In 1 Corinthians 11:13 Paul deals with a controversy about whether women should have their heads covered while praying and prophesying. Jewish women wore head-covering veils; gentile women did not. Evidently the two cultures were in conflict over women's head coverings, but not whether women should participate! He concludes that long hair becomes a covering for women who pray and prophesy publicly. Note that Paul's words here do NOT stop the women from praying and prophesying aloud during church services as some would assume.

Acts 21:9 reveals that Phillip the evangelist had "four virgin daughters who prophesied." A true prophecy is a message from God to a specific person or church. Would any minister of God refuse to let a woman deliver a true message that God had given her for the people of God? We have every reason to believe that converted Christian women such as the daughters of Phillip were participating in church services -using their own God-given spiritual gifts, and Paul did not oppose their participation.

To understand Paul's comments in chapter 14 about women "keeping silent" there is one critical KEY passage that comes first! Many have overlooked it and read right past it -but once it is understood the entire passage begins to fall into place.

We start in 1 Corinthians, chapter 12. Lets examine it verse by verse using the very literal New American Standard Bible. Brackets {indicate words added by translators that are not in the Greek} and parenthesis (indicate the author's comments or explanations).

1 Corinthians 12:1-3

1 "Now concerning spiritual {gifts,} brethren, I do not want you to be unaware."

2 "You know that when you were pagans, {you were} led astray to the dumb idols, however you were led."

We realize that some that attend the Corinth church are still involved with pagan idols. He points out that the members were once led astray themselves. Paul leads his readers towards compassion and reconciliation towards those that are still unconverted "pagans (gentiles)" in their midst.

3 "Therefore I make known to you, that no one speaking by the Spirit of God says, "Jesus is 'accursed*' "; and no one can say, "Jesus is 'Lord†'," except by the Holy Spirit."

*'accursed' = Strong’s Greek Word Number G331 which is "anathema" pronounced "an-ath'-em-ah." From G394; a (religious) ban or (concretely) excommunicated (thing or person): - accursed, anathema, curse, X great. From Strong's Hebrew and Greek Dictionaries. In other words pagan people (unconverted gentiles) were saying that Jesus was unholy and not the Lord.

†'Lord' = Strong’s Greek Word Number G40 which is "hagios" pronounced "hag'-ee-os." From hagos (an awful thing [filled with awe that is: especially filled with or displaying great reverence; not bad, unpleasant or terrible as the word has come to mean in our present age]) compare G53, [H2282]; sacred (physically pure, morally blameless or religious, ceremonially consecrated): - (most) holy (one, thing), saint. From Strong's Hebrew and Greek Dictionaries

Why is Paul making such an obvious statement? Doesn't everyone already KNOW that anyone saying, "Jesus is accursed (unholy)" is not speaking by the spirit of God? Paul goes on to explain and defend spiritual gifts, talk about love, and finally reprimand women or wives causing disturbances in chapter 14. The only way the words "Jesus is accursed (unholy)" fits into the rebuke that follows is if Paul is reacting to a specific incident reported to him that he needs to deal with. In these statements he is first bringing up the subject of what has happened in the Corinthian church! Misguided persons -still considered pagans -have disrupted services with a false prophecy of "Jesus is accursed (unholy)!" and opposing true prophets have countered with, "Jesus is Lord! (holy)" in reply!

Notice that in these verses immediately following the above verses, Paul is defending the concept of spiritual gifts given to every single true believer -both males and females:

1 Corinthians 12:4-11

4 "Now there are varieties of gifts, but the same Spirit."

5 "And there are varieties of ministries, and the same Lord."

6 "And there are varieties of effects, but the same God who works all things in all {persons}."

Here he teaches that both men and women are given manifestation of the Holy Spirit -spiritual gifts -for the benefit of the entire church, not just for their own benefit.

7 "But to each one is given the manifestation of the Spirit for the common good."

8 "For to one is given the word of wisdom through the Spirit, and to another the word of knowledge according to the same Spirit;"

9 "to another faith by the same Spirit, and to another gifts of healing by the one Spirit,"

10 "and to another the effecting of miracles, and to another prophecy, and to another the distinguishing of spirits, to another {various} kinds of tongues (languages), and to another the interpretation of tongues (languages)."

11 "But one and the same Spirit works all these things, distributing to each one [both male and female] individually just as He wills."

Paul is going out of his way to enforce that "each one" is given a spiritual gift/role or part to play in God's Church. God gives these roles, as He desires -only God can decide what spiritual gift is given to each man and woman! Paul does not say anything to indicate that "these public roles are the male gifts, and these private roles are the female gifts," as some teach.Paul is making it PLAIN that he does not wish to exclude anyone or anyone's spiritual gift, but verses 2 and 3 show us that someone -possibly a woman -has said, "Jesus be cursed (unholy)", and this was not from God's Spirit! Paul warns them of the error of this message, yet also defends the rights of all true believers -both male and female -to participate in church services. 

The next portion of Paul's letter, chapter 13, is still on the subject of prophecy as he moves closer to dealing with the specific problem. He tells them that love is more important than prophecy as he tries to change their attitudes to loving attitudes to heal the disruption that has upset and angered their congregation.

1 Corinthians 13:2 "And if I have (the gift of) prophecy, and know all mysteries and all knowledge; and if I have all faith, so as to remove mountains, but do not have love, I am nothing." (NAS)

Moving into chapter 14 Paul writes, "Pursue love, yet desire earnestly spiritual {gifts}, but especially that you may prophesy."

Paul keeps returning to the subject of prophecy because the problem that he is trying to solve involves a woman who is falsely presenting herself as a prophetess. The daughters of Phillip are true prophetesses, but this woman is still "led astray to the dumb idols."

He points out that prophecy should edify the church, 1 Corinthians 14:4, and talks against speech that has an unclear meaning, a babbling, in verses 5-13. This unclear speech may relate to the worship of "dumb idols" in the city of Delphi just north of Corinth. People from all over the world came to Delphi to hear babbling that was supposed to be from a "god!"

We must also bear in mind that the Greeks had only one word for both woman and wife -the word "gune"†. The same word that Paul uses in 1 Corinthians 14:34 is translated "wives" in many passages such as Matthew 19:8, "Jesus replied, 'Moses permitted you to divorce your wives...'" and many others including Ephesians 5:25 and 1 Peter 3:1. So when Paul writes, "Let the women keep silent" he uses a word with two meanings! He may well be referring to "wives" who are unconverted and untaught -the very one that "prophesied" that "Jesus was accursed (unholy)" as recorded in 1 Corinthians 12:3. The church at Corinth would know exactly which wife or wives he meant! For us today, we must rely on context clues, as well as other clear and concise scriptures, to reveal whether Paul was talking of women in general or specific wives.†'gune' = Strong’s Greek Word Number G1135 which is pronounced "goo-nay'," probably from the base of G1096; a woman; specifically a wife: - wife, woman. From Strong's Hebrew and Greek Dictionaries 

Paul writes, "For you can all prophesy one by one, so that all may learn and all may be exhorted;" 1 Corinthians 14:31. Notice he doesn't say that all MEN may prophesy, but that ALL can prophesy if it is done "one by one." In verse 32 he adds that "the spirits of the prophets are subject to prophets;" meaning that true prophets are not out of control or in some "gas-induced trance," as were the priestesses of Delphi. Prophets of God have control over their spirits and their speaking.

A God of Peace in All the Churches of the Saints

Verse 33 clearly illustrates that this entire issue was about confusion and disruption in the church, not Paul seeking to take away the rights of Christian women to participate.

1 Corinthians 14:33 "For God is not {a God} of confusion but of peace, as in all the churches of the saints."

1 Corinthians 14:34 "Let the {or *those} women (the same word as "wives") keep silent in the churches {church}; for they are not permitted to speak, but let them subject themselves, just as the Law also says."

*The Greeks have many forms of the word "the" but this exact word is "hai" 3588. .In all the following New King James scriptures the same word in the male form -"hoi" is translated "those": John 6:14, "those men" ; John 8:29 KJV, "those things"; Romans 8:5 "For those who"; Romans 8:8, "those who are in the flesh" NKJ; 1 Cor. 10:18, "those who eat"; 1 Cor. 15:18, "those who have fallen asleep"; and 1 Cor. 15:23, "those who are Christ's"; Gal. 3:9, "those who are of faith"; Gal. 5:24, "those who are Christ's"; Gal. 6:13, "those who are"; 1 Thes. 5:7, "Those who sleep"; 1 Tim. 3:13 "For those who have served well; 2 Tim. 1:15, "all those in Asia"; 2 Tim. 3:6, "those who creep".

By using the feminine form of this word, "hai", Paul is saying, "Let those wives keep silent..." Not ALL women, just those causing confusion!

Paul is urging the churches to start a policy of limiting the participation of "those" wives, unconverted wives, who must subject themselves to their converted husbands, not causing any further disruption. Paul's reference to "the Law" may be a reference to Genesis 3:16 which relates to being subject to a husband in marriage.

1 Corinthians 14:35 "And if they desire to learn anything, let them ask their own husbands at home; ..."

The phrase "if they desire to learn anything" expresses doubt whether these wives were wanting to learn. He implies they were just there to cause problems! Clearly Paul is dealing with specific wives because these being reprimanded have converted husbands they may ask at home. Wives with unconverted husbands could NOT "ask their own husbands at home," nor could unmarried women or widows.

He continues, "for it is improper for a woman (wife) to speak in church (the last two Greek words are –"en ekklesia," which can also be translated among the true believers.)The Greek "en" is translated "among" in Matt. 27:56, "among which was Mary Magdalene" and Romans 8:29, "among many brethren" and countless other scriptures. Paul says that this unconverted wife may not speak among the "ekklesia" -among the converted male and female members participating in services!

The word "ekklesia" translated "church" does not refer to a church building. The word "ekklesia" refers to the entire congregation of Christian believers -both men and women! Ekklesia is defined by Thayer's Greek/English Definitions as "an assembly of Christians gathered for worship." It also means "called out" ones; -those both baptitzed (emersed in water) and who received the holy spirit by the laying on of hands at baptism. This disruptive wife who babbles blasphemous "prophecies" is not a part of the baptized believers (the ekklesia), and she is not to speak among the converted Christian men and women as do the women with the true spiritual gift of prophecy. The passage should be translated as follows:1 Corinthians 14:34

"Let those wives [the unconverted ones who caused dissention] keep silent among the called out ones; for they are not permitted to speak, but let them subject themselves, just as the Law also says. And if they desire to learn anything, let them ask their own husbands at home; for it is improper for a [unconverted] wife [or unconverted husband] to speak among the called out ones."

The Church of God, Dallas-Fort Worth • P. O. Box 152544, Arlington, Texas 76015

www.ChurchofGodDFW.com • Voice Mail: (972) 601-9032 ex3777

Viewed June 13, 2013; Adapted June 21, 2013

Addendum: The above web address will currently take you to a gambling site in SE Asia. In seeking the truth we found a new web address in year 2022 (see below); we have nothing to hide! People are strongly advised to "Prove all things…" (1 Thessalonians 5:21) and "…work out your own salvation with fear and trembling." (Philippians 2:12).

Examine what a cult is and be aware that Christ and his apostles were considered a cult in their day of the early new covenant development. "For narrow the gate and difficult is the way that leads to life, and few are those who find it." (Matthew 7:14). "And at that time it came to pass that there was no small tumult about the way." (Acts 19:23). "But there were also false prophets among the people, as indeed there will be false teachers among you, who will stealthily introduce destructive heresies, personally denying the Lord who bought them, and bringing swift destruction upon themselves. And many people will follow as authoritative their destructive ways; and because of them, the way of the truth will be blasphemed. Also, through insatiable greed they will with enticing messages exploit you for gain; for whom the judgment of old is in full force, and their destruction is ever watching." (2 Peter 2:1-3). Adapted June 21, 2013 and modified by the Ekklesia Church of God, New Covenant Saints January 1, 2022.

See content exposing the heresies of people who might exploit you:https://armstrongismlibrary.blogspot.com/p/rod-meredith-hates-this-blog.html