Greek word · G2931

κρυφῇ

kryphē

in secret

Secretly, in hiding, privately. From the root kryptō, 'to hide' (the root behind English 'crypt' and 'cryptic').

Appears once in the Greek New Testament. ·

What it means

κρυΦῇ

(prop. -ῆ, Rec.; later spelling is due to assimilation to dative; cf. εἰκῆ),

adv., [in LXX chiefly for סָתַר ;]

secretly, in secret: Ephesians 5:12.†

(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 Ephesians 5:12

Range of meaning

Secretly, in hiding, privately. From the root kryptō, 'to hide' (the root behind English 'crypt' and 'cryptic').

Against the English

All the major versions say 'in secret'. The translation is accurate. What English can't show is that this is the only time the New Testament uses this form, and that it pairs with the light words in verses 13–14.

Used elsewhere in the period

Used a few times in the Greek Old Testament (the Septuagint), e.g. Wisdom of Solomon 18:9, for something done privately. The fuller New Testament picture of 'darkness' as cover for vice: Rom 13:12–13 (works of darkness: drunken partying, sexual excess), 1 Thess 5:5–7 (people get drunk at night), John 3:20 (evildoers hate the light so that their deeds won't be exposed).

Where it appears

Ephesians · 1

  1. Ephesians 5:12 κρυφῇ in secret

    For it is shameful even to mention what the disobedient do in secret.

    Here: An adverb meaning 'secretly, out of sight'. This is its only appearance in the New Testament. It sets up the contrast with light and exposure in verses 11–14: these deeds live in hiding.

Word data: STEPBible.org (CC BY 4.0), main text only.