1 Timothy 2 · Verse 12

1 Timothy 2:12

But I suffer not a woman to teach, nor to usurp authority over the man, but to be in silence.
1 Timothy 2:12, King James Version

1 Timothy 2:12 in other translations

BSBI do not permit a woman to teach or to exercise authority over a man; she is to remain quiet.
WEBBut I don’t permit a woman to teach, nor to exercise authority over a man, but to be in quietness.
ASVBut I permit not a woman to teach, nor to have dominion over a man, but to be in quietness.
YLTand a woman I do not suffer to teach, nor to rule a husband, but to be in quietness,
DARBYbut I do not suffer a woman to teach nor to exercise authority over man, but to be in quietness;
BBEIn my opinion it is right for a woman not to be a teacher, or to have rule over a man, but to be quiet.
WebsterBut I suffer not a woman to teach, nor to usurp authority over the man, but to be in silence.

What does 1 Timothy 2:12 mean?

Jamieson-Fausset-Brown
12. usurp authority--"to lord it over the man" [Alford], literally, "to be an autocrat."

Robert Jamieson, A. R. Fausset & David Brown, 1871 · public domain

Barnes' Notes
Verse 12. But I suffer not a woman to teach. 1Cor 14:34.

Nor to usurp authority over the man. 1Cor 11:3.

Albert Barnes, 1834 · public domain

Adam Clarke's Commentary
Verse 12 Nor to usurp authority - A woman should attempt nothing, either in public or private, that belongs to man as his peculiar function. This was prohibited by the Roman laws: In multis juris nostri articulis deterior est conditio foeminarum quam masculorun,; l. 9, Pap. Lib. 31, Quaest. Foeminoe ab omnibus officiis civilibus vel publicis remotae sunt; et ideo nec judicis esse possunt, nec magistratum gerere, nec postulare, nec pro alio invenire, nec procuratores existere; l. 2, de Reg. Juris. Ulp. Lib. i. Ad Sab. - Vid. Poth. Pand. Justin., vol. i. p. 13. "In our laws the condition of women is, in many respects, worse than that of men. Women are precluded from all public offices; therefore they cannot be judges, nor execute the function of magistrates; they cannot sue, plead, nor act in any case, as proxies." They were under many other disabilities, which may be seen in different places of the Pandects. But to be in silence - It was lawful for men in public assemblies to ask questions, or even interrupt the speaker when there was any matter in his speech which they did not understand; but this liberty was not granted to women. See the note on 1Cor 14:34, 1Cor 14:35 (note).

Adam Clarke, 1831 · public domain

Matthew Henry's Concise Commentary on 1 Timothy 2:8-15

Under the gospel, prayer is not to be confined to any one particular house of prayer, but men must pray every where. We must pray in our closets, pray in our families, pray at our meals, pray when we are on journeys, and pray in the solemn assemblies, whether more public or private. We must pray in charity; without wrath, or malice, or anger at any person. We must pray in faith, without doubting, and without…

Read the full comment on 1 Timothy 2:8-15 →

1 Timothy 2:12 in the original Greek

Word-by-word with transliteration, English gloss and Strong's number. Tap a number for the full definition and every place the word is used.

διδάσκεινdidaskeinTo teachG1321
δὲdehoweverG1161
γυναικὶgunaikia womanG1135
οὐκouknotG3756
ἐπιτρέπωepitrepōI do permitG2010
οὐδὲoudenorG3761
αὐθεντεῖνauthenteinto use authority overG831
ἀνδρὸςandrosa manG435
ἀλλ᾽all᾽butG235
εἶναιeinaito beG1511
ἐνeninG1722
ἡσυχίᾳ.hēsuchiaquietness.G2271

Source: STEPBible TAHOT/TAGNT (Tyndale House, CC BY 4.0).

Cross references for 1 Timothy 2:12

  • 1 Corinthians 14:34

    Let your women keep silence in the churches: for it is not permitted unto them to speak; but they are commanded to be under obedience, as also saith the law.

Ranked by reader votes · OpenBible.info cross references (CC BY).

Context

  • 1 Timothy 2:11

    Let the woman learn in silence with all subjection.

  • 1 Timothy 2:12

    But I suffer not a woman to teach, nor to usurp authority over the man, but to be in silence.

  • 1 Timothy 2:13

    For Adam was first formed, then Eve.

Read all of 1 Timothy 2

1 Timothy 2:12 in other languages

Spanish
Reina-Valera 1909		Porque no permito á la mujer enseñar, ni tomar autoridad sobre el hombre, sino estar en silencio.
French
Bible J.N. Darby 1885		mais je ne permets pas à la femme d’enseigner ni d’user d’autorité sur l’homme; mais elle doit demeurer dans le silence;
German
Elberfelder 1871		Ich erlaube aber einem Weibe nicht, zu lehren, noch über den Mann zu herrschen, sondern still zu sein,
Latin
Clementine Vulgate		Docere autem mulieri non permitto, neque dominari in virum: sed esse in silentio.