ὑπόκρισις (hupokrisis)
hupokrisis
hypocrisy
Quick Reference
- Language
- Koine Greek
- Testament
- New Testament
- Occurrences
- 6 verses
- Root
- —
Word Overview
The noun hupokrisis refers to the act of playing a part, originally describing the performance of an actor on stage. In Scripture, it describes a life of pretence where outer appearance masks inner reality. Jesus uses this term sharply in Matthew 23:28 to describe those who look righteous outwardly but are inwardly full of hypocrisy.
Its root sense comes from the Greek word for acting or responding on stage. The sources note that it implies dissimulation, a deliberate concealment of true character. Paul warns against this in Galatians 2:13, noting how even Barnabas was led astray by such insincerity among believers.
This word carries significant theological weight as a warning against spiritual deception. It is not merely about failing to keep rules but about living a false life before God and others. The New Testament consistently treats it as a serious sin that corrupts community and witness.
Based on public-domain lexicons (Strong's, Thayer, Gesenius, Brown-Driver-Briggs and others).
What This Word Means for Your Faith
The word hupokrisis originally described an actor wearing a mask on stage. In Scripture, it points to the danger of presenting a false self to others while hiding our true condition from God. It is not simply about breaking rules, but about living in pretence. This kind of insincerity damages our relationships and distances us from the truth of who we are before Him.
Jesus warned that outward righteousness means nothing if the heart is full of deceit. We do not need to perform for God or people to be accepted. Instead, we can bring our honest struggles and failures to Him. He invites us to live in the light, where our inner reality matches our outer actions.
When we choose honesty over performance, we find freedom from the exhausting work of keeping up a facade. This word reminds us that God values truth in the inward parts. We are encouraged to drop the mask and trust that His grace covers our imperfections without requiring us to pretend otherwise.
How it's translated
How this word is rendered word-by-word in the 6 verses where it appears, by frequency.
- hypocrisy3×
- of hypocrisy1×
- hypocrisy.1×
- hypocrisies1×
Forms in the text
The inflected forms of this word as they appear in Scripture, by frequency.
- ὑπόκρισις1×
- ὑπόκρισιν1×
- ὑποκρίσεως1×
- ὑποκρίσεις1×
- ὑποκρίσει.1×
- ὑποκρίσει1×
Key Verses
-
Matthew 23:28
Even so you also outwardly appear righteous to men, but inwardly you are full of hypocrisy and iniquity.
This verse highlights the stark contrast between outward appearance and inner reality, showing how hypocrisy masks sin beneath a righteous facade.
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Luke 12:1
Meanwhile, when a multitude of many thousands had gathered together, so much so that they trampled on each other, he began to tell his disciples first of all, “Beware of the yeast of the Pharisees, which is hypocrisy.
Here Jesus identifies hypocrisy as a pervasive influence, likening it to yeast that can quietly corrupt a community if not addressed.
-
Galatians 2:13
And the rest of the Jews joined him in his hypocrisy, so that even Barnabas was carried away with their hypocrisy.
Paul observes how social pressure can lead even mature believers into insincere behavior, demonstrating the communal danger of this sin.