What is the worst mistranslation in our English Bibles relating to women?
We’ve been looking at ‘the worst’ in different senses. Having looked at the mistranslation with the least shred of justification (Part 1), the one with the most negative description of women (Part 2), and the most misleading (Part 3), we finish our series with .
Setting the scene
In the debate over whether the Bible permits or prohibits women pastors, 1 Timothy 2:12 takes a central place. There are numerous conflicting interpretations on each side of the debate. Broadly, complementarians understand Paul to be laying down a general rule that prohibits women from giving authoritative teaching to men. But egalitarians understand Paul to be dealing with a specific situation of false teaching in Ephesus, not laying down a general rule. Paul’s accompanying reference to Genesis is understood in correspondingly different ways. Egalitarians tend to see 1 Tim. 2:13-14 as an illustration to support what he says, but complementarians tend to see it as an appeal to a general creation principle of male authority.
There are reputable evangelical scholars on each side of this debate. When I started writing Men and Women in Christ: Fresh Light from the Biblical Texts, I fully expected to find reasonably strong and finely balanced arguments on both sides, meaning that any conclusion about women pastors could only be tentative. But I was surprised to find that the complementarian position on this issue was more fragile than I had expected. One of the biggest surprises for me concerned the translation of 1 Timothy 2:12.
1 Timothy 2:12
Here is 1 Timothy 2:12 in the ESV: ‘I do not permit a woman to teach or to exercise authority over a man; rather, she is to remain quiet.’
This translation indicates that Paul is not permitting the ordinary exercise of authority by a woman over a man. The implied reason for this position is something in the woman-man relationship, and this feeds in to how vv 13-14 are read.
When ESV translates the Greek verb authenteō as ‘exercise authority’, this is in line with about 30 English versions, which use the same or similar words (often, ‘have authority’).
But there are also many alternative translations, including ‘usurp authority over’ (KJV), ‘dictate to’ (TLV), ‘lord it over’ (TLB), and ‘instigate conflict toward’ (ISV). In these translations, Paul is not permitting a woman to do something that no one should do, whether man or woman.
There has been uncertainty over how to translate authenteō throughout the history of English versions, ever since John Wycliffe and his helpers made the first complete Bible translation into English from the Latin Vulgate in the 14th century. In the Wycliffe Bible the full phrase appears as ‘nether to haue lordschip on the hosebonde’ (neither to have lordship on the husband).
This word authenteō is not Paul’s ordinary word for the exercise of authority. It is an unusual word, which is not used anywhere else in the New Testament, so it is important to look at other Greek writings to see what it means. For example, in the late fourth century, John Chrysostom warned husbands not to ‘authent’ their wives (in Homily 10 on Colossians 3:18–25). He was expounding Paul’s warning to husbands not to act harshly towards their wives (v 19). Chrysostom was a firm believer in male authority, so he was certainly not warning husbands against the ordinary exercise of authority over their wives. He was telling husbands not to do something harsh, probably something like ‘act the despot’ or ‘act autocratically’, or ‘domineer’.
Why are there so many different translations of this one Greek word in English versions? The reason is that over the centuries it was used with a variety of different meanings.
But among this variety, the stunning fact is that in all the centuries of Greek literature before the time of Paul, during Paul’s lifetime, and for about three centuries after Paul, there is not even one clear example of authenteō being used in the sense ‘exercise authority’ or ‘have authority’.[1] The only clear examples are from the fourth century AD onwards. The available evidence does not show that Paul, as a Greek speaker in the first century, would have been aware of this later meaning.[2] I think we can be confident that it is a mistranslation.
Translating as ‘exercise authority’ or something similar is an important element in the complementarian understanding that 1 Timothy 2:12 prohibits women pastors. Without this translation, the complementarian position on women’s ministry is much more difficult to maintain. I would therefore award to this translation the prize for the mistranslation that probably has the greatest impact on women.
[1] For details, see Men and Women in Christ: Fresh Light from the Biblical Texts (IVP, 2019), 268-270, 278, 372-375.
[2] The earliest example I am aware of, where someone may have understood Paul to mean ‘exercise authority’, is from the third century, in Origen’s commentary on 1 Corinthians 14:34-35. Origen quotes part of 1 Tim. 2:12, but he does not specifically discuss the meaning of authenteō, so it is hard to be sure exactly how he understood that particular word.
"But there are also many alternative translations, including ‘usurp authority over’ (KJV), ‘dictate to’ (TLV), ‘lord it over’ (TLB), and ‘instigate conflict toward’ (ISV). In these translations, Paul is not permitting a woman to do something that no one should do, whether man or woman."
1 Timothy 2:9 In like manner also, that women adorn themselves in modest apparel, with shamefacedness and sobriety; not with broided hair, or gold, or pearls, or costly array;
10 But (which becometh women professing godliness) with good works.
That is all simple to know, the women to not be as women that are without good works.
Next for the women, they to learn in subjection, but to and from whom ?
1 Timothy 2:11 Let the woman learn in silence with all subjection.
1 Corinthians 14:35 And if they will learn any thing, let them ask their husbands at home: for it is a shame for women to speak in the church.
1 Peter 3:1 Likewise, ye wives, be in subjection to your own husbands; that, if any obey not the word, they also may without the word be won by the conversation of the wives;
2 While they behold your chaste conversation coupled with fear.
3 Whose adorning let it not be that outward adorning of plaiting the hair, and of wearing of gold, or of putting on of apparel;
1 Peter 3:5 For after this manner in the old time the holy women also, who trusted in God, adorned themselves, being in subjection unto their own husbands:
6 Even as Sara obeyed Abraham, calling him lord: whose daughters ye are, as long as ye do well, and are not afraid with any amazement.
7 Likewise, ye husbands, dwell with them according to knowledge, giving honour unto the wife, as unto the weaker vessel, and as being heirs together of the grace of life; that your prayers be not hindered.
We saw above how deeply God has shown all, how the women are to be in subjection to, and obey their husband, even to those not obeying the word yet.
The wife is the weaker vessel, just as a man of God is weak next to Christ, and is why He is their head, the same as the man,(if he was in Christ) is the head of the woman, she has none without this, and instead is led by corrupted men everywhere on earth, or claims to have Christ as her head directly, ignoring the Lords teaching and distinctions, which shows who God is and who man is, and how the Lord laid His life down for His sheep, women who believe in modern feminism deny all of the Lord and the men who support them likewise, and the men corrupted caused it , which is all on earth right now at the ending...
1 Timothy 2:12 But I suffer not a woman to teach, nor to usurp authority over the man, but to be in silence.
13 For Adam was first formed, then Eve.
14 And Adam was not deceived, but the woman being deceived was in the transgression.
15 Notwithstanding she shall be saved in childbearing, if they continue in faith and charity and holiness with sobriety
Saved in childbearing, she needs this as told..
Genesis 3:16 Unto the woman he said, I will greatly multiply thy sorrow and thy conception; in sorrow thou shalt bring forth children; and thy desire shall be to thy husband, and he shall rule over thee.
"For example, in the late fourth century, John Chrysostom warned husbands not to ‘authent’ their wives (in Homily 10 on Colossians 3:18–25). He was expounding Paul’s warning to husbands not to act harshly towards their wives (v 19). Chrysostom was a firm believer in male authority, so he was certainly not warning husbands against the ordinary exercise of authority over their wive
Mysteries of God are not what people can expound. The man and the woman together in the Lord is a great mystery about Christ and the church.
So wives submit to their husbands, as the husband loves his wife, as Christ loved His church, dying for His sheep so they follow Him and in turn know from His Holy Spirit how to in turn love their wives too, cherishing them and laying their lives down for them in all things.
Children and parents love each other as is correct in the Lord, first the children lesrn obedience at home, before they can go out into the world for God. Also the wives submit to their husbands, not resenting, knowing Christ is his head who he submits to, to grow up in the Lord together is the aim.
Colossians 3:18 Wives, submit yourselves unto your own husbands, as it is fit in the Lord.
19 Husbands, love your wives, and be not bitter against them.
20 Children, obey your parents in all things: for this is well pleasing unto the Lord.
21 Fathers, provoke not your children to anger, lest they be discouraged.
Colossians 3:25, is for all who assume they are serving the Lord Jesus, if anyone does wrong, they receive no reward of inheritence.
Colossians 3:22 Servants, obey in all things your masters according to the flesh; not with eyeservice, as menpleasers; but in singleness of heart, fearing God;
23 And whatsoever ye do, do it heartily, as to the Lord, and not unto men;
24 Knowing that of the Lord ye shall receive the reward of the inheritance: for ye serve the Lord Christ.
25 But he that doeth wrong shall receive for the wrong which he hath done: and there is no respect of persons.
"Translating as ‘exercise authority’ or something similar is an important element in the complementarian understanding that 1 Timothy 2:12 prohibits women pastors. Without this translation, the complementarian position on women’s ministry is much more difficult to maintain. I would therefore award to this translation the prize for the mistranslation that probably has the greatest impact on women."
The whole purpose of all of these attacks on the Lords Holy, unattackable word now clarifies.
Are women ok to be pastors.
The answer in one scripture that comes to mind, and it is a good answer to who seeks to change the ordinances of the Lord to suit their own ungodly lusts..
Romans 1:24 Wherefore God also gave them up to uncleanness through the lusts of their own hearts, to dishonour their own bodies between themselves:
25 Who changed the truth of God into a lie, and worshipped and served the creature more than the Creator, who is blessed for ever. Amen.
26 For this cause God gave them up unto vile affections: for even their women did change the natural use into that which is against nature:
27 And likewise also the men, leaving the natural use of the woman, burned in their lust one toward another; men with men working that which is unseemly, and receiving in themselves that recompence of their error which was meet.
