Pretense
Reading a lexicon entry
What this page is: Each lexicon entry shows the original Hebrew or Greek word behind the English translation: its meaning, its range of use, and where it appears in Scripture.
Strong's number: The Strong's code (H- or G-) is the standard reference number for this word. It connects this entry to chapter and passage language tabs.
Where it appears: The witness passages show where this word is used in context. Click any to open the study page for that passage.
This lexicon entry is part of our ongoing editorial review. If you notice missing content, unclear wording, or a possible correction, please send us a note through the Connect page. Screenshots are helpful.
G4392 names a pretext, excuse, outward show, or stated reason that conceals another purpose. Its six governed forms expose showy prayer joined to exploitation of widows, the loss of excuse after Jesus' words, sailors pretending to deploy anchors while attempting escape, proclamation driven by false motives, and ministry speech that masks greed.
Reader summary
Full entry for πρόφασις (G4392) · Open the biblical lexicon
G4392 names a pretext, excuse, outward show, or stated reason that conceals another purpose. Its six governed forms expose showy prayer joined to exploitation of widows, the loss of excuse after Jesus' words, sailors pretending to deploy anchors while attempting escape, proclamation driven by false motives, and ministry speech that masks greed.
The BSB source-word alignment has 6 aligned rows for this entry. Common renderings include for a show (2), [any] pretext (1), by false motives (1), excuse (1), Pretending (1).
The source-word alignment first shows this entry at Mark 12:40. Its strongest book concentrations include 1 Thessalonians (1), Acts (1), John (1), Luke (1).
G4392 names a pretext, excuse, outward show, or stated reason that conceals another purpose. Its six governed forms expose showy prayer joined to exploitation of widows, the loss of excuse after Jesus' words, sailors pretending to deploy anchors while attempting escape, proclamation driven by false motives, and ministry speech that masks greed. The noun can identify deception or a removed defense, but it does not let a reader infer hidden motives without textual evidence.
Mark and Luke place long prayers beside devouring widows' houses. The target is exploitative religious performance, not Jewish identity or lengthy prayer itself. Paul denies using flattery as a cover for greed, while Philippians distinguishes selfish motives from the true content about Christ that was still proclaimed. That observation does not make motive irrelevant, excuse abusive messengers, or guarantee that every harmful message produces good.
John 15:22 concerns people directly confronted by Jesus' words within the Gospel's conflict narrative. It does not settle every question about culpability, knowledge, disability, trauma, coercion, or those who have not heard. Pastoral application should expose documented deception while resisting mind-reading, rumor, forced confession, and retaliation. Financial review, evidence, due process, survivor safety, and correction remain necessary when spiritual language may be covering harm.
Six governed forms move among religious show, removed excuse, deceptive action, false motive, and greed concealed by speech.
For a show make lengthy prayers
Religious display conceals exploitation of vulnerable households.
Under the pretext of lowering anchors
A plausible action is used to conceal an attempted escape.
A pretext for greed
Paul denies using ministry speech as cover for financial appetite.
BSB source-word alignment connects this entry to exact verse rows, English rendering, source form, transliteration, and parsing.
How English Renders ItA compact distribution from source-word alignment before the full evidence tables.
Greek word. A false reason offered to hide one's true motive or intention behind an outward excuse.
A false reason offered to hide one's true motive or intention behind an outward excuse.
(φήμι), [in LXX: Psa.141:4 (עֲלִילָה), ??עֲלִילָה), ??Dan.6:4-5(5-6) (עִלָּה) Pro.18:1, Hos.10:4 * ;] a pretence, pretext: Mat.23:1 (WM, R, txt., om.), Mrk.12:40, Luk.20:47 Jhn.15:22, Act.27:30, Php.1:18, 1Th.2:5.
Textus Receptus witness, full corpus Greek token appearances from Scrivener 1894 Textus Receptus in the full New Testament corpus.
7 Greek text appearances shown. Linked morphology labels have verse guides.
a pretext, an excuse
Read versea pretext, an excuse
Read versea pretext, an excuse
Read versea pretext, an excuse
Read versea pretext, an excuse
Read versea pretext, an excuse
Read versea pretext, an excuse
Read verseFull New Testament corpus: 260 chapters, 7,957 verses, 140,628 tokens. Data source: honza/textus-receptus (data only), with authority check against byztxt/greektext-textus-receptus.
How this word appears across different grammatical cases and numbers.
This word appears as a noun across 2 case and number patterns. The form changes show how the word functions in a sentence; they do not change the basic lexical meaning by themselves.
Verse guides are not available for this word yet, so verse references remain plain evidence markers.
πρόφασις is built from these roots:
A pretext is not merely an imperfect motive. It is a presented reason that covers another purpose. Scripture exposes it through context: prayer stands beside exploitation, an anchor procedure conceals escape, and flattering ministry can hide greed. Philippians also shows that God may advance truthful proclamation through mixed motives without declaring rivalry harmless or messengers immune from review.
This word therefore calls churches to examine money, power, claims, and conduct with evidence. It also forbids careless mind-reading. A concern should be heard and investigated, not treated as a verdict by itself. Truthful review protects vulnerable people, permits response, distinguishes mistake from strategy, and refuses to let prayer, gospel vocabulary, reputation, or claimed good results conceal abuse.
1Thess.2.5
Five dative singular forms express ideas such as by a pretext, for a show, or under a stated reason; one accusative singular form names the excuse that is absent. Case does not prove deception. The surrounding verbs, conduct, and authorial assessment establish whether a reason is false or a defense has been removed.
The Hebrew Scriptures repeatedly condemn worship that covers injustice, dishonest measures, false testimony, and leaders who exploit vulnerable people. These are thematic controls rather than a direct lexical identity.
MorphGNT Strong's Dictionary XML — CC0 1.0 Public Domain
Open Scriptures Hebrew Bible (morphhb/OSHB) — CC BY 4.0
Open Scriptures Hebrew Lexicon — CC BY 4.0
Berean Standard Bible (BSB) source-word alignment - CC0 Public Domain