1 Timothy 2:11–12
Bible verses · Also called: 1 Timothy 2:11-12, 1 Tim 2:11-12, Let the woman learn in silence, I suffer not a woman to teach
- Bible verses
- First draft by AI
- Last edited 2026-10-04
- Encyclopedia home
11 Let the woman learn in silence with all subjection.
12 But I suffer not a woman to teach, nor to usurp authority over the man, but to be in silence.
The text is the New Korean Revised Version (1998), shown under a licence from the Korean Bible Society. Wording may differ slightly from the Korean Revised Version and the Revised New Korean Standard Version. Read in the Korean Revised Version
"Let the woman learn in silence with all subjection. … But I suffer not a woman to teach, nor to usurp authority over the man." This passage is central to the debate over the ordination of women and the role of women in the church, and denominations have reached differing conclusions about it.
Context
1 Timothy is a letter to Timothy instructing him to correct the false teaching that had spread in the church at Ephesus (1:3–7). Verses 2:8–15 address the conduct of men and women in worship. Paul instructs the men to pray without anger or quarreling, and the women to dress modestly and to learn quietly. Then, in verses 13–14, he appeals to the Genesis account that Adam was formed first and that Eve was deceived, and he concludes in verse 15 with the difficult statement "she shall be saved in childbearing."
Interpretation
- Complementarian reading: Because verse 13 appeals to the order of creation, this instruction is understood not as a response to the circumstances of a particular church but as a principle that applies to the church in every age. Men and women are equal, but the offices of teaching and governing in the church (pastor and elder) are understood to be entrusted to men.
- Egalitarian reading: The instruction is seen as arising from a situation in which false teachers at Ephesus had gained influence among women (compare 2 Timothy 3:6–7). The Greek word rendered "usurp authority," authenteō, is a rare word that occurs only here in the New Testament, and it may refer not to the ordinary exercise of authority but to wielding authority in an abusive or domineering way. Proponents also note that the command "let the woman learn" itself went beyond the customs of the time, which restricted the education of women.
- Other passages cited in support: Egalitarians point to Galatians 3:28, Phoebe and Junia in Romans 16, and Priscilla in Acts 18:26; complementarians point to 1 Corinthians 14:34–35 and the qualifications for a bishop in 1 Timothy 3:2.
Debate and Issues
The interpretation of this passage bears directly on the question of the ordination of women. In Korea, the Korean Methodist Church began ordaining women as pastors at an early date, the Presbyterian Church of Korea (Tonghap) permitted the practice in the 1990s, and Pentecostal denominations, including those in the Full Gospel tradition, also have women pastors. By contrast, the Presbyterian Church in Korea (Hapdong), the Presbyterian Church in Korea (Kosin), and others are reported not to permit the ordination of women as pastors or elders, citing this passage among others. Discussion continues even within individual denominations.
Related Passages
- 1 Corinthians 14:34–35
- Galatians 3:28
- Romans 16:1–7
- Genesis 2:18–24
See also 6
🚩 Is there a problem with this article? Report it
Log in to report. Reports are reviewed within 24 hours.
Discussion 0
Share your thoughts, other viewpoints or corrections for this article.