Attention is now directed to the women members of the community. Whereas the men get a one-verse treatment, the women get seven verses! One wonders what the conditions were that made it necessary for the women to be dealt with in such a manner. Of course, many biblical passages refer to the subordination of women to men. Furthermore, the present passage sounds similar to that found in 1 Peter 3.3-5, which leads to the conclusion that this is perhaps part of some material that defines the behavior of Christian women. But more than these, there is evidence in the literature of that time that connected the behavior of women with the way they dressed. It was believed that the more a woman wore attractive clothes and elaborate jewelry, the more she lived a loose sexual life and the less she submitted to her husband.

In Revised Standard Version verses 9 and 10 are not a separate sentence as in the Greek text but are connected with verse 8 by the word also (or “likewise”). This seems to connect the present passage with the subject of prayer in verse 8, in which case the first part of 9 can be rendered as “I also desire that in every worship service women should…” or “I also desire that, whenever you meet together to worship God, women should….” It is possible of course to understand the whole passage as referring to the behavior of women in general, in which case the first part of verse 9 can read “I also desire that women should….” Perhaps the first of these two was Paul’s intention, although his guidelines for behavior in the worship service are valid for other places as well. In certain languages it will be helpful to translate women as “the Christian women” or “the women who are believers,” as this passage is talking about women in the Ephesian church.

The women then are given advice on how they should make themselves beautiful. The word adorn can also be translated “to decorate,” “to beautify.” Some translations connect this with the next verse; for example, New Jerusalem Bible “their adornment is to do the good works….” Others connect it with the second part of verse 9; for example, Phillips “It [that is, their adornment] is not for them to have an elaborate hair-style…,” or Revised English Bible “not adorned with gold or pearls or expensive clothes….” Still others translate it as “dress” and connect it with suitable clothing in the first part of verse 9; for example, Good News Translation “dress properly,” or New Revised Standard Version “dress themselves modestly and decently in suitable clothing.”

The first thing then that the women are urged to pay attention to is their dress or apparel. There are three qualifiers mentioned before apparell: modestly, sensibly and seemly; these three terms are related and their meanings overlap in some ways. Modestly comes from a word that can mean “modest” in the sense of well-ordered and moderate, hence not excessive, but can also mean “proper,” or “suitable,” or “becoming,” “simple,” “unassuming.” Sensibly translates a word that means “moderate” or “reasonable” with the implication that the person is aware of what is best in a particular situation. The third qualifier, seemly, translates a word that pertains to being proper or suitable and thus contributing to one’s attractiveness and being respected by others. A sample of how these are translated in some English translations shows this interrelationship: Good News Translation “modest … sensible … properly”; Revised English Bible “becoming, modestly, soberly”; New International Version “modestly, with decency and propriety”; New Revised Standard Version “modestly and decently in suitable clothing”; Translator’s New Testament “becoming manner with taste and modesty.” It is possible that seemly qualifies dress, and modestly and sensibly are connected with behavior; this in fact is what is reflected in some translations; for example, Phillips “the women should be dressed neatly, their adornment being modesty and serious-mindedness”; New American Bible, Revised “women should adorn themselves with proper conduct, with modesty and self-control….” Most translations, however, understand all three qualifiers to be connected with clothing, as, for example, Good News Translation “women to be modest and sensible about their clothes and to dress properly”; Revised English Bible “Christian women must dress in becoming manner, modestly and soberly….” Translators are encouraged by this Handbook to follow this latter interpretation. An alternative translation model is the following: “The Christian women should dress in a proper (or, discreet) way, wearing clothes that are both sensible (or, unassuming), not extravagant in the sight of others.”

Next are mentioned several things that women should refrain from doing. Braided hair was considered a work of art and was very popular among Greek and Roman ladies, with the braided hair rising some inches above the head, and often intertwined with chains of gold or strings of pearls. If this specific way of fixing the hair is unknown or strange in a receptor culture, the emphasis can be put on the fact that this is an extravagant way of fixing one’s hair; in fact some translations reflect this adjustment; for example, Good News Translation “fancy hair styles,” Revised English Bible “elaborate hairstyles.” The Spanish common language version (Biblia Dios Habla Hoy) has “exaggerated hairdos.”

Gold and pearls are specific examples of jewelry or “ornaments” (Good News Translation); gold here more likely refers to “ornaments” (Good News Translation). In some languages this will be translated as “ornaments (or, jewelry) made of the metal named ‘gold.’ ” In cultures where pearls are unknown, one may say, for example, “pretty beads named ‘pearls.’ ” It is possible to take gold and pearls together to represent jewelry in general, but this should only be resorted to when either gold or pearls are unknown or strange in the receptor culture.

The final thing mentioned is costly attire. The Greek word used for attire is the general word for garments of any kind, but since women are being referred to, then “dresses” will fit this context (so Good News Translation “expensive dresses”), if “dresses” are the natural wear in a translator’s culture. However, in cultures where women wear some other type of clothing, translators should use a more general word, similar to the Greek. The word for costly can also mean “valuable” in a positive sense, but it is here used in a derogatory sense of “expensive,” “exorbitant,” or “excessively priced.”

So, instead of depending on these physical and material things, the women should use good deeds to make themselves beautiful. This expression appears at least ten times in the Pastorals and most probably refers not to ceremonial or ritual acts but to acts done for the good of others. In some languages it will be helpful to start a new sentence with verse 10 and say, for example, “Instead, they should adorn themselves with good deeds,” “Instead, they should make themselves beautiful by doing good deeds for other people,” or “On the contrary, they should do good deeds for other people; that is what will make them truly beautiful.”

This kind of conduct is appropriate (proper, right, befitting) to women who profess religion. The word for profess also means “to promise,” but here it is used with the meaning “to declare or announce something openly and with certainty,” hence, to claim some kind of state or condition for oneself. The word for religion can be translated “worship of God” (compare New International Version “who profess to worship God,” New Revised Standard Version “reverence for God”) or “godliness” (Translator’s New Testament), but here it may have the technical meaning of “religion” as a system of beliefs with its appropriate behavior demands; hence “religious” (Good News Translation). It is possible, however, to take it with the meaning “godliness” or “piety.” The religion referred to here is of course the Christian faith, and this can be made explicit in the translation; for example, “as women who claim to be Christian,” “as women who profess the Christian faith (or, Christian religion),” and so forth.

Quoted with permission from Arichea, Daniel C. and Hatton, Howard A. A Handbook on Paul’s First Letter to Timothy. (UBS Handbook Series). New York: UBS, 1995. For this and other handbooks for translators see here .