Likewise, I want women to adorn themselves with proper clothing, modestly and discreetly, not with braided hair and gold or pearls or expensive apparel,
Parallel translations
- WEB In the same way, that women also adorn themselves in decent clothing, with modesty and propriety; not just with braided hair, gold, pearls, or expensive clothing;
- KJV In like manner also, that women adorn themselves in modest apparel, with shamefacedness and sobriety; not with broided hair, or gold, or pearls, or costly array;
- BSB Likewise, I want the women to adorn themselves with respectable apparel, with modesty, and with self-control, not with braided hair or gold or pearls or expensive clothes,
- NKJV in like manner also, that the women adorn themselves in modest apparel, with propriety and moderation, not with braided hair or gold or pearls or costly clothing,
- NLT And I want women to be modest in their appearance. They should wear decent and appropriate clothing and not draw attention to themselves by the way they fix their hair or by wearing gold or pearls or expensive clothes.
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
Women are to adorn themselves with modesty and propriety rather than ostentatious display. It calls for character over outward extravagance in worship.
Overview
Paul instructs women to dress modestly, not flaunting wealth through elaborate hair, jewelry, or costly clothing. The concern is appropriate restraint that does not distract or boast. The principle calls all believers to value inner godliness above outward show.
Cross-references & the web
Cross-references · 18
- 1 Pet 3:3–5Let your beauty be not just the outward adorning of braiding the hair, and of wearing jewels of gold, or of putting on fine clothing;
- Titus 2:3–5and that older women likewise be reverent in behavior, not slanderers nor enslaved to much wine, teachers of that which is good;
- Ps 149:4For Yahweh takes pleasure in his people. He crowns the humble with salvation.
- Jer 4:30You, when you are made desolate, what will you do? Though you clothe yourself with scarlet, though you deck yourself with ornaments of gold, though you enlarge your eyes with makeup, you make yourself beautiful in vain. Your lovers despise you. They seek your life.
- Isa 3:16Moreover Yahweh said, “Because the daughters of Zion are haughty, and walk with outstretched necks and flirting eyes, walking to trip as they go, jingling ornaments on their feet;
- 2 Kgs 9:30When Jehu had come to Jezreel, Jezebel heard of it; and she painted her eyes, and adorned her head, and looked out at the window.
- Isa 3:18–24In that day the Lord will take away the beauty of their anklets, the headbands, the crescent necklaces,
- Jer 2:32“Can a virgin forget her ornaments, or a bride her attire? Yet my people have forgotten me for days without number.
- Matt 6:28–29Why are you anxious about clothing? Consider the lilies of the field, how they grow. They don’t toil, neither do they spin,
- Prov 7:10Behold, there a woman met him with the attire of a prostitute, and with crafty intent.
- Gen 24:53The servant brought out jewels of silver, and jewels of gold, and clothing, and gave them to Rebekah. He also gave precious things to her brother and her mother.
- Isa 61:4They will rebuild the old ruins. They will raise up the places long devastated. They will repair the ruined cities, that have been devastated for many generations.
- Esth 5:1Now on the third day, Esther put on her royal clothing, and stood in the inner court of the king’s house, next to the king’s house. The king sat on his royal throne in the royal house, next to the entrance of the house.
- Prov 31:22She makes for herself carpets of tapestry. Her clothing is fine linen and purple.
- Matt 11:8But what did you go out to see? A man in soft clothing? Behold, those who wear soft clothing are in kings’ houses.
- Ps 45:13–14The princess inside is all glorious. Her clothing is interwoven with gold.
- Exod 35:22–23They came, both men and women, as many as were willing-hearted, and brought brooches, earrings, signet rings, and armlets, all jewels of gold; even every man who offered an offering of gold to Yahweh.
- Ezek 16:9–16“‘“Then washed I you with water. Yes, I thoroughly washed away your blood from you, and I anointed you with oil.
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Original language
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