Greek word · G505

ἀνυπόκριτος

anypokritos

genuine

Not play-acting: unfeigned, genuine, sincere. From hypokritēs, a stage actor who speaks from behind a mask.

Appears 6 times in 6 verses of the Greek New Testament. · Updated October 23, 2026

What it means

ἀν-υπόκριτος, -ον

(ά- neg., ὑποκρίνομαι) [in LXX: Wisdom of Solomon 5:18 18:16 * ;]

unfeigned: Romans 12:9, 2 Corinthians 6:6, 1 Timothy 1:5, 2 Timothy 1:5, James 3:17, 1 Peter 1:22 (Cremer, 380; MM, VGT, see word).†

(AS)

From G. Abbott-Smith, A Manual Greek Lexicon of the New Testament (1922), via STEPBible.org (CC BY 4.0).

Range of meaning: Not play-acting: unfeigned, genuine, sincere. From hypokritēs, a stage actor who speaks from behind a mask.
Against the English: KJV, WEB 'without hypocrisy'; BSB, ESV, NIV 'sincere'; YLT 'unhypocritical'. 'Sincere' is accurate but loses the theatre image.
Used elsewhere in the period: Wisdom of Solomon 5:18 and 18:16 (justice and command 'unfeigned'). In the New Testament it describes love (Rom 12:9; 2 Cor 6:6; 1 Pet 1:22) and faith (1 Tim 1:5; 2 Tim 1:5).

Range of meaning: "Not pretended, unfeigned, genuine," and in some contexts "impartial." It is built from a- ("not") and hypokritēs, which in classical Greek was the ordinary word for a stage actor, someone who plays a role behind a mask. The related verb hypokrinomai meant "to answer," then "to play a part on stage," then "to pretend."
Against the English: "Sincere" (BSB, NIV) and "genuine" (ESV) are accurate. "Without hypocrisy" (WEB, NASB) keeps the word's root, but modern "hypocrisy" usually means failing to practise what you preach, while the Greek picture is performance: wearing a face that is not your own. KJV's "without dissimulation" (without disguising your true self) is actually very close.
How it drifted: English "hypocrisy" narrowed toward moral inconsistency and lost its theatrical image of someone acting a part.
Used elsewhere in the period: Very rare before the New Testament. Wisdom of Solomon 5:18 uses it for "impartial judgment" and 18:16 for God's "unfeigned command." In the NT it describes love (2 Cor 6:6; Rom 12:9), brotherly love (1 Pet 1:22), faith (1 Tim 1:5; 2 Tim 1:5) and wisdom (Jas 3:17). It seems to have become an early Christian watchword for authenticity.

Range of meaning: Unfeigned, sincere, without pretense. It is the negative of ὑποκριτής, a stage actor, someone who plays a part behind a mask.
Against the English: "Sincere" and "genuine" are accurate. The KJV's "unfeigned" keeps the sense of not pretending more clearly. The Greek image is theatrical: love that is not a performance.
Used elsewhere in the period: Wisdom of Solomon 5:18 speaks of "impartial judgment", and 18:15–16 of God's "unfeigned command". In the New Testament: "let love be unhypocritical" (Rom 12:9), 2 Cor 6:6, and 1 Tim 1:5, which closely parallels this verse: "love from a pure heart… and unfeigned faith". See also 2 Tim 1:5 and Jas 3:17.

Romans · 1

Romans 12:9 ἀνυπόκριτος. unfeigned.

Love must be sincere. Detest what is evil; cling to what is good.

Here: Literally "not acted," with no stage role behind it. There is no verb, so the line reads like a slogan: "Love: no playacting." English has to add "let ... be" or "must be."

2 Corinthians · 1

2 Corinthians 6:6 ἀνυποκρίτῳ, genuine,

in purity, knowledge, patience, and kindness; in the Holy Spirit and in sincere love;

Here: Literally "un-actor-like": not a performance, with no mask behind it. The word is built from hypokritēs, "stage actor". It answers the suspicion that Paul's affection was a show to manipulate them.

1 Timothy · 1

1 Timothy 1:5 ἀνυποκρίτου, sincere,

The goal of our instruction is the love that comes from a pure heart, a clear conscience, and a sincere faith.

Here: Literally 'not acted out as on a stage'. The word comes from the vocabulary of the theatre actor. It describes faith that is real, not performed.

2 Timothy · 1

2 Timothy 1:5 ἀνυποκρίτου sincere

I am reminded of your sincere faith, which first dwelt in your grandmother Lois and your mother Eunice, and I am convinced is in you as well.

Here: Literally 'not play-acted', faith without a stage mask. It is real, not a role. In the Pastoral Letters this quietly contrasts Timothy's faith with the hypocrisy of the false teachers.

James · 1

James 3:17 ἀνυπόκριτος. sincere.

But the wisdom from above is first of all pure, then peace-loving, gentle, accommodating, full of mercy and good fruit, impartial, and sincere.

Here: 'Un-play-acted'. No mask, no performance of virtue for an audience. The list closes on genuineness, just as it opened on purity.

1 Peter · 1

1 Peter 1:22 ἀνυπόκριτον sincere

Since you have purified your souls by obedience to the truth so that you have a genuine love for your brothers, love one another deeply, from a pure heart.

Here: "Not acted". It comes from the word for a stage actor, so it describes love that is no performance or mask.

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