These two verses give a theological reason for the position regarding women in the Christian community. The source of the information is the book of Genesis, particularly the second and third chapters, with verse 13 taken from Genesis 2, and verse 14 from Genesis 3. In particular, verse 13 is a reference to Gen 2.7, 18-24, where the man was not only created first, but becomes the source of the creation of the woman. Verse 14, on the other hand, is a summary statement of Gen 3.1-7, where the woman was tempted by the snake to eat of the forbidden fruit in the garden.

First, then, in the order of creation, it was Adam who was formed first before Eve, based on the information found in Gen 2.7, 18-24. The word for formed can also be generic (“to make”), but in a specific sense it means “to mold” (as, for example, clay), “to shape.” This is the same word used by the Septuagint translators in Gen 2.7 (Revised Standard Version “formed”) in the creation of man from dust, and Gen 2.19, in the creation of the animals. The superiority of men over women is grounded first of all on the fact that man was created before woman and that man becomes a source of the creation of woman. This kind of thinking may also be found in 1 Cor 11.3, 8-9. In languages that do not use the passive voice, one may translate this first sentence as “After all, God created (or formed, or made) Adam first, and then he made Eve” or “… after that he made Eve.”

The second thing mentioned is the sin of the woman. This is a reference to Gen 3.1-7, where the woman was tempted by the snake to eat of the forbidden fruit in the garden. By yielding to the temptation of the snake, the woman was deceived and thus became a transgressor. The word for deceived includes the idea of misleading someone into believing as true something that is not; hence “led astray” (New Jerusalem Bible). The verse emphatically states that Adam was not deceived, which means that his accepting the fruit from Eve did not constitute submitting to deception. But there are many passages in the New Testament where Adam is depicted as the first transgressor (see, for example, Rom 5.12-21; 1 Cor 15.21-22, 45-58). This apparently is a difficulty that some translators face, and therefore they have made adjustments in such a way as to show that it was Eve’s deception that led to other deceptions including Adam’s. (Compare Phillips “It was Eve and not Adam who was first deceived.”) Such adjustments, however, cannot be justified by the Greek text. And may also be expressed as “Furthermore” or “Also.” In many languages translators will need to identify the agent of the event deceived and say something like “Furthermore, it was not Adam whom the snake deceived.” In certain languages it will be helpful to reverse the order of the first two clauses in verse 14; for example, “Also, it was the woman (or, Eve) whom the snake deceived, not Adam. And so in this way Eve broke (or, disobeyed) God’s law.”

Transgressor describes someone who willfully acts contrary to established customs, rules, and laws. One who disobeys God’s law is not only a lawbreaker but a sinner; so Jerusalem Bible “fell into sin.”

These two verses reflect the belief that was prevalent since Old Testament times, that women were inferior to men because it was the woman who caused the downfall of the human race; it was by her disobedience that sin, evil, and judgment came into the world. An author in the second century B.C. had written, “From a woman sin had its beginning, and because of her we all die.” This belief that women are easily deceived was one of the main reasons for some people to exclude women from any leadership functions in the early church. This was not the exclusive practice of the early church, however, as in other places in the New Testament women are in positions of leadership and teaching men; for example, Priscilla in Acts 18.26, and Phoebe in Rom 16.1.

Alternative translation models for this verse are:
• For God created Adam first, and then he made Eve. Furthermore, it was not Adam whom the snake deceived. But it was Eve who was deceived and sinned (or, broke God’s law).

Or:
• … Also, it was the woman (or, Eve) whom the snake deceived, not Adam. And so in this way Eve broke God’s law.

Quoted with permission from Arichea, Daniel C. and Hatton, Howard A. A Handbook on Paul’s First Letter to Timothy. (UBS Handbook Series). New York: UBS, 1995. For this and other handbooks for translators see here .