To cover up (literally or figuratively)
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G2572 is a Greek verb for covering something physically or figuratively. A lamp may be covered by a vessel, waves may engulf a boat, a message may be veiled, and concealed realities may later be disclosed.
Reader summary
Full entry for καλύπτω (G2572) · Open the biblical lexicon
G2572 is a Greek verb for covering something physically or figuratively. A lamp may be covered by a vessel, waves may engulf a boat, a message may be veiled, and concealed realities may later be disclosed.
The BSB source-word alignment has 8 aligned rows for this entry. Common renderings include veiled (2), [and] covers (1), concealed (1), Cover (1), cover over (1).
The source-word alignment first shows this entry at Matthew 8:24. Its strongest book concentrations include 2 Corinthians (2), Luke (2), Matthew (2), 1 Peter (1).
G2572 is a Greek verb for covering something physically or figuratively. A lamp may be covered by a vessel, waves may engulf a boat, a message may be veiled, and concealed realities may later be disclosed. First Peter 4:8 says earnest love covers a multitude of sins, while James 5:20 says turning a sinner from error covers a multitude of sins. In neither passage does love rename evil as good or create secrecy for continuing harm.
Peter’s surrounding counsel concerns sober prayer, hospitality, service, and life together under God; James describes active restoration from a deadly path. Matthew 10:26, meanwhile, assures disciples that what is concealed will be disclosed. G2572 therefore carries a real covering image, but context decides whether the covering hides light, describes limited perception, pictures protection from judgment, or names love’s refusal to multiply offenses through vengeance and exposure.
It opens teaching on forgiveness, restoration, revelation, and responsible speech. It corrects the misuse of “covering” as a demand to suppress truth, evidence, repentance, or safeguarding.
G2572 moves from literal covering to figurative concealment, veiling, and the covering of sins. The New Testament can condemn covering light, describe the gospel as veiled to some hearers, promise disclosure of what is hidden, and commend love that seeks a sinner’s restoration. The object and result of the covering control interpretation.
Above all, love one another deeply, because love covers over a multitude of sins.
Peter locates love’s covering of many sins within earnest mutual love, hospitality, stewardship, and a community living before God’s judgment.
Consider this: Whoever turns a sinner from the error of his way will save his soul from death and cover over a multitude of sins.
James joins covering sins to turning a wanderer from error and saving a soul from death, so restoration includes truthful change of direction.
So do not be afraid of them. For there is nothing concealed that will not be disclosed, and nothing hidden that will not be made known.
Jesus strengthens persecuted disciples with the assurance that concealed realities will be disclosed and hidden things made known.
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. To cover or conceal, especially sins through forgiveness—veil from sight or knowledge.
To cover or conceal, especially sins through forgiveness—veil from sight or knowledge.
in cl., rare in prose, to cover: with accusative of person(s), Luk.23:30; with accusative of thing(s) and dative, Luk.8:16; pass., Mat.8:24; metaphorically, to veil, conceal: pf. ptcp. pass., Mat.10:26, 2Co.4:3; of the forgiveness of sins (cf. Psa.32:5 85:2; DB, ii, 56b): 1Pe.4:8, Jas.5:20; (seel. for καιομένη, WH, mg., Luk.24:32).
Textus Receptus witness, full corpusGreek token appearances from Scrivener 1894 Textus Receptus in the full New Testament corpus.
8 Greek text appearances shown. Linked morphology labels have verse guides.
I veil, hide, conceal, envelop
Read verseI veil, hide, conceal, envelop
Read verseI veil, hide, conceal, envelop
Read verseI veil, hide, conceal, envelop
Read verseI veil, hide, conceal, envelop
Read verseI veil, hide, conceal, envelop
Read verseI veil, hide, conceal, envelop
Read verseI veil, hide, conceal, envelop
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 mood, tense, and voice shift the force of this verb in context.
This verb appears through different tense, voice, mood, or stem patterns. Those forms help readers see how the action is presented in context.
Verse guides are not available for this word yet, so verse references remain plain evidence markers.
How this verb appears across 6 occurrences in the NT discourse index (MACULA Greek SBLGNT).
Aspect reflects grammatical form — not authorial emphasis. Participles and infinitives are verbal adjectives and nouns respectively.
Clause data: MACULA Greek (Clear Bible, CC BY 4.0) · SBLGNT (Logos/SBL, CC BY 4.0)
Selected passage-level study witnesses for this word. This section is not the full occurrence list.
Showing 4 selected witnesses from 8 lexical occurrence verses.
καλύπτω is built from these roots:
Compound and idiomatic phrases that include this word. Follow a link to study the phrase and how its parts work together.
G2572 prevents a false choice between love and truth. Love’s covering in 1 Peter belongs to a community practicing sober prayer, hospitality without complaint, and faithful stewardship while awaiting God’s judgment. It is not institutional concealment. James makes the restorative direction even clearer: a sinner is turned from error, a soul is rescued from death, and sins are covered.
The movement is away from destructive practice, not deeper into secrecy. Matthew 10 also promises that concealed things will be revealed, which gives persecuted disciples courage and denies lasting safety to hidden injustice. Other uses show that covering can obstruct light, describe a boat engulfed by waves, or portray a veiled gospel. The word itself therefore does not authorize a universal policy of silence.
Pastoral wisdom may refrain from broadcasting every repented offense, reject gossip, and seek reconciliation, yet it must tell the truth, protect the vulnerable, preserve evidence, and involve proper authorities when harm requires it. Forgiveness releases personal vengeance; it does not erase consequences or make accountability unloving. G2572 calls the church to a love strong enough to restore sinners and a truthfulness strong enough to expose what continuing harm depends on keeping hidden.
1Pet.4.8
G2572 is a flexible covering verb. Its object may be a lamp, a vessel or person overwhelmed by something, a message perceived as veiled, a concealed fact, or sins described through a covering image. The construction and discourse setting determine the force.
Peter’s wording echoes the scriptural association of love with refusing to inflame offenses, while James joins covering with rescue and return. Across both Testaments, forgiveness and mercy do not overturn God’s concern for truthful judgment or the protection of the oppressed.