Word Study for G2927 (κρυπτός)

kryptós /kroop-tos'/ Ask about this word

Rootfrom κρύπτω

Meaningconcealed, i.e. private

KJV usagehid(-den), inward(-ly), secret.

Word Study

In depth

A plain-language study of kryptós — the range of meaning it carries, how Scripture actually uses it, and where it points. Written for readers who don’t know the original language.

Core Meaning & Semantic Range

The Greek word kryptós, represented by G2927, refers to that which is concealed, private, or secret. It appears 19 times across 16 unique verses in the Bible. The term establishes a contrast between what is internal and hidden versus what is external and open, applying to motives, identity, and actions.

Biblical Occurrences & Contextual Analysis

In scripture, G2927 is frequently used to emphasize that what is done in secret will not remain so. It is stated that there is nothing hid that will not be known or revealed (Matthew 10:26, Luke 12:2). The word also defines the true nature of a person, distinguishing outward appearance from inner reality. A true Jew is described as one who is so inwardly Romans 2:29, and true spiritual character is found in the hidden man of the heart 1 Peter 3:4. Furthermore, it characterizes acts of piety performed for God alone, such as praying or giving alms in secret, with the assurance that the Father who sees in secret will provide a reward (Matthew 6:4, Matthew 6:6).

Related Words & Concepts

Several related words help clarify the concept of what is hidden and what is revealed:

G5319 phaneróō (to render apparent): This word serves as a direct contrast, often used to describe how that which is secret G2927 will eventually be made manifest 1 Corinthians 4:5.
G614 apókryphos (secret; by implication, treasured): As a synonym, this term is used in parallel to describe things that are hid but will eventually come abroad Luke 8:17.
G2588 kardía (the heart): This word often identifies the location of what is secret. The Bible speaks of the secrets of the heart being made manifest 1 Corinthians 14:25 and of the hidden man of the heart 1 Peter 3:4.

Theological Significance

The theological weight of G2927 is significant, highlighting key spiritual principles.

The Inner vs. Outer Self: The word establishes that true spiritual identity is not based on external acts like circumcision of the letter G1121, but on the inwardly G2927 reality of the heart G2588 and spirit G4151 Romans 2:29.
Divine Judgment: God sees all that is done in secret Matthew 6:18. Ultimately, He will judge the secrets G2927 of men Romans 2:16 and bring to light the hidden things of darkness 1 Corinthians 4:5.
Renunciation of Deceit: Believers are called to renounce the hidden things of dishonesty G152 and craftiness G3834, choosing instead the manifestation of the truth G225 2 Corinthians 4:2.

Summary

In summary, G2927 is more than a simple descriptor for something concealed. It is a crucial term that distinguishes between outward appearance and the hidden, inner reality of the heart G2588, which is of great price in the sight of God 1 Peter 3:4. It consistently carries the theme that nothing is truly secret before God, who sees and will one day reveal all things Matthew 10:26. From private acts of worship in a closet G5009 to the hidden counsels of the heart, kryptós teaches that the unseen realm of motive and spirit is where true faith is measured and will ultimately be judged.

How the KJV Renders It

Translation

Strong’s lists the renderings but not their weight. These are counted from the King James text of the tagged verses — the bar under each is how often the translators actually reached for it. Select one to filter the occurrences below.

Grammatical Forms

Morphology

In the Greek New Testament, this word appears as an adjective and a noun across 20 occurrences, inflected in 6 grammatical forms — each row is one form, and the bar is how often it is that form.

Dative Singular Neuter 10×
Nominative Singular Neuter 4×
Accusative Plural Neuter 3×
Accusative Singular Feminine 1×
Nominative Plural Neuter 1×
Nominative Singular Masculine 1×

Nominative: The subject of the verb.
Dative: The indirect object — often "to" or "for".
Accusative: The direct object of the verb.
Singular: One.
Plural: More than one.
Masculine: Masculine grammatical gender.
Feminine: Feminine grammatical gender.
Neuter: Neuter grammatical gender.

Related Words

Other entries the study above points to — each one is drawn from a reference it makes. Follow the trail to see how the words connect.

Theographic Context

Context

The people, places, and span of history the verses containing this word touch on — drawn from the theographic tagging of Scripture. Select any name to isolate its verses in the occurrence list.

Biblical Distribution

Distribution

Appears in 16 verses across 8 of the 27 books. Most frequent in Matthew (4 verses); never once in the other 19.

Matthew

Mark

Luke

John

Romans

1 Corinthians

2 Corinthians

1 Peter

Every Occurrence

Concordance

Every verse where the word is tagged in the King James text. Filter by book, by the English word the translators chose, or search within the verses.

Sources. Definition and numbering: James Strong, Exhaustive Concordance of the Bible (1890). Morphology: STEPBible / Tyndale House (CC BY). Verse tagging: the King James text keyed to Strong’s numbers. Every count on this page is computed from the tagged corpus, not estimated.