Which verse prohibits a woman from teaching or exercising authority over the man, requiring her to be in silence?

• A. 1 Timothy 2:12
• B. 1 Peter 3:7
• C. Romans 12:21
• D. James 3:1

Answer: (A)

The main idea tested is the explicit instruction about women's role in church leadership as given by Paul. The line states, “I suffer not a woman to teach, nor to usurp authority over the man, but to be in silence.” This directly prohibits a woman from teaching or having authority over a man in the church context, and it commands silence in that setting, which is exactly what the question describes. The other references don’t address church leadership in the same explicit way: 1 Peter 3:7 speaks to the relationship between husbands and wives, not to ecclesiastical teaching or governance; Romans 12:21 focuses on overcoming evil with good; James 3:1 cautions about the weighty responsibility of teachers in general, but it does not single out women or mandate silence. So the instruction that most directly answers the question is the one that clearly states the prohibition.