ἐπέφωσκεν
epiphṓskō
was dawning
to begin to grow light, to be at the first appearance of dawn; refers specifically to the first onset of daylight, whether literal (the actual break of day) or used figuratively to indicate the start of a new period or event approaching daylight. In Koine Greek usage, the verb refers to either the time when daylight begins to appear or, more generally, to the arrival of an expected time.
Luke 23:54 · Word #7
Lexicon G2020
| Lemma | ἐπιφώσκω |
| Transliteration | epiphṓskō |
| Strong's | G2020 |
| Definition | to begin to grow light, to be at the first appearance of dawn; refers specifically to the first onset of daylight, whether literal (the actual break of day) or used figuratively to indicate the start of a new period or event approaching daylight. In Koine Greek usage, the verb refers to either the time when daylight begins to appear or, more generally, to the arrival of an expected time. |
Morphology V IMPF ACT IND 3P SG
All morphology codes
| Part of Speech | V — Verb — An action or state of being |
| Tense | IMPF — Imperfect — Continuous or repeated past action |
| Voice | ACT — Active — The subject performs the action |
| Mood | IND — Indicative — States a fact or reality |
| Person | 3P — 3rd person — The one spoken about ("he/she/it/they") |
| Number | SG — Singular — One |
Common Translation
| Phrase | was dawning |
| Literal | was-dawning |
Lexical Info
| Lemma | ἐπιφώσκω |
| Strong's | G2020 |
SIBI-P1 Translation G2020-01
was beginning to dawn
| Morphological Notes | Verb; imperfect tense, active voice, indicative mood; third person singular — denoting continuous or unfolding past action. |
| Rendering Rationale | The imperfect active indicative, third person singular, conveys an ongoing past process. "Was beginning to dawn" preserves both the inceptive force of the root (the onset of light) and the imperfect sense of progressive past action. |
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