God Commands Women Be Silent in the Churches
“For God is not the author of confusion, but of peace, as in all churches of the saints.
“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.
“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.
“What? came the word of God out from you? or came it unto you only?
“If any man think himself to be a prophet, or spiritual, let him acknowledge that the things that I write unto you are the commandments of the Lord” (1 Corinthians 14:33-37)
These are “commandments of the Lord” and they are for “all the churches of the saints.” Women are to be silent in the churches. These verses don’t only have to do with women teaching/preaching in the churches. They have to do with women being silent in the churches; for it is not permitted unto them to speak and it is a shame for women to speak in the church. Are you silent in the church? Are you careful to not speak in the church? Of course, you can sing with the congregation. Singing is not speaking. I say this since some people will ask as if they don’t know that there is a difference.
“Let the woman learn in silence with all subjection.
“But I suffer not a woman to teach, nor to usurp authority over the man, but to be in silence.
“For Adam was first formed, then Eve.
“And Adam was not deceived, but the woman being deceived was in the transgression” (1 Timothy 2:11-14)
In these verses, women are once again reminded to be in silence in the churches. We are also told that women are not to teach nor usurp authority over men in the churches. Then we are the reasons why. Adam was created first, therefore, this was God’s authority structure from the beginning (Patriarchy), and Eve was deceived.
These verses are as clear as day for all who want to hear. Many don’t want to hear, and this is why there are so many female preachers/teachers in the churches and no one seems to care. Women are breaking God’s clear commands and “preaching” His Word in the churches. They are in sin. Do not be deceived by them and if you have a female on the elder or deacon board, I encourage you to find a new church.
When I was growing up, no women spoke in the churches that I attended. There weren’t female worship leaders who gave little mini-sermons and prayed in between the songs, essentially being in authority over the men. There weren’t even women giving announcements. It was all done by the men, and no one thought anything of it since most churches were this way.
We must live according to God’s principles no matter how out of date that they appear to be. They are good and perfect for us, women. Trust that His ways are best and obey Him. Find a church that obeys His Word without compromise.
For we are not as many, which corrupt the word of God: but as of sincerity, but as of God, in the sight of God speak we in Christ.
2 Corinthians 2:17
32 thoughts on “God Commands Women Be Silent in the Churches”
Amen! There aren’t any churches left that hold to these scriptures. Even the church I go to now women are giving little sermons in between songs and talking during service. I long for a church where just the men speak and God’s word is actually held up. I pray for this world and for a revival in the church.
Our fellowship women are still silent in worship services. You have to attend a more conservative church.
It’s such an easy thing to do but it trips up so many. For 2 hours once a week we are to be silent but you’d think we were asked to climb the highest mountain or something else really hard. My understanding of this scripture has become where I believe it includes being silent whenever the church is meeting/studying so I began to be silent in Bible class. It’s an easy thing to do! even for one like me who isn’t shy and enjoys discourse.
Thankful for my church that teaches this- Liberty Baptist Church, St Clair MO❤️
Oh wow how awesome!
Being silent in the church has to do with proper church order. Too bad some don’t understand that. God is a God if order He is not the God of chaos. He wants men to lead in his church. Women do have a role to play in church but it’s more along the lines of teaching other women or the youth. This does not mean women are inferior in any way. Scripture reference 1st Corinthians 14:33, 1st Corinthians 14:40, 1st Corinthians 14:34
Honest question: How should I go about disciplining my children and taking care of them during church services if I can’t speak?
It refers to speaking out loud, Lisa. You can softly whisper to your children or even at times take them out of the service if they are disruptive but it’s good to teach them to be silent and listen beginning at home.
Thank you for this Lori. Being an older women I’ve seen women I knew many years ago, disobey God and take up positions of authority in church over men as well as women and the outcome is awful. They look terrible and their lives end up very messed up. One I know looks more like a man than a woman, in every sense but she didn’t start out that way. No matter how good they appear at the beginning of their sinful journey of being in authority in church over men, speaking softly, interesting sermons, good deeds, the end result is like a rotting apple. An apple can look perfect on the outside from a distance but can be slowly decaying on the inside because of a small worm. I heard what I have written about the apple in a sermon many years ago. God bless you.
Titus 2:3-5 ESV “Older women likewise are to be reverent in behavior, not slanderers or slaves to much wine. They are to teach what is good, 4 and so train the young women to love their husbands and children, 5 to be self-controlled, pure, working at home, kind, and submissive to their own husbands, that the word of God may not be reviled.”
Quick question what is the” good” that this verse talks about? Is it the words that follow and other topics in the Bible or just the words that follow? The reason why I ask is that I have a Bible study leader ( I have other women Bible studies that I go to and they usually go through a book or study) that is going through the book Secrets of the Secret Place by Bob Sorge and I was wondering if this was okay for women to teach.
Women are silent during worship in my church,( PCA Presbyterian Church of America). Not so sure this will last. Our pastor says if it even gets close he will be leaving the denomination. That being said, women are aloud to freely speak in Bible study or Sunday School. They teach through their answers all the time. . There are only two of us that don’t speak. Thanks Lori for being so bold. I know of almost no one who believes the truth about the woman’s role anymore.
In the study guide I wrote, under the chapter of *good*, I taught the women who they are in Christ because without Him, we can do nothing. I believe that if most older women were teaching what God taught them specifically commanded they teach, the Church would be much stronger today than it is.
It’s one thing to be silent at church. But if at home we tell our husbands that we think it’s time to replace our current pastor or the next day on the phone tell our friend that we feel the pastor could freshen up his messages instead of talking Sunday after Sunday about basically the same thing, etc. or text a fellow church member Sunday afternoon to complain how lame the devotional was and how we ourselves could have done better then that
THEN
are we really truly keeping silence in the church? Are we really in obedience? Are we really building up the church where the women keep “silent?”
The way we see it in our church is that women shouldn’t be the ones leading and teaching. After the sermon there is a time where the men can give feedback, correction or expound on a point mentioned in the sermon as well as ask for clarification if something is unclear. I like being silent and listening in this, because I can learn from the different perspectives. As a woman I participate in corporate worship and in prayer – yes, I also pray out loud, as does everyone else in our congregation, one at a time. We believe that since 1st Corinthians 11 mentions women praying and prophesying as something that occurs in church we can participate in prayer and worship (which in and of itself is both prayer and prophesy in a way) as long as we sisters cover our heads doing so, also in accordance with that passage in scripture. In that way we are not taking control of the direction the church service takes in terms of the topics discussed, but instead we support the brothers doing the teaching in participating in the areas we may 🙂
Dear Lori,
I believe you’ve fielded this question before in a comment section somewhere, but I couldn’t find it. What are your thoughts about small group Bible studies conducted in a home setting? When there are men and women both present, should a woman be praying or Scripture reading in this setting? Some say that being silent here would not apply due to it not being at a church.
Dear Lori and Friends, oh the scoffers love to pile up on this one. But they conveniently forget that during a Bible church service – the sermon and the Bible reading, and whatever announcements given beforehand – the men are silent too.
After the service, by the way, we have fellowship in the outer room, and anyone – man or woman – can share in conversation.
When the Bible was written, all of the churches were in the homes. I believe that even in the situation you mentioned, the women should be quiet and allow the men to lead and teach. Women can easily take over situations such as this. God had reasons for teaching women to be silent.
I like what Gill’s Exposition says about 1 Cor. 11:5: :But every woman that prayeth or prophesieth,…. Not that a woman was allowed to pray publicly in the congregation, and much less to preach or explain the word, for these things were not permitted them: see 1 Corinthians 14:34 but it designs any woman that joins in public worship with the minister in prayer, and attends on the hearing of the word preached, or sings the praises of God with the congregation, as we have seen, the word prophesying signifies, with her head uncovered.”
Hmm something to think about for sure. I don’t think its wrong to discuss church matters at home as long as its respectful. Its your husband’s call if you guys stay at a church or not but having a conversation isn’t wrong.
Thankyou. That helped!
In what way do they look more like a man? I am so unfamiliar with this phenomenon so I’m just curious!
What about speaking during fellowship after service
Wow — thank you for the reminder that disobedience and rebellion is ugly. Debi Pearl writes that these women can even go crazy. We easily lose our femininity and meekness when we step out from under the umbrella of patriarchy’s protection and guidance.
What denomination of Christianity are you?
I am a follower of Jesus Christ, a born again Christian.
That’s fine since it’s not a church service.
I like what you say Shelly, except for this: “Women are not inferior in any way.” I know what you probably mean: “Women are valuable!”, and that is true. But in the hierarchy of authority that God has established in his church (which you just described), men are “superior”/”above” in the role of leading, and women are “inferior”/”below” in the role of following. If you think of the term “superior officer”, you’ll see what I mean.
Lori:
On the issue of the woman being deceived, I recently came across a fascinating counterpoint to the story of Adam and Eve, which I posted elsewhere on the internet. I thought you and your readers might be edified by the comparison as well so I’ll post it below:
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I recently came across an interesting woman in Scripture whose story I was not that familiar with, and who I have never heard highlighted in any sermon or article I can recall. When contrasted with the story of Eve, Manoah’s wife compares very favorably. You can read about her in Judges 13. She became the mother of Samson.
Very briefly, the story was this: Manoah’s wife was barren. The angel of the Lord appeared to her and told her she was going to have a baby son, and she must raise him in a certain way, because he was going to deliver Israel from the Philistines. She then went and told her husband, Manoah. He prayed for the angel to return, and he took over from there, engaging the angel in dialog, asking for further instructions, offering hospitality that resulted in a sacrifice to God once the angel revealed his origin. Manoah realized they had been conversing with a theophany of God, and feared they were going to die, but his wife wisely pointed out if God was going to kill them, they would already be dead. Everything happened just as the angel had told them.
What is interesting in the comparison with Adam and Eve is this:
Adam and Eve:
1. angelic/divine being appears to Eve
2. Eve engages in dialog directly with the being
3. Eve does not involve her husband Adam
4. Adam (who the text says was there) does not get involved, does not take the lead
5. Eve follows her own way; leads Adam into sin; Adam doesn’t take initiative or demonstrate leadership, follows his own wife, and doesn’t involve God in the situation; he also doesn’t question the angelic being, stand up to him, or lead his family; Adam and his wife behave wickedly
Manoah and his wife:
1. angelic/divine being appears to Manoah’s wife
2. No mention of Manoah’s wife engaging in dialog directly with the being
3. Manoah’s wife goes and involves her husband
4. Manoah asks God for intervention; then he takes the lead in questioning the angelic being “Did you talk to my wife”, “What do you want us to do for the boy’s upbringing”, “May we prepare food for you” and finally offered a sacrifice as instructed
5. Manoah’s wife goes back to home base (her husband) and follows his lead; Manoah goes back to God and then leads the family interaction with God’s messenger; Manoah and his wife behave righteously
This is a great example of 1 Corinthians 14:35: “If they have any questions, they should ask their husbands at home, for it is improper for women to speak in church meetings.”
I think it’s also a great female role model in Scripture for you to teach to your daughters, your wives, and anyone else who will listen.
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When I posted this originally, one woman pointed out that in Eve’s case, the angelic being was trying to deceive her, while the angel of the Lord was not deceiving Manoah’s wife, so the comparison was invalid. I asked her: “Should a woman only consult her husband on spiritual matters when she is being deceived?” I haven’t heard back from her yet.
This is fantastic! Thank you for sharing.
Good point, amen.
I don’t see why women can make such a big deal about not being permitted to be pastors within the church. To the best of my knowledge that’s the only role the Bible explicitly states women are not allowed to have. And a woman with a passion for theology/apologetics can do things related to that other than preaching to the congregation. She can start a blog, or lead a women’s Bible study, or do a podcast series (like Alisa Childers), or teach a youth group or Sunday school (I’m an Awana leader and love teaching my merry yet occasionally chaotic band of first graders). Its not like the Bible orders women not to do anything in the church—just not preach and have a position that’s higher than a man’s!