Shades of Meaning in the Greek: I Timothy

“Sometimes it is virtually impossible to translate a Greek word into a precise English equivalent or to show the force of the verb tenses,” says historian Ruth Tucker. Since the word “learn” in I Timothy 2:11 is in the imperative tense, the NIV translation of “should learn,” while good, may not be strong enough. “Women must learn” may be better. How different, how radically and wonderfully new, that Christian approach towards women was in the first century from other religions, even if it had to be culturally bound at the time within a virtuous framework of “in quietness and full submission,” although that is a good way for any student to learn in any culture and any time, male or female.

The next verse in the NIV reads, “I do not permit a woman to teach or to have authority [usurp authority (KJV)] over a man; she must be silent.” The word “permit” in the Greek is in the present tense. In English there are three ways of translating the present tense: I permit, I do permit, and I am permitting. The last one has a sense of a present that is ongoing, i.e., I am continuing to permit or I am presently permitting. The Greek word oude, often translated “or,” occuring here between “teach” and “usurp authority” could also be translated “in a manner of.” So this verse could be appropriately translated: “I am not presently permitting a woman to teach in a manner of usurping authority over a man; she must be quiet.” Of course, someone should not teach until she has been properly instructed.