εὐπρέπ-εια G2143
Comeliness, outward beauty; attractive appearance or graceful form
This noun describes outward beauty, attractive appearance, or elegant form. James uses it in his illustration of life's transience: the rich will fade away 'in the midst of his pursuits, as the flower of the grass... its beauty perishes' (1:11). Just as wildflowers display stunning but brief beauty before the scorching sun withers them, human glory and attractive appearance prove fleeting when eternity's heat arrives.
Senses
1. sense 1 — James' botanical metaphor (1:11) pairs this noun with the flower's fading—once beautiful, now withered. The image recalls Isaiah 40:6-8, where human glory is likened to grass that withers. The translations ('beauty,' 'hermosura,' 'Schoenheit') emphasize visible attractiveness. James warns the wealthy specifically: earthly beauty, status, and splendor are temporary as wildflowers; only God's word and will endure. 1×
AR["جَمالُ"]·ben["সৌন্দর্য"]·DE["Schoenheit"]·EN["beauty"]·FR["εὐπρέπεια"]·heb["יֹפִי"]·HI["सुन्दरता"]·ID["keindahan"]·IT["euprepeia"]·jav["kaéndahan"]·KO["아름다움-이"]·PT["beleza"]·RU["красота"]·ES["hermosura"]·SW["uzuri"]·TR["güzelliği"]·urd["خوب-صورتی"]
Related Senses
H3808 1. simple negation (not) (4839×)G1722 1. locative: in, within (2442×)H1004b 1. house, dwelling, building (2015×)G3756 1. not (negation particle) (1635×)H4480a 1. source or separation (1198×)H5892b 1. city, town (1093×)G1519 1. direction: into, to, toward (1061×)H3427 1. Qal: to dwell, inhabit (937×)G1537 1. from, out of (source/origin) (886×)H8034 1. Name (designation / identifier) (856×)G3361 1. subjective negation (not) (834×)G1909 1. on, upon (spatial surface) (757×)H0369 1. existential negation: there is not (738×)H5869a 1. in the eyes/sight of (evaluative) (734×)H5650 1. Servant, attendant, subject (723×)H0408 1. prohibitive negation do-not (712×)G2443 1. so that, in order that (purpose/result) (665×)G0575 1. from (649×)G1223 1. through, by means of (582×)H3541 1. thus, so, in this manner (569×)
BDB / Lexicon Reference
εὐπρέπ-εια, ἡ, goodly appearance, comeliness, εὐπρεπείᾳ προέχειν Refs 5th c.BC+; opposed to ἀπρέπεια, Refs 5th c.BC+; majesty, εὐ. τῆς δόξης LXX+NT; dignity, Refs 3rd c.AD+; ἐστεφάνωσε ἁ πόλις.. -είας καὶ εὐνοίας ἕνεκα τᾶς ἐς τὰν πόλιν Refs 4th c.BC+ __II speciousness, plausibility, εὐπρεπείᾳ λόγου Refs 5th c.BC+; pretext, with infinitive, Refs 1st c.AD+