FB Introduction
The 2026 Southern Baptist Convention’s (SBC) Annual Meeting took place June 7-10 in the Orlando Convention Center, preceded by the SBC Pastor’s Conference on June 7-8. A ban voted for in each of the last three annual meetings was strengthened by an initial step toward passing a constitutional amendment that would ban women from teaching scripture or preaching to congregations within the denomination. This year’s vote was 6,028 to 2,026, a 3-to-1 margin, which easily exceeded the required two-thirds majority. It will require a similar two-thirds vote at next year’s meeting to become part of the official constitution. In my book, “The Bible and Women: How Did I Miss So Much?”, I addressed earlier actions by the SBC, especially related to Rick Warren and the famous Saddleback Church in Southern California.
The SBC’s view of the role of women in churches is very similar to the majority view in my own family of churches. On the one hand, I am patient with those holding a view that I have now rejected, and on the other hand, I have the impatience that often accompanies the discovery of a new, more biblical view. Once you see that new truth, you simply cannot unsee it. It now seems so obvious that you wonder how you missed it for so long. This explains the title of my book mentioned above.
I missed so much because I was mistaught the subject initially, which then required unlearning in order to learn or relearn. Error, once accepted, has a blinding effect on seeing things differently. If we had started at the beginning on this topic, the establishment of the church, the error could have been avoided. Peter, in preaching the first gospel sermon after Christ’s resurrection, quoted a passage from the prophet Joel showing the new role of women in this newly established church.
Acts 2:17-18 (NIV)
17 In the last days, God says, I will pour out my Spirit on all people. Your sons and daughters will prophesy, your young men will see visions, your old men will dream dreams. 18 Even on my servants, both men and women, I will pour out my Spirit in those days, and they will prophesy.
Joel states twice that both males and females would prophesy. Either they did or both Joel and Peter were wrong. 1 Corinthians 11 shows that they did. In that historical setting, both men and women had dress or appearance codes to abide by, but both prophesied. Joel wasn’t wrong; Peter wasn’t wrong. But due to being mistaught, so many miss this truth, a truth hiding in plain sight. How could we miss something this obvious? At a deeper level, it is due to being immersed in what is called “patriarchy” without realizing it. (My book digs into this unsavory subject in some detail.) At a surface level, it is due to misinterpreting a verse in 1 Corinthians 14 by allowing it to contradict a truth already established in 1 Corinthians 11 (and Joel 2 and Acts 2). My recently posted article deals with this very unfortunate misinterpretation and what contributed to the misinterpretation. I hope you read it and pass it on to others. Thank you.
The Article — Women’s Roles and Misleading Bible Translations
Through the decades as I have studied the topic of women’s roles in the church, 1 Corinthians 14:34 has remained one of the most controversial verses. It reads in the NIV as follows: “Women should remain silent in the churches. They are not allowed to speak, but must be in submission, as the law says.”
Many friends in my family of churches have neglected the broader context of passages like this one, as well as the actual wording of the verse itself. Therefore, I have tried to point out both the broader context of the verse as well as the details of the verse but have discovered recently that I too have failed to look carefully enough at a slightly broader context in which this verse is found.
My normal way of trying to clarify the context is to begin by noting that the early part of 1 Corinthians 11 makes it clear that women were praying and prophesying in the church at Corinth. That passage does include restrictions about their appearance while doing so, their hair in particular. Note that restrictions were also given to the men who were praying and prophesying. Thus, to take 1 Corinthians 14:34 as forbidding women to speak in church ignores the broader context which includes 1 Corinthians 11. In Acts 2:17-18, as Peter quoted from Joel 2, he said twice that women in the new covenant would be prophesying. How can that be ignored? How can 1 Corinthians 11 be ignored?
Further, the word translated as “silent” in the verse (sigao) means absolute silence, and if taken literally, women could not even sing. Then we have the word translated as “women” (gune) which is often translated as “wives” in the NT. In fact, it is translated each way almost the same number of times, depending on how the context is viewed by the translators. Yet, since the translators historically were males, stuck in their traditional views of women, we shouldn’t be surprised that no translations have rendered gune as wives, which contextually makes much more sense. Moving on, what is the context of this verse?
It is one in which the gune are told to ask their husbands questions at home, not in the middle of a church assembly. Since the prophets are addressed just prior to these women being addressed, the context would indicate that “wives” would be the better translation, as noted. They appeared to be interrupting their prophet husbands as they spoke. Taking the Greek meaning of these two words into consideration, along with the context, I remain a bit flabbergasted that anyone would use the verse to forbid all women to open their mouths in a church assembly aside from singing.
What I Missed
I published a book in 2024 entitled, “The Bible and Women: How Did I Miss So Much?” In it, I explained 1 Corinthians 14:34 in a similar way to the explanation in the preceding paragraphs. However, I failed to look closely enough at a slightly broader context and the word usage of sigao (silent) in that context. Although I usually check a number of different translations when writing about a complex or controversial passage, plus the original Greek, I evidently thought the immediate context (plus 1 Corinthians 11) should settle the issue.
My usual custom in writing is to use the most recent NIV translation for quotations unless I want to show a more accurate translation of a particular passage or verse, in which case I normally use the NASB (New American Standard Bible). To see what I missed and thus failed to include in my book, compare the two passages below in their translations of the word sigao (meaning absolute silence). I also use the translation’s added heading for the section quoted. Note the translations of sigao in bold italics.
Good Order in Worship (NIV 2011)
1 Corinthians 14:26-40
26 What then shall we say, brothers and sisters? When you come together, each of you has a hymn, or a word of instruction, a revelation, a tongue or an interpretation. Everything must be done so that the church may be built up. 27 If anyone speaks in a tongue, two—or at the most three—should speak, one at a time, and someone must interpret. 28 If there is no interpreter, the speaker should keep quiet in the church and speak to himself and to God.
29 Two or three prophets should speak, and the others should weigh carefully what is said. 30 And if a revelation comes to someone who is sitting down, the first speaker should stop. 31 For you can all prophesy in turn so that everyone may be instructed and encouraged. 32 The spirits of prophets are subject to the control of prophets. 33 For God is not a God of disorder but of peace—as in all the congregations of the Lord’s people.
34 Women should remain silent in the churches. They are not allowed to speak, but must be in submission, as the law says. 35 If they want to inquire about something, they should ask their own husbands at home; for it is disgraceful for a woman to speak in the church.
36 Or did the word of God originate with you? Or are you the only people it has reached? 37 If anyone thinks they are a prophet or otherwise gifted by the Spirit, let them acknowledge that what I am writing to you is the Lord’s command. 38 But if anyone ignores this, they will themselves be ignored. 39 Therefore, my brothers and sisters, be eager to prophesy, and do not forbid speaking in tongues. 40 But everything should be done in a fitting and orderly way.
Instruction for the Church (NASB 2020)
1 Corinthians 14:26-40
26 What is the outcome then, brothers and sisters? When you assemble, each one has a psalm, has a teaching, has a revelation, has a tongue, has an interpretation. All things are to be done for edification. 27 If anyone speaks in a tongue, it must be by two or at the most three, and each one in turn, and one is to interpret; 28 but if there is no interpreter, he is to keep silent in church; and have him speak to himself and to God.
29 Have two or three prophets speak, and have the others pass judgment. 30 But if a revelation is made to another who is seated, then the first one is to keep silent. 31 For you can all prophesy one by one, so that all may learn and all may be exhorted; 32 and the spirits of prophets are subject to prophets; 33 for God is not a God of confusion, but of peace.
As in all the churches of the saints, 34 the women are to keep silent in the churches; for they are not permitted to speak, but are to subject themselves, just as the Law also says. 35 If they desire to learn anything, let them ask their own husbands at home; for it is improper for a woman to speak in church.
36 Or was it from you that the word of God first went out? Or has it come to you only? 37 If anyone thinks that he is a prophet or spiritual, let him recognize that the things which I write to you are the Lord’s commandment. 38 But if anyone does not recognize this, he is not recognized. 39 Therefore, my brothers and sisters, earnestly desire to prophesy, and do not forbid speaking in tongues. 40 But all things must be done properly and in an orderly way.
Context, Context, Context
As has often been said, the three most important things in real estate sales are location, location and location. In biblical interpretation, the three most important things are context, context and context. The translations give in their headings of the above passages what the texts themselves do in the final verse – “all things must be done properly and in an orderly manner,” addressing what takes place in a church assembly.
What were the things being done in a disorderly manner? Tongue speakers were speaking when no interpreter was present, and Paul is forbidding this. Prophets kept speaking after a new revelation was given to another prophet who was seated, indicating that it was their turn to speak. Hence, Paul told the prophets who kept speaking to stop and allow the one with the most recent revelation to take his or her turn. To keep them from claiming that they just couldn’t help themselves in continuing to speak, Paul said that they could – their spirits were subject to themselves. Finally, the wives of the prophets were evidently interrupting their husbands with questions but now being forbidden to do so. They were told to wait and ask them later at home.
The same Greek word is used for all three abuses of order – sigao, meaning to keep absolutely silent. Had I been using the NASB or checking the Greek carefully, I would have noticed this, which would have been helpful in this section in my book. However, as I said, just looking at the two Greek terms in verse 34, plus considering the broader context of 1 Corinthians 11 should be sufficient to make the point. Yet the instructions about keeping silent in the case of those speaking in tongues and prophesying prior to the instructions given to the wives do add another helpful layer. I wish I had included that addition.
If we are not willing to look at the historical setting within a first century assembly, we would then have to be willing to accept tongue speaking in our churches today. Verse 39 states clearly: “Do not forbid to speak in tongues.” But in this case, we are quick to deal with that historical setting in our interpretation, aren’t we? We are quick to explain the purpose and duration of tongue speaking, thus determining its short-lived usage historically.
Yes, Bible translations can be misleading, and the NIV is misleading in its translation of the verses in 1 Corinthians 14 that have been addressed. Many other translations do a better job, as does the NASB. Surprisingly, I have yet to find any translation that translates gune as “wives” when the context all but demands it. The power of patriarchy remains alive and well even among translators who are experts in the original languages! (See much more detail on this malady in my book.) Their traditions and biases trump their honest treatment of context. Let’s not do the same any longer.
