Dictionaries :: Shamefastness (Av, Shamefacedness)

Vine's Expository Dictionary of New Testament Words

Shamefastness (Av, Shamefacedness):

"a sense of shame, modesty," is used regarding the demeanor of women in the church, 1Ti 2:9 (some mss. have it in Hbr 12:28 for deos, "awe:" here only in NT). "Shamefastness is that modesty which is 'fast' or rooted in the character... The change to 'shamefacedness' is the more to be regretted because shamefacedness... has come rather to describe an awkward diffidence, such as we sometimes call sheepishness" (Davies; Bible English, p. 12).

As to aidos and aischune (see ASHAMED, B, No. 1), aidos is more objective, having regard to others; it is the stronger word. "Aidos would always restrain a good man from an unworthy act, aischune would sometimes restrain a bad one" (Trench, Syn. xix, xx).