1 Peter 3:4
New International Version
Rather, it should be that of your inner self, the unfading beauty of a gentle and quiet spirit, which is of great worth in God’s sight.

New Living Translation
You should clothe yourselves instead with the beauty that comes from within, the unfading beauty of a gentle and quiet spirit, which is so precious to God.

English Standard Version
but let your adorning be the hidden person of the heart with the imperishable beauty of a gentle and quiet spirit, which in God’s sight is very precious.

Berean Standard Bible
but from the inner disposition of your heart, the unfading beauty of a gentle and quiet spirit, which is precious in God’s sight.

Berean Literal Bible
but the hidden man of the heart, in the imperishable of the gentle and quiet spirit, which is of great worth before God.

King James Bible
But let it be the hidden man of the heart, in that which is not corruptible, even the ornament of a meek and quiet spirit, which is in the sight of God of great price.

New King James Version
rather let it be the hidden person of the heart, with the incorruptible beauty of a gentle and quiet spirit, which is very precious in the sight of God.

New American Standard Bible
but it should be the hidden person of the heart, with the imperishable quality of a gentle and quiet spirit, which is precious in the sight of God.

NASB 1995
but let it be the hidden person of the heart, with the imperishable quality of a gentle and quiet spirit, which is precious in the sight of God.

NASB 1977
but let it be the hidden person of the heart, with the imperishable quality of a gentle and quiet spirit, which is precious in the sight of God.

Legacy Standard Bible
but let it be the hidden person of the heart, with the incorruptible quality of a lowly and quiet spirit, which is precious in the sight of God.

Amplified Bible
but let it be [the inner beauty of] the hidden person of the heart, with the imperishable quality and unfading charm of a gentle and peaceful spirit, [one that is calm and self-controlled, not overanxious, but serene and spiritually mature] which is very precious in the sight of God.

Christian Standard Bible
but rather what is inside the heart —the imperishable quality of a gentle and quiet spirit, which is of great worth in God’s sight.

Holman Christian Standard Bible
Instead, it should consist of what is inside the heart with the imperishable quality of a gentle and quiet spirit, which is very valuable in God’s eyes.

American Standard Version
but let it be the hidden man of the heart, in the incorruptible apparel of a meek and quiet spirit, which is in the sight of God of great price.

Aramaic Bible in Plain English
But be adorned in the secret person of the heart and in a humble spirit which is uncorrupted, an excellent ornament before God.

Contemporary English Version
Be beautiful in your heart by being gentle and quiet. This kind of beauty will last, and God considers it very special.

Douay-Rheims Bible
But the hidden man of the heart in the incorruptibility of a quiet and a meek spirit, which is rich in the sight of God.

English Revised Version
but let it be the hidden man of the heart, in the incorruptible apparel of a meek and quiet spirit, which is in the sight of God of great price.

GOD'S WORD® Translation
Rather, beauty is something internal that can't be destroyed. Beauty expresses itself in a gentle and quiet attitude which God considers precious.

Good News Translation
Instead, your beauty should consist of your true inner self, the ageless beauty of a gentle and quiet spirit, which is of the greatest value in God's sight.

International Standard Version
Instead, it should be the inner disposition of the heart, consisting in the imperishable quality of a gentle and quiet spirit, which God values greatly.

Literal Standard Version
but—the hidden man of the heart, by the incorruptible [thing] of the meek and quiet spirit, which is of great value before God,

Majority Standard Bible
but from the inner disposition of your heart, the unfading beauty of a gentle and quiet spirit, which is precious in God’s sight.

New American Bible
but rather the hidden character of the heart, expressed in the imperishable beauty of a gentle and calm disposition, which is precious in the sight of God.

NET Bible
but the inner person of the heart, the lasting beauty of a gentle and tranquil spirit, which is precious in God's sight.

New Revised Standard Version
rather, let your adornment be the inner self with the lasting beauty of a gentle and quiet spirit, which is very precious in God’s sight.

New Heart English Bible
but in the hidden person of the heart, in the incorruptible adornment of a gentle and quiet spirit, which is in the sight of God very precious.

Webster's Bible Translation
But let it be the hidden man of the heart, in that which is not corruptible, even the ornament of a meek and quiet spirit, which is in the sight of God of great price.

Weymouth New Testament
Instead of that, it should be a new nature within--the imperishable ornament of a gentle and peaceful spirit, which is indeed precious in the sight of God.

World English Bible
but from the hidden person of the heart, in the incorruptible adornment of a gentle and quiet spirit, which is very precious in God’s sight.

Young's Literal Translation
but -- the hidden man of the heart, in the incorruptible thing of the meek and quiet spirit, which is, before God, of great price,

Additional Translations ...
Audio Bible



Context
Wives and Husbands
3Your beauty should not come from outward adornment, such as braided hair or gold jewelry or fine clothes, 4but from the inner disposition of your heart, the unfading beauty of a gentle and quiet spirit, which is precious in God’s sight. 5For this is how the holy women of the past adorned themselves. They put their hope in God and were submissive to their husbands,…

Cross References
Matthew 5:5
Blessed are the meek, for they will inherit the earth.

Romans 1:23
and exchanged the glory of the immortal God for images of mortal man and birds and animals and reptiles.

Romans 7:22
For in my inner being I delight in God's law.


Treasury of Scripture

But let it be the hidden man of the heart, in that which is not corruptible, even the ornament of a meek and quiet spirit, which is in the sight of God of great price.

the hidden.

Psalm 45:13
The king's daughter is all glorious within: her clothing is of wrought gold.

Psalm 51:6
Behold, thou desirest truth in the inward parts: and in the hidden part thou shalt make me to know wisdom.

Matthew 23:26
Thou blind Pharisee, cleanse first that which is within the cup and platter, that the outside of them may be clean also.

which is not.

1 Peter 1:23
Being born again, not of corruptible seed, but of incorruptible, by the word of God, which liveth and abideth for ever.

a meek.

1 Peter 3:15
But sanctify the Lord God in your hearts: and be ready always to give an answer to every man that asketh you a reason of the hope that is in you with meekness and fear:

Psalm 25:9
The meek will he guide in judgment: and the meek will he teach his way.

Psalm 147:6
The LORD lifteth up the meek: he casteth the wicked down to the ground.

quiet.

Psalm 131:2
Surely I have behaved and quieted myself, as a child that is weaned of his mother: my soul is even as a weaned child.

Jeremiah 51:59
The word which Jeremiah the prophet commanded Seraiah the son of Neriah, the son of Maaseiah, when he went with Zedekiah the king of Judah into Babylon in the fourth year of his reign. And this Seraiah was a quiet prince.

1 Thessalonians 4:11
And that ye study to be quiet, and to do your own business, and to work with your own hands, as we commanded you;

which is in.

1 Samuel 16:7
But the LORD said unto Samuel, Look not on his countenance, or on the height of his stature; because I have refused him: for the LORD seeth not as man seeth; for man looketh on the outward appearance, but the LORD looketh on the heart.

Psalm 147:10,11
He delighteth not in the strength of the horse: he taketh not pleasure in the legs of a man…

Psalm 149:4
For the LORD taketh pleasure in his people: he will beautify the meek with salvation.

Jump to Previous
Adornment Apparel Corruptible Gentle Great Heart Hidden Imperishable Incorruptible Indeed Inner Instead Jewel Meek Nature New Ornament Peaceful Precious Price Quiet Self Sight Spirit Unfading Unseen Within Worth
Jump to Next
Adornment Apparel Corruptible Gentle Great Heart Hidden Imperishable Incorruptible Indeed Inner Instead Jewel Meek Nature New Ornament Peaceful Precious Price Quiet Self Sight Spirit Unfading Unseen Within Worth
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.














(4) But let it be . . .--The connection of the clauses is somewhat difficult, but is made more so by our translation of 1Peter 3:3. Literally it would run, of whom let it not be, or, to whom let there not belong the outward adorning, but the hidden man of the heart. If we adopt the translation in the Authorised Version, it makes "the hidden man" an ornament to be worn in preference to the gold and braided hair, which would be both illogical, and dishonouring to "the hidden man." What St. Peter says is, "Do not rely, for winning your husbands, upon ornamentation (which is but external), but upon character."

The hidden man of the heart.--Not equivalent to St. Paul's expression, "the new man" (Ephesians 4:24), but simply the inner self, the true self--i.e., the genuine moral character. It is more like St. Paul's phrase, "the inward man," and may, perhaps, have been adapted from, it. (Comp. Romans 7:22; 2Corinthians 4:16; Ephesians 3:16.) According to his custom, St. Peter explains by adding the genitive, "of the heart." (Comp. 1Peter 1:13.) At the same time, the choice of that particular word, rather than "soul" or "mind," gives warmth and affection to what might otherwise seem a bare moral or metaphysical conception. . . .

Verse 4. - But let it be the hidden man of the heart. The "hidden" is here equivalent to the "inward man" of Romans 7:22; 2 Corinthians 4:16; Ephesians 3:16. It is that life which is "hid with Christ in God" (Colossians 3:2), the life of Christ ("the Second Man") in the heart, fashioning that heart after the likeness of Christ, forming in it "the new man which is renewed in knowledge after the image of him that created him" (Colossians 3:10). This is hidden; it does not display itself like those conspicuous ornaments mentioned in the last verse. In that which is not corruptible, even the ornament of a meek and quiet spirit; literally, in the incorruptibility of the meek and quiet spirit. This ornament is incorruptible; not like those corruptible things (comp. 1 Peter 1:18). The meek spirit does not flash into anger, does not answer again, takes harsh words gently and humbly. The quiet spirit is calm and tranquil; peaceful in itself, it spreads peace around (comp. 1 Timothy 2:2). Which is in the sight of God of great price. The adjective πολυτελές is used in Mark 14:3 of the ointment with which Mary anointed our Lord, and in 1 Timothy 2:9 of the "array" which St. Paul discourages for Christian women. Those adornments are costly in the sight of the world; the meek and quiet spirit is precious in the sight of God.

Parallel Commentaries ...


Greek
but
ἀλλ’ (all’)
Conjunction
Strong's 235: But, except, however. Neuter plural of allos; properly, other things, i.e. contrariwise.

from the
(ho)
Article - Nominative Masculine Singular
Strong's 3588: The, the definite article. Including the feminine he, and the neuter to in all their inflections; the definite article; the.

inner
κρυπτὸς (kryptos)
Adjective - Nominative Masculine Singular
Strong's 2927: From krupto; concealed, i.e. Private.

disposition
ἄνθρωπος (anthrōpos)
Noun - Nominative Masculine Singular
Strong's 444: A man, one of the human race. From aner and ops; man-faced, i.e. A human being.

of [your]
τῆς (tēs)
Article - Genitive Feminine Singular
Strong's 3588: The, the definite article. Including the feminine he, and the neuter to in all their inflections; the definite article; the.

heart,
καρδίας (kardias)
Noun - Genitive Feminine Singular
Strong's 2588: Prolonged from a primary kar; the heart, i.e. the thoughts or feelings; also the middle.

the
τῷ (tō)
Article - Dative Masculine Singular
Strong's 3588: The, the definite article. Including the feminine he, and the neuter to in all their inflections; the definite article; the.

unfading [ beauty ]
ἀφθάρτῳ (aphthartō)
Adjective - Dative Masculine Singular
Strong's 862: Indestructible, imperishable, incorruptible; hence: immortal. Undecaying.

of a
τοῦ (tou)
Article - Genitive Neuter Singular
Strong's 3588: The, the definite article. Including the feminine he, and the neuter to in all their inflections; the definite article; the.

gentle
πραέως (praeōs)
Adjective - Genitive Neuter Singular
Strong's 4239: Mild, gentle. Apparently a primary word; mild, i.e. humble.

and
καὶ (kai)
Conjunction
Strong's 2532: And, even, also, namely.

quiet
ἡσυχίου (hēsychiou)
Adjective - Genitive Neuter Singular
Strong's 2272: A prolonged form of a compound probably of a derivative of the base of hedraios and perhaps echo; properly, keeping one's seat, i.e. still.

spirit,
πνεύματος (pneumatos)
Noun - Genitive Neuter Singular
Strong's 4151: Wind, breath, spirit.

which
(ho)
Personal / Relative Pronoun - Nominative Neuter Singular
Strong's 3739: Who, which, what, that.

is
ἐστιν (estin)
Verb - Present Indicative Active - 3rd Person Singular
Strong's 1510: I am, exist. The first person singular present indicative; a prolonged form of a primary and defective verb; I exist.

precious
πολυτελές (polyteles)
Adjective - Nominative Neuter Singular
Strong's 4185: Very costly, very precious, of great value. From polus and telos; extremely expensive.

in God’s
Θεοῦ (Theou)
Noun - Genitive Masculine Singular
Strong's 2316: A deity, especially the supreme Divinity; figuratively, a magistrate; by Hebraism, very.

sight.
ἐνώπιον (enōpion)
Preposition
Strong's 1799: Neuter of a compound of en and a derivative of optanomai; in the face of.


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NT Letters: 1 Peter 3:4 But in the hidden person (1 Pet. 1P iP i Pet)
1 Peter 3:3
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