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NASB | 1 Corinthians 11:5 But every woman who has her head uncovered while praying or prophesying disgraces her head, for she is one and the same as the woman whose head is shaved. |
AMPLIFIED 2015 | 1 Corinthians 11:5 And every woman who prays or prophesies when she has her head uncovered disgraces her head; for she is one and the same as the woman whose head is shaved [in disgrace]. |
Bible Question: I believe in women ministering in the gifts fully, there are plenty of examples in both old and new Testaments(in Christ there is neither greek or jew, male or female) but I don't understand this verse or the one about women keeping silent in churches (1 Cor 14:34). These passages don't seem to fit in with other Scripture. Is it culture or commandment or something else? |
Bible Answer: Greetings, jesustheanswer; I don't know if these passages are cultural, peculiar to the situations in Corinth and Crete, or what. I do know that nowhere is his writings about gifts, the body of Christ, or the preaching of the Gospel does Paul say anything that differentiates between men and women. The passage you cited clearly states that with respect to Christ, gender is irrelevant: "You are all sons of God through faith in Christ Jesus, for all of you who were baptized into Christ have clothed yourselves with Christ. There is neither Jew nor Greek, slave nor free, male nor female, for you are all one in Christ Jesus." (Galatians 3:26-27) According to Paul, female believers are "sons of God". Those who wish to silence half of the sons of God in church must find some way to reconcile Paul's comments about women which seem rather limited in scope with his overall theology which is centered on Christ, not gender. And no, I'm not a women's libber, a feminist, or anything of the kind. I'm not thowing out parts of the Bible I don't agree with. I don't know why Paul wrote what he did about women. I only know that it contradicts most of what he wrote about the work and roles of all Christians. Until someone can explain away Galatians 3, I'll cheerfully accept women as elders, teachers, and preachers. Until someone explains why Paul never mentioned maleness as a prerequisite for preaching, teaching, evangelizing, administration, or anything else we are called and gifted by the Holy Spirit to do, I'll not seek to silence women. Peace and grace, Steve aka Indiana Jones |