Chapter 1

1:3 - Paul says that Jesus is the son of David "according to the flesh." If so, then, Joseph is the biological father of Jesus. But this contradicts Matthew (1:18, 22:41-45) and Luke (1:34) which claim that Joseph was not Jesus' father.

* Jesus was conceived by the Holy Spirit and born to the virgin Mary.  Joseph was Jesus' adopted father.

* Matthew and Luke do not assert that Joseph was not Jesus' earthly father.

1:16 - Is salvation by faith alone?

* Yes.  See "Special Questions" for more on this.

1:17 - Has there ever been a just person?

* Yes. There have been some just people.  The apparent confusion lies only in Ecclesiastes 7:20.  However, the writer is stating that there are no perfect people.  In his new "circle of friends," there surely weren't any godly people (and definitely nobody perfect).

1:18 - "The wrath of God" is on all unbelievers.

* This is true.  The wrath of God is on everyone who rejects Him.

1:20 - Paul claims that the existence and nature of God is self-evident; thus, unbelievers are "without excuse." But Job 11:7 denies this, saying that no one can "by searching find out God."

* Paul is correct.  Paul admits that people have no excuse for not believing in God because His invisible attributes are clearly seen through the things He has made.

* In Job 11:7, Job is suffering and trying to understand God's plan for Him.  This is clearly indicated by this verse because it reads, "Can you search out the deep things of God?"  He is referring to the deep things of God and not the obvious things that Paul is talking about.

* Incidentally, in Job 42:5, Job reveals that he finally understands and sees God's ways and purposes for him.

1:22 - Paul calls people fools, thus making himself worthy of "hell fire." (Mt.5:22)

* Paul was making a righteous judgment on people that rejected God and biblical creation.  He wasn't calling a person a name without explaining their transgression.  Therefore, he wasn't in danger of hell fire.

1:24, 26, 28 - God abandons those who don't know him to "uncleanness and vile affections."

* God is a patient gentleman.  He stands at the door and knocks (see Revelation 3:20).  If people choose to reject Him, He often lets them.

1:26-28 - With his usual intolerance, Paul condemns homosexuals (including lesbians). This is the only clear reference to lesbians in the Bible.

* Homosexuality goes against God's plan for marriage.  His plan is evidenced all throughout the Bible.  See Leviticus 18:22, Genesis 2:24, 1 Corinthians 11:13, Ephesians 5:23, etc.  A homosexual couple confuses and contradicts the purposes of God.

1:27 - Paul explains that "the natural use" of women is to act as sexual objects for the pleasure of men.

* Paul does not indicate that women should be used.  Inappropriate conduct is not mentioned or implied.

* This Greek word for "use" implies sexual intercourse.  He is simply stating that it is natural for women to marry men.

1:31-32 - Homosexuals (those "without natural affection") and their supporters (those "that have pleasure in them") are "worthy of death" and should be killed.

* Paul never gives a special "death sentence" for homosexuals.  Paul does reiterate a continuous, biblical theme: The sins we commit warrant us the death penalty.  Romans 6:23 reads, "For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord."

* A holy God reserves the right to judge His creation that turned sinful.  If we do not repent and trust His source of forgiveness and redemption (Jesus Christ), we must pay for our sins with our lives.

Chapter 2

2:6, 13 - Here Paul tells us that everyone will be judged "according to his deeds," but in several other places (Rom.3:20, 28; Gal.2:16; Eph.2:8-9) he contradicts himself by insisting that people are judged by their faith alone.

* Our salvation will be judged on whether or not we repent and trust, believe, and accept Jesus Christ as our Lord and Savior.

* All people will also have their deeds judged.  Believers will receive rewards for their good deeds.  Unbelievers will receive condemnation because even many good things do not cover or forgive their wrongdoings.

2:6, 13 - What must you do to be saved? Do the right things.

* This is another verse about eternal rewards for the saved believers in Christ.

2:11 - Paul says that God does not respect anyone. But this contradicts Gen.4:4, Ex.2:25, Lev.26:9, 2 Kg.13:23; and Ps.138:6.1

* God is not a "respecter of persons."  He does not show partiality to the rich, those with earthly titles, social status, etc.

Chapter 3

3:5 - Paul asks the very good question: "Is there unrighteousness who taketh vengeance [upon innocent people]?" The obvious answer to this is, yes. Paul then quickly adds, "I speak as a man." What else could he speak as? A donkey or a god, perhaps?

* Romans 3:5 and 6 read, "But if our unrighteousness demonstrates the righteousness of God, what shall we say?  Is God unjust who inflicts wrath? (I speak as a man.)  Certainly not!  For then how will God judge the world?"  Paul is simply saying that God is righteous and holds the rights of a perfect God; namely, to make righteous judgments.

* Paul says, "I speak as a man" because he is asking some rhetorical questions and relating to even the natural man.  He is also relating to people who will admit they have sinned.  God's mercy and patience are seen through His love for us.

3:7 - Paul says it's OK to lie to defend God's truth.

* Paul never says it's ok to lie to defend God's truth.  Paul is making a facetious statement.

3:8 - Paul says that those who accuse him of lying deserve damnation.

* Paul is saying that there are wicked people that are accusing him of lying.  These people hate God and have not trusted Jesus Christ for salvation.  Therefore, he is saying that they will be condemned.

* Verse 8 clearly indicates that Paul was speaking facetiously in verse 7.  Paul wasn't lying and he was making a strong statement against those that denied the truth of the gospel.

3:10, 12, 23 - Paul claims that there never has been a righteous or good person. But according to Gen.6:9, 7:1; Job 1:1, 2:3, and Lk.1:5-6, Noah, Job, Zechariah, and Elizabeth were all good and righteous people.

* Paul says that there has never been a perfect person.  This Greek word for "righteous" is also translated "innocent."

* All believers in Christ can have times of righteousness.  It is a state of being.  However, all humans sin, too.  Therefore, the people who are mentioned in the Bible as righteous were temporarily righteous.  The Bible doesn't indicate that any human was without sin.  Only Jesus Christ was sinless.

3:12 - Has anyone ever done anything good? No.

* This verse is referring to some people, in a state of being, in a certain point in time.  It isn't referring to whether or not anyone can be good or do good for a period of time.  It is clear from the scriptures that people can do both good and evil and will have periods of goodness and evil.

3:20, 28 - Paul says that people a judged by their faith alone. The idea that our beliefs determine whether we are saved or damned is unjust.

* Paul is correct.  Our salvation is based solely on whether or not we repent and trust, believe, and accept Jesus Christ as our Lord and Savior.

* See "Special Questions" for more on this.

3:23 - Paul says that "all have sinned." But this disagrees with 1 John (1 Jn.3:6, 9, 5:18).

* John lists several conditions for being without sin.  He clearly states that a person could be without sin only if they "abide in Him," "remain in Him," and are "born of God."  He is correct and it is impossible for a human to do these three for their entire lives.  Indeed, all have sinned.

3:28 - What must you do to be saved? Believe the right things.

* We are justified by faith in Jesus Christ.  This verse, in its plain and simple context, is very clear.

Chapter 4

4:2 - Was Abraham justified by faith or works? Paul says by faith; James (2:21) says by works. So which is it? Is salvation by faith or by works?

* Romans 4:2 and 3 read, "For if Abraham was justified by works, he has something to boast about, but not before God.  For what does the Scripture say?  'Abraham believed God, and it was accounted to him for righteousness.'”  James 2:21-23 reads, "Was not Abraham our father justified by works when he offered Isaac his son on the altar?  Do you see that faith was working together with his works, and by works faith was made perfect?  And the Scripture was fulfilled which says, 'Abraham believed God, and it was accounted to him for righteousness.'  And he was called the friend of God."

* Salvation is by faith.  See "Special Questions" for more on this.

4:5-6, 13; 5:1 - Paul claims that people are justified by their faith alone -- without regard to, or even in spite of, their works. But James (2:14, 17, 24-26) clearly denies this by saying: "By works a man is justified, and not by faith only."

* Paul is correct.  The gospel of God is like the love of God: you can't earn it and it's not based on our works.

* These passages in James are prefaced with this phrase: ". . . you show me . . . and I'll show you . . ."  James is clearly indicating how to try and determine a person's salvation by their works.  He is also encouraging good deeds.  He is not talking about knowing one's heart and the fact of their salvation that is known by God alone.

4:19 - Paul says that Abraham needed God's help to father Isaac when he was 100 years old. But Abraham, when he was even older, managed to father six more children with a new wife without any divine assistance (Gen.21:2, 25:1-2).

* The scriptures indicate that Sarah's womb was barren.  They do not indicate that Abraham was impotent.

* Sarah's pregnancy was a miracle.  However, as Abraham fathered Ishmael, Isaac, and other children at his age, these may have been miracles, too.

Chapter 5

5:1 - What must you do to be saved? Believe the right things.

* We are justified by faith in Jesus Christ.  This verse, in its plain and simple context, is very clear.

5:9 - The guilty are "justified" and "saved from wrath" by the blood of an innocent victim.

* This isn't entirely true.  These verses cannot be understood without reading verses 6-8, also.  They read, "For when we were still without strength, in due time Christ died for the ungodly.  For scarcely for a righteous man will one die; yet perhaps for a good man someone would even dare to die.  But God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us."

* Jesus' perfection allowed Him to be the perfect and sinless sacrifice for our sins.  This was impossible for any other human.  Furthermore, only those that repent and trust, believe, and accept Jesus' sacrifice for their sins will be saved from God's wrath.

5:12 - God punishes everyone for someone else's sin; he then saves them by killing an innocent victim. But is it true, as this verse says, that everyone must die? And, of course, death didn't enter the world a few thousand years ago because of Adam's sin. Death has been a part of life since life first arose (on this planet, at least) a few billion years ago.

* Adam and Eve sinned and through them, sin entered the world.  Nonetheless, any honest person would admit that they have sinned (done something wrong like lying, stealing, cheating, etc.).

* Genesis 5:24 and Hebrews 11:5 mention Enoch.  He was translated (also called assumed or raptured) into Heaven.  This event occurred before Noah's Flood.

* In the first century, Paul wrote in Romans 5:12 and Hebrews 9:27 that all people will die once.  This is true, correct, and consistent with biblical doctrines.

* John 8:51 and John 11:26 are quotes from Jesus.  He is telling people that if they believe in Him, then they will never die.  Jesus is referring to the second death.  This second death is mentioned in Revelation 2:11, 20:6, 20:14, and 21:8.

5:14 - According to Paul, death is a punishment for sin. Yet here Paul says that "death reigned ... even over them that had not sinned." And a little earlier (3:10, 23) he told us that all have sinned.

* Romans 5:14 reads, "Nevertheless death reigned from Adam to Moses, even over those who had not sinned according to the likeness of the transgression of Adam, who is a type of Him who was to come."  Paul never conveys or implies that there were perfect people who did not sin; except for Jesus Christ.

5:20 - God gave the law so "that the offence might abound." Well now that's a good reason!

* This is only part of verse 20.  Plus, this verse is better understood by reading it with verse 21.  They read, "Moreover the law entered that the offense might abound.  But where sin abounded, grace abounded much more, so that as sin reigned in death, even so grace might reign through righteousness to eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord."

Chapter 6

6:21 - Does Hell exist? No.

* Mentioning death does not deny Hell's existence.  The scriptures teach that Hell is a place for unbelievers to go after they die.

6:23 - Does Hell exist? No.

* Mentioning death does not deny Hell's existence.  The scriptures teach that Hell is a place for unbelievers to go after they die.

Chapter 7

7:4 - Paul says the law is dead and no longer binding. But Jesus said that the law will be binding in its entirety "till heaven and earth pass away." (Mt.5:17-19)

* Romans 7:4 reads, "Therefore, my brethren, you also have become dead to the law through the body of Christ, that you may be married to another—to Him who was raised from the dead, that we should bear fruit to God."  Matthew 5:17-19 reads, "Do not think that I came to destroy the Law or the Prophets.  I did not come to destroy but to fulfill.  For assuredly, I say to you, till heaven and earth pass away, one jot or one tittle will by no means pass from the law till all is fulfilled.  Whoever therefore breaks one of the least of these commandments, and teaches men so, shall be called least in the kingdom of heaven; but whoever does and teaches them, he shall be called great in the kingdom of heaven." 

* These verses are complementary.  Paul is stating that believers in Christ are dead to the law.  The curse of the law, which was "because of our sins, God requires our death as punishment," cannot effect Christians because they are saved through God's grace.  Jesus has fulfilled the law and obeyed it in every way.  He was perfect.  Therefore, those that have saving faith in Him transcend the law and go to Heaven when they die.

* Paul never says to stop obeying God's commands in the New Testament.  Likewise, Jesus never says to stop obeying God's commands.

* Incidentally, New Testament Christians were never required to obey the Israelite's, Levitical laws.  Those laws were clearly for them alone.  However, there are many laws that apply to believers in Jesus Christ and there are some guidelines in the Old Testament that are relevant, today.

7:6 - Paul says the law is dead. but Leviticus (23:14, 21, 31, 41) says the law will "be a statute forever."

* Romans 7:6 reads, "But now we have been delivered from the law, having died to what we were held by, so that we should serve in the newness of the Spirit and not in the oldness of the letter."  Paul is correct.  We have been delivered from the law.  The law states that we pay for our sins with our lives.  Jesus Christ has delivered us from this law.

7:18 - There is nothing good about Paul.

* Paul states, ". . . I know that in me (that is, in my flesh) nothing good dwells . . ."  Our flesh is sinful and Paul is correct.  Our fleshly desires don't seek the things of God.

Chapter 8

8:26 - In Mt.6:9-13 Jesus teaches his disciples how to pray. Yet here Paul says that Christians don't know how to pray.

* Jesus never told us to pray that exact prayer every time we pray.  Christians need to pray for a variety of things and they don't always know what they need.  Therefore, Paul admits that the Spirit helps us and intercedes for us.

8:29-30 - Everyone is predestined by God to be either saved or damned; they can do nothing to affect their final destiny.

* It is clear that God calls people.  However, some answer His call and some do not.

8:29-30 - What must you do to be saved? Be chosen (predestined) by God).

* These verses reveal God's hand in the salvation process.  However, they are complementary to the verses that explain the necessary faith response to the person of Christ and the gospel.

8:31 - No one can oppose Christians since god is on their side.

* Paul says, "If God is for us, then who can be against us?"  Paul is talking about the awesome power of God.  When Christians obey God and walk in His truth, they receive His mighty power.

8:32 - "He that spareth not his own son" shouldn't be trusted by anyone.

* God required a perfect person to die for our sins.  Jesus Christ was the only one who could do it.  This was prophesied in the Old Testament and it is God's one way of salvation.

8:33 - A Christian cannot be accused of any wrongdoing.

* Paul says, "Who shall bring a charge against God’s elect?  It is God who justifies."  Paul is telling us that believers in Christ will overcome any charges regarding them being unworthy of salvation.  God justifies the believers in Jesus Christ.

8:38 - Is is possible to fall from grace?

* No, it is not possible to fall from grace.

* Hebrews 6:4-6 describes someone who isn't saved.  They have merely "tasted the gift" and they have not repented and trusted, believed, and accepted Jesus Christ as their Lord and Savior.

* 2 Peter 2:20 and 21 describe a person who gets saved, then fills his or her life with evil.  These people have the Holy Spirit inside of them.  They crave and need the spiritual things of God.  When they get saved and don't follow God, they suffer immensely and they are subject to worse displeasure than they did before they believed.  They are routinely convicted by God's Holy Spirit within them to repent from their wickedness.

Chapter 9

9:11 - What must you do to be saved? Be chosen (predestined) by God).

* This verse is referring to an event in the Old Testament.  See Genesis 25:23.

9:11-12 - God makes some people that are destined to go to heaven and others that will go to hell. There is nothing that they can do to change the will of God. Paul says that this is how it should be, saying: "What if God, willing to show his wrath, and to make his power known" damns most of mankind to eternal torments of hell for things they either didn't do or couldn't avoid doing?

* Romans 9:11 and 12 reads, "(for the children not yet being born, nor having done any good or evil, that the purpose of God according to election might stand, not of works but of Him who calls), it was said to her, 'The older shall serve the younger.'"  These verses are indicating that salvation is not by works.

9:13 - Does God love everyone?

* God loves all people.  However, we also see that He can hate sinners.  This doesn't mean that they are outside His grace.  It simply means that He hates sin and those that reject Him and choose to hurt themselves and others by sinning can conjure His wrath.

9:14-22 - "What shall be say then? Is their unrighteousness with God?" It sure looks like it!

* No.  God is righteous.  This is a rhetorical question.  The rest of this verse (14) reads, "God forbid."

9:33 - Misquote of Is.28:16.

* This is a combination of both Isaiah 8:14 and Isaiah 28:16.  Paul never indicates that he was simply quoting Isaiah 28:16.  He also never indicates that he desired to quote every word of these passages.

Chapter 10

10:4 - "Christ is the end of the law." Yet Jesus said (Mt.5:17-19) that the law will be binding "till heaven and earth pass."

* Romans 10:4 reads, "For Christ is the end of the law for righteousness to everyone who believes."  Before Christ, people would become righteous by obeying the laws.  However, after Christ came, people became righteous by believing in Jesus Christ.

10:8 - Paul miquotes Dt.30:14.

* Paul quotes the first two-thirds of Deuteronomy 30:14.  He never indicates that he was trying to quote the whole verse.

10:9 - Is Salvation by faith alone? What must you do to be saved? Confess with your mouth "Jesus is Lord" and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead.

* This is a summation of the gospel message that is consistent with the rest of the scriptures about salvation.  One must believe in Jesus Christ to be saved.  Believing involves confessing with one's mouth that Jesus is Lord.

10:13 - Paul says that whoever calls on the name of Jesus will be saved. But Jesus said: "Not everyone that saith unto me, Lord, Lord, shall enter into the kingdom of heaven." (Mt.7:21)

* Paul isn't saying that a person who haphazardly calls Jesus' name will be saved.  This Greek word for "call" indicates a "testimony" and "worship."  Paul is referring to a person that decided to repent and trust, believe, and accept Jesus Christ as their Lord and Savior.

* In Matthew 7:21, Jesus is talking about people that never believe and trust Him.  Jesus is also talking about people who have false religion and think they are saved, but truly are not.

10:18 - Paul says that everyone, even in his day, had the gospel preached to them. Even the Native Americans, Asians, Pacific Islanders? In any case, if Paul is right about that, then Jesus is a false prophet, since he said he would return before the gospel was preached to everyone. (Mt.10:23)

* This Greek word for "world" can simply indicate the Roman empire.  Paul surely wasn't referring to parts of the world that he didn't even know existed.  He was speaking within the framework that he knew.

Chapter 11

11:7-10 - God blinded the Jews so they wouldn't recognize Jesus as the Messiah.

* The Jews chose to reject God and His plan for salvation.  Therefore, God let them be blinded.  Their blindness was part of their judgment for rejecting God.

11:26 - Paul says that all Israel shall be saved. But Jesus said (Mt.8:12) that "the children of the kingdom" (Israel) would be cast into the outer darkness.

* Paul isn't indicating that all of Israel will be saved without believing in Jesus Christ.  He is stating that they will be saved through Jesus Christ.  This is understood better by reading verse 27.  It begins, "The Deliverer will come out of Zion . . ."

Chapter 12

12:14 - Paul says we should "bless and curse not." Yet in 1 Corinthians (16:22) he curses all those who don't love Jesus.

* This Greek word for "curse" also means "doom."  Paul is illustrating that humans do not have the power or right to condemn a person.  Only God can condemn a person for unbelief and essentially, people condemn themselves by not repenting and believing, trusting, and accepting Jesus Christ as their Lord and Savior.

Chapter 13

13:1-4 - "The powers that be are ordained of God." Whoever resists them will be damned (contrary to Acts 5:29).

* Paul is referring to the need for Christians to obey the government when they have laws that do not contradict God's laws.

* In Acts 5:29, Peter is telling the temple guards that he and the disciples were going to preach the gospel because they would "rather obey God than man."  In this case, the government was against God's law to preach the gospel, so the disciples disobeyed the wicked government.

13:9-10 - "If there be any other commandment, it is briefly comprehended in this saying, namely, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself." Well, that sounds nice, but what about Ex.22:18? And if we shouldn't covet, then why does Paul say that we should in 1 Cor.12:31 and 14:39?

* Loving our neighbor doesn't mean that we should agree with the sin in their life.

* 1 Corinthians 12:31 tells us to "covet" the best gifts from God.  This isn't talking about coveting human things from other humans.  Paul is telling us that we should long for the spiritual things of God. 

* 1 Corinthians 14:39 is addressed by the same response.

13:9-11-12 - Paul believed that the end of the world was coming soon. "The day is at hand."

* Romans 13:12 and 13 read, "The night is far spent, the day is at hand.  Therefore let us cast off the works of darkness, and let us put on the armor of light.  Let us walk properly, as in the day, not in revelry and drunkenness, not in lewdness and lust, not in strife and envy."  Paul isn't talking about the end of the world.

13:13 - Is it ok to drink alcohol?

* In the scriptures, we only see drinking condoned when it is either consumed when a person is dying or celebrating.  Strong drink was given to people who were very sick because they didn't have medication or pills.  During celebrations, drinking a little wine without getting drunk was acceptable.

* Many times, especially in the book of Proverbs, we see warnings against drunkenness.  It is clearly foolish and wrong to get drunk.  We don't see drunkenness condoned anywhere in the scriptures.

Chapter 14

14:2 - Paul says that only wimps are vegetarians.

* Romans 14:2 reads, "For one believes he may eat all things, but he who is weak eats only vegetables."  Paul isn't simply speaking to vegetarians as we know them, today.  If a person ate only vegetables, even today, they would be considered a very strict vegetarian or a vegan.  These people generally have health problems because they don't get enough vitamins and minerals.  In Paul's time, when a person in Rome couldn't get and eat all of the different vegetables that a 21st century person in Rome could get, they would receive even less nourishment in their diet.

* This verse is also, likely talking to Gentiles who converted to Christianity, but were trying to obey the Old Testament laws about clean food.  When they would travel, they would be uncertain if the food was clean in God's eyes and they would eat only vegetables.  By reading verse 3, we know that Paul was telling them not to worry.

14:5 - In speaking about the Sabbath, Paul says that some observe one day and others another day. He says that's OK with him. But the Old Testament god was not so understanding (Ex.20:8, 31:13-17, 35:2-3; Dt.4:12-14, Is.56:2).

* The Sabbath law was for the ancient Israelites.  In the New Testament, Jesus interpreted how the Sabbath law should be understood and followed from then on.

14:14 - Paul says that every kind of animal is OK to eat. But the Dt.14:7-8 clearly forbids using certain kinds of animals for food..

* Paul's statement was something new and part of the New Covenant.  Romans 14:14 reads, "I know and am convinced by the Lord Jesus that there is nothing unclean of itself; but to him who considers anything to be unclean, to him it is unclean."

14:21 - Is it OK to drink alcohol or eat meat?

* According to the Bible, it is ok to drink weak wine.  Strong wine is associated with foolishness or people who are dying.

* Genesis 1:29 indicates that God told Adam and Eve to eat vegetables.

* Genesis 9:3 indicates that God decided to let people at meat.

* Deuteronomy 14:7 and 8 and Leviticus 11:2-4 indicate that only certain kinds of meat were allowed to be eaten.

* Daniel 1:8 states that he decided to abstain from the pagan people's fatty foods.

* Romans 14:21 and 1 Corinthians 8:13 is where Paul states that eating certain types of food was less important than making sure your brother doesn't stumble and sin.

* Acts 10:9-13, 1 Corinthians 10:25, 1 Timoth 4:1-3 and Romans 14:14 indicate that we may eat what we want under the New Covenant in the New Testament.

* Romans 14:2 is stating how strict vegetarians suffer health problems.

14:23 - "He that doubteth is damned ... Whosoever is not of faith is sin."

* This verse simply means that those who believe there are still foods that are forbidden by the Mosaic laws will feel condemned by their conscience for doing what they thought was forbidden.  If this person disobeys their conscience, then it will be like sin to them.

Chapter 15

15:2 - Should we try to please others?

* Yes, we should love others and try and please them.

* In Galatians 1:9-12, Paul is talking about loving God and obeying Him before any other.  He is not saying that we shouldn't love or please others.

15:33 - Paul claims that God is peaceful, but Ex.15:3 says he is warlike.

* God has a multi-faceted character.  He is the Prince of Peace, but He is also a God of war and wrath.

Chapter 16

16:1 - Paul speaks of "Phebe our sister, which is a servant of the church." But the Revised Standard Version calls her a "deaconess", which would make would make her a church leader. If the RSV translation is correct, this verse contradicts the requirement that women not be permitted to teach and that they must be silent in church (1 Cor.14:34-35, 1 Tim.2:11-12).

* This Greek word can mean "servant," "attendant," or even "waitress."  Incidentally, deacons and deaconesses don't always teach.  In many churches, deacons and deaconesses simply collect the offering plates, prepare the communion cups and bread, etc.