Greek word · G858
ἀφελότης
aphelotēs
sincerity
Simplicity, plainness, sincerity, unaffectedness. The related adjective aphelēs is used of a smooth field 'free from stones' and of plain, unadorned speech and character. Some lexicons also allow 'generosity', by analogy with the related word haplotēs.
Appears once in the Greek New Testament. ·
What it means
From G. Abbott-Smith, A Manual Greek Lexicon of the New Testament (1922), via STEPBible.org (CC BY 4.0).
In depth
- Range of meaning
Simplicity, plainness, sincerity, unaffectedness. The related adjective aphelēs is used of a smooth field 'free from stones' and of plain, unadorned speech and character. Some lexicons also allow 'generosity', by analogy with the related word haplotēs.
- Against the English
KJV and WEB 'singleness', YLT 'simplicity', BSB 'sincerity'. ESV has 'generous' and NLT 'generosity', which move the meaning toward giving. This fits verse 45 but goes a step beyond the word's main sense of an uncomplicated, undivided heart.
- How it drifted
KJV 'singleness of heart' once meant an undivided, single-minded heart. Today 'single' mostly means unmarried, so the phrase has become opaque.
- Used elsewhere in the period
It appears only here in the New Testament and is rare in Greek generally (a few later Hellenistic writers, e.g. the astrologer Vettius Valens). The close relative haplotēs, 'simplicity, single-mindedness, generosity', is common: 1 Chr 29:17 LXX (giving 'in simplicity of heart'), Wis 1:1, Eph 6:5, 2 Cor 8:2 and 9:11.
Where it appears
Acts · 1
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Acts 2:46 ἀφελότητι sincerity
With one accord they continued to meet daily in the temple courts and to break bread from house to house, sharing their meals with gladness and sincerity of heart,
Here: Used only here in the New Testament. It suggests 'smoothness': a heart without rough spots, ulterior motives or pretence. Some take it to include open-handed generosity.
Word data: STEPBible.org (CC BY 4.0), main text only.