Original Word: ὑποκριτής
Part of Speech: Noun, Masculine
Transliteration: hupokrités
Pronunciation: hoo-pok-ree-tace'
Phonetic Spelling: (hoop-ok-ree-tace')
Definition: Hypocrite
Meaning: (lit: a stage-player), a hypocrite, dissembler, pretender.

Word Origin: Derived from the Greek verb ὑποκρίνομαι (hupokrinomai), meaning "to answer" or "to act."

Corresponding Greek / Hebrew Entries: The concept of hypocrisy is not directly linked to a single Hebrew word, but similar ideas can be found in terms like חָנֵף (chaneph, Strong's 2611), meaning "profane" or "godless," and תָּפֵל (taphal, Strong's 8602), meaning "insipid" or "untempered."

Usage: In the New Testament, "hupokrités" refers to someone who pretends to be something they are not, particularly in a moral or religious sense. It denotes a person who outwardly displays righteousness but inwardly is deceitful or insincere. The term is often used by Jesus to describe the Pharisees and religious leaders who were more concerned with external appearances than genuine faith and obedience to God.

Cultural and Historical Background: In ancient Greek culture, "hupokrités" originally referred to an actor on a stage, someone who wore a mask and played a role. This theatrical background highlights the idea of pretense and performance. By the time of the New Testament, the term had taken on a negative connotation, especially in Jewish and Christian contexts, where authenticity in one's relationship with God was paramount.

5273 hypokritḗs (a masculine noun derived from 5259 /hypó, "under" and 2919 /krínō, "judge") – properly, a judging under, like a performer acting under a mask (i.e. a theater-actor); (figuratively) a two-faced person; a "hypocrite," whose profession does not match their practice – i.e. someone who "says one thing but does another."

[5273 (hypokritḗs) was commonly used of actors on the Greek stage. When applied in the NT, it refers to a hypocrite.

"Christianity requires that believers should be open and above-board. They should be themselves. Their lives should be like an open book, easily read" (K. Wuest, Word Studies, Vol 2, Pastoral Epistles, 1 Peter, 50,51).]

Word Origin
from hupokrinomai
Definition
one who answers, an actor, a hypocrite
NASB Translation
hypocrite (2), hypocrites (16).

STRONGS NT 5273: ὑποκριτής

ὑποκριτής, ὑποκριτου, ὁ (ὑποκρίνομαι, which see);

1. one who answers, an interpreter (Plato, Lucian).

2. an actor, stage-player (Aristophanes, Xenophon, Plato, Aelian, Herodian).

3. in Biblical Greek, a dissembler, pretender, hypocrite: Matthew 6:2, 5, 16; Matthew 7:5; Matthew 15:7; Matthew 16:3 Rec.; Rec., (13 Tdf.),; ; Mark 7:6; Luke 6:42; Luke 11:44 R L in brackets; Luke 12:56; Luke 13:15. (Job 34:30; Job 36:13, for חָנֵף, profane, impious.) (Mention is made of Heimsoeth, De voce ὑποκριτής comment. (Bonnae, 1874, 4to.).)

hypocrite.

From hupokrinomai; an actor under an assumed character (stage-player), i.e. (figuratively) a dissembler ("hypocrite" -- hypocrite.

see GREEK hupokrinomai

υποκριτα υποκριτά ὑποκριτά υποκριται υποκριταί ὑποκριταί ὑποκριταὶ υποκριτήν υποκριτων υποκριτών ὑποκριτῶν hypokrita hypokritá hypokritai hypokritaí hypokritaì hypokriton hypokritôn hypokritōn hypokritō̂n upokrita upokritai upokriton upokritōnInterlinear Greek • Interlinear Hebrew • Strong's Numbers • Englishman's Greek Concordance • Englishman's Hebrew Concordance • Parallel Texts