ἱεροπρεπής (hieroprepēs)
hieroprepēs
reverent
Quick Reference
- Language
- Koine Greek
- Testament
- New Testament
- Occurrences
- 1 verses
- Root
- —
Word Overview
The Greek adjective hieroprepēs describes something that is befitting or suitable to a sacred character. It combines the ideas of holiness and dignity, pointing to an outward appearance or demeanor that honors the divine nature it represents. This word appears only once in the New Testament, in Titus 2:3.
In this passage, Paul instructs older women to behave in a manner consistent with their spiritual standing. The term suggests that their conduct should reflect the reverence due to God, serving as a visible testimony of their faith. It is not merely about internal piety but encompasses how that inner reality is expressed through respectful and dignified living.
Translators often render this word as "reverent" or "venerable," capturing the sense of being worthy of respect because of one's connection to the holy. The emphasis remains on the alignment between a person’s role in the community and their observable behavior, ensuring that their lives accurately mirror the sacredness they profess.
Based on public-domain lexicons (Strong's, Thayer, Gesenius, Brown-Driver-Briggs and others).
What This Word Means for Your Faith
The word hieroprepēs carries a weighty sense of dignity and reverence, appearing uniquely in Titus 2:3 to describe how older women should conduct themselves within the church community. It suggests an outward demeanor that honors God’s holiness, reflecting an inner spiritual reality through respectful and dignified living. This is not about strict rules but about embodying a sacred character that aligns with one’s faith.
For believers today, this concept invites us to consider how our daily actions reflect the reverence due to God. Whether in speech, behavior, or attitude, we are called to live in a way that honors our connection to the divine. It is a reminder that our lives can serve as a visible testimony of faith, mirroring the sacredness we profess.
How it's translated
How this word is rendered word-by-word in the 1 verses where it appears, by frequency.
- reverent,1×
Forms in the text
The inflected forms of this word as they appear in Scripture, by frequency.
- ἱεροπρεπεῖς,1×
Key Verses
-
Titus 2:3
and that older women likewise be reverent in behavior, not slanderers nor enslaved to much wine, teachers of that which is good,
This verse uniquely uses hieroprepēs to instruct older women to embody reverence in their behavior, linking their conduct directly to their spiritual role.