Scriptures on Women’s Adornment, and Head Covering

Below are scripture references from my studies and research on the topic of women’s dressing, artificial adornment, head covering, inward and outward holiness, and worldliness for anyone who is interested.

Jewelry

• 1 Peter 3:3-4: Whose adorning let it not be that outward adorning of plaiting the hair, and of wearing of gold, or of putting on of apparel; 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.
• 1 Timothy 2:9-10: 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; But (which becometh women professing godliness) with good works.
• Jeremiah 4:30: And when thou art spoiled, what wilt thou do? Though thou clothest thyself with crimson, though thou deckest thee with ornaments of gold, though thou rentest thy face with painting, in vain shalt thou make thyself fair; thy lovers will despise thee, they will seek thy life.
• Hosea 2:13: And I will visit upon her the days of Baalim, wherein she burned incense to them, and she decked herself with her earrings and her jewels, and she went after her lovers, and forgat me, saith the Lord.
• Proverbs 11:22: Like a gold ring in a pig ‘s snout is a beautiful woman without discretion.
• Genesis 35:1-5: And God said unto Jacob, Arise, go up to Bethel, and dwell there: and make there an altar unto God, that appeared unto thee when thou fleddest from the face of Esau thy brother. Then Jacob said unto his household, and to all that were with him, Put away the strange gods that are among you, and be clean, and change your garments:And let us arise, and go up to Bethel; and I will make there an altar unto God, who answered me in the day of my distress, and was with me in the way which I went.And they gave unto Jacob all the strange gods which were in their hand, and all their earrings which were in their ears; and Jacob hid them under the oak which was by Shechem.And they journeyed: and the terror of God was upon the cities that were round about them, and they did not pursue after the sons of Jacob.
• Exodus 32:2-7: And Aaron said unto them, Break off the golden earrings, which are in the ears of your wives, of your sons, and of your daughters, and bring them unto me. And all the people brake off the golden earrings which were in their ears, and brought them unto Aaron.And he received them at their hand, and fashioned it with a graving tool, after he had made it a molten calf: and they said, These be thy gods, O Israel, which brought thee up out of the land of Egypt.And when Aaron saw it, he built an altar before it; and Aaron made proclamation, and said, To morrow is a feast to the Lord.And they rose up early on the morrow, and offered burnt offerings, and brought peace offerings; and the people sat down to eat and to drink, and rose up to play.And the Lord said unto Moses, Go, get thee down; for thy people, which thou broughtest out of the land of Egypt, have corrupted themselves:
• Exodus 33:5-6: For the Lord had said unto Moses, Say unto the children of Israel, Ye are a stiffnecked people: I will come up into the midst of thee in a moment, and consume thee: therefore now put off thy ornaments from thee, that I may know what to do unto thee.And the children of Israel stripped themselves of their ornaments by the mount Horeb.
• Judges 8:24:And Gideon said unto them, I would desire a request of you, that ye would give me every man the earrings of his prey. (For they had golden earrings, because they were Ishmaelites.)
• 2 Samuel 1:24: Ye daughters of Israel, weep over Saul, who clothed you in scarlet, with other delights, who put on ornaments of gold upon your apparel.
• Isaiah 3:16-26: Moreover the Lord saith, Because the daughters of Zion are haughty, and walk with stretched forth necks and wanton eyes, walking and mincing as they go, and making a tinkling with their feet:Therefore the Lord will smite with a scab the crown of the head of the daughters of Zion, and the Lord will discover their secret parts.In that day the Lord will take away the bravery of their tinkling ornaments about their feet, and their cauls, and their round tires like the moon, The chains, and the bracelets, and the mufflers,The bonnets, and the ornaments of the legs, and the headbands, and the tablets, and the earrings,The rings, and nose jewels,The changeable suits of apparel, and the mantles, and the wimples, and the crisping pins,The glasses, and the fine linen, and the hoods, and the vails.And it shall come to pass, that instead of sweet smell there shall be stink; and instead of a girdle a rent; and instead of well set hair baldness; and instead of a stomacher a girding of sackcloth; and burning instead of beauty.Thy men shall fall by the sword, and thy mighty in the war.And her gates shall lament and mourn; and she being desolate shall sit upon the ground.
• Revelation 17:4 And the woman was arrayed in purple and scarlet colour, and decked with gold and precious stones and pearls, having a golden cup in her hand full of abominations and filthiness of her fornication.
• Ezekiel 7:18-21: They put on sackcloth, and horror covers them. Shame is on all faces, and baldness on all their heads. They shall cast their silver in the streets, and their gold shall be removed: their silver and their gold shall not be able to deliver them in the day of the wrath of the Lord: they shall not satisfy their souls, neither fill their bowels: because it is the stumbling block of their iniquity.As for the beauty of his ornament, he set it in majesty: but they made the images of their abominations and of their detestable things therein: therefore, have I set it far from them.And I will give it into the hands of the strangers for a prey, and to the wicked of the earth for a spoil; and they shall pollute it.

Women wearing Men’s clothing (trousers)/ Cross-dressing

• Deuteronomy 22:5: The woman shall not wear that which pertaineth unto a man, neither shall a man put on a woman’s garment: for all that do so are abomination unto the Lord thy God.
• Genesis 1:27: So God created man in His own image; in the image of God He created him; male and female He created them.
• Exodus 28:42: And you shall make for them linen trousers to cover their ^[a]nakedness; they shall reach from the waist to the thighs.
• Leviticus 16:4:He shall put the holy linen tunic and the linen trousers on his body; he shall be girded with a linen sash, and with the linen turban he shall be attired. These are holy garments. Therefore he shall wash his body in water, and put them on.
• Leviticus 6:10: And the priest shall put on his linen garment, and his linen trousers he shall put on his body, and take up the ashes of the burnt offering which the fire has consumed on the altar, and he shall put them beside the altar.
• Daniel 3:21:Then these men were bound in their coats, their trousers, their turbans, and their other garments, and were cast into the midst of the burning fiery furnace.
• Ezekiel 44:18: They (male priests) shall have linen turbans on their heads and linen trousers on their bodies; they shall not clothe themselves with anything that causes sweat.
• 1 Corinthians 6:9: Or do you not know that the unrighteous ones will not inherit the kingdom of God? Do not be deceived: neither the sexually immoral, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor effeminate, nor homosexuals…

Artificial adornment, makeup, plastic surgery

• Jeremiah 4:30: And when thou art spoiled, what wilt thou do? Though thou clothest thyself with crimson, though thou deckest thee with ornaments of gold, though thou rentest thy face with painting, in vain shalt thou make thyself fair; thy lovers will despise thee, they will seek thy life.
• Romans 1:25-26: Who changed the truth of God into a lie, and worshipped and served the creature more than the Creator, who is blessed forever. Amen.For this cause God gave them up unto vile affections: for even their women did change the natural use into that which is against nature.
• Jeremiah 13:23: Can the Ethiopian change his skin, or the leopard his spots? then may ye also do good, that are accustomed to do evil.
• 2 Kings 9:30: And when Jehu was come to Jezreel, Jezebel heard of it; and she painted her face, and tired her head, and looked out at a window.
• Revelation 22:15: But outside are the dogs, the sorcerers, the sexually immoral, the murderers, the idolaters, and everyone who loves and practices falsehood.
• Isaiah 45:9-10: Woe unto him that striveth with his Maker! Let the potsherd strive with the potsherds of the earth. Shall the clay say to him that fashioneth it, What makest thou? or thy work, He hath no hands? Woe unto him that saith unto his father, What begettest thou? or to the woman, What hast thou brought forth?
• Ezekiel 23:39-40: For when they had slain their children to their idols, then they came the same day into my sanctuary to profane it; and, lo, thus have they done in the midst of mine house.And furthermore, that ye have sent for men to come from far, unto whom a messenger was sent; and, lo, they came: for whom thou didst wash thyself, paintedst thy eyes, and deckedst thyself with ornaments.

Dying hair

• Proverbs 16:31: The silver-haired head is a crown of glory, If it is found in the way of righteousness.
• Proverbs 20:29: The glory of young men is their strength, And the splendor of old men is their gray head.
• Isaiah 46:4: Even to your old age, I am He, And even to gray hairs I will carry you! I have made, and I will bear; Even I will carry, and will deliver you.

Tattoos

• Leviticus 19:28: You shall not make any cuttings in your flesh for the dead, nor tattoo any marks on you: I am the Lord

Ear piercing

• Exodus 21:5-6:And if the servant shall plainly say, I love my master, my wife, and my children; I will not go out free:Then his master shall bring him unto the judges; he shall also bring him to the door, or unto the door post; and his master shall bore his ear through with an aul; and he shall serve him for ever.
• Leviticus 19:28: You shall not make any cuttings in your flesh for the dead, nor tattoo any marks on you: I am the Lord

Women and men’s hair and ungodly hairstyles         

• Leviticus 19:27: You shall not shave around the sides of your head, nor shall you disfigure the edges of your beard. 
• 1 Corinthians 11:6: If a woman does not cover her head, she should have her hair cut off. And if it is shameful for a woman to have her hair cut or shaved off, she should cover her head.
• 1 Corinthians 11:14-16: Doesn’t nature itself teach you that if a man has long hair, it is a disgrace to him, 15but that if a woman has long hair, it is her glory? For long hair is given to her as a covering. 16If anyone is inclined to dispute this, we have no other practice, nor do the churches of God.

Head covering

• 1 Corinthians 11:4-6: Every man who prays or prophesies with his head covered dishonors his head. And every woman who prays or prophesies with her head uncovered dishonors her head, for it is just as if her head were shaved. If a woman does not cover her head, she should have her hair cut off. And if it is shameful for a woman to have her hair cut or shaved off, she should cover her head.

Bodily holiness

• Romans 12:1-2:I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that ye present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God, which is your reasonable service.And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God.
• 1 Corinthians 6:19: What? know ye not that your body is the temple of the Holy Ghost which is in you, which ye have of God, and ye are not your own?
• 1 Corinthians 3:16-17: Know ye not that ye are the temple of God, and that the Spirit of God dwelleth in you? If any man defile the temple of God, him shall God destroy; for the temple of God is holy, which temple ye are.
• 2 Corinthians 7:1: Having therefore these promises, dearly beloved, let us cleanse ourselves from all filthiness of the flesh and spirit, perfecting holiness in the fear of God.
• 2 Corinthians 5:10: For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ, that each one may receive the things done in the body, according to what he has done, whether good or bad.
• 1 Thessalonians 5:23: And the very God of peace sanctify you wholly; and I pray God your whole spirit and soul and body be preserved blameless unto the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ.

Vanity and worldliness

• Psalms 24:4: He that hath clean hands, and a pure heart; who hath not lifted up his soul unto vanity, nor sworn deceitfully.

• 1 John 2:15-17: Love not the world, neither the things that are in the world. If any man love the world, the love of the Father is not in him.For all that is in the world, the lust of the flesh, and the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life, is not of the Father, but is of the world.And the world passeth away, and the lust thereof: but he that doeth the will of God abideth for ever.
• James 4:4-6: Ye adulterers and adulteresses, know ye not that the friendship of the world is enmity with God? whosoever therefore will be a friend of the world is the enemy of God.Do ye think that the scripture saith in vain, The spirit that dwelleth in us lusteth to envy?But he giveth more grace. Wherefore he saith, God resisteth the proud, but giveth grace unto the humble.
• Zephaniah 1:8: And it shall be, In the day of the Lord’s sacrifice, That I will punish the princes and the king’s children, And all such as are clothed with foreign apparel.
• Proverbs 31:30:Favour is deceitful, and beauty is vain: but a woman that feareth the Lord, she shall be praised.

Immodesty leads to lust and adultery

• Matthew 5:28: But I say unto you, That whosoever looketh on a woman to lust after her hath committed adultery with her already in his heart.
• 1 Thessalonians 5:22: Abstain from all appearance of evil.

God made us perfect

• Genesis 1:27: So God created man in His own image; in the image of God He created him; male and female He created them.
• Psalm 139:14: I will praise thee; for I am fearfully and wonderfully made: marvellous are thy works; and that my soul knoweth right well.
• Jeremiah 1:5: Before I formed thee in the belly I knew thee; and before thou camest forth out of the womb I sanctified thee, and I ordained thee a prophet unto the nations.
• Luke 12:7: But even the very hairs of your head are all numbered. Fear not therefore: ye are of more value than many sparrows.
• Isaiah 45:9-10: Woe unto him that striveth with his Maker! Let the potsherd strive with the potsherds of the earth. Shall the clay say to him that fashioneth it, What makest thou? or thy work, He hath no hands? Woe unto him that saith unto his father, What begettest thou? or to the woman, What hast thou brought forth?
• Isaiah 29:16: Surely you have things turned around! Shall the potter be esteemed as the clay; For shall the thing made say of him who made it, “He did not make me”? Or shall the thing formed say of him who formed it, “He has no understanding”?

All the verses are listed below:

1 Peter 3:1-4, 1 Timothy 2:9-10, Psalms 24:4, 1 Corinthians 6:19, 1 Corinthians 3:16-17, 2 Corinthians 7:1,1 Thessalonians 5:23, Exodus 21:5-6, Isaiah 3:16-26, Isaiah 4:1, Deuteronomy 22:5, 1 Corinthians 11:4-6, 1 Corinthians 11:13-16, 2 Corinthians 5:10, Genesis 35:1-5, 1 John 2:15-17, James 4:4-6, Romans 12:1-2, Romans 1:25-26, Exodus 32:2-7, Exodus 33:5-6, Judges 8:24, 2 Samuel 1:24, Hosea 2:13, Proverbs 31:30, Jeremiah 4:30, Jeremiah 13:23, Isaiah 45:9-10, Hosea 2:13, Revelation 17:4, 2 Kings 9:30, Ezekiel 7:19-21, Ezekiel 23:39-40, Exodus 28:42, Ezekiel 44:18, Daniel 3:21, Leviticus 6:10, Leviticus 16:4, Leviticus 19:27-28, Jeremiah 1:5, Psalm 139:14, Revelation 22:15, Isaiah 45:9, Matthew 5:28, Luke 12:7, Matthew 5:36, Proverbs 16:31, ‭Proverbs 20:29, Proverbs 11:22, Isaiah 29:16, Isaiah 46:4