Read & explore together
Instructions to Women
These verses give instructions about dress, good works, learning, teaching, authority, and perseverance. The passage connects outward behaviour with godliness, then gives a reason using Adam and Eve, and ends with a difficult statement that includes continuing in faith, love, holiness, and sobriety.
Understanding the passage
The setting of these words
In 1 Timothy 2:9-15, women are told to dress with modesty and propriety and to be known for good works. The passage then speaks about learning in quietness with full submission, states a restriction about teaching and authority over a man, gives a reason using Adam and Eve, and ends with a statement about childbearing and continuing in faith, love, holiness, and sobriety.
1 Timothy 2:9–15Main takeaway
This passage links modest conduct, good works, quiet learning, a stated restriction about teaching and authority, and a closing call to continue in faith, love, holiness, and sobriety.
Follow the letter’s teaching
Open a card to explore the full explanation and its Bible references.
01Clothing and good worksThe passage begins with how women are to adorn themselves. The instruction is for “decent clothing” with “modesty and propriety”.
Explanation
The passage begins with how women are to adorn themselves. The instruction is for “decent clothing” with “modesty and propriety”. It then sets aside braided hair, gold, pearls, and expensive clothing as the focus. Instead, the fitting adornment is “good works”, described as appropriate for women professing godliness.
02Learning in quietnessVerse 11 clearly says, “Let a woman learn”. The verse also gives the manner of that learning: “in quietness with full submission”.
Explanation
Verse 11 clearly says, “Let a woman learn”. The verse also gives the manner of that learning: “in quietness with full submission”. The passage does not explain those terms further here, so it is best to stay with the wording in the verse itself and note both parts of the instruction together.
03Teaching, authority, and quietnessVerse 12 gives a direct limitation: “I don’t permit a woman to teach, nor to exercise authority over a man, but to be in quietness.”
Explanation
Verse 12 gives a direct limitation: “I don’t permit a woman to teach, nor to exercise authority over a man, but to be in quietness.” Teaching and exercising authority are both named in the sentence. The wording is plain in the passage, even though the verse does not expand on every question a reader may ask.
04Reason given and the closing statementVerses 13 and 14 give the stated reason: “Adam was formed first, then Eve”, and “the woman, being deceived, has fallen into disobedience”.
Explanation
Verses 13 and 14 give the stated reason: “Adam was formed first, then Eve”, and “the woman, being deceived, has fallen into disobedience”. Verse 15 then says, “she will be saved through her childbearing, if they continue in faith, love, and holiness with sobriety.” The verse ends with a condition about continuing in these qualities, without explaining further here what “saved through her childbearing” means.
Questions to explore
Pause, look back at the verses and talk together.
01What contrast does the passage make between outward adornment and what is appropriate for women professing godliness?
Compare the items listed in verse 9 with the alternative given in verse 10.
02How does verse 11 describe the way a woman is to learn?
Use the exact wording attached to “learn” in the verse.
03What qualities are named at the end of verse 15, and how do they shape the closing words of the passage?
List the qualities exactly as they appear and notice that the verse speaks about continuing in them.
Read the Bible passage
World English Bible ClassicScripture quotation · Public domain
1 Timothy 2:9–15
9In the same way, that women also adorn themselves in decent clothing, with modesty and propriety, not with braided hair, gold, pearls, or expensive clothing,
10but with good works, which is appropriate for women professing godliness.
11Let a woman learn in quietness with full submission.
12But I don’t permit a woman to teach, nor to exercise authority over a man, but to be in quietness.
13For Adam was formed first, then Eve.
14Adam wasn’t deceived, but the woman, being deceived, has fallen into disobedience;
15but she will be saved through her childbearing, if they continue in faith, love, and holiness with sobriety.