Many people fit the label of hypocrite, which translates from the Greek term *hupokrites* (G5273), meaning an actor or one who plays a part. In the New Testament, this word identifies those who pretend to be something they are not, often presenting themselves as paragons of religious virtue while lacking genuine spiritual virtue inwardly. According to Vine's Expository Dictionary of New Testament Words, *hupokrites* primarily denotes a stage-actor, a custom among Greek and Roman performers who used masks to amplify their voices, thus metaphorically describing a dissembler or hypocrite. Throughout His ministry, Jesus vigorously exposed and denounced the hypocrisy of many who opposed Him, particularly the scribes and Pharisees, using the term *hupokrites* to highlight their theatrical displays of charity, prayer, and fasting to win human praise rather than to honor God. In the Gospels, hypocrisy is appearing before men as one ought to be but is not before God, sometimes as a deliberate act and at other times as an unconscious deception. Jesus' sternest denunciations fell upon those who played the part of religion without being truly religious, labeling them as hypocrites. In specific teachings, such as in Matthew 6, Jesus uses *hupokrites* to describe those who perform good acts for appearances only, not out of genuine compassion, indicating that their empty motives yield no true reward. In Matthew 23, He further criticizes the Pharisees as *hupokrites* for their external religious practices while being internally full of greed, self-indulgence, and pride, likening them to whitewashed tombs—beautiful outside but filled with decay inside. In Luke 18, through the Parable of the Pharisee and the Tax Collector, Jesus illustrates the hypocrisy of the Pharisee, again using *hupokrites*, as one who boasts of purity while lacking true repentance. The term *hupokrites* in Christ's usage often equates to concepts of evil, wickedness, and godlessness, portraying individuals who appear outwardly religious and good but are inwardly insincere and unrighteous. This hypocrisy, as a form of permanent untruthfulness and systemic deceit, can gradually annihilate any sense of one's true condition, making repentance more difficult for such individuals compared to open sinners.

The Greek word *hupokrites* (G5273), transliterated into English as "hypocrite," carries a rich evolution of meaning that sheds light on its use in describing religious pretense. Originally, it referred to one who gives an answer or response, such as a judge rendering a decision in a trial. Over time, its meaning shifted to an interpreter, particularly in the arts, where it described someone on stage who conveyed a poet's or playwright's intent through actions, dance, or vocal variety. This role evolved further into that of an actor or player on a stage, often in Greek plays, sometimes as part of the chorus explaining events to the audience. From there, it became more general, indicating a dramatizer who exaggerates normal situations, then a pretender, and subsequently a deceiver who misrepresents reality to appear greater than it is. In broader society, *hupokrites* came to signify a moral or religious counterfeit—someone who feigns piety or morality. Finally, in its modern sense, it denotes a hypocrite, a person who pretends to be something they are not. As noted in Vine's Expository Dictionary, Greek and Roman actors often wore large masks with devices to amplify their voices, and thus the term metaphorically came to represent a dissembler or liar. In the context of Jesus Christ's teachings, *hupokrites* is used to condemn those who perform righteous acts for public recognition rather than genuine devotion to God. He warns that such hypocrites, who seek the glory and praise of men, receive only that as their reward, with no further blessing from the Father. Their actions, done to be seen by others, are a transaction completed upon receiving public acclaim, leaving no room for divine approval. Jesus emphasizes that hypocrisy is a grave sin, disqualifying one from the Kingdom of God, as it misuses acts of righteousness for self-aggrandizement, stealing glory that belongs to God and amounting to a form of idolatry. His stern admonition is clear: true righteousness must be practiced in secret, privately, and inconspicuously, ensuring that only the Father, who sees all, is the witness to such deeds, and He will reward them openly in due time.