ἐγκάθετος (egkathetos)
egkathetos
a spy
Quick Reference
- Language
- Koine Greek
- Testament
- New Testament
- Occurrences
- 1 verses
- Root
- —
Word Overview
The adjective egkathetos describes someone who lies in wait to entrap another, functioning as a hired spy or informant. In the New Testament, it appears only once, in Luke 20:20, where Jesus identifies agents sent by the chief priests and scribes. These men posed as sincere observers but were actually positioned to catch Him in His words.
The word combines prefixes suggesting placement within or upon, implying a hidden presence among others. This distinguishes it from open opposition; the threat here is covert. The spies feigned righteousness to create a pretext for handing Jesus over to Roman authority, relying on crafty deception rather than direct confrontation.
Translators typically render this term as "spy," capturing the element of surveillance and entrapment. The historical context highlights the political tension of the era, where religious leaders sought legal grounds to eliminate a growing influence. The term underscores the danger of hidden agendas disguised as genuine inquiry.
Based on public-domain lexicons (Strong's, Thayer, Gesenius, Brown-Driver-Briggs and others).
What This Word Means for Your Faith
The word egkathetos describes a spy who hides among people to find faults. In Luke 20:20, Jesus faces agents sent by religious leaders who pretend to be sincere but actually want to trap Him. They used false praise to create a reason to hand Him over to Roman authority. This shows how deception can hide behind a friendly face.
Today, this reminds us that not every question comes from a pure heart. Some people may seem helpful or curious, but their goal is to hurt or discredit others. Jesus saw through their plan because He knew the truth about human motives. We do not need to fear hidden agendas when we walk in honesty.
Instead of worrying about those who watch us closely, we can trust God’s protection. When we live with integrity, lies have no power over us. This word teaches us to value transparency and to guard our hearts against the desire to deceive others. It encourages us to seek truth rather than hidden traps.
How it's translated
How this word is rendered word-by-word in the 1 verses where it appears, by frequency.
- spies1×
Forms in the text
The inflected forms of this word as they appear in Scripture, by frequency.
- ἐγκαθέτους1×
Key Verses
-
Luke 20:20
They watched him and sent out spies, who pretended to be righteous, that they might trap him in something he said, so as to deliver him up to the power and authority of the governor.
This verse uses egkathetos to describe agents who feigned righteousness specifically to create a legal pretext for handing Jesus over to Roman power.