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The Historic Faith
Scripture Topic Guide

Bible Verses About Braided Hair

Early Christian writers usually treated braided hair as a sign of vanity, luxury, or sexual display, not as a neutral style. Clement of Alexandria, Tertullian, Cyprian, Commodianus, and the Apostolic Constitutions all warn women against elaborate hair-plaiting, with many of them tying the warning to 1 Timothy 2:9 and 1 Peter 3:3. Some writers also extended the same caution to men, saying that braided or carefully styled hair could signal effeminacy or moral weakness.

The Bible passages most often used were 1 Timothy 2:9 and 1 Peter 3:3, while 1 Corinthians 11 was used more for head covering and hair length than for braids themselves. The evidence is broad and consistent on modesty and against showy hair, but the exact rule varies by author and setting.

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Key Passages

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How to Study Braided Hair

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33 references

Foundation Texts

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;

Main verse against braided hair

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

Main verse against outward braiding

Supporting Passages

We will make thee borders of gold with studs of silver.

Scripture passage attached to the early Christian evidence page.

And I put a jewel on thy forehead, and earrings in thine ears, and a beautiful crown upon thine head.

Scripture passage attached to the early Christian evidence page.

But if a woman have long hair, it is a glory to her: for her hair is given her for a covering.

Hair as a covering in 1 Corinthians 11

For if the woman be not covered, let her also be shorn: but if it be a shame for a woman to be shorn or shaven, let her be covered.

Used for head covering and hair length

But every woman that prayeth or prophesieth with her head uncovered dishonoureth her head: for that is even all one as if she were shaven.

Head covering wording for women praying

For this cause ought the woman to have power on her head because of the angels.

Authority on the head in worship context

And thou shalt overlay it with pure gold, the top thereof, and the sides thereof round about, and the horns thereof; and thou shalt make unto it a crown of gold round about.

Scripture passage attached to the early Christian evidence page.

And thou shalt overlay it with pure gold, and make thereto a crown of gold round about.

Scripture passage attached to the early Christian evidence page.

And he overlaid it with pure gold, and made thereunto a crown of gold round about.

Scripture passage attached to the early Christian evidence page.

And thou shalt overlay it with pure gold, within and without shalt thou overlay it, and shalt make upon it a crown of gold round about.

Scripture passage attached to the early Christian evidence page.

I decked thee also with ornaments, and I put bracelets upon thy hands, and a chain on thy neck.

Scripture passage attached to the early Christian evidence page.

And he garnished the house with precious stones for beauty: and the gold was gold of Parvaim.

Scripture passage attached to the early Christian evidence page.

We have therefore brought an oblation for the LORD, what every man hath gotten, of jewels of gold, chains, and bracelets, rings, earrings, and tablets, to make an atonement for our souls before the LORD.

Scripture passage attached to the early Christian evidence page.

Judge in yourselves: is it comely that a woman pray unto God uncovered?

Short question about propriety of uncovered head

And two chains of pure gold at the ends; of wreathen work shalt thou make them, and fasten the wreathen chains to the ouches.

Scripture passage attached to the early Christian evidence page.

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.

Scripture passage attached to the early Christian evidence page.

Doth not even nature itself teach you, that, if a man have long hair, it is a shame unto him?

Scripture passage attached to the early Christian evidence page.

Thy cheeks are comely with rows of jewels, thy neck with chains of gold.

Scripture passage attached to the early Christian evidence page.

And thou shalt make upon the breastplate chains at the ends of wreathen work of pure gold.

Scripture passage attached to the early Christian evidence page.

And they made upon the breastplate chains at the ends, of wreathen work of pure gold.

Scripture passage attached to the early Christian evidence page.

And thou shalt embroider the coat of fine linen, and thou shalt make the mitre of fine linen, and thou shalt make the girdle of needlework.

Scripture passage attached to the early Christian evidence page.

Thine head upon thee is like Carmel, and the hair of thine head like purple; the king is held in the galleries.

Scripture passage attached to the early Christian evidence page.

And they had hair as the hair of women, and their teeth were as the teeth of lions.

Scripture passage attached to the early Christian evidence page.

Ye shall not round the corners of your heads, neither shalt thou mar the corners of thy beard.

Scripture passage attached to the early Christian evidence page.

And thou, son of man, take thee a sharp knife, take thee a barber's razor, and cause it to pass upon thine head and upon thy beard: then take thee balances to weigh, and divide the hair.

Scripture passage attached to the early Christian evidence page.

His head is as the most fine gold, his locks are bushy, and black as a raven.

Scripture passage attached to the early Christian evidence page.

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.

Scripture passage attached to the early Christian evidence page.

And he that hath his hair fallen off from the part of his head toward his face, he is forehead bald: yet is he clean.

Scripture passage attached to the early Christian evidence page.

And the priest shall set the woman before the LORD, and uncover the woman's head, and put the offering of memorial in her hands, which is the jealousy offering: and the priest shall have in his hand the bitter water that causeth the curse:

Scripture passage attached to the early Christian evidence page.

For every head shall be bald, and every beard clipped: upon all the hands shall be cuttings, and upon the loins sackcloth.

Scripture passage attached to the early Christian evidence page.

And all the women whose heart stirred them up in wisdom spun goats' hair.

Scripture passage attached to the early Christian evidence page.