“Hetaíros”

Hetaíros appears three times in the Bible, each time translated into English as “friend.” 

Matt. 20:13 - The Kingdom of Heaven parable: the Workers in the Vineyard

Matt. 22:12 - The Kingdom of God parable: the Wedding Banquet 

Matt. 26:50 - Judas’ betrayal of Jesus

Original word: ἑταῖρος, η, ον - Phonetic spelling: (het-ah'-ee-ros) 

• 2083 hetaíros – properly, a companion (normally an imposter), posing to be a comrade but in reality only has his own interests in mind; ("supposed friend") suggests someone viewed (associated) as a friend, but is actually an imposter acting for self-gain. (https://biblehub.com/greek/2083.htm)

A distinction must be made from the term philos, which more accurately means friend.

Original Word: φίλος,  η, ον - Phonetic Spelling: (fee'-los)

• 5384 phílos – a friend; someone dearly loved (prized) in a personal, intimate way; a trusted confidant, held dear in a close bond of personal affection.The root (phil-) conveys experiential, personal affection – indicating phílos expresses experience-based love. (https://biblehub.com/greek/5384.htm)

Reading these words in their original Greek shows “hetaíros” is closer to hypocrite than it is to friend. 

Original word: ὑποκριτής, οῦ, ὁ - Phonetic spelling: (hoop-ok-ree-tace')

• 5273 hypokritḗs (a masculine noun derived from 5259 /hypó, "under" and 2919 /krínō, "judge") – properly, a judging under, like a performer acting under a mask (i.e. a theater-actor); (figuratively) a two-faced person; a "hypocrite," whose profession does not match their practice – i.e. someone who "says one thing but does another." (https://biblehub.com/greek/5273.htm)

 (The Kingdom of Heaven Parable: the Workers in the Vineyard)  

“For the kingdom of heaven is like a landowner who went out early in the morning to hire workers for his vineyard. He agreed to pay them a denarius for the day and sent them into his vineyard.

“About nine in the morning he went out and saw others standing in the marketplace doing nothing. He told them, ‘You also go and work in my vineyard, and I will pay you whatever is right.’ So they went.

“He went out again about noon and about three in the afternoon and did the same thing. About five in the afternoon he went out and found still others standing around. He asked them, ‘Why have you been standing here all day long doing nothing?’

 “‘Because no one has hired us,’ they answered. 

“He said to them, ‘You also go and work in my vineyard.’

“When evening came, the owner of the vineyard said to his foreman, ‘Call the workers and pay them their wages, beginning with the last ones hired and going on to the first.’

“The workers who were hired about five in the afternoon came and each received a denarius. So when those came who were hired first, they expected to receive more. But each one of them also received a denarius. When they received it, they began to grumble against the landowner. ‘These who were hired last worked only one hour,’ they said, ‘and you have made them equal to us who have borne the burden of the work and the heat of the day.’

“But he answered one of them, ‘I am doing you no wrong, friend [hetaíros]. Didn’t you agree to work for a denarius? Take your pay and go. I want to give the one who was hired last the same as I gave you. Don’t I have the right to do what I want with my own money? Or are you envious because I am generous?’

(The Kingdom of God Parable of the Wedding Banquet) 

Jesus spoke to them again in parables, saying: “The kingdom of heaven is like a king who prepared a wedding banquet for his son. He sent his servants to those who had been invited to the banquet to tell them to come, but they refused to come.

“Then he sent some more servants and said, ‘Tell those who have been invited that I have prepared my dinner: My oxen and fattened cattle have been butchered, and everything is ready. Come to the wedding banquet.’

“But they paid no attention and went off—one to his field, another to his business. The rest seized his servants, mistreated them and killed them. The king was enraged. He sent his army and destroyed those murderers and burned their city.

“Then he said to his servants, ‘The wedding banquet is ready, but those I invited did not deserve to come. So go to the street corners and invite to the banquet anyone you find.’ So the servants went out into the streets and gathered all the people they could find, the bad as well as the good, and the wedding hall was filled with guests.

“But when the king came in to see the guests, he noticed a man there who was not wearing wedding clothes. He asked, ‘How did you get in here without wedding clothes, friend [hetaíros]?’ The man was speechless.

“Then the king told the attendants, ‘Tie him hand and foot, and throw him outside, into the darkness, where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.’

“For many are invited, but few are chosen.”

Jesus Betrayed and Arrested

While He was still speaking, Judas, one of the Twelve, arrived. With Him was a large crowd armed with swords and clubs, sent from the chief priests and the elders of the people. Now the betrayer had arranged a signal with them: “The one I kiss is the man; arrest Him.” Going at once to Jesus, Judas said, “Greetings, Rabbi!” and kissed Him.

Jesus replied, “Do what you came for, friend [hetaíros].” 

• This is the only time outside of a parable this term is used in all of Scripture!