Religious Deception: ὑπόκρισις (Strong’s G5272: hypokrisis) Warns Against False Piety

Strong’s G5272: A noun derived from hypokrinomai, originally referring to theatrical performance or acting. In biblical usage, it specifically denotes religious pretense or insincerity, particularly the practice of feigning righteousness while concealing true motives.

U- Unveiling the Word

ὑπόκρισις (hypokrisis) evolved from theatrical terminology to become a powerful descriptor of religious insincerity. Appearing first in Matthew 23:28, where Jesus confronts the Pharisees, it describes the gap between outward religious display and inner reality. The early church emphasized this term when warning against false teaching and insincere faith. Today, it continues to challenge believers to examine their hearts and pursue authentic relationship with God rather than mere religious performance.

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N – Necessary Information

• Greek Word: ὑπόκρισις, hypokrisis, hoop-OK-ree-sis
• Detailed Pronunciation: hoop (as in “hoop”) + ok (as in “oak”) + ree (as in “ree”) + sis (as in “sis”)
• Part of Speech: Noun

Etymology:

• ὑπό (hypo) – prefix meaning “under”
• κρίσις (krisis) – noun meaning “judgment”
• From ὑποκρίνομαι (to act on stage, pretend)

D – Defining Meanings

• Religious pretense
• Hypocrisy
• Insincerity in faith

For compound words:

• ὑπό suggests concealment
• κρίσις contributes judgment aspect

Translation Options:

• “Hypocrisy” – emphasizes religious falseness
• “Pretense” – highlights theatrical aspect
• “Insincerity” – focuses on heart condition

E – Exploring Similar Words

• πλάνη (planē, PLAN-ay) – “deception, error”
  See G4106
• δόλος (dolos, DOL-os) – “deceit, guile”
  See G1388
• προσωποληψία (prosōpolēpsia, pros-o-pol-AYP-see-ah) – “partiality”
  See G4382

R – Reviewing the Word’s Morphology

As a noun, ὑπόκρισις exhibits these features:

• Case: Nominative, Genitive, Dative, or Accusative
• Number: Singular or Plural
• Gender: Feminine
• Declension: Third

Examples of case usage:

• Nominative: ὑπόκρισις
• Genitive: ὑποκρίσεως
• Dative: ὑποκρίσει
• Accusative: ὑπόκρισιν

S – Studying Lexicon Insights

The major lexicons emphasize ὑπόκρισις’s evolution from theater to religious context. BDAG highlights its development as a technical term for religious insincerity. Thayer’s traces its progression from acting to moral pretense. LSJ documents its theatrical origins and metaphorical development. Vine’s emphasizes its use in contexts of false teaching. Strong’s connects it to concealed judgment. Moulton and Milligan note its frequent appearance in moral contexts in papyri.

T – Tracing the Scriptures

First appearance:
Matthew 23:28: “Even so you also outwardly appear righteous to men, but inside you are full of [ὑπόκρισις] hypocrisy and lawlessness.”

Additional References:
Mark 12:15
Luke 12:1
Galatians 2:13
1 Timothy 4:2
1 Peter 2:1

A – Analyzing Classical Usage

N – Noteworthy Summary

ὑπόκρισις powerfully warns against the danger of religious facade. Its theatrical origins remind us that true faith cannot be merely performed but must flow from a transformed heart. The good news is that King Jesus offers genuine transformation, replacing our religious performance with authentic relationship. He calls us not to perfect appearance but to honest devotion.

D – Did You Know?

• The word gave us the English term “hypocrisy”
• Ancient actors were called “hypocrites”
• Jesus used this term more than any other biblical author

Strong’s G5272: A noun derived from hypokrinomai, originally referring to theatrical performance or acting. In biblical usage, it specifically denotes religious pretense or insincerity, particularly the practice of feigning righteousness while concealing true motives.

Part of speech: Noun

Tags: hypocrisy, pretense, religious insincerity, false teaching, authenticity, pharisees, Jesus’ teaching, heart condition, genuine faith, spiritual transformation​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​