ὑποκρίνω (hupokrinō)
hupokrinō
to pretend
Quick Reference
- Language
- Koine Greek
- Testament
- New Testament
- Occurrences
- 1 verses
- Root
- —
Word Overview
The verb hupokrinomai means to pretend or feign, describing a person who adopts a false appearance to deceive others. Its origins lie in the Greek theater, where an actor would "play a part" on stage, hiding their true self behind a mask. This theatrical root gives the word a specific nuance of performance; it is not merely lying, but acting out a role that one does not genuinely inhabit.
In the New Testament, this term appears only once, in Luke 20:20. There, the spies who come to trap Jesus are described as "pretending" to be sincere. They feigned righteousness to gain his trust, using their outward behavior to mask their true intent to hand him over to Roman authority. The word highlights the gap between their public display and their private motives.
While some ancient sources note a broader meaning of simply answering or replying, the New Testament usage focuses entirely on the element of deceit. It serves as a sharp contrast to genuine honesty, reminding readers that outward piety can sometimes be a calculated performance rather than a reflection of the heart.
Based on public-domain lexicons (Strong's, Thayer, Gesenius, Brown-Driver-Briggs and others).
What This Word Means for Your Faith
The word hupokrinō comes from the Greek theater, where actors wore masks to play a role. In Luke 20:20, spies used this kind of pretense to trap Jesus. They acted righteous while hiding their true intent to hand Him over. This reminds us that God sees past our outward performance to the heart.
We do not need to wear masks before God or others. Authenticity is a gift we can offer in our daily lives. When we drop our defenses, we find peace in being known fully and still loved. Let this truth free you from the exhaustion of maintaining a false image.
How it's translated
How this word is rendered word-by-word in the 1 verses where it appears, by frequency.
- feigning1×
Forms in the text
The inflected forms of this word as they appear in Scripture, by frequency.
- ὑποκρινομένους1×
Key Verses
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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 hupokrinō to describe spies feigning righteousness as a tactical deception to trap Jesus.