1 Corinthians 14:35
in 1 Corinthians 14If they wish to inquire about something, they are to ask their own husbands at home; for it is dishonorable for a woman to speak in the church.
BSB
The same verse in ASV and KJV ▾
ASV
And if they would learn anything, let them ask their own husbands at home: for it is shameful for a woman to speak in the church.
KJV
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.
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This verse in 1 Corinthians 14
Commentary
14 notes on this verseA commentator
Albert Barnes1798–1870
Notes, Explanatory and Practical, on the Old and New Testaments (1832-1869)
And if they will learn anything - If anything has been spoken which they do not understand; or if on any particular subject they desire more full information, let them inquire of their husbands in their own dwelling. They may there converse freely; and their inquiries will not be attended with the irregularity and disorder which would occur should they interrupt the order and solemnity of public worship. For it is a shame - It is disreputable and shameful; it is a breach of propriety.
This site's exposition
Women are to be silent
on 1 Corinthians 14:34-35
The command that women be silent stands in a chapter about order, and 11:5 assumes women praying and prophesying in the gathered church. Verse 35, asking their husbands at home, fits married women interrupting the weighing of prophecy in verses 29 to 33.
This site's exposition
If they wish to inquire about something
The instruction to ask husbands at home concerns women who wish to inquire during worship. Hodge and Barnes read verses 34 and 35 as a standing rule, and Clarke applies them to questioning and debate during worship.
The record, by era
The Church Fathers4 voices
It is shameful because it is contrary to discipline for them to presume to speak about the law in the house of God, who has taught that they are subject to their husbands, when they know that men have the primacy there and that for …
"And if they would learn any thing, let them ask their own husbands at home." Thus, "not only, as it seems, are they not allowed to speak," saith he, "at random, but not even to ask any question in the church." Now if they ought not to ask questions, much more is their speaking at pleasure contrary to law. And what may be the cause of his setting them under so great subjection? Because the woman is in some sort a weaker being and easily carried away and light minded. Here you see why he set over them their husbands as teachers, for the benefit of both. For so he both rendered the women orderly, and the husbands he made anxious, as having to deliver to their wives very exactly what they heard.
I wish to see each man's earnestness and each woman's devotion. Burn out impiety from your mind, put your soul on the anvil and your stubborn infidelity under the hammer.… Then let the gate of paradise be opened to each man and each woman among you.
The virgins of men go about, in opposition to the virgins of God, with front quite bare, excited to a rash audacity; and the semblance of virgins is exhibited by women who have the power of asking somewhat from husbands, not to say such a request as that (forsooth) their rivals-all the more "free" in that they are the "hand-maids" of Christ alone -may be surrendered to them. "We are scandalized," they say, "because others walk otherwise (than we do); "and they prefer being "scandalized" to being provoked (to modesty).
The Medieval Church1 voice
Lest someone say: if they will not speak, then how will they learn what they do not know? he answers that they must learn at home from their husbands. This will make them modest, and their husbands more attentive, since they will have to accurately …
6 more voices on this verse
The Medieval Church2 voices
Perhaps they were showing off with spiritual conversations in the church; but he, on the contrary, says that this is inglorious and shameful for them.
Then when he says, if there is anything they desire to know, because some might say that at least they can ask the Church about their doubts, he excludes this and does two things: first, he removes an objection; secondly, he assigns the reason (v. …
The Puritans and the Awakening2 voices
And even if they desire to learn anything - Still they are not to speak in public, but to ask their own husbands at home - That is the place, and those the persons to inquire of.
And if they will learn anything,....
The Nineteenth Century2 voices
A commentator
Jamieson, Fausset & Brown1802–1910
Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible (1871)
Anticipation of an objection. Women may say, "But if we do not understand something, may we not 'ask' a question publicly so as to 'learn'? Nay, replies Paul, if you want information, 'ask' not in public, but 'at home'; ask not other men, but 'your own particular (so the Greek) husbands.'" shame--indecorous.
For it is a shame for women to speak in the church - The Jews would not suffer a woman to read in the synagogue; though a servant or even a child, had this permission; but the apostle refers to irregular conduct, such conduct as proved that they were not under obedience, 1Co 14:34.
The words behind it
18 Greek wordsEvery Greek word of this verse in the order it stands, with what it means and the door to its own study. The last column counts the times a word stands in the whole Bible: the rarer the word, the more the places it appears belong together.
| Greek | Sound | Meaning | Word study | In the Bible |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| εἰ | ei | If | G1487 → | 508 times |
| δέ | de | however | G1161 → | 2765 times |
| τι | ti | anything | G5100 → | 528 times |
| μαθεῖν | mathein | to learn | G3129 → | 25 times |
| θέλουσιν, | thelousin | they desire, | G2309 → | 208 times |
| ἐν | en | at | G1722 → | 2738 times |
| οἴκῳ | oiko | home | G3624 → | 112 times |
| τοὺς | tous | <the> | G3588 → | 19766 times |
| ἰδίους | idious | [their] own | G2398 → | 114 times |
| ἄνδρας | andras | husbands | G435 → | 216 times |
| ἐπερωτάτωσαν· | eperotatosan | they should ask; | G1905 → | |
| αἰσχρὸν | aischron | shameful | G150 → | |
| γάρ | gar | for | G1063 → | 1039 times |
| ἐστιν | estin | it is | G1510 → | 2333 times |
| γυναικὶ | gunaiki | for a woman | G1135 → | 211 times |
| λαλεῖν | lalein | to speak | G2980 → | 294 times |
| ἐν | en | in | G1722 → | 2738 times |
| ἐκκλησίᾳ. | ekklesia | [the] church. | G1577 → | 113 times |
εἰIf
eiG1487 →508 times
δέhowever
deG1161 →2765 times
τιanything
tiG5100 →528 times
μαθεῖνto learn
matheinG3129 →25 times
θέλουσιν,they desire,
thelousinG2309 →208 times
ἐνat
enG1722 →2738 times
οἴκῳhome
oikoG3624 →112 times
τοὺς<the>
tousG3588 →19766 times
ἰδίους[their] own
idiousG2398 →114 times
ἄνδραςhusbands
andrasG435 →216 times
ἐπερωτάτωσαν·they should ask;
eperotatosanG1905 →
αἰσχρὸνshameful
aischronG150 →
γάρfor
garG1063 →1039 times
ἐστινit is
estinG1510 →2333 times
γυναικὶfor a woman
gunaikiG1135 →211 times
λαλεῖνto speak
laleinG2980 →294 times
ἐνin
enG1722 →2738 times
ἐκκλησίᾳ.[the] church.
ekklesiaG1577 →113 times
A shaded row is a word that stands 400 times or fewer in the Bible.
The walk
8 stopsEach card is a verse this one points to, and under it the verses that one points to in turn. Where several paths arrive at the same place, that place is listed first: the text keeps returning to it.
Through
1 Peter 3:7Husbands, in the same way, treat your wives with consideration as a delicate vessel, and with honor as fellow heirs of the gracious gift of life, so that your prayers will not be hindered.
it leads to
- Colossians 3:19
Husbands, love your wives and do not be harsh with them.
- Genesis 2:23–24
And the man said: “This is now bone of my bones and flesh of my flesh; she shall be called ‘woman,’ for out of man she was taken.”
- Matthew 19:3–9
Then some Pharisees came and tested Him by asking, “Is it lawful for a man to divorce his wife for any reason?”
- Ephesians 5:25–28
Husbands, love your wives, just as Christ loved the church and gave Himself up for her
- 1 Corinthians 7:3
The husband should fulfill his marital duty to his wife, and likewise the wife to her husband.
- Colossians 3:19
Through
Ephesians 5:12For it is shameful even to mention what the disobedient do in secret.
it leads to
- Ephesians 5:3
But among you, as is proper among the saints, there must not be even a hint of sexual immorality, or of any kind of impurity, or of greed.
- Romans 2:16
on the day when God will judge men’s secrets through Christ Jesus, as proclaimed by my gospel.
- Ecclesiastes 12:14
For God will bring every deed into judgment, along with every hidden thing, whether good or evil.
- Ephesians 5:3
Where this verse is studied
On this page
Studies10
About 1 Corinthians
This page draws on 13 works. Open the list of works
This page draws on Adam Clarke, Commentary on the Bible; Albert Barnes, Notes, Explanatory and Practical, on the Old and New Testaments (1832-1869); Albert Barnes, Notes, Explanatory and Practical, on the First Epistle to the Corinthians; Ambrosiaster, COMMENTARY ON PAUL'S EPISTLES; Charles Hodge, An Exposition of the First Epistle to the Corinthians; Cyril of Jerusalem, Catechetical Lecture 15; Jamieson, Fausset & Brown, Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible; John Chrysostom, Homily on 1 Corinthians 37; John Gill, Exposition of the New Testament (1746-1748); John Wesley, Explanatory Notes upon the New Testament; Tertullian, On the Veiling of Virgins; Theophylact of Ohrid, Commentary on 1 Corinthians and Thomas Aquinas, Commentary on 1 Corinthians.