ἐσθής (esthēs)
esthēs
clothing
Quick Reference
- Language
- Koine Greek
- Testament
- New Testament
- Occurrences
- 7 verses
- Root
- —
Word Overview
The noun esthēs refers simply to clothing or garments. It appears in the New Testament seven times, with notable occurrences in Luke, Acts, and James. The word derives from hennumi, meaning "to clothe," which clarifies its basic sense as the fabric or attire that covers the body.
In Scripture, this term describes physical dress without inherent spiritual metaphor. For instance, it appears when Herod dresses Jesus in splendid clothing to mock him (Luke 23:11) and when Peter recalls seeing a vision involving various animals and garments (Acts 10:30). James uses it directly when warning against showing partiality based on the fine clothes worn by visitors (James 2:2-3).
Unlike other Greek words for clothing that might carry symbolic weight, esthēs remains concrete. It points to the material reality of what people wear, serving as a marker of status or circumstance in the narrative rather than a theological symbol.
Based on public-domain lexicons (Strong's, Thayer, Gesenius, Brown-Driver-Briggs and others).
What This Word Means for Your Faith
The word for clothing here points to the simple, physical reality of what we wear. It is not a hidden symbol but a tangible part of daily life. In the New Testament, this term appears in moments where appearance intersects with human behavior, such as when Herod dressed Jesus in splendid attire to mock him (Luke 23:11) or when James warns against favoring those in fine clothes over the poor (James 2:2). These instances remind us that while our outward appearance is visible to others, it does not define our worth before God.
For your faith, this concrete usage invites honesty about how we present ourselves and how we treat others. We are called to look beyond the fabric people wear to see the person within. Whether in joy or sorrow, our identity rests in Christ alone, not in the status that garments might suggest. This perspective frees us from anxiety over appearance and directs our hearts toward kindness and justice.
How it's translated
How this word is rendered word-by-word in the 7 verses where it appears, by frequency.
- apparel6×
- garments1×
- garment1×
Forms in the text
The inflected forms of this word as they appear in Scripture, by frequency.
- ἐσθῆτι4×
- ἐσθῆτα3×
- ἐσθήσεσι1×
Key Verses
-
Luke 23:11
Herod with his soldiers humiliated him and mocked him. Dressing him in luxurious clothing, they sent him back to Pilate.
This occurrence highlights how clothing can be used as a tool for humiliation, showing that outward splendor does not guarantee dignity or truth.
-
James 2:2
For if a man with a gold ring, in fine clothing, comes into your synagogue, and a poor man in filthy clothing also comes in,
Here the word grounds James' argument against partiality by contrasting fine clothing with filthy clothing to expose the sin of judging by appearance.
-
Acts 10:30
Cornelius said, “Four days ago, I was fasting until this hour; and at the ninth hour, I prayed in my house, and behold, a man stood before me in bright clothing
The mention of bright clothing in Cornelius's vision serves as a narrative marker for divine intervention, emphasizing the sudden and holy nature of the encounter.