to illuminate
photizo denotes giving light, whether to people, places, or matters brought out of concealment.
The verb most often describes light being given to people or a setting: people are enlightened, a lamp lights someone, and divine glory gives light to earth or city. It also marks concealed matters, life, and incorruptibility as being brought into view.
Senses in use
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Giving light to people or a setting · dominant
In John 1:9 the present active form occurs in the clause about the true light and every human; in Luke 11:36, the present subjunctive appears in the comparison of a lamp lighting a person. Revelation 18:1, Revelation 21:23, and Revelation 22:5 describe the earth or city receiving light, or the Lord God giving it, while Ephesians 1:18 and Hebrews 6:4 describe persons as enlightened.
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Making concealed matters known · occasional
In 1 Corinthians 4:5 the future active form stands with the disclosure of hidden things of darkness and the plans of hearts. In Ephesians 3:9 the aorist active infinitive is used of making known to everyone the administration of a mystery described as concealed, and 2 Timothy 1:10 places the aorist participle in the clause about life and incorruptibility being brought to light.
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A prior enlightenment recalled · rare
Hebrews 10:32 uses an aorist passive participle for the former days after the addressees had been enlightened; the following clause concerns their endurance of suffering. The verse presents this as a completed prior event without specifying its exact content.
In the Anselm Project Bible: The APB variously uses “illuminate,” “enlightened,” “gives light,” and “bring to light” in these verses. These phrases reflect the clauses' presentation rather than a fixed English equivalent for each form.