1 Timothy 3
1This is a true saying, if a man desire the office of a bishop, he desireth a good work.

2A bishop then must be blameless, the husband of one wife, vigilant, sober, of good behaviour, given to hospitality, apt to teach;

3Not given to wine, no striker, not greedy of filthy lucre; but patient, not a brawler, not covetous;

4One that ruleth well his own house, having his children in subjection with all gravity;

5(For if a man know not how to rule his own house, how shall he take care of the church of God?)

Ok, so if we believe that women are allowed to RULE the home and be the HUSBAND of a wife, we can ignore this passage and have women pastors. Interestingly, there are thousands who will do just that.

1Ti 2:12 But I suffer not a woman to teach , nor to usurp authority over the man , but to be in silence.

Userp: αὐθεντέω 1) one who with his own hands kills another or himself

2) one who acts on his own authority, autocratic

3) an absolute master

4) to govern, exercise dominion over one

Silence: ἡσυχία 1) quietness

a) description of the life of one who stays at home doing his own work, and does not officiously meddle with the affairs of others

2) silence


Wow,I was always given the impression that to "userp" meant that a woman was forcing herself, therefore if her husband or pastor supported her teaching/authority it was not userping. That is not true at all!