Lexical Summary anakaluptó: To unveil, to uncover, to reveal Original Word: ἀνακαλύπτω Strong's Exhaustive Concordance open, unveil. From ana (in the sense of reversal) and kalupto; to unveil -- open, (un-)taken away. see GREEK ana see GREEK kalupto NAS Exhaustive Concordance Word Originfrom ana and kaluptó Definition to unveil NASB Translation unlifted (1), unveiled (1). Thayer's Greek Lexicon STRONGS NT 343: ἀνακαλύπτωἀνακαλύπτω: (passive, present participle ἀνακαλυπτόμενος; perfect participle ἀνακεκαλυμμένος); to unveil, to uncover (by drawing back the veil) (equivalent to גָּלָה, Job 12:22; Psalm 17:16 Topical Lexicon Overview of the ConceptStrong’s Greek 343 introduces the vivid image of a covering being lifted so that what was hidden becomes visible. Scripture applies this picture to the removal of spiritual blindness and to unhindered fellowship with God. Although the word itself appears only twice, its theological reach spans the whole canon—from the veiled face of Moses to the unveiled glory of the believer in Christ. Occurrences in 2 Corinthians 3 Paul uses the term in two closely connected participial forms. • 2 Corinthians 3:14 speaks of a veil “not lifted, because only in Christ can it be removed.” The participle stresses an action that must happen to the reader; it is neither self-generated nor earned. • 2 Corinthians 3:18 describes believers “with unveiled faces” who “reflect the glory of the Lord” and “are being transformed into His image with intensifying glory”. Here the perfect participle underscores a completed unveiling that continues to affect the believer’s present experience. Together, the verses trace a movement from obstruction to revelation, from incapacity to transformation. Connection with the Mosaic Veil The background is Exodus 34:29-35, where Moses veiled his radiant face after receiving the law. Paul reads that episode typologically: • The veil illustrated Israel’s hardness when the law was read (2 Corinthians 3:14-15). • Christ fulfills the typology; His redemptive work removes the barrier just as the temple veil was torn at His death (Matthew 27:51; Hebrews 10:19-20). Thus the old covenant’s glory was both real and fading; the new covenant’s glory is unveiled and permanent. Christological Fulfillment Only “in Christ” (2 Corinthians 3:14) is the covering taken away. The term therefore becomes shorthand for: 1. The objective act of revelation—the gospel discloses God’s righteousness (Romans 1:16-17). Unveiling is covenantal (linked to Christ’s mediatorial role) and personal (experienced by each believer). Role of the Holy Spirit Paul concludes, “Now the Lord is the Spirit, and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is freedom” (2 Corinthians 3:17). The Spirit: • Removes the veil at conversion (Titus 3:5-6). Experiential Transformation Believers who live unveiled lives experience: • Clarity in Scripture: the same passages that once seemed obscure now reveal Christ (John 5:39-40). Implications for Evangelism and Teaching 1. Dependence on God: Since unveiling is a divine action, prayer precedes proclamation (Acts 16:14). Historical Reception in the Church Early fathers (e.g., Chrysostom) emphasized the boldness that flows from an unveiled heart. Reformers drew on the passage to stress the perspicuity of Scripture for Spirit-indwelt readers. Contemporary missions often appeal to this text when praying for unreached peoples, recognizing that cultural or religious “veils” yield only to the Lord who is the Spirit. Related Scriptures Exodus 34:29-35; Isaiah 25:7; Matthew 27:51; John 12:40; Acts 26:18; Romans 11:25-27; 2 Corinthians 4:3-6; Hebrews 10:19-22; Revelation 22:4. Summary Strong’s Greek 343 encapsulates the gospel’s power to replace concealment with revelation, death with life, fading glory with ever-increasing glory. Its sparse New Testament usage belies a rich biblical theology: what was once hidden is now open, and all who turn to the Lord behold, reflect, and are transformed by His unveiled splendor. Forms and Transliterations ανακαλύπτει ανακαλυπτομενον ανακαλυπτόμενον ἀνακαλυπτόμενον ανακαλύπτων ανακαλυφθήναι ανακαλυφθήσεται ανακαλύψαι ανακαλύψει ανακαλύψουσι ανακεκαλυμμένα ανακεκαλυμμένους ανακεκαλυμμενω ανακεκαλυμμένω ἀνακεκαλυμμένῳ ανεκαλύφθη ανεκάλυψα ανεκάλυψεν anakaluptomenon anakalyptomenon anakalyptómenon anakekalummeno anakekalummenō anakekalymmeno anakekalymmenō anakekalymménoi anakekalymménōiLinks Interlinear Greek • Interlinear Hebrew • Strong's Numbers • Englishman's Greek Concordance • Englishman's Hebrew Concordance • Parallel TextsEnglishman's Concordance 2 Corinthians 3:14 V-PPM/P-NNSGRK: μένει μὴ ἀνακαλυπτόμενον ὅτι ἐν NAS: remains unlifted, because KJV: vail untaken away in the reading INT: remains not revealed which in 2 Corinthians 3:18 V-RPM/P-DNS Strong's Greek 343 |
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