G1135 gynē (goo-NAY) — a woman; also "wife." Translators decide which.
Word: γυνή, plural γυναῖκες (gynaikes) · noun · Strong's G1135
In brief
Gynē is the Greek word for a woman, and also the ordinary word for "wife." As with its partner anēr, translators decide in each verse whether it means women in general or wives. In a few places, the choice decides whether women appear in church leadership at all.
Where it appears
- 1 Timothy 3:11 — in the middle of Paul's instructions for deacons, he writes: "Gynaikas likewise must be…" The Greek has no "their." Read plainly, it says "women likewise," most naturally women serving as deacons. Adding "their" turns them into the deacons' wives.
- 1 Timothy 3:2, 3:12; Titus 1:6 — an overseer or deacon must be mias gynaikos andra, literally a "one-woman man." This phrase is often read as "must be male."
- 1 Timothy 5:9 — a widow on the church's list must be henos andros gynē, a "one-man woman." The same phrase appears, reversed, for women. It describes faithfulness in marriage, not who is eligible.
- 1 Corinthians 11:3–12, 14:34–35; 1 Timothy 2:9–15 — see anēr for the woman/wife choice in these passages.
What the lexicons say
Lexicons give two senses: an adult female, and a wife. Only context decides.
How translations render it
| Translation | 1 Timothy 3:11 | 1 Timothy 3:2 |
|---|---|---|
| KJV | "their wives" (italics: added by translators) | "the husband of one wife" |
| ESV | "Their wives" | "the husband of one wife" |
| NIV (2011) | "the women" | "faithful to his wife" |
| NRSV | "Women likewise" | "married only once" |
| CEB | "women who are servants" | "faithful to their spouse" |
The KJV printed "their" in italics, its standard way of telling readers a word was not in the Greek. Modern Bibles that add "their" usually drop the italics, so readers can no longer tell.
Translation history
- 1611, KJV: "their wives," with "their" marked as added.
- Early church: some early writers understood 3:11 as women deacons [See John Chrysostom's homilies on 1 Timothy].
- Modern translations divide: NIV and NRSV read "women"; ESV reads "their wives" with no italics.
See for yourself
- Read 1 Timothy 3:8–13. Paul gives qualifications for deacons in verses 8–10, then for gynaikas in verse 11. Why would he give requirements for deacons' wives but none for overseers' wives in verses 1–7?
- Compare 1 Timothy 3:2 with 5:9. If "one-woman man" means "must be a man," what does "one-man woman" mean?
- Read Romans 16:1. What does Paul call Phoebe?
Related words
anēr (G435, man, husband) · diakonos (G1249, deacon, minister)