A Block for Stumbling This post is part of a series from my other blog.  1 Timothy 2:12-14 is one of those passages that has fallen out of favor in various circles in modern days because of what some people think it says. But let us first draw back and see what Paul[ 14 ] says prior to the offensive passage in verses 8-10, which read in the English Standard Version , I desire then that in every place the men should pray, lifting holy hands without anger or quarreling; likewise also that women should adorn themselves in respectable apparel, with modesty and self-control, not with braided hair and gold or pearls or costly attire, but with what is proper for women who profess godliness—with good works. While there is in some sense a generality made here by the use of the terms “men” and “women”, some commentators have noted that these terms should likely be understood in more functional and relative terms such as “husbands” and “wives”, while not excluding their generality.[