WG: Revelation and Disclosure (Greek)
Overview
The revelation/disclosure concept in the Greek NT involves a cluster of words describing God's act of making hidden truth known. At the center is the apokalyptō/apokalypsis word pair (uncovering what was veiled), with phaneroō/phanerōsis (making visible/manifest) as the most frequent near-synonym. Mystērion (mystery) represents the content being disclosed, and chrēmatismos represents a specific divine oracle.
Word Group Members
| Strong's |
Word |
Transliteration |
POS |
Occurrences |
Role in Concept |
Library Entry |
| G602 |
ἀποκάλυψις |
apokalypsis |
fem. noun |
18 |
The event/result (revelation, disclosure) |
G602 |
| G601 |
ἀποκαλύπτω |
apokalyptō |
verb |
26 |
The action (to uncover, disclose, reveal) |
G601 |
| G5319 |
φανερόω |
phaneroō |
verb |
43 |
Near-synonym: to make visible, manifest |
TODO(need G5319 study) |
| G5321 |
φανέρωσις |
phanerōsis |
fem. noun |
2 |
Near-synonym: manifestation, making plain |
TODO(need G5321 study) |
| G3466 |
μυστήριον |
mystērion |
neut. noun |
27 |
The content (the mystery that gets revealed) |
G3466 |
| G5538 |
χρηματισμός |
chrēmatismos |
masc. noun |
1 |
Specialized: divine oracle, answer from God |
TODO(need G5538 study) |
Relationships
Shared Roots
- ἀποκαλύπτω (G601) → ἀποκάλυψις (G602): verb and noun from the same root; ἀπό (away) + καλύπτω (to cover/veil)
- φανερόω (G5319) → φανέρωσις (G5321): verb and noun from φανερός (visible, manifest), ultimately from φαίνω (to shine/bring to light)
Co-occurrence (appear in same verses)
| Word A |
Word B |
Shared Verses |
Typical Context |
| apokalypsis (G602) |
mystērion (G3466) |
2x |
"revelation of the mystery" — mystery disclosed (Rom 16:25, Eph 3:3) |
| phaneroō (G5319) |
mystērion (G3466) |
2x |
"the mystery ... now is made manifest" — mystery made visible (Col 1:26) |
| apokalypsis (G602) |
apokalyptō (G601) |
0x |
Never appear together — the noun and verb are used in different contexts |
| apokalypsis (G602) |
phaneroō (G5319) |
0x |
Never appear together — authors choose one or the other for a given passage |
Shared Hebrew Sources (via LXX)
| Hebrew Word |
Greek Members Linked |
Notes |
| H7328 רָז (raz, Aramaic) |
mystērion (G3466), apokalyptō (G601) |
Aramaic "secret" in Daniel — translated as mystērion in LXX, with apokalyptō used for the revealing |
| H1541 גְּלָה (gelah, Aramaic) |
mystērion (G3466), apokalyptō (G601) |
Aramaic counterpart to Hebrew galah (H1540, uncover) — bridges into both mystery and revelation in Greek |
Roles in the Concept
- Action (uncovering): apokalyptō (G601) — the divine act of removing the veil
- Result/Event (revelation): apokalypsis (G602) — the disclosure itself, or the future eschatological unveiling
- Action (making visible): phaneroō (G5319) — the broader act of making apparent
- Result (manifestation): phanerōsis (G5321) — the making plain
- Content (mystery): mystērion (G3466) — what was hidden and is now disclosed
- Oracle (specific response): chrēmatismos (G5538) — a divine answer to inquiry (Rom 11:4 only)
Semantic Distinctions
- apokalypsis vs. phaneroō: apokalypsis implies prior divine concealment and a dramatic unveiling (often eschatological); phaneroō is broader — simply making something visible that already exists
- apokalypsis vs. mystērion: These are complementary — mystērion is the hidden content, apokalypsis is the act of disclosing it. Paul uses them together: "the revelation of the mystery" (Rom 16:25)
- apokalypsis vs. chrēmatismos: chrēmatismos is a specific divine oracle (answer from God); apokalypsis covers broader disclosure including visions, eschatological events, and spiritual gifts
Key Passages Where Multiple Group Words Appear Together
- Rom 16:25-26 — apokalypsis (G602) + mystērion (G3466): "the revelation of the mystery, which was kept secret since the world began, but now is made manifest"
- Col 1:26 — phaneroō (G5319) + mystērion (G3466): "the mystery which hath been hid from ages and from generations, but now is made manifest"
- Dan 2:19 (LXX/Theodotion) — raz (H7328) + gelah (H1541): the Aramaic source passage where "the secret was revealed," foundational for the NT mystery-revelation language
Generated from: gather_word_group_data.py, search_strongs.py, louw_nida.db
Last updated: 2026-04-05