A Simple Guide to Proverbs 31 | Explained for Modern Women
Years ago, I broke Proverbs 31 down into what I call the 10 Virtues of the Proverbs 31 Woman because I believe that these 10 characteristics are how we live out Proverbs 31 today as modern women. When you see the Proverbs 31 woman explained in simple to understand terms it makes a huge difference in how you see her!
When I’m explaining a Biblical principle to you, I like to use a lot of Scripture. There should be no doubt or misunderstanding because God’s Word is very clear! It’s interesting to me that these 10 characteristics of the Proverbs 31 woman cover every area of a woman’s life.
The exciting thing about Proverbs 31 is that this passage of Scripture is just as relevant for today’s modern woman as it was thousands of years ago.
God’s Word stands the test of time!
related: Read the King James Version of Proverbs 31 (KJV) here.
It can be so easy for women to read over the passage, think “that’s nice” or “that was interesting” or “I can’t live up to that so why try?” and they move on, barely giving the verses serious thought.
The truth is, it can be hard to understand how Proverbs 31 applies to our modern lives when the passage talks about planting vineyards or the spindle and distaff. That certainly doesn’t sound like something I do every day!
So let’s take a look at the basic principles of the Proverbs 31 Woman and see how we can apply them to our lives today. When you see the Proverbs 31 woman explained in simple to understand terms I think you’ll see how much you can learn from it!
The Proverbs 31 Woman Explained for Modern Women
When the Proverbs 31 Woman is explained well, you can see how profound and relevant she is as an example for women today. As you look at the virtuous woman and study each characteristic, you will find that the passage isn’t as archaic as you might have once believed.
What does Proverbs 31 mean for the 21st Century woman?
The modern day Proverbs 31 Woman may look different on the surface from the virtuous woman described by King Solomon’s mother, but the heart of the passage of Proverbs 31 is encompasses every issue you will face today as 21st century woman.
Ecclesiastes 1:9 tells us, “What has been will be again, what has been done will be done again; there is nothing new under the sun.”
Technology may have changed a whole lot, but people are basically the same as they always were. As human beings made in the image of God, we all have the same kinds of needs, dreams, desires, and longings. We all desire to have meaningful relationships. We all long to feel seen and be known. We all need to have our physical needs met. We laugh. We cry.
We all need a Savior.
And the Proverbs 31 Woman is no different. You see, a virtuous woman, a woman of noble character, a woman of valor is still just a woman.
“As it is written: “There is no one righteous, not even one.” Romans 3:10
Without Jesus nothing you or I do is worthy of praise. We are nothing apart from Christ. Without Christ you cannot be good enough to earn salvation. It is by grace you are saved. And it the Proverbs 31 Woman’s faith that gives purpose to her life.
Proverbs 31:30-31
“…a woman that feareth the Lord, she shall be praised. Give her of the fruit of her hands; and let her own works praise her in the gates.”
10 Characteristics of the Proverbs 31 Woman
These 10 characteristics of the Proverbs 31 Woman show us how we can apply the verses to our lives today.
She is faithful and loves Jesus with all of her heart.
#1 Faith. It is a woman’s faith and relationship with Christ that makes her a virtuous woman. Becoming a Proverbs 31 woman isn’t possible without faith. We are told that she fears the Lord and she will be praised. Her faith is reflected in her character and daily life.
How to apply this characteristic to your life:
- start your day with God
- study your Bible on a regular basis
- pray often
- share the Good News of what God has done in your life with others
Proverbs 31:26
“She speaks with wisdom, and faithful instruction is on her tongue.”
Proverbs 31:29-31
“Many women do noble things, but you surpass them all.” Charm is deceptive, and beauty is fleeting; but a woman who fears the Lord is to be praised. Honor her for all that her hands have done, and let her works bring her praise at the city gate.”
Matthew 22:37
“And he said to him, “You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.”
John 14:15
“If you love me, you keep my commandments.”
Psalm 119:15, 16
“I meditate on your precepts and consider your ways. I delight in your decrees; I will not neglect your word.”
She is a faithful bride.
#2 Marriage. A virtuous woman is a faithful bride. But don’t think that you can’t be a Proverbs 31 woman if you are single! You absolutely can! In fact, as a Christian, you are the bride of Christ. You are called to be faithful to Him first and foremost.
How to apply this characteristic to your life:
- remember that you are first and foremost the bride of Christ
- love your husband well, if you are married
- pray for your husband
- encourage your husband
Proverbs 31:11-12
“Her husband has full confidence in her and lacks nothing of value. She brings him good, not harm, all the days of her life.”
Proverbs 31:23
“Her husband is respected at the city gate, where he takes his seat among the elders of the land.”
Proverbs 31:28
“Her children arise and call her blessed; her husband also, and he praises her…”
1 Peter 3:1-6
“Submit to one another out of reverence for Christ. Wives, submit yourselves to your own husbands as you do to the Lord. For the husband is the head of the wife as Christ is the head of the church, his body, of which he is the Savior. Now as the church submits to Christ, so also wives should submit to their husbands in everything.”
Genesis 2:18
“The LORD God said, “It is not good for the man to be alone. I will make a helper suitable for him.”
She is a loving mother and her children call her blessed.
#3 Mothering. The Proverbs 31 woman is a good mother. We are told that the Proverbs 31 woman’s children rise up and call her blessed. However, that does not mean you can’t be a virtuous woman if you don’t have children!
How to apply this characteristic to your life:
- respect your children and love them well
- enjoy your children and remember that while the days are long the years are short
- train up your children in the way they should go
Proverbs 31:28
“Her children arise and call her blessed; her husband also, and he praises her…”
Proverbs 31:26
“She speaks with wisdom, and faithful instruction is on her tongue.”
Proverbs 22:6
“Start children off on the way they should go, and even when they are old they will not turn from it.”
Deuteronomy 6:1-2
“These are the commands, decrees and laws the Lord your God directed me to teach you to observe in the land that you are crossing the Jordan to possess, so that you, your children and their children after them may fear the Lord your God as long as you live by keeping all his decrees and commands that I give you, and so that you may enjoy long life.”
Luke 18:16
“But Jesus called the children to him and said, “Let the little children come to me, and do not hinder them, for the kingdom of God belongs to such as these.”
She takes care of her physical, mental, and spiritual health.
#4 Health. As Christians we are instructed to care for our bodies. 1 Corinthians 6:19 says, “Do you not know that your bodies are temples of the Holy Spirit, who is in you, whom you have received from God? You are not your own; you were bought at a price. Therefore glorify God with your body.” That really means that we do our best to abstain from those things that might harm our physical health as well as our spiritual health.
How to apply this characteristic to your life:
- eat nourishing food – remember that good health is very much dependent on what goes into your body
- move your body at least three times a week
- practice the eight laws of health
- drink lots of water
- study God’s Word
- dwell on good things and abstain from that which is evil
- set healthy boundaries in your relationships
Proverbs 31:14-15
“She is like the merchant ships, bringing her food from afar. She gets up while it is still night; she provides food for her family and portions for her female servants.”
Proverbs 31:17
“She girdeth her loins with strength, and strengtheneth her arms.”
1 Corinthians 6:19-20
“Do you not know that your bodies are temples of the Holy Spirit, who is in you, whom you have received from God? You are not your own; you were bought at a price. Therefore honor God with your bodies.”
Genesis 1:29
“Then God said, “I give you every seed-bearing plant on the face of the whole earth and every tree that has fruit with seed in it. They will be yours for food.”
She serves others with love and kindness.
#5 Service. A virtuous woman serves others with a cheerful spirit. She is a willing helper and thoughtful toward others. She reaches out to help those around her while maintaining her priorities.
How to apply this characteristic to your life:
- find opportunities to serve in your church or community
- serve others joyful with a selfless attitude
- ask God how he would have you minister to others
- practice hospitality in your home
Proverbs 31:12
“She brings him good, not harm, all the days of her life.”
Proverbs 31:15
“She gets up before dawn to prepare breakfast for her household and plan the day’s work for her servant girls.” NLT
Proverbs 31:20
“She opens her arms to the poor and extends her hands to the needy.”
1 Corinthians 13:13
“And now these three remain: faith, hope and love. But the greatest of these is love.”
She is a wise steward of the gifts God has given her.
#6 Finances. We are told that the Proverbs 31 woman is careful with her finances and spends money wisely. In the passage of Proverbs 31 we are also told that she helps provide an income with her own business. She was smart and financially savvy.
How to apply this characteristic to your life:
- give tithes and offerings each month to your church
- spend your money carefully and consider each purchase
- save money for the future and create an emergency fund
Proverbs 31:14
“She is like the merchant ships, bringing her food from afar.”
Proverbs 31:16
“She considers a field and buys it; out of her earnings she plants a vineyard.”
Proverbs 31:18
“She perceiveth that her merchandise is good: her candle goeth not out by night.”
1 Timothy 6:10
“For the love of money is a root of all kinds of evil. Some people, eager for money, have wandered from the faith and pierced themselves with many griefs.”
Ephesians 5:23
“Wives, submit to your husbands as to the Lord. For the husband is the head of the wife as Christ is the head of the church, his body, of which he is the Savior.”
Deuteronomy 14:22
“Be sure to set aside a tenth of all that your fields produce each year.”
She is industrious and works with willing hands.
#7 Industry. A virtuous woman works willingly. She doesn’t eat the bread of idleness – instead she stays busy living out God’s purpose for her life each day. She isn’t lazy, she doesn’t grumble over the task at hand, and she looks well to the ways of her household.
How to apply this characteristic to your life:
- create routines to simplify your day
- cultivate a heart of self discipline
- work with a cheerful heart and attitude
- replace bad habits with better habits
Proverbs 31:13
“She selects wool and flax and works with eager hands.”
Proverbs 31:16
“She considers a field and buys it; out of her earnings she plants a vineyard.”
Proverbs 31:24
“She makes linen garments and sells them, and supplies the merchants with sashes.”
Proverbs 31:31
“Honor her for all that her hands have done, and let her works bring her praise at the city gate.”
Philippians 2:14
“Do everything without grumbling or arguing…”
She is a good manager of her home.
#8 Homemaking. The Proverbs 31 woman is a good homemaker. We are told she looks well to the ways of her household. This does not mean she did every thing herself! She looks well to the ways of her household. She has help. She is not a slave to her family or home. She is a good manager of her home. She organizes her household in a way that helps things run smoothly so that everything runs smoothly.
How to apply this characteristic to your life:
- learn how to be an effective homemaker
- remember that homemaking is a ministry
- show hospitality to family and friends and those in your community
Proverbs 31:15
“She gets up before dawn to prepare breakfast for her household and plan the day’s work for her servant girls.” NLT
Proverbs 31:20-22
“She opens her arms to the poor and extends her hands to the needy. When it snows, she has no fear for her household; for all of them are clothed in scarlet. She makes coverings for her bed; she is clothed in fine linen and purple.”
Proverbs 31:27
“She looks well to the ways of her household, and eats not the bread of idleness.”
Titus 2:4-5
“In this way they can train the young women to love their husbands and children, to be self-controlled and pure, to be busy at home, to be kind, and to be subject to their husbands, so that no one will malign the word of God.”
1 Peter 4:9
“Offer hospitality to one another without grumbling.”
Hebrews 13:2
“Do not forget to show hospitality to strangers, for by so doing some people have shown hospitality to angels without knowing it.”
She spends her time on that which is good.
#9 Time. We are told that the virtuous woman spends her time doing what needs to be done. She does not waste time on tasks or activities that would detract from the well being of her family or from her faith. She is industrious and hard working.
How to apply this characteristic to your life:
- plan your day and organize your time
- spend time on activities that are pleasing to God
- avoid activities that would bring sorrow to the heart of God
- live with intention every day
Proverbs 31:19
“In her hand she holds the distaff and grasps the spindle with her fingers.”
Proverbs 31: 27
“She looks well to the ways of her household, and eats not the bread of idleness.”
Ecclesiastes 3:1-8
There is a time for everything,
and a season for every activity under the heavens:
a time to be born and a time to die,
a time to plant and a time to uproot,
a time to kill and a time to heal,
a time to tear down and a time to build,
a time to weep and a time to laugh,
a time to mourn and a time to dance,
a time to scatter stones and a time to gather them,
a time to embrace and a time to refrain from embracing,
a time to search and a time to give up,
a time to keep and a time to throw away,
a time to tear and a time to mend,
a time to be silent and a time to speak,
a time to love and a time to hate,
a time for war and a time for peace.
Proverbs 16:9
“A man’s heart plans his way, But the Lord directs his steps.”
Philippians 4:8
“Finally, brothers and sisters, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable—if anything is excellent or praiseworthy—think about such things.”
She is creative and embraces beauty and godliness.
#10 Beauty. The Proverbs 31 woman is well dressed and she provides a pleasant and inviting home for her family and friends. The passage tells us that beauty is vain, but it also tells us that she dresses respectably and takes care with her appearance.
How to apply this characteristic to your life:
- take care with your appearance to look attractive
- remember that God looks on the heart not on the outward appearance
- create a warm and inviting atmosphere in your home
- use your gifts with creativity
Proverbs 31:10
“Who can find a virtuous woman? for her price if far above rubies.”
Proverbs 31:21-22
“She is not afraid of snow for her household, For all her household is clothed with scarlet. She makes tapestry for herself; Her clothing is fine linen and purple.”
Proverbs 31:24-25
“She makes linen garments and sells them, and supplies the merchants with sashes. She is clothed with strength and dignity; she can laugh at the days to come.”
Isaiah 61:10
“I delight greatly in the Lord; my soul rejoices in my God. For he has clothed me with garments of salvation and arrayed me in a robe of his righteousness, as a bridegroom adorns his head like a priest, and as a bride adorns herself with her jewels.”
1 Timothy 2:9
“I also want the women to dress modestly, with decency and propriety, adorning themselves, not with elaborate hairstyles or gold or pearls or expensive clothes…”
Action Steps to Take Today:
- Pray and ask God to give you wisdom and show you His purpose for your life.
- Make a commitment to start each day with God time – even if it’s just a short prayer.
- Remember that you are justified by faith through grace and becoming a woman after God’s own heart is a journey you will always be traveling.
- Thank God for giving you a blueprint for living and for painting such a beautiful picture of womanhood.
- Tell others what God has done in your life!
Free Printable Proverbs 31 Woman pdf
You can use this printable two page pdf as a Bible study guide to learn more about the virtuous woman and how you become a Proverbs 31 Woman today.
How to Get the Printable
- Just fill out the form below and you’ll receive an email with the link to get your free printable guide to becoming a Proverbs 31 Woman. You’ll also receive helpful emails and updates from me on a regular basis!
- Or, you can purchase this printable Proverbs 31 Bible Study Guide here for just $2.97. Women’s ministries groups can use this printable when you purchase a copy along with the group license.
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What questions do you have about the Proverbs 31 Woman? I’d love to hear from you in the comments below!
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