The Meaning of 1 Peter 3:3 Explained

1 Peter 3:3

KJV: Whose adorning let it not be that outward adorning of plaiting the hair, and of wearing of gold, or of putting on of apparel;

YLT: whose adorning -- let it not be that which is outward, of plaiting of hair, and of putting around of things of gold, or of putting on of garments,

Darby: whose adorning let it not be that outward one of tressing of hair, and wearing gold, or putting on apparel;

ASV: Whose adorning let it not be the outward adorning of braiding the hair, and of wearing jewels of gold, or of putting on apparel;

KJV Reverse Interlinear

Whose  adorning  let it  not  be  that outward  [adorning] of plaiting  the hair,  and  of wearing  of gold,  or  of putting on  of apparel; 

What does 1 Peter 3:3 Mean?

Context Summary

1 Peter 3:1-12 - Christian Family-Life
In the previous chapter the Apostle had been urging the poor slaves of wealthy householders to submit quietly to wrongs, leaving God to vindicate. Here he turns to the wives of unbelieving husbands, showing that their chaste behavior, their meek and quiet spirit, their pleasant subordination of self, are the greatest arguments for our religion. What we are is more important than what we say. Our life is our best sermon. If we would expend as much care on the hidden man of the heart as many do on the outer, what lovely characters would result! When Massillon had preached on this subject of the inner and outer man before Louis XIV, the king exclaimed as he left the church, "I know those two men!"
The same temper becomes us all. Let us be compassionate to the faults of others, even when they repay our good with evil and revile our blessing. God sends rain and sun irrespective of the character of the recipients. In this way we shall inherit the blessedness to which we have been called, and see good days. [source]

Chapter Summary: 1 Peter 3

1  He teaches the duty of wives and husbands to each other;
8  exhorting all men to unity and love;
14  and to suffer persecution
19  He declares also the benefits of Christ toward the old world

Greek Commentary for 1 Peter 3:3

Whose adorning [ων κοσμος]
Genitive plural of the relative referring to γυναικων — gunaikōn (wives). Κοσμος — Kosmos has here its old meaning of ornament (cf. our cosmetics), not the common one of world (John 17:5) considered as an orderly whole. Mundus in Latin is used in this double sense (ornament, world). [source]
Let it be [εστω]
Imperative third singular of ειμι — eimi Not the outward adorning of plaiting the hair The use of ουχ — ouch here rather than μη — mē (usual negative with the imperative) because of the sharp contrast in 1 Peter 3:4 The old adverb εχωτεν — exōthen (from without) is in the attributive position like an adjective. Εμπλοκη — Emplokē is a late word (from εμπλεκω — emplekō to inweave, 2 Timothy 2:4; 2 Peter 2:20) in Strabo, but often in the papyri for struggle as well as plaiting, here only in N.T.Of wearing (περιτεσεως — peritheseōs). Late and rare word (Galen, Arrian) from περιτιτημι — peritithēmi (Matthew 27:28), to put around, a placing around. Ornaments of gold were worn round the hair as nets and round the finger, arm, or ankle.Or of putting on Old word from ενδυω — enduō (to put on), here only in N.T. Peter is not forbidding the wearing of clothes and ornaments by women, but the display of finery by contrast. Cf. 1 Timothy 2:9-13; Isaiah 3:16. [source]
Of wearing [περιτεσεως]
Late and rare word (Galen, Arrian) from περιτιτημι — peritithēmi (Matthew 27:28), to put around, a placing around. Ornaments of gold were worn round the hair as nets and round the finger, arm, or ankle. [source]
Or of putting on [ενδυσεως]
Old word from ενδυω — enduō (to put on), here only in N.T. Peter is not forbidding the wearing of clothes and ornaments by women, but the display of finery by contrast. Cf. 1 Timothy 2:9-13; Isaiah 3:16. [source]
Of plaiting [ἐμπλοκῆς]
Only here in New Testament. Compare 1 Timothy 2:9. The Roman women of the day were addicted to ridiculous extravagance in the adornment of the hair. Juvenal (“Satire,” vi.) satirizes these customs. He says: “The attendants will vote on the dressing of the hair as if a question of reputation or of life were at stake, so great is the trouble she takes in quest of beauty; with so many tiers does she lead, with so many continuous stories does she build up on high her head. She is tall as Andromache in front, behind she is shorter. You would think her another person.” The hair was dyed, and secured with costly pins and with nets of gold thread. False hair and blond wigs were worn. [source]
Putting on [ἐνδύσεως]
Only here in New Testament. Female extravagance in dress in the days of the empire reached an alarming pitch. [source]

Reverse Greek Commentary Search for 1 Peter 3:3

John 1:9 The world [τὸν κόσμον]
As in John 1:3, the creation was designated in its several details by πάντα , all things, so here, creation is regarded in its totality, as an ordered whole. See on Acts 17:24; see on James 3:6. Four words are used in the New Testament for world: (1) γῇ , land, ground, territory, the earth, as distinguished from the heavens. The sense is purely physical. -DIVIDER-
-DIVIDER-
(2) οἰκουμένη , which is a participle, meaning inhabited, with γῆ , earth, understood, and signifies the earth as the abode of men; the whole inhabited world. See on Matthew 24:14; see on Luke 2:1. Also in a physical sense, though used once of “the world to come” (Hebrews 2:5). -DIVIDER-
-DIVIDER-
(3) αἰών , essentially time, as the condition under which all created things exist, and the measure of their existence: a period of existence; a lifetime; a generation; hence, a long space of time; an age, era, epoch, period of a dispensation. On this primary, physical sense there arises a secondary sense, viz., all that exists in the world under the conditions of time. From this again develops a more distinctly ethical sense, the course and current of this world's affairs (compare the expression, the times ), and this course as corrupted by sin; hence the evil world. So Galatians 1:4; 2 Corinthians 4:4. -DIVIDER-
-DIVIDER-
(4) κόσμος , which follows a similar line of development from the physical to the ethical sense; meaning (a) ornament, arrangement, order (1 Peter 3:3); (b) the sum-total of the material universe considered as a system (Matthew 13:35; John 17:5; Acts 17:24; Philemon 2:15). Compare Plato. “He who is incapable of communion is also incapable of friendship. And philosophers tell us, Callicles, that communion and friendship and orderliness and temperance and justice bind together heaven and earth and gods and men, and that this universe is therefore called Cosmos, or order, not disorder or misrule” (“Gorgias,” 508). (c) That universe as the abode of man (John 16:21; 1 John 3:17). (d) The sum-total of humanity in the world; the human race (John 1:29; John 4:42). (e) In the ethical sense, the sum-total of human life in the ordered world, considered apart from, alienated from, and hostile to God, and of the earthly things which seduce from God (John 7:7; John 15:18; John 17:9, John 17:14; 1 Corinthians 1:20, 1 Corinthians 1:21; 2 Corinthians 7:10; James 4:4). -DIVIDER-
-DIVIDER-
This word is characteristic of John, and pre-eminently in this last, ethical sense, in which it is rarely used by the Synoptists; while John nowhere uses αἰών of the moral order. In this latter sense the word is wholly strange to heathen literature, since the heathen world had no perception of the opposition between God and sinful man; between the divine order and the moral disorder introduced and maintained by sin. -DIVIDER-
-DIVIDER-
[source]

Acts 21:24 Purify thyself with them [αγνιστητι συν αυτοις]
First aorist passive imperative of αγνιζω — hagnizō old verb to purify, to make pure See the active voice in James 4:8; 1 Peter 1:22; 1 Jo 1 Peter 3:3. It is possible to see the full passive force here, “Be purified.” But a number of aorist passives in the Koiné{[28928]}š supplant the aorist middle forms and preserve the force of the middle (Robertson, Grammar, p. 819). That is possible here. Hence, “Purify thyself” is allowable. The word occurs in Numbers 6:1 for taking the Nazarite vow. The point is that Paul takes the vow with them. Note αγνισμου — hagnismou in Acts 21:26. Be at charges for them (δαπανησον επ αυτοις — dapanēson ep' autois). First aorist active imperative of old verb δαπαναω — dapanaō to incur expense, expend. Spend (money) upon (επ — ep') them. Ramsay (St. Paul the Traveller, etc., p. 310) argues that Paul had use of considerable money at this period, perhaps from his father‘s estate. The charges for five men would be considerable. “A poor man would not have been treated with the respect paid him at Caesarea, on the voyage, and at Rome” (Furneaux). That they may shave their heads Note την κεπαλην — tēn kephalēn the head (singular). Future middle indicative of χυραω — xuraō late form for the old χυρεω — xureō to shave, middle to shave oneself or (causative) to get oneself shaved. This use of ινα — hina with the future indicative is like the classic οπως — hopōs with the future indicative and is common in the N.T. as in the Koiné{[28928]}š (Robertson, Grammar, p. 984). And all shall know (και γνωσονται — kai gnōsontai). This future middle indicative of γινωσκω — ginōskō (cf. ακουσονται — akousontai in Acts 21:22) may be independent of ινα — hina or dependent on it like χυρησονται — xurēsontai though some MSS. (H L P) have γνωσιν — gnōsin (second aorist subjunctive, clearly dependent on ινα — hina). Of which Genitive plural of the relative α — ha (accusative) object of the perfect passive verb κατηχηνται — katēchēntai (cf. Acts 21:21 κατηχητησαν — katēchēthēsan) attracted into the case of the omitted antecedent τουτων — toutōn The instruction still in effect. But that thou thyself walkest orderly (αλλα στοιχεις και αυτος — alla stoicheis kai autos). Στοιχεις — Stoicheis is an old verb to go in a row (from στοιχος — stoichos row, rank, series), to walk in a line or by rule. In the N.T. only here and Galatians 5:25; Romans 4:12; Philemon 3:16. The rule is the law and Paul was not a sidestepper. The idea of the verb is made plain by the participle πυλασσων τον νομον — phulassōn ton nomon (keeping or observing the law). [source]
James 3:6 The world of iniquity [ο κοσμος της αδικιας]
A difficult phrase, impossible to understand according to Ropes as it stands. If the comma is put after πυρ — pur instead of after αδικιας — adikias then the phrase may be the predicate with κατισταται — kathistatai (present passive indicative of κατιστημι — kathistēmi “is constituted,” or the present middle “presents itself”). Even so, κοσμος — kosmos remains a difficulty, whether it means the “ornament” (1 Peter 3:3) or “evil world” (James 1:27) or just “world” in the sense of widespread power for evil. The genitive αδικιας — adikias is probably descriptive (or qualitative). Clearly James means to say that the tongue can play havoc in the members of the human body.Which defileth the whole body (η σπιλουσα ολον το σωμα — hē spilousa holon to sōma). Present active participle of σπιλοω — spiloō late Koiné, verb, to stain from σπιλος — spilos (spot, also late word, in N.T. only in Ephesians 5:27; 2 Peter 2:13), in N.T. only here and Judges 1:23. Cf. James 1:27 ασπιλον — aspilon (unspotted).Setteth on fire Present active participle of πλογιζω — phlogizō old verb, to set on fire, to ignite, from πλοχ — phlox (flame), in N.T. only in this verse. See αναπτει — anaptei (James 3:5).The wheel of nature (τον τροχον γενεσεως — ton trochon geneseōs). Old word for wheel (from τρεχω — trechō to run), only here in N.T. “One of the hardest passages in the Bible” (Hort). To what does τροχον — trochon refer? For γενεσεως — geneseōs see note on James 1:23 apparently in the same sense. Vincent suggests “the wheel of birth” (cf. Matthew 1:1, Matthew 1:18). The ancient writers often use this same phrase (or κυκλος — kuklos cycle, in place of τροχος — trochos), but either in a physiological or a philosophical sense. James may have caught the metaphor from the current use, but certainly he has no such Orphic or Pythagorean doctrine of the transmigration of souls, “the unending round of death and rebirth” (Ropes). The wheel of life may be considered either in motion or standing still, though setting on fire implies motion. There is no reference to the zodiac.And is set on fire by hell Present passive participle of πλογιζω — phlogizō giving the continual source of the fire in the tongue. For the metaphor of fire with γεεννα — gehenna see Matthew 5:22. [source]
1 Peter 3:5 Adorned themselves [εκοσμουν εαυτας]
Imperfect active of customary action, “used to adorn themselves.” Κοσμεω — Kosmeō is old verb from κοσμος — kosmos in the sense in 1 Peter 3:3. See Hebrews 11:11, Hebrews 11:35 for like tribute to holy women of the O.T. The participle υποτασσομεναι — hupotassomenai repeats 1 Peter 3:1. [source]
Revelation 3:18 Gold [χρυσίον]
Often of gold money or ornaments. So 1 Peter 1:18; Acts 3:6; 1 Peter 3:3. Also of native gold and gold which has been smelted and wrought (Hebrews 9:4). There may very properly be a reference to the extensive money transactions of Laodicea. [source]

What do the individual words in 1 Peter 3:3 mean?

whose let it be not the external of braiding of hair and putting around of gold or putting on of garments adorning
ὧν ἔστω οὐχ ἔξωθεν ἐμπλοκῆς τριχῶν καὶ περιθέσεως χρυσίων ἐνδύσεως ἱματίων κόσμος

ὧν  whose 
Parse: Personal / Relative Pronoun, Genitive Feminine Plural
Root: ὅς 
Sense: who, which, what, that.
ἔστω  let  it  be 
Parse: Verb, Present Imperative Active, 3rd Person Singular
Root: εἰμί  
Sense: to be, to exist, to happen, to be present.
ἔξωθεν  external 
Parse: Adverb
Root: ἔξωθεν  
Sense: from without, outward.
ἐμπλοκῆς  of  braiding 
Parse: Noun, Genitive Feminine Singular
Root: ἐμπλοκή 
Sense: an interweaving, braiding, a knot.
τριχῶν  of  hair 
Parse: Noun, Genitive Feminine Plural
Root: θρίξ 
Sense: the hair of the head.
περιθέσεως  putting  around 
Parse: Noun, Genitive Feminine Singular
Root: περίθεσις  
Sense: the act of putting around.
χρυσίων  of  gold 
Parse: Noun, Genitive Neuter Plural
Root: χρυσίον  
Sense: gold, both that which lies imbedded in the earth and is dug out of it.
ἐνδύσεως  putting  on 
Parse: Noun, Genitive Feminine Singular
Root: ἔνδυσις  
Sense: a putting on.
ἱματίων  of  garments 
Parse: Noun, Genitive Neuter Plural
Root: ἱμάτιον  
Sense: a garment (of any sort).
κόσμος  adorning 
Parse: Noun, Nominative Masculine Singular
Root: κόσμος  
Sense: an apt and harmonious arrangement or constitution, order, government.