But (which becometh women professing godliness) with good works.
Parallel translations
- WEB but (which becomes women professing godliness) with good works.
- BSB but with good deeds, as is proper for women who profess to worship God.
- NKJV but, which is proper for women professing godliness, with good works.
- NASB but rather by means of good works, as is proper for women making a claim to godliness.
- NLT For women who claim to be devoted to God should make themselves attractive by the good things they do.
Scripture taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
Scripture quotations taken from the (NASB®) New American Standard Bible®, Copyright © 1960, 1971, 1977, 1995, 2020 by The Lockman Foundation. Used by permission. All rights reserved. lockman.org
Scripture quotations are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.
Quick answer
True adornment for godly women is good works. It teaches that visible godliness, not appearance, marks genuine faith.
Overview
Paul completes the thought: women professing godliness should be known for good works. Deeds of love and service are the fitting 'ornament' of faith. The verse redirects attention from external display to a life that adorns the gospel.
Cross-references & the web
Cross-references · 12
- 1 Pet 2:12Having your conversation honest among the Gentiles: that, whereas they speak against you as evildoers, they may by your good works, which they shall behold, glorify God in the day of visitation.
- 1 Pet 3:3–5Whose adorning let it not be that outward adorning of plaiting the hair, and of wearing of gold, or of putting on of apparel;
- Rev 2:19I know thy works, and charity, and service, and faith, and thy patience, and thy works; and the last to be more than the first.
- Acts 9:36Now there was at Joppa a certain disciple named Tabitha, which by interpretation is called Dorcas: this woman was full of good works and almsdeeds which she did.
- Prov 31:31Give her of the fruit of her hands; and let her own works praise her in the gates.
- Titus 3:8This is a faithful saying, and these things I will that thou affirm constantly, that they which have believed in God might be careful to maintain good works. These things are good and profitable unto men.
- 2 Pet 3:11Seeing then that all these things shall be dissolved, what manner of persons ought ye to be in all holy conversation and godliness,
- 2 Pet 1:6–8And to knowledge temperance; and to temperance patience; and to patience godliness;
- Eph 2:10For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus unto good works, which God hath before ordained that we should walk in them.
- 1 Tim 5:6–10But she that liveth in pleasure is dead while she liveth.
- Titus 2:14Who gave himself for us, that he might redeem us from all iniquity, and purify unto himself a peculiar people, zealous of good works.
- Acts 9:39Then Peter arose and went with them. When he was come, they brought him into the upper chamber: and all the widows stood by him weeping, and shewing the coats and garments which Dorcas made, while she was with them.
Themes, concepts, people & topics
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Christ at the center
There is 'one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus, who gave himself a ransom for all' — the mystery of godliness, God manifest in the flesh.
How 1 Timothy 2:10 points to him is part of the one story that runs through all Scripture — meet Jesus at the heart of the web, or follow a trail that traces him from Genesis to Revelation.
Original language
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