What does ἁπλότης (haplótēs) mean in the Bible?
G572 describes an undivided quality that can appear as sincerity, straightforwardness, or generosity. The English gloss must follow the passage.
Greek · G572
ἁπλότης
Openness
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ἁπλότης G572
Pronunciation haplótēs
What does ἁπλότης (haplótēs) mean in the Bible?
G572 describes an undivided quality that can appear as sincerity, straightforwardness, or generosity. The English gloss must follow the passage.
Reader summary
Full entry for ἁπλότης (G572) · Open the biblical lexicon
Questions this entry answers
How does the BSB render G572?
The BSB source-word alignment has 7 aligned rows for this entry. Common renderings include sincerity (2), [for the] generosity (1), be generous (1), generosity (1), let him give generously (1).
Where does ἁπλότης (haplótēs) appear in Scripture?
The source-word alignment first shows this entry at Romans 12:8. Its strongest book concentrations include 2 Corinthians (4), Colossians (1), Ephesians (1), Romans (1).
What This Word Actually Means
G572 describes an undivided quality that can appear as sincerity, straightforwardness, or generosity. The English gloss must follow the passage. In 2 Corinthians 1:12, Paul speaks about conduct marked by God-given sincerity rather than self-protective worldly wisdom. In chapters 8 and 9, the same single-hearted openness becomes generous giving that serves others and produces thanksgiving to God. The word does not praise gullibility, lack of planning, or financial carelessness.
Paul joins inward integrity to outward action. A sincere conscience cannot be separated from honest relationships, and generous giving cannot be separated from grace, willingness, and concern for the saints. G572 therefore tests divided motives. A person may perform generosity to gain status, or claim sincerity while hiding manipulation. In Paul's argument, grace makes the heart open before God and the hand open toward others. The gift serves people, honors God, and does not turn poverty, pressure, or publicity into tools of control.
How the Bible Uses It
G572 gathers Paul's concern for undivided sincerity and generous simplicity. It is not naivete, but a whole-hearted posture before God.
- 2Cor.1.12
For this is our boast: Our conscience testifies that we have conducted ourselves in the world, and especially in relation to you, in the holiness and sincerity that are from God—not in worldly wisdom, but in the grace of God.
Paul appeals to sincerity from God as part of a conscience-shaped ministry defense, not as image management.
- 2Cor.8.2
In the terrible ordeal they suffered, their abundant joy and deep poverty overflowed into rich generosity.
The Macedonians' poverty overflowed in rich generosity, showing that G572 can describe open-handed simplicity rather than abundance of resources.
- 2Cor.9.11
You will be enriched in every way to be generous on every occasion, and through us your generosity will produce thanksgiving to God.
Paul connects generosity with thanksgiving to God, keeping the gift from becoming a performance of donor status.
Passage context
Source Word Evidence
BSB source-word alignment connects this entry to exact verse rows, English rendering, source form, transliteration, and parsing.
How English Renders It sincerity 2× Ephesians 6:5, Colossians 3:22
[for the] generosity 1× 2 Corinthians 9:13
be generous 1× 2 Corinthians 9:11
generosity 1× 2 Corinthians 8:2
let him give generously 1× Romans 12:8
simple 1× 2 Corinthians 11:3
Show sample aligned rows
Romans 12:8 ἁπλότητι to let him give generously Noun - Dative Feminine Singular 2 Corinthians 8:2 ἁπλότητος to generosity Noun - Genitive Feminine Singular 2 Corinthians 9:11 ἁπλότητα to be generous Noun - Accusative Feminine Singular 2 Corinthians 9:13 ἁπλότητι to [for the] generosity Noun - Dative Feminine Singular 2 Corinthians 11:3 ἁπλότητος to simple Noun - Genitive Feminine Singular Ephesians 6:5 ἁπλότητι to sincerity Noun - Dative Feminine Singular Colossians 3:22 ἁπλότητι to sincerity Noun - Dative Feminine Singular
Usage map
A compact distribution from source-word alignment before the full evidence tables.
First aligned row Romans 12:8
Aligned rows 7
Books represented 4
Romans 1 2 Corinthians 4 Ephesians 1 Colossians 1
Source forms
ἁπλότητι 4x haplotēti Romans 12:8, 2 Corinthians 9:13, Ephesians 6:5, Colossians 3:22
ἁπλότητος 2x haplotētos 2 Corinthians 8:2, 2 Corinthians 11:3
ἁπλότητα 1x haplotēta 2 Corinthians 9:11
Parsing patterns
Noun - Dative Feminine Singular 4x Romans 12:8, 2 Corinthians 9:13, Ephesians 6:5, Colossians 3:22
Noun - Genitive Feminine Singular 2x 2 Corinthians 8:2, 2 Corinthians 11:3
Noun - Accusative Feminine Singular 1x 2 Corinthians 9:11
Using This Word Well
Be careful not to...
- Do not reduce G572 to personality style. Paul is describing grace-shaped sincerity and generosity, not social simplicity.
- Do not use the word to pressure giving by emotional display. The Pauline context directs generosity toward thanksgiving to God.
Avoid claiming...
- Do not reduce G572 to personality style. Paul is describing grace-shaped sincerity and generosity, not social simplicity.
- Do not use the word to pressure giving by emotional display. The Pauline context directs generosity toward thanksgiving to God.
lexicalPastoral applicationPassage context
Evidence Summary
Greek word. Simplicity of heart and motive, especially in generous giving without ulterior designs or self-interest.
Strong's G572
Lexical occurrences 7 verses Greek text appearances 8 times Word forms 3 forms 7 references Verse guides 0 guides
Study link Ephesians 6:5-9 Source Gloss
openness
Greek Text Appearances
Textus Receptus witness, full corpus Greek token appearances from Scrivener 1894 Textus Receptus in the full New Testament corpus.
8 Greek text appearances shown. Linked morphology labels have verse guides.
Romans 12:8 Noun Dative Singular Feminine
ἁπλότητι· aplothti
simplicity, sincerity, purity
Read verse 2 Corinthians 1:12 Noun Dative Singular Feminine
ἁπλότητι aplothti
simplicity, sincerity, purity
Read verse 2 Corinthians 8:2 Noun Genitive Singular Feminine
ἁπλότητος aplothtov
simplicity, sincerity, purity
Read verse 2 Corinthians 9:11 Noun Accusative Singular Feminine
ἁπλότητα, aplothta
simplicity, sincerity, purity
Read verse 2 Corinthians 9:13 Noun Dative Singular Feminine
ἁπλότητι aplothti
simplicity, sincerity, purity
Read verse 2 Corinthians 11:3 Noun Genitive Singular Feminine
ἁπλότητος aplothtov
simplicity, sincerity, purity
Read verse Ephesians 6:5 Noun Dative Singular Feminine
ἁπλότητι aplothti
simplicity, sincerity, purity
Read verse Colossians 3:22 Noun Dative Singular Feminine
ἁπλότητι aplothti
simplicity, sincerity, purity
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.
Grammatical Forms
How this word appears across different grammatical cases and numbers.
This word appears as a noun across 3 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.
Form patterns 3 Aligned forms 7 Case pattern Dative (4) Number pattern Singular (7)
Verse guides are not available for this word yet, so verse references remain plain evidence markers.
Genitive · Singular · Feminine 2 Cor 8:2 · 2 Cor 11:3 2×
Dative · Singular · Feminine Rom 12:8 · 2 Cor 9:13 · Eph 6:5 · Col 3:22 4×
Accusative · Singular · Feminine 2 Cor 9:11 1×
Selected Scripture Witnesses
Selected passage-level study witnesses for this word. This section is not the full occurrence list.
Biblical Witnesses
Servants serving masters with sincerity of heart as unto Christ
Generous giving and liberality of Macedonian churches in their poverty
Liberality and bountifulness produced by thanksgiving and grace
Gift of giving or sharing done with simplicity and sincerity
Showing 4 selected witnesses from 7 lexical occurrence verses.
Word Origins
ἁπλότης is built from this root:
Part of These Phrases
Compound and idiomatic phrases that include this word. Follow a link to study the phrase and how its parts work together.
For the Preacher and Teacher
G572 shows that Christian sincerity has a visible shape. Paul appeals to a conscience governed by God's grace, then describes generosity that rises even from deep poverty and returns thanksgiving to God. The word does not let integrity remain a private claim. A single-hearted person deals truthfully, gives willingly, and refuses to turn ministry or money into a performance.
At the same time, the Macedonian example must not become pressure placed on people who are poor. Paul celebrates grace, willingness, and shared care, not coercion. Teachers can use this word to ask whether conduct and generosity have one Godward purpose or several hidden audiences. The goal is not simplicity as a personality trait. It is a grace-formed wholeness in which conscience, speech, resources, and worship point in the same direction.
Anchor passage
2Cor.1.12
Doctrinal connections
- 2Cor.1.12 - Paul grounds sincere conduct in the grace of God rather than worldly wisdom, joining integrity to divine enablement.
- 2Cor.8.2 - The Macedonians' joy and poverty overflow in generosity, showing that Christian giving is measured by grace-shaped willingness rather than social power.
- 2Cor.8.8-9 - Paul refuses to make giving a command-driven test and instead points to the self-giving grace of Christ as its gospel pattern.
- 2Cor.9.7 - Generosity must be willing and uncoerced, because God loves a cheerful giver rather than a pressured performance.
- 2Cor.9.11-13 - Material sharing supplies needs, produces thanksgiving, and confirms a confession of the gospel through obedient generosity.
- Rom.12.8 - Giving with generosity belongs among grace-enabled service in the body, keeping the act accountable to love and the good of others.
Simplicity, sincerity, or generosity is the reviewed display gloss for G572. In this Pauline-focused companion, local STEP TAGNT evidence shows about 8 Pauline use(s), with common forms including N-DSF 5, N-GSF 2, N-ASF 1. Dative forms often sit in descriptions of manner, so the surrounding object decides whether sincerity or generosity is foregrounded.
From Old to New Testament
Paul's use of G572 joins integrity and generosity. A sincere heart before God becomes an open hand toward others.
Sources
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