1 Timothy 2:9
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;

Did you read the above scriptures in your personal paperback/hardback bible today or just only on this website?
If only online, I encourage you to please open your bible and read these verses both on our website and in your bible. There is power in reading the real bible. Also, did you pray before beginning to read about this specific subject today? If not, I encourage you to take the time now to pray for understanding of truth.

At first glance, and without The Holy Spirit, this verse might seem to forbid jewelry and braided hair. But if we look at the surrounding verses to get the full context, then we get a much better, more accurate picture.

8 I will therefore that men pray every where, lifting up holy hands, without wrath and doubting.
9 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;
10 But (which becometh women professing godliness) with good works.
11 Let the woman learn in silence with all subjection.

The context is that there was disorder in the church congregations, which included women speaking out of turn, and women who were dressing fancy for the purpose of pride, similar to the Pharisees who would stand on the street corners to be seen by people in Matthew 6. 1 Timothy has nothing to do with how much flesh/skin is seen, nor pagan origins of jewelry. The problem with the jewelry was how it was being used in pride. The next verse that we will look at in scripture will shed even more light on this subject.

1 Peter 3:3
Whose adorning let it not be that outward adorning of plaiting the hair, and of wearing of gold, or of putting on of apparel;

1 Peter 3 is often used to teach that braided hair and jewelry is forbidden. But notice that it also speaks of wearing clothes. If we claim that this verse forbids braided hair and jewelry, then we must also say that this verse forbids wearing of any clothes. Notice the phrase: "or putting on of apparel". Very clearly, both in Timothy and Peter, the context is that we should not wear fancy clothing to look godly or rich or to draw a wrong kind of attention to ourselves.

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:

Revelation 17:4 is speaking about the end time city of Babylon, and the spiritual religious empire that she represents. People use this verse to try to claim that because Babylon wears jewelry that Christians should not. But we need to look at many other bible verses before we draw this conclusion.

Isaiah 3:16-24
16 - 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:
17 - 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.
18 - 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,
19 - The chains, and the bracelets, and the mufflers,
20 - The bonnets, and the ornaments of the legs, and the headbands, and the tablets, and the earrings,
21 - The rings, and nose jewels,
22 - The changeable suits of apparel, and the mantles, and the wimples, and the crisping pins,
23 - The glasses, and the fine linen, and the hoods, and the vails.
24 - 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.

Many people use Isa.3 to try to teach that because God will remove the jewelry, earrings, bracelets, etc from Israel, that no Christian should wear jewelry because it must be evil, and of pagan origins. But notice that the context shows Zion/Israel in the symbolism of a woman who is sexually enticing someone with her eyes, feet and clothing. The problem is not really the clothing or the jewelry, but rather how she uses them in whoredom against God.

Verses where God Gives or Approves of Jewelry

These verses and other bible verses show that it was the custom to give a woman jewelry as a token of the marriage agreement. When people saw a girl with a nose ring, it could mean that she was married or engaged to be married. Abraham, Issac and Jacob were true men of God. If the origin of jewelry was truly pagan and forbidden by God, they would not have been involved in such customs. Not all traditions are evil.

Exodus 3:21-22
21 - And I will give this people favour in the sight of the Egyptians: and it shall come to pass, that, when ye go, ye shall not go empty:
22 - But every woman shall borrow of her neighbour, and of her that sojourneth in her house, jewels of silver, and jewels of gold, and raiment: and ye shall put them upon your sons, and upon your daughters; and ye shall spoil the Egyptians.

God instructed the Israelites to take the jewelry with them from Egypt. God would have have instructed the people to follow pagan customs. If they used some of this, or all of this, to make the golden calf, what was wrong was how they used the gold, not the having of the jewelry and gold in the first place.

Exodus 35:20-24
20 - And all the congregation of the children of Israel departed from the presence of Moses.
21 - And they came, every one whose heart stirred him up, and every one whom his spirit made willing, and they brought the LORD's offering to the work of the tabernacle of the congregation, and for all his service, and for the holy garments.
22 - And they came, both men and women, as many as were willing hearted, and brought bracelets, and earrings, and rings, and tablets, all jewels of gold: and every man that offered offered an offering of gold unto the LORD.
23 - And every man, with whom was found blue, and purple, and scarlet, and fine linen, and goats' hair, and red skins of rams, and badgers' skins, brought them.
24 - Every one that did offer an offering of silver and brass brought the LORD's offering: and every man, with whom was found shittim wood for any work of the service, brought it.

The people offered the jewelry as an offering to God for the tabernacle. We know from bible scripture that God forbid strange fire and other pagan offerings. If jewelry was truly wrong or evil or forbidden, God would not accept any of these offering for his holy temple. But there is nothing in this bible chapter that would indicate that God rejected these offerings and punished the people. To the contrary, the offerings were accepted without causing the wrath of God.

Ezekiel 16:1-15
1 - Again the word of the LORD came unto me, saying,
2 - Son of man, cause Jerusalem to know her abominations,
3 - And say, Thus saith the Lord God unto Jerusalem; Thy birth and thy nativity is of the land of Canaan; thy father was an Amorite, and thy mother an Hittite.
4 - And as for thy nativity, in the day thou wast born thy navel was not cut, neither wast thou washed in water to supple thee; thou wast not salted at all, nor swaddled at all.
5 - None eye pitied thee, to do any of these unto thee, to have compassion upon thee; but thou wast cast out in the open field, to the lothing of thy person, in the day that thou wast born.
6 - And when I passed by thee, and saw thee polluted in thine own blood, I said unto thee when thou wast in thy blood, Live; yea, I said unto thee when thou wast in thy blood, Live.
7 - I have caused thee to multiply as the bud of the field, and thou hast increased and waxen great, and thou art come to excellent ornaments: thy breasts are fashioned, and thine hair is grown, whereas thou wast naked and bare.
8 - Now when I passed by thee, and looked upon thee, behold, thy time was the time of love; and I spread my skirt over thee, and covered thy nakedness: yea, I sware unto thee, and entered into a covenant with thee, saith the Lord God, and thou becamest mine.
9 - Then washed I thee with water; yea, I throughly washed away thy blood from thee, and I anointed thee with oil.
10 - I clothed thee also with broidered work, and shod thee with badgers' skin, and I girded thee about with fine linen, and I covered thee with silk.
11 - I decked thee also with ornaments, and I put bracelets upon thy hands, and a chain on thy neck.
12 - And I put a jewel on thy forehead, and earrings in thine ears, and a beautiful crown upon thine head.
13 - Thus wast thou decked with gold and silver; and thy raiment was of fine linen, and silk, and broidered work; thou didst eat fine flour, and honey, and oil: and thou wast exceeding beautiful, and thou didst prosper into a kingdom.
14 - And thy renown went forth among the heathen for thy beauty: for it was perfect through my comeliness, which I had put upon thee, saith the Lord God.
15 - But thou didst trust in thine own beauty, and playedst the harlot because of thy renown, and pouredst out thy fornications on every one that passed by; his it was.

In Ezekiel 16, we see that God uses the analogy of Himself marrying a virgin at the age of her puberty, as was the custom in ancient times, and even to this day in some cultures. Even in America, many of our parents, grandparents and great grandparents were extremely young women and older men when they married for the first time. Notice also that God uses the analogy of giving his bride jewelry. God gave the jewelry. Would God give pagan objects to his own chosen bride? No!

Matthew 7:6
Give not that which is holy unto the dogs, neither cast ye your pearls before swine, lest they trample them under their feet, and turn again and rend you.

Here, we see that Jesus was concerned about the preservation of costly pearls. If they were pagan, He would have no problems with us throwing them away.

Luke 15:21-22
21 - And the son said unto him, Father, I have sinned against heaven, and in thy sight, and am no more worthy to be called thy son.
22 - But the father said to his servants, Bring forth the best robe, and put it on him; and put a ring on his hand, and shoes on his feet:

This is the parable of "The Prodigal Son". The "Father" in this parable represents The Holy Father God Almighty in Jesus Name. Notice that God gives his son a ring as a sign that the son has been accepted back into the family.

In conclusion, when we look at many bible verses, and not at people's own personal opinions on other ministry websites, we know 100% for sure, without any doubt, that jewelry is acceptable if it's not used out of pride or idolatry. It can be given to your spouse or boyfriend or girlfriend. It can be used for body decoration or as a sign of a covenant, such as a marriage covenant. But it can also be misused just like many other things can be misused. Guns, knives, even the bible can be misused. Just because many pagans in history used jewelry and many lost people today use jewelry doesn't mean that Christians can not also use jewelry. Pagan people do a lot of things that we can also do, such as go to the store, put our pants on one leg at a time, watch the sunset, go jogging, etc. As long as it is not out of pride, and not for sexual enticement of a person who is forbidden to you, and as long as it does not contain any pagan images or evil words, and as long as it is not too expensive, it's acceptable to wear affordable jewelry. Of course, it is irresponsible and wrong for a true follower of Jesus to spend a lot of money on such things. We need to prioritize our spending and think of the financial needs of the gospel and of the poor. But it is fully acceptable for a man to give his wife an affordable necklace because that he wants to see her in such. And it is fully acceptable to have marriage rings. And nose rings are fully acceptable if it's just for decor, or marriage, or friendship, as long as it's not connected to evil symbols and evil people.

If you are still unsure, or if you still believe that wearing jewelry is sinful, then I ask you to please take the time to fast about this for several days in prayer. Some things come only by prayer and fasting. We all must be willing to examine ourselves and take time doing so.

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