The Language of Colors in God's Word
Colors in Scripture carry profound symbolic meaning, revealing aspects of God's character, the work of Christ, and spiritual realities. From the pure white garments of heavenly beings to the blue and purple of the Tabernacle, from the scarlet thread of redemption to the fine linen of righteousnessโeach color tells a story of divine truth.
Biblical Colors Gallery
Click any color to explore its symbolic meaning, scriptural references, and textile applications.
White
"To be white, to make white"
47+ verses (OT & NT)Blue
"Violet, blue dye from murex"
50+ versesPurple
"Purple, reddish-purple"
42+ versesScarlet / Crimson
"Crimson, from the kermes worm"
41+ versesRed
"Red, ruddy (related to Adam/earth)"
20+ versesFine Linen
"Fine white linen, bleached"
70+ versesWhite โ Purity, Holiness, Victory
Divine Appearances & Angelic Beings
Cleansing & Forgiveness
The Saints in Glory (Revelation)
โ๏ธ Fulfilled in Christ
White represents the perfect righteousness of Christ imparted to believers. At the Transfiguration, Christ's divine glory shone through, His garments becoming dazzling white (Mark 9:3). The risen Christ appears in Revelation with hair "white as snow," signifying His eternal nature and purity. Through His blood, believers' sin-stained garments are "whitened" โ made pure and spotless (Rev. 7:14). The white robes of the redeemed represent "the righteous acts of the saints" (Rev. 19:8), enabled only by Christ's redemptive work.
Blue โ Heaven, Divine Origin, Law
The Tabernacle
Priestly Garments
The Tzitzit โ Fringes as Reminder
Covering Holy Items
โ๏ธ Fulfilled in Christ
Blue represents the heavenly origin of Christ โ "the One coming down from heaven" (John 6:38). The blue robe of the High Priest points to Christ's heavenly priesthood; He ministers in the true tabernacle in heaven (Heb. 8:1-2). The blue thread in the tzitzit reminded Israel to keep God's commandments โ Christ perfectly fulfilled the Law (Matt. 5:17) and is Himself the living Word from heaven. Every time blue appeared in the Tabernacle, it declared: this is from God, this is heavenly, this is divine.
Purple โ Royalty, Kingship, Wealth
The Tabernacle & Temple
Symbols of Wealth & Status
Christ Mocked with Purple
Babylon & Judgment (Revelation)
Lydia โ Seller of Purple
โ๏ธ Fulfilled in Christ
Purple declares Christ's kingship. In divine irony, the soldiers clothed Jesus in purple to mock Him as "King of the Jews" โ yet He truly is the King of Kings. The purple robe intended as ridicule became a prophetic proclamation of His royal identity. In the Tabernacle, purple alongside blue and scarlet pointed to Christ: heavenly (blue) King (purple) who would shed His blood (scarlet). Purple was the color of kings because of its rarity and cost โ how fitting for the One whose kingdom is not of this world (John 18:36), yet who will reign forever.
Scarlet & Crimson โ Blood, Sacrifice, Sin
๐ The Tola Worm โ A Remarkable Type
The Hebrew word for "crimson" is tola'at shani (ืชึผืึนืึทืขึทืช ืฉึธืื ึดื) โ literally "the worm of scarlet." The female kermes worm would attach herself to a tree, lay her eggs, and die, her body producing a brilliant crimson dye. As she died, her blood-red fluid would stain her offspring and the wood. Remarkably, Psalm 22:6 uses this exact word: "But I am a worm (tola), and no man." Jesus, dying on the tree, staining the wood with His blood, giving life to His offspring โ the crimson worm is a stunning prophetic picture.
Cleansing Rituals
Rahab's Scarlet Thread
Sin Described as Scarlet
The Tabernacle
Christ Clothed in Scarlet
Revelation โ Babylon's Garments
โ๏ธ Fulfilled in Christ
Scarlet/crimson is the color of blood and sacrifice, finding ultimate fulfillment in Christ's atoning death. The scarlet thread that saved Rahab's household pictures salvation through blood. The crimson dye derived from the tola worm โ which dies on a tree giving life to its offspring โ is a stunning prophetic picture: "I am a worm (tola), and no man" (Psalm 22:6). Jesus, the "Scarlet Worm," died on the tree, His blood providing cleansing for sin. Where Isaiah says sins "red as crimson" become "white as snow," the gospel declares how: through the crimson blood of Jesus Christ (1 John 1:7).
Red โ Earth, Humanity, Judgment
Esau โ The "Red" One
The Red Sea
Rams' Skins Dyed Red
Weather Signs
Apocalyptic Imagery (Revelation)
โ๏ธ Fulfilled in Christ
Red (Hebrew: adom) connects to Adam (adam), humanity formed from the red earth (adamah). Christ, the "last Adam" (1 Cor. 15:45), took on human flesh โ He became truly man. The red heifer sacrifice (Num. 19) cleansed from death's defilement, pointing to Christ who delivers us from death itself. The rams' skins dyed red covering the Tabernacle speak of Christ's protective sacrifice. In Revelation, the red horse brings war and the red dragon Satan โ but Christ conquered both at the cross, and will triumph fully at His return.
Fine Linen โ Righteousness, Purity, Priesthood
The Tabernacle
Priestly Garments
Joseph's Exaltation
Burial of Christ
The Bride of Christ (Revelation)
โ๏ธ Fulfilled in Christ
Fine linen represents righteousness โ both the perfect righteousness of Christ and the righteous acts of the saints enabled by His grace (Rev. 19:8). Christ's body was wrapped in fine linen at burial, and His resurrection left the grave clothes lying empty. The priests wore fine linen to serve in God's presence; Christ, our Great High Priest, serves in perfect righteousness before the Father. The Bride of Christ will be clothed in "fine linen, pure and bright" โ not self-made righteousness, but the righteousness of Christ imputed to believers through faith.
Color Comparison Chart
An overview of biblical colors, their sources, meanings, and primary uses.
| Color | Hebrew Term | Source/Dye | Primary Symbolism | Key Uses | Christ Connection |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| White | ืึธืึธื (lavan) | Bleaching, natural | Purity, holiness, victory | Angelic robes, saints' garments | Christ's transfiguration, glorified saints |
| Blue | ืชึฐึผืึตืึถืช (tekhelet) | Murex snail (trunculus) | Heaven, divine law | Tabernacle, high priest robe, tzitzit | Christ from heaven, living Word |
| Purple | ืึทืจึฐืึธึผืึธื (argaman) | Murex snail (brandaris) | Royalty, kingship, wealth | Tabernacle veil, royal robes | Christ the King, crowned with thorns |
| Scarlet/Crimson | ืฉึธืื ึดื / ืชึผืึนืึทืขึทืช (shani/tola) | Kermes (tola) worm | Blood, sacrifice, sin | Cleansing rituals, Rahab's thread | Christ's blood, "I am a worm" |
| Red | ืึธืึนื (adom) | Various natural sources | Earth, humanity, judgment | Red heifer, rams' skins | Last Adam, human nature of Christ |
| Fine Linen | ืฉึตืืฉื / ืึผืึผืฅ (shesh/buts) | Egyptian flax, bleached | Righteousness, purity | Tabernacle, priestly garments | Righteousness of saints, burial cloths |
๐ The Triad of Blue, Purple, and Scarlet
These three colors appear together 24 times in Exodus alone, always in connection with the Tabernacle and priestly garments. Together they paint a complete picture of Christ:
Colors in Sacred Textiles
How colors were used in the construction of the Tabernacle, Temple, and priestly garments.
๐๏ธ The Tabernacle Curtains
๐ช The Veil
The veil separated the Holy Place from the Most Holy Place, where God's presence dwelt above the mercy seat. This veil, woven with blue, purple, scarlet, and fine linen, represents Christ's flesh (Heb. 10:20). When Jesus died, this veil was torn from top to bottom (Matt. 27:51) โ God Himself ripping it open, declaring the way into His presence now open through Christ.
๐ The High Priest's Garments
๐งต The Tzitzit (Fringes)
Every Israelite was to wear a blue thread in their garment's fringes. Blue, the color of heaven, reminded them that God's commandments came from above. Jesus wore these fringes โ the woman with the issue of blood touched "the hem of His garment" (Matt. 9:20), likely the tzitzit. She touched the One who is Himself the fulfillment of the Law.
Test Your Knowledge
How well do you know the colors of Scripture?