The syntax of 1 Timothy 2:12 has been the subject of serious scholarly discussion in recent years. Increasingly, It has become clear that before one can apply this important passage on women's roles in the church, one must first determine what it means. In this quest for the meaning of 1 Tim 2:12, the proper understanding of the passage's syntax has had a very important place, especially since consensus on the meaning of the rare word "authentein" has proved elusive.