Throughout Christian history, there has been significant discussion about the place of women in preaching and ministry. While some traditions maintain that only men are called to preach, others cite important biblical instances of women who made substantial contributions to the spread of the gospel. We’ll look at a number of Bible scriptures in this post that address the responsibilities that women play in ministry and preaching. The bible verses about women preaching provides a rich tapestry of stories that illustrate the significance and strength of women in furthering God’s kingdom, from the leadership of prophetesses like Deborah to the evangelistic efforts of women in the New Testament.
The topic of whether or not women should preach still sparks debate and thought in today’s churches. Many Christians look to Scripture for direction on this subject. Examples of women who were called by God to preach His word, guide His people, and even instruct males can be found all throughout the Bible. Women were important members of the spiritual community from the Old to the New Testaments. This article will analyze the background and significance of many important Bible scriptures that shed light on God’s perspective on women preachers.
A few Bible verses are frequently the focus of the discussion surrounding women preaching, however there are several occasions in Scripture when women had a significant impact on the propagation of God’s word. The Bible gives a varied picture of the roles that women played in the early church, from Priscilla teaching alongside her husband to Miriam leading Israel in worship. This article examines the scriptural basis for comprehending the responsibilities of women in ministry, emphasizing the pertinent passages that encourage women to lead and preach within the body of Christ.
It is imperative that the church looks to the Scriptures for direction as it attempts to comprehend the place of women in ministry. The Bible includes examples of women who worked as leaders, prophets, and teachers—roles that are fundamental to ministry and preaching. Women’s involvement in the gospel ministry is demonstrated by the New Testament, ranging from Lydia’s position in the early church to Phoebe’s status as a deacon. This blog post will look at significant Bible passages and narratives that demonstrate how God has given women the ability to lead and declare His message.
The question of women’s involvement in preaching and teaching holds theological and historical importance. The Bible verses about women preaching provides us with an understanding of the ways in which women served God in a variety of ministries, such as preaching and instructing others in His word. Certain passages have been seen as restricting the duties of women, whilst other texts honor their contributions to the early church’s development and the gospel’s dissemination. This will examine how these passages are balanced, looking at how women were called to preach and serve in the Bible and what it implies for modern believers.
30 Powerful Bible Verses About Women Preaching
1. Acts 18:26
“He began to speak boldly in the synagogue. When Priscilla and Aquila heard him, they invited him to their home and explained to him the way of God more adequately.”
Priscilla, alongside her husband Aquila, is actively involved in teaching Apollos, a learned man. This demonstrates that women, like Priscilla, were involved in instructing others about the faith, indicating the possibility of women in teaching roles within the early church.
2. Romans 16:1-2
“I commend to you our sister Phoebe, a deacon of the church in Cenchreae. I ask you to receive her in the Lord in a way worthy of his people and to give her any help she may need from you, for she has been the benefactor of many people, including me.”
Phoebe is recognized as a deacon, a position of leadership in the church. This reference highlights the active role women like Phoebe played in the early Christian community, serving in leadership and potentially teaching roles.
3. Judges 4:4-5
“Now Deborah, a prophet, the wife of Lappidoth, was leading Israel at that time. She held court under the Palm of Deborah, and the Israelites went up to her to have their disputes decided.”
Deborah is both a prophet and a judge, showing that God raised women to positions of spiritual and judicial authority over His people. As a prophet, she delivered God’s message to the people, making her an example of a woman leading and speaking on behalf of God.
4. Joel 2:28
“And afterward, I will pour out my Spirit on all people. Your sons and daughters will prophesy, your old men will dream dreams, your young men will see visions.”
This prophecy from Joel, reaffirmed in Acts 2, promises that both men and women will receive the Holy Spirit and prophesy. This suggests that God’s Spirit equips both genders to proclaim His message, implying an inclusive view of ministry.
5. Luke 2:36-38
“There was also a prophet, Anna, the daughter of Penuel, of the tribe of Asher. She was very old; she had lived with her husband seven years after her marriage, and then was a widow until she was eighty-four. She never left the temple but worshiped night and day, fasting and praying.”
Anna is identified as a prophet, one who speaks for God. Her consistent presence in the temple, coupled with her role as a prophet, suggests that she had a significant spiritual influence, including sharing divine revelations with others.
6. 1 Corinthians 11:5
“But every woman who prays or prophesies with her head uncovered dishonors her head—it is the same as having her head shaved.”
In this passage, Paul acknowledges that women pray and prophesy in the church. While addressing a cultural issue of head coverings, he still affirms that women were engaged in these spiritual activities, indicating their involvement in worship and proclamation.
7. John 4:28-30
“Then, leaving her water jar, the woman went back to the town and said to the people, ‘Come, see a man who told me everything I ever did. Could this be the Messiah?’ They came out of the town and made their way toward him.”
The Samaritan woman at the well becomes a witness to her town about Jesus. Her testimony leads many to seek Jesus for themselves, showing how a woman’s testimony can effectively spread the message of the gospel.
8. Titus 2:3-5
“Likewise, teach the older women to be reverent in the way they live, not to be slanderers or addicted to much wine, but to teach what is good. Then they can urge the younger women to love their husbands and children, to be self-controlled and pure, to be busy at home, to be kind, and to be subject to their husbands, so that no one will malign the word of God.”
Older women are encouraged to be teachers, especially instructing younger women. This passage affirms that women have a role in teaching within the church, particularly in matters of godly living and wisdom.
9. Exodus 15:20-21
“Then Miriam the prophet, Aaron’s sister, took a timbrel in her hand, and all the women followed her, with timbrels and dancing. Miriam sang to them: ‘Sing to the Lord, for he is highly exalted. Both horse and driver he has hurled into the sea.'”
Miriam is called a prophet, and she leads the Israelites in worship after God’s deliverance at the Red Sea. Her leadership in worship and her prophetic role demonstrate that women held significant spiritual roles in the community of Israel.
10. Acts 21:9
“He had four unmarried daughters who prophesied.”
Philip the evangelist had four daughters who were prophets. This verse shows that women were active in prophesying within the early church, sharing divine messages with the community.
11. Galatians 3:28
“There is neither Jew nor Gentile, neither slave nor free, nor is there male and female, for you are all one in Christ Jesus.”
This verse speaks to the equality of all believers in Christ. It emphasizes that distinctions like gender do not prevent individuals from being fully included in the ministry and mission of the church.
12. Matthew 28:7
“Then go quickly and tell his disciples: ‘He has risen from the dead and is going ahead of you into Galilee. There you will see him. Now I have told you.’”
After the resurrection, the angel instructs women to go and tell the disciples that Jesus is risen. This makes women the first to proclaim the good news of the resurrection, giving them a foundational role in sharing the gospel.
13. Acts 2:17-18
“‘In the last days, God says, I will pour out my Spirit on all people. Your sons and daughters will prophesy, your young men will see visions, your old men will dream dreams. Even on my servants, both men and women, I will pour out my Spirit in those days, and they will prophesy.’”
This passage, quoting Joel 2:28, confirms that women, like men, will receive the Holy Spirit and be empowered to prophesy. It highlights the inclusive nature of God’s calling for all to participate in ministry.
14. 1 Timothy 2:11-12
“A woman should learn in quietness and full submission. I do not permit a woman to teach or to assume authority over a man; she must be quiet.”
This is often a central verse in discussions about women’s roles in preaching. The context of Paul’s letter to Timothy addresses issues in the specific church community at the time, where false teachings were prevalent. Some interpret this as a cultural directive rather than a universal prohibition, especially considering other scriptures that show women teaching.
15. Romans 16:7
“Greet Andronicus and Junia, my fellow Jews who have been in prison with me. They are outstanding among the apostles, and they were in Christ before I was.”
Junia is recognized by Paul as being “outstanding among the apostles.” This suggests that a woman, Junia, was considered an apostle, indicating a leadership and preaching role in the early church.
16. Luke 10:39-42
“She had a sister called Mary, who sat at the Lord’s feet listening to what he said. But Martha was distracted by all the preparations that had to be made. She came to him and asked, ‘Lord, don’t you care that my sister has left me to do the work by myself? Tell her to help me!’ ‘Martha, Martha,’ the Lord answered, ‘you are worried and upset about many things, but few things are needed—or indeed only one. Mary has chosen what is better, and it will not be taken away from her.’ “
Mary’s choice to sit at Jesus’ feet to learn was counter-cultural for women of that time. Jesus affirms her desire to learn and be equipped, suggesting that women, like men, are called to discipleship and possibly to teaching roles.
17. Colossians 4:15
“Give my greetings to the brothers and sisters at Laodicea, and to Nympha and the church in her house.”
Nympha is mentioned as hosting a church in her home, which implies leadership and possibly teaching roles. Women like Nympha were integral to the establishment and growth of the early church.
18. Acts 16:14-15
“One of those listening was a woman from the city of Thyatira named Lydia, a dealer in purple cloth. She was a worshiper of God. The Lord opened her heart to respond to Paul’s message. When she and the members of her household were baptized, she invited us to her home.”
Lydia was a significant figure in the early church. After her conversion, her home became a meeting place for believers, indicating that women played key roles in the spread of the gospel and the nurturing of the early Christian community.
19. Micah 6:4
“I brought you up out of Egypt and redeemed you from the land of slavery. I sent Moses to lead you, also Aaron and Miriam.”
This passage lists Miriam alongside Moses and Aaron as a leader of Israel. Her prophetic role and leadership during the Exodus demonstrate that God appoints women to significant spiritual roles.
20. Proverbs 31:26
“She speaks with wisdom, and faithful instruction is on her tongue.”
The woman described in Proverbs 31 is a model of godly wisdom. Her ability to give instruction demonstrates that women can possess the gift of teaching and leadership, especially when guided by wisdom and faith.
21. Acts 9:36
“In Joppa there was a disciple named Tabitha (in Greek her name is Dorcas); she was always doing good and helping the poor.”
Tabitha is described as a disciple, which is a term used for followers of Jesus. Her active ministry in helping others highlights that women were recognized as disciples, contributing significantly to the early Christian mission.
22. Philippians 4:2-3
“I plead with Euodia and I plead with Syntyche to be of the same mind in the Lord. Yes, and I ask you, my true companion, help these women since they have contended at my side in the cause of the gospel, along with Clement and the rest of my co-workers, whose names are in the book of life.”
Euodia and Syntyche are mentioned as co-workers in the gospel alongside Paul. This shows that women were involved in ministry and worked directly in spreading the message of Christ.
23. Luke 8:1-3
“After this, Jesus traveled about from one town and village to another, proclaiming the good news of the kingdom of God. The Twelve were with him, and also some women who had been cured of evil spirits and diseases: Mary (called Magdalene) from whom seven demons had come out; Joanna the wife of Chuza, the manager of Herod’s household; Susanna; and many others. These women were helping to support them out of their own means.”
Several women followed Jesus and supported His ministry. Their dedication and service were crucial to Jesus’ mission, showing that women were active participants in spreading the gospel.
24. 1 Corinthians 14:34-35
“Women should remain silent in the churches. They are not allowed to speak, but must be in submission, as the law says. If they want to inquire about something, they should ask their own husbands at home; for it is disgraceful for a woman to speak in the church.”
This verse is often cited as prohibiting women from speaking in church. However, the context suggests that Paul may have been addressing specific issues of disorder in worship services rather than giving a universal command. In other parts of his letters, Paul acknowledges women praying and prophesying, which suggests that women were not completely barred from speaking in church.
25. Matthew 28:10
“Then Jesus said to them, ‘Do not be afraid. Go and tell my brothers to go to Galilee; there they will see me.'”
After His resurrection, Jesus instructed women to go and tell His disciples the good news. This places women in the position of being the first to announce the resurrection, a pivotal moment in Christian faith.
26. Isaiah 61:1
“The Spirit of the Sovereign Lord is on me, because the Lord has anointed me to proclaim good news to the poor. He has sent me to bind up the brokenhearted, to proclaim freedom for the captives and release from darkness for the prisoners.”
Though this prophecy speaks of the coming Messiah, it also highlights that anyone anointed by God—regardless of gender—has the calling to proclaim the good news. This passage is often cited in support of all believers being called to share the gospel.
27. Mark 16:15
“He said to them, ‘Go into all the world and preach the gospel to all creation.'”
Jesus commands all His followers, both men and women, to preach the gospel. This Great Commission is not gender-specific and applies to every believer called to share the message of Christ.
28. Psalm 68:11
“The Lord gives the word; the women who announce the news are a great host.”
This verse refers to women proclaiming the message of God’s victory. It is a powerful example of women being involved in sharing God’s message with others, suggesting a long history of women’s participation in spiritual proclamation.
29. Luke 24:9-10
“When they came back from the tomb, they told all these things to the Eleven and to all the others. It was Mary Magdalene, Joanna, Mary the mother of James, and the others with them who told this to the apostles.”
The women were the first to announce Jesus’ resurrection to the apostles, affirming that women were entrusted with significant spiritual messages. Their role in delivering the resurrection news underscores the importance of women in the gospel narrative.
30. Acts 16:40
“After Paul and Silas came out of the prison, they went to Lydia’s house, where they met with the brothers and sisters and encouraged them. Then they left.”
Lydia’s house became a center for the early church, and she likely played a key role in leading and encouraging the believers who gathered there. This passage suggests that women, like Lydia, were central to the growth and support of the Christian community.
Conclusion
From the Old to the New Testaments, the Bible provides countless instances of women who led in spiritual issues, prophesied, and preached. God’s word was taught, guided, and disseminated by individuals such as Priscilla, Lydia, Deborah, and Phoebe. When taken as a whole, these verses show that women had a crucial role in the early church’s development and gospel dissemination.
Even though several biblical passages, such as 1 Timothy 2:11–12 and 1 Corinthians 14:34–35, have been construed to limit women’s preaching duties, it is important to consider their cultural and contextual backgrounds when interpreting these passages. Other scriptures, including Acts 2:17–18 and Galatians 3:28, highlight the equality of all believers and the Spirit’s giving of ministry to both gender.
