly contrasts appearing approved with doing what is good.
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Be shown or seem so · rare
In Romans 7:13, an aorist passive subjunctive occurs in the clause where sin might be shown to be sin. In Luke 24:11, the aorist passive indicative is used of declarations that seemed like nonsense to the hearers.
In the Anselm Project Bible: The APB variously renders the relevant clauses with “appeared,” “appear,” “shining,” “shine,” “seen,” “shown,” and “seemed.” Because it is a whole-verse translation, these renderings indicate the clauses' overall presentation rather than fixed English equivalents for each form.