WORD STUDY: Anupokritos

TRANSLATIONS:

The apostle Paul is calling for the LOVE of God's people to be:

"without hypocrisy" --- NASB and NKJV

"sincere" --- NIV and TEV

"genuine" --- RSV and ESV

"real" --- NCV

"without dissimulation" --- KJV

"Don't just pretend that you love others: really love them" --- LB

"Let us have no imitation Christian love" --- Phillips

WORD STUDY:

Anupokritos appears six times in the pages of the NT documents.  It is used with reference to love three times, faith two times, and wisdom one time. 

Anupokritos literally means without play acting, without playing the part or without hypocrisy.  It is a compound word meaning “without” and a form of hupokrinomai (from which we get our English word, hypocrite), meaning “to pretend” or “to put on a false front.” This word originally referred to the art of acting on a stage. 
An actor portrays someone other than who he or she truly is and that is the meaning of the word hypocrite.





SCRIPTURE REFERENCES:

 ^{1 Peter 1:22}
Now that you have purified yourselves by obeying the truth so that you have sincere love for each other, love one another deeply, from the heart.

^Romans 12:9

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

^{2 Corinthians 6:6}

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

^{1 Timothy 1:5}

 The goal of this command is love, which comes from a pure heart and a good conscience and a sincere faith.

^{2 Timothy 1:5}

 I am reminded of your sincere faith, which first lived in your grandmother Lois and in your mother Eunice and, I am persuaded, now lives in you also.

^{James 3:17}

But the wisdom from above is first of all pure. It is also peace loving, gentle at all times, and willing to yield to others. It is full of mercy and good deeds. It shows no favoritism and is always sincere.

COMMENTARIES:

"Love is primary, but if it is not sincere, it is not real love but only pretense. The whole of the believer's conduct should be bathed in love. If he fails to love his brother, doubt is cast on his professed love for God" (Expos. Comm., p. 132).

"Christian love is a love which is cleansed of self. It is a pure outgoing of the heart to others" (Barclay, p. 177).

"Have no hypocritical love; let not your love wear a mask; make no empty professions. Love God and your neighbor; and, by obedience to the one and acts of benevolence to the other, show that your love is sincere" (Clarke, p. 139).