Greek word · G1942
ἐπικάλυμμα
epikalymma
covering
A covering or something laid over: a covering for a tent or tabernacle, a cloth spread over a well, a veil. Used figuratively, a cloak or pretext, meaning a respectable surface that hides what lies underneath.
Appears once in the Greek New Testament. ·
What it means
ἐπι-κάλυμμα, -τος, τό
(ἐπικαλύπτω), [in LXX: Exodus 26:14 39:34, (מְכַסֶּה), 2 Kings 17:19 (מָסָךְ), Job 19:29 (aliter in Heb.)* ;]
a cover, veil: metaphorically, τ. κακίας, 1 Peter 2:16.†
(AS)
From G. Abbott-Smith, A Manual Greek Lexicon of the New Testament (1922), via STEPBible.org (CC BY 4.0).
In depth
From the study of 1 Peter 2:16
- Range of meaning
A covering or something laid over: a covering for a tent or tabernacle, a cloth spread over a well, a veil. Used figuratively, a cloak or pretext, meaning a respectable surface that hides what lies underneath.
- Against the English
The KJV's 'cloke' and the WEB's 'cloak' keep the image of a garment thrown over something. 'Cover-up' (BSB, NIV, ESV) and 'excuse' (NLT) keep the sense of concealment. 'Covering' (NASB) is the most literal. All are fair. Only 'excuse' weakens the picture of hiding.
- Used elsewhere in the period
In the Greek Old Testament (LXX) the word is used for the outer coverings of the tabernacle (Exod 26:14). In 2 Sam 17:19 a woman spreads a covering over a well's mouth so that David's spies hiding inside are not found, which is concealment in the literal sense. A line attributed to the comic poet Menander is often cited: 'wealth is a covering (epikalumma) for many evils', the same figurative use (cited in BDAG).
Similar words
Where it appears
1 Peter · 1
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1 Peter 2:16 ἐπικάλυμμα a cover-up
Live in freedom, but do not use your freedom as a cover-up for evil; live as servants of God.
Here: Literally something laid over something else to hide it. Here it means a respectable front that conceals what is underneath. The word appears only here in the New Testament.
Word data: STEPBible.org (CC BY 4.0), main text only.