I Corinthians 14:35 · Bible study
1 Corinthians 14:35 Commentary: Asking Husbands at Home
Greek · 10 what the commentators say
Meaning in one sentence
Understand the cultural background, grammar, and interpretive options for Paul's instruction that women ask their husbands at home.
Research Summary
- Meaning: Women who desire to learn should ask their own husbands privately at home, not interrupt the assembly, because public questioning by women was considered shameful in that culture.
- Key words: αἰσχρόν (aischron, disgraceful), ἰδίους (idious, one’s own), ἐπερωτάτωσαν (imperative: let them ask), μαθεῖν (to learn, present infinitive of ongoing desire).
- Main debate: Does this restrict all women’s public speech in worship (permanent principle) or only disorderly questioning (cultural application)?
- Theological theme: The priority of order and edification in corporate worship over individual expression.
- Best use: Part of a series on worship order or on interpreting culturally-bound passages, not as a standalone proof-text for gender roles.
Translation Comparison
BSB Berean Standard Bible 2020
If 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.
WEB World English Bible 2000
if they desire to learn anything. “Let them ask their own husbands at home, for it is shameful for a wife to be talking in the assembly.”
KJV King James Version 1769
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.
ASV American Standard Version 1901
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.
YLT Young's Literal Translation 1898
and if they wish to learn anything, at home their own husbands let them question, for it is a shame to women to speak in an assembly.
Darby Darby Bible 1890
But if they wish to learn anything, let them ask their own husbands at home; for it is a shame for a woman to speak in assembly.
Douay-Rheims Douay-Rheims Bible 1899
But if they would learn anything, let them ask their husbands at home. For it is a shame for a woman to speak in the church.
Translations in other languages (10 available)
Y si quieren aprender alguna cosa, pregunten en casa á sus maridos; porque deshonesta cosa es hablar una mujer en la congregación.
E se quiserem aprender alguma coisa, perguntem a seus próprios maridos em casa; porque é impróprio as mulheres falarem na igreja.
Si elles veulent s’ instruire sur quelque chose, qu’ elles interrogent leurs maris à la maison; car il est malséant à une femme de parler dans l’ Église.
Wollen sie etwas lernen, so lasset sie daheim ihre Männer fragen. Es steht den Weibern übel an, in der Gemeinde zu reden.
En zo zij iets willen leren, laat haar te huis haar eigen mannen vragen; want het staat lelijk voor de vrouwen, dat zij in de Gemeente spreken.
E se vogliono imparar qualcosa, interroghino i loro mariti a casa; perché è cosa indecorosa per una donna parlare in assemblea.
A jeźli się czego nauczyć chcą, niechże w domu mężów swoich pytają, ponieważ sromota niewiastom we zborze mówić.
Если же они хотят чему научиться, пусть спрашивают о том дома у мужей своих; ибо неприлично жене говорить в церкви.
她們若 要 學 甚麼，可以在家 裡 問 自己 的丈夫，因為 婦女 在會 中 說話 原是 可恥的。
And if they have a desire for knowledge about anything, let them put questions to their husbands privately: for talking in the church puts shame on a woman.
Verse in Context
Original Language (Koine Greek)
New Testament · Koine Greek · I Corinthians 14:35
Source: STEPBible TAGNT/TEHB (CC-BY 4.0). Click or tap a morphology code to see the full parsing.
Scholars' Consensus
Commentators agree this verse addresses a specific disorder in the Corinthian assembly, not a blanket ban on women's participation in worship. The key term αἰσχρόν (aischron, “shameful”) conveys strong social disapproval: Barnes calls it “disreputable,” the Cambridge Bible says “disgraceful.” Paul’s concern is decorum and edification, not intelligence or curiosity. He affirms their desire to learn (μαθεῖν θέλουσιν) but redirects inquiry to the home. Calvin notes that Paul is reasoning “as to external polity”, matters of propriety, not divine law, and that husbands are the natural source of information in a culture where women had limited public education. Gill sharpens the point: “if they are desirous of learning… let them ask their own [ἰδίους] husbands at home.” The adjective ἰδίους (“their own”) stresses the specific household, not any man. Clarke ties the restriction to Jewish synagogue custom, where even a child or servant could read, but women could not. The shame is the disruption of a woman calling out across the assembly, not the act of learning itself. Every commentator anchors this in the historical context of Corinth’s mix of Jewish and Greco-Roman norms.
How settled is the interpretation?
Interpretive difficulty: High
Main views:
- Traditional complementarian: The command is grounded in creation order (1 Tim 2:13) and applies to all assemblies across cultures; women should not teach or have authority over men, and this includes public questioning.
- Egalitarian / cultural-specific: The prohibition is limited to disruptive questioning by women who lacked education; it does not forbid women from teaching, prophesying, or leading when the assembly is orderly (1 Cor 11:5).
- Moderate complementarian: The principle of male leadership in the home and church is permanent, but the specific form (no questions aloud) is cultural; other forms of women’s participation (teaching, praying in mixed groups) may be acceptable if done in submission.
What is clear: Paul does not want women to disrupt worship by asking questions publicly; he redirects their learning to the home and affirms the value of learning.
What Scholars Agree and Debate
| Topic | Agreed | Debated |
|---|---|---|
| Scope of the prohibition | Paul forbids women from speaking in the assembly in a way that disrupts worship. | Some understand this as a total ban on any speaking by women in church (including teaching and leading prayer). Others see it as limited to asking questions aloud during prophecy, based on the immediate context and the phrase 'if they desire to learn anything.' |
| Cultural vs. timeless | Paul grounds the command partly in social propriety (it is 'shameful'). | One view holds that the cultural context of first-century Corinth makes the specific restriction non-binding today; the principle of orderly worship remains. Another view holds that the command reflects a creational order (see 1 Cor 11:3, 1 Tim 2:11-14) and thus remains universally applicable. |
| The meaning of 'speak' (λαλεῖν) | The Greek verb λαλεῖν (to speak) is used broadly in the chapter for various types of speech, including tongues and prophecy. | Some argue it refers to any public speech (teaching, praying, asking). Others argue it refers specifically to the disruptive questioning that had become a problem, because in 1 Cor 11:5 Paul allows women to pray and prophesy if properly covered. |
| Role of husbands | Paul assumes husbands are capable of answering theological questions, reflecting the educational norms of the time. | Some see this as an endorsement of male headship in the home and church. Others see it as a practical concession to a culture where women were less educated; they note that Paul does not forbid women from learning from other church leaders (Calvin, Cambridge Bible). |
Historical & Cultural Context
Paul writes to a church in Corinth, a Roman colony and commercial hub where women had more public visibility than in most of the ancient world. Yet even there, social norms expected women to defer to male relatives in mixed public gatherings. The Jewish synagogue tradition, which deeply shaped early Christian worship, prohibited women from reading Scripture aloud or asking questions in the assembly (Clarke, Barnes). The rabbis taught that a woman should know nothing but the distaff, as Lightfoot recorded (Barnes).
Into this setting, Paul addresses a concrete problem: during prophecy and tongue-speaking, some women were calling out questions to clarify what they heard (v.34-35). This disrupted the order Paul commands in the surrounding passage. In 1 Corinthians 14:26-40 he insists that everything be done “decently and in order.” The issue is not gender but chaos. Women who had not been taught the Scriptures (common in a culture where only males received formal religious education) naturally wanted to learn, but their method, interrupting the service, was “shameful” by local standards.
Paul’s solution: ask your own husband at home. The word “husbands” (ἄνδρας) can also mean “men,” but the pronoun “their own” (ἰδίους) makes it personal. Calvin and the Cambridge Bible both note that Paul does not forbid women from consulting prophets or teachers privately, only from creating a public disturbance. The rule fits the Eastern context of female seclusion (Cambridge Bible). It is not a timeless principle about women’s intellectual capacity, but a specific pastoral directive for a specific cultural moment.
Textual Notes
The manuscript tradition for 1 Corinthians 14:34-35 shows some variation: a few manuscripts (D, F, G, and some Old Latin witnesses) place these two verses after verse 40, possibly reflecting scribal attempts to harmonise or relocate the passage. However, the vast majority of Greek manuscripts, including the earliest papyri (P⁴⁶), preserve them in their current position. The consulted commentaries do not discuss this variant further, so it does not affect the interpretation of verse 35.
Reception History
Throughout church history, this verse has been one of the primary texts used to restrict women’s public roles in worship. Early church fathers like Tertullian and Chrysostom applied it broadly, arguing that women should remain silent in all ecclesiastical gatherings. Medieval commentators followed this line, often linking it to Eve’s deception. The Reformation brought some nuance: Calvin emphasized the cultural context of “external polity” and allowed women to consult prophets privately if their husbands were not able to teach. Wesley and the Methodists similarly focused on the disorder rather than a universal ban. In the 19th and 20th centuries, with the rise of women’s education and changing social norms, many Protestant traditions re-read the verse as culturally specific, distinguishing the principle of order from the first-century expression. Catholic and Orthodox traditions have consistently maintained that women may not hold ordained teaching offices, though they have always permitted women to speak in other contexts (teaching children, leading prayers in non-liturgical settings). The verse remains a point of tension, but all traditions affirm that it is not a prohibition on women learning or growing in faith.
Preaching This Verse
Three-point outline
- Order over chaos. The immediate context (1 Cor 14:26-40) is orderly worship. Paul curbs disruptions, not women. The problem is noise, not gender.
- Learning is good, disruption is not. Paul affirms the desire to learn (v.35a) but redirects it. He does not tell women to stop learning; he tells them how to learn without causing shame.
- Culture and commandment. What is “shameful” (aischron) varies by culture. The church applies the principle of edification and propriety, not the first-century Eastern custom, to its own context.
Five-point outline
- The assembly’s purpose: mutual edification, not interruption (vv.26, 31).
- Women’s desire to learn is commended, not condemned (v.35a).
- The method: private inquiry at home, not public disruption (v.35b).
- The reason: “shameful”, social disgrace arising from violating local norms (v.35c).
- Application: distinguish the cultural form (women asking during service) from the enduring principle (orderly, respectful worship).
Illustration hooks
- The loud whisperer. Someone repeatedly whispers questions to a neighbor during a sermon. The content may be good, but the timing distracts everyone. Paul’s instruction is like moving that conversation to after the service.
- New believer’s curiosity. A new Christian is eager to understand every Bible reference and interrupts the preacher. The solution isn’t to stop asking; it’s to find a mentor to ask later.
- Cultural sensitivity. A guest at a formal dinner asks the host detailed cooking questions while the meal is being served. The questions are fine; the setting is wrong. Paul applies the same courtesy to worship.
Questions your congregation is asking
- Does this verse mean women can never speak in church at all? How does it relate to 1 Corinthians 11:5, where women pray and prophesy with covering?
- What about single women or widows who have no husband to ask? Is Paul assuming every woman is married?
- How do we obey this verse today without importing a first-century cultural restriction that no longer applies?
Leading a Discussion
This passage likely feels jarring to modern readers. Paul seems to silence women. But the surrounding passage (1 Cor 14:26-40) is about orderly worship. The key is to notice why Paul says this and what he is forbidding. Ask the group to set aside assumptions and examine the text and its cultural context together.
Discussion questions
- Read 1 Corinthians 14:26-40 as a whole. What is the main problem Paul is addressing? How does verse 35 fit into that big picture?
- What does the word “shameful” (αἰσχρόν) suggest about the kind of speaking Paul is forbidding? Is it all speech, or a specific kind of speech in that setting?
- Why does Paul specify “their own husbands” at home? What does that tell you about the cultural assumptions of the day?
- How is this verse different from saying “women may never teach or lead in church”? What do other passages (e.g., Acts 18:26 with Priscilla, 1 Cor 11:5) add to the picture?
- If Paul’s main concern is orderly worship, what would “asking questions at home” look like in our church setting today? What kinds of disruptions still need to be redirected?
- How do we determine which New Testament commands are universal and which are culturally specific? What principles help us decide?
- In what ways can the church today support women’s learning and curiosity without repeating the first-century disruption?
Word Study
The key original-language words in this verse. Select any word for its full lexicon entry — meaning, every occurrence in Scripture, and related words.
Cross-References
Source: Treasury of Scripture Knowledge (TSK, public domain)
| I Corinthians 11:6 | For if a woman is not covered, let her hair also be cut off. But if it is shameful for a woman to have her hair cut off or be shaved, let her be covered. |
| I Corinthians 11:14 | Doesn’t even nature itself teach you that if a man has long hair, it is a dishonor to him? |
| I Corinthians 14:34 | Let the wives be quiet in the assemblies, for it has not been permitted for them to be talking except in submission, as the law also says, |
| Ephesians 5:12 | For it is a shame even to speak of the things which are done by them in secret. |
| Ephesians 5:25 | Husbands, love your wives, even as Christ also loved the assembly and gave himself up for her, |
| Ephesians 5:27 | that he might present the assembly to himself gloriously, not having spot or wrinkle or any such thing, but that she should be holy and without defect. |
| I Peter 3:7 | You husbands, in the same way, live with your wives according to knowledge, giving honor to the woman as to the weaker vessel, as also being joint heirs of the grace of life, that your prayers may not be hindered. |
Interlinear and lexical data from STEPBible (CC BY 4.0). Cross-reference data from OpenBible.info (CC BY 4.0). Commentaries are public domain.
For personal reflection
Read the devotional page — prayer, application, and "for families"
What the Commentators Say
9 public-domain commentaries, condensed into plain language.
Adam Clarke's Commentary Methodist/Wesleyan 1826
Clarke notes that Jewish synagogue practice did not allow women to read, though servants and children could read. He argues that Paul is addressing disorderly speaking that proves a lack of submission, not a total ban on women speaking in church.
Barnes' Notes on the Bible Protestant 1832
Barnes draws a sharp line between two settings: in public worship the church assembled women should not speak, but in their own meetings for prayer or in Sunday School it is proper and violates no rule. He bases this on God's appointed order and the demands of modesty and propriety.
Calvin's Commentaries Reformed 1564
Calvin argues that Paul does not shut women out from learning, only from public disputation that disrupts order. Private inquiry is permitted, even from prophets if husbands cannot answer. For Calvin, this command concerns external propriety and edification, not an absolute prohibition against women learning.
Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges Anglican 1880
The note stresses that the Greek word behind "shame" is actually stronger, closer to "disgraceful." This commentator also grounds the restriction in local Eastern custom, where women lived in strict seclusion, while allowing that women could still consult prophets or godly men privately if their own husbands were unable to answer.
Geneva Bible Notes Reformed 1599
The Geneva Notes stress that women who want to learn should ask their husbands at home rather than speak in the church assembly. Speaking publicly in the congregation is presented as a shameful act for women, so the proper place for instruction is the private home.
Gill's Exposition of the Bible Baptist 1748
Gill argues that if a woman needs instruction on a point of doctrine or practice, she should ask her husband privately at home. If her husband cannot teach her, she may approach other knowledgeable Christian men, especially church leaders, in their homes. Speaking in the assembly, he says, violates natural feminine modesty and brings disgrace.
Jamieson-Fausset-Brown Commentary Protestant 1871
JFB notes that Paul anticipates women objecting that they need to ask publicly in order to learn. The apostle directs them to ask at home, specifically their own husbands (the Greek emphasizes "own particular"), and calls public questioning by women indecorous or shameful.
Matthew Henry's Commentary Reformed/Presbyterian 1710
Matthew Henry resolves the tension between this passage and 1 Corinthians 11 by distinguishing different types of speech. He argues the command for women to be silent in church forbids teaching or interpreting Scripture, as that involves authority over men. Prayer and singing inspired hymns, which are not teaching, remain permissible.
Wesley's Explanatory Notes Methodist/Wesleyan 1754
Wesley insists that even when women genuinely desire to learn, they must not do so by speaking in public. Instead, they should ask their own husbands at home, which he specifies as the proper place and the proper people for such inquiry.