There is debate over whether the Bible permits female deacons, and one of the verses under the most scrutiny is 1 Timothy 3:11, “Their wives likewise must be dignified, not slanderers, but sober-minded, faithful in all things” (ESV). You may be thinking that “Their wives” seems pretty clear! But here’s the catch: “their” is not explicit in the Greek and the Greek word for “wife” is the same word as “woman,” depending only on the context. So, strictly speaking, the beginning of 1 Timothy 3:11 reads, “Wives / Women likewise …” If you read a few Bible translations and pay attention to their footnotes, you’ll see the translation issue. What I would like to do here is give some reasons for why I am convinced that Paul is referring to the wives of elders and deacons in 1 Timothy 3:11, and not to women deacons.
Regarding the lack of “their” in Greek, I believe that Paul deliberately leaves it general so that “wives” applies to the wives of both elders and deacons, not just to deacons’ wives. As to the question of translating it “wives” or “women,” and whether female deacons are in view, I am convinced that “wives” is the proper translation and that Paul is not referring to women deacons for the following reasons:
First, by using the word “likewise” to introduce deacons (3:8) and then again to introduce “wives / women” (3:11) Paul gives the impression that two different groups are in view. The second “likewise” introducing the “wives / women” creates a group different from the deacons he has already “likewise” introduced.
Second, Paul specifies deacons in verse 8, “wives / women” in verse 11, and then deacons again in verse 12. If Paul wanted to speak of female deacons and male deacons, it seems he would have introduced the category of deacon in verse 8, and then subdivided that category by speaking of “women” in verse 11 and of “men” in verse 12. As it is, Paul speaks of deacons, then “wives / women,” and then again of deacons (not “men”), giving the impression that “wives / women” are separate from the category of deacon.
Third, Paul specifies that elders are to have “dignity” (3:4) and deacons are to be “dignified” (3:8); however, he then says that “women / wives” are to be “dignified.” If “women” is simply a sub-category of “deacons,” why would Paul repeat the same qualification?
Fourth, Paul specifies that both elders and deacons are to be “the husband of one wife” (3:2, 12). Why then, is there no parallel statement that women deacons must be “the wife of one husband”? (See also 1 Timothy 5:9, where Paul requires widows to be “the wife of one husband”).
Finally, the same word for “wife / woman” is used three times in this passage: verses 2, 11, and 12. Verses 2 and 12 refer, without debate, to the wives of the elders and deacons. For Paul to use the same word in 3:11 without any clarification would indicate that he still has the same group in mind: the wives of elders and deacons.
Over the next few weeks, Lord willing, I would like to delve into this topic further. For now, I hope this has been a helpful study of 1 Timothy 3:11.
Studies in the Bible 