30 Bible Verses on Women’s Leadership

Introduction

I recently saw a webpage with the heading “35 Important Bible Verses on Women’s Leadership.” (See here.) I liked the idea of listing these verses, but I especially liked these opening paragraphs.

In many parts of the Bible, we find stories and verses that highlight the important roles women have played in spiritual and community leadership. From the Old Testament to the New Testament, women have been chosen by God to lead, teach, and guide others in faith.

These Bible verses about women’s leadership show us that women are vital in God’s plan, demonstrating courage, wisdom, and faith. Whether through leading a nation, offering wise counsel, or being a strong example of faith, these women inspire us to appreciate and support female leadership in our communities and churches.

Nice! I couldn’t agree more.

I decided to list my own favourite verses about women’s leadership. Many of these are also listed on the “35 Important Verses” webpage, but some are different.

Here’s my selection of 30 Bible passages that refer to women’s leadership. They all mention a woman, or women, who had a significantly influential and beneficial role in the community of God’s people. I’ve not commented on the verses, but I have given links to more information about them.

Old Testament Verses on Women’s Leadership

In the Hebrew Bible and Greek Old Testament (Septuagint), women led in various contexts: some as matriarchal figures, some who gave vital instructions and guidance, and some who acted as mediators in potentially violent situations.

Several women were prophets. There was a recognised and respected place for prophets, male and female, in ancient Israel, in early Judaism, and in first and second centuries churches. Here are some Old Testament verses that mention women leading, teaching, and prophesying.

1. EXODUS 15:20-21

“Then the prophetess Miriam, Aaron’s sister, took a tambourine in her hand, and all the women came out following her with tambourines and dancing. Miriam sang to them: ‘Sing to the Lord, for he is highly exalted; he has thrown the horse and its rider into the sea.’”

More on Miriam and these verses (where the Hebrew words behind “them” and “sing” are masculine and include men) here: Did Miriam the prophetess only minister to women?

2. JUDGES 4:4-5; 5:7

“Now Deborah, a woman, a prophetess, the wife of Lappidoth [or, woman of torches], was judging Israel at that time. She would sit under the palm tree of Deborah between Ramah and Bethel in the hill country of Ephraim, and the Israelites went up to her to settle disputes. […] ‘Villages were deserted, they were deserted in Israel, until I, Deborah, arose, a mother in Israel.’” (CSB)

I have more in Deborah here: Deborah and the “no available men” argument. And I look at the expression “woman of lappidot” here: What’s in a name? Deborah: Woman of Lappidoth.

3. 1 SAMUEL 25:14ff

“One of Nabal’s young men informed Abigail, Nabal’s wife, ‘Look, David sent messengers from the wilderness to greet our master, but he screamed at them. […] Abigail hurried, taking two hundred loaves of bread, two clay jars of wine, five butchered sheep, a bushel of roasted grain, one hundred clusters of raisins, and two hundred cakes of pressed figs, and loaded them on donkeys. Then she said to her male servants, ‘Go ahead of me. I will be right behind you.’ But she did not tell her husband, Nabal. As she rode the donkey down a mountain pass hidden from view, she saw David and his men coming toward her and met them. …”

More about Abigail’s diplomatic actions, as well as her prophetic speech, where she intervened between two angry and rash men here: Abigail: A Bible Woman with Beauty and Brains.

4. 2 SAMUEL 20:15-16, 18-19, 21b-22

“Joab’s troops came and besieged Sheba in Abel of Beth-maacah. They built a siege ramp against the outer wall of the city. While they were battering the wall to bring it down, a wise woman called from the city,
‘Listen! Listen! Tell Joab to come here so I can speak to him.’ […]
She said, ‘In the past they used to say, “Seek counsel in Abel,” and that’s how they settled disputes. I am one of the peaceful and faithful in Israel, but you’re trying to destroy a city that is like a mother in Israel. Why would you devour the Lord’s inheritance?’ […]
Joab replied … ‘Hand over this one man [Sheba], and I’ll withdraw from the city.’
The woman said to Joab, ‘His head will be thrown to you from the wall.’
Then the woman went to all the people with her wise advice, and they cut off the head of Sheba son of Bikri and threw it to Joab. So he blew the ram’s horn, and they dispersed from the city, each to his own tent. Joab returned to the king in Jerusalem.” (See also the wise woman of Tekoa in 2 Samuel 14:1-33).

5. 2 KINGS 22:13-15

[Josiah said,] “’Go and inquire of the Lord for me, for the people, and for all Judah about the words in this book that has been found.’ … So the priest Hilkiah, Ahikam, Achbor, Shaphan, and Asaiah went to the prophetess Huldah, wife of Shallum son of Tikvah, son of Harhas, keeper of the wardrobe. She lived in Jerusalem in the Second District. They spoke with her. She said to them, ‘This is what the Lord God of Israel says …’”

I have more on Huldah, and I identify the men who sought Huldah’s counsel on this occasion, here: Huldah’s Public Prophetic Ministry.

6. 1 CHRONICLES 7:24

“His daughter was Sheerah, who built Lower and Upper Beth-Horon and Uzzen-Sheerah…”

I have a short discussion on Sheerah here: 3 Obscure Old Testament Women With Clout.

7. ESTHER 4:16-17

“‘Go and assemble all the Jews who can be found in Susa and fast for me. Don’t eat or drink for three days, night or day. I and my female servants will also fast in the same way. After that, I will go to the king even if it is against the law. If I perish, I perish.’ So Mordecai went and did everything Esther had commanded him.” (CSB)

More on Esther’s plan to save the Jewish people here: Esther’s Story (2): For Such a Time as This.

8. ESTHER 9:29–32

“Queen Esther, daughter of Abihail, along with Mordecai the Jew, wrote with her full royal power to show that this second letter about Purim was correct. Letters conveying good wishes and words of friendship were sent to all the Jews throughout the one hundred twenty-seven provinces in the kingdom of Ahasuerus [i.e. Xerxes]. Their aim was to make sure that the Jews kept these days of Purim at the proper time, following the rule that Mordecai the Jew and Queen Esther had made… Esther’s order made these features of Purim part of the law, so it was written down.” (CEB)

More on Esther instituting the festival of Purim here: Esther’s Story (3): Esther in Action

9. PSALM 68:11-12a

“The Lord gave the command; a great company of women brought the good news: ‘The kings of the armies flee—they flee!’” (CSB)

More about the role of these women, and women like them, here: Bible Women Who Led Celebrations and Lamentations.

10. PROVERBS 31:1

“The words of King Lemuel, an oracle [or, inspired utterance] that his mother taught him …” (cf. Prov. 1:8-9; 6:20).

11. PROVERBS 31:26

“She opens her mouth with wisdom;
The law [torah] of kindness [chesed] is on her tongue.”

I have more on King Lemuel’s Mother, the Proverbs 31 woman, and other Bible women who taught, here: King Lemuel’s Mother: The Other Proverbs 31 Woman.

12. MICAH 6:4

“For I brought you up from the land of Egypt, and redeemed you from the house of slavery; and I sent before you Moses, Aaron, and Miriam.” (NRSV)

I have more articles about Old Testament women here.

Verses in the Gospels and Acts on Women’s Leadership

In the Gospels we see women of exemplary faith, such as Elizabeth, Mary the mother of Jesus, and Martha, making profound theological declarations. Other women ministered to Jesus and bankrolled his ministry, and still others ministered as evangelists, telling others about the Messiah.

After Pentecost, we see a woman who was a benefactor of widows and of the poor (cf. 1 Tim. 5:16 NIV), women who were proprietors and who hosted church meetings and house churches, a female teacher, and four prophetesses.

Here are a few verses that mention these ministries.

13. LUKE 2:36-38

“There was also a prophetess, Anna, a daughter of Phanuel, of the tribe of Asher. She was well along in years, having lived with her husband seven years after her marriage, and was a widow for eighty-four years. She did not leave the temple, serving God night and day with fasting and prayers. At that very moment, she came up and began to thank God and to speak about him to all who were looking forward to the redemption of Jerusalem.”

More on Anna and other prophetesses in the Bible here: Every Female Prophet in the Bible.

14. JOHN 20:28

“Jesus told her, ‘… Go to my brothers and sisters and tell them that I am ascending to my Father and your Father, to my God and your God.’ Mary Magdalene went to the disciples with the news: ‘I have seen the Lord!’ And she told them that [Jesus] had said these things to her.” (See also the Samaritan woman in John 4).

More on Mary the Magdalene here: Who was Mary the Magdalene?
More articles on women in the Gospels are here.

15. ACTS 2:17-18

“… I will pour out my Spirit on all humanity; then your sons and your daughters will prophesy, your old men [or seniors] will have dreams, and your young men will see visions. I will even pour out my Spirit on my male slaves [or, servants] and my female slaves [or, servants] in those days.”

I have more on these verses which first appear in Joel 2:28-29 and are reiterated on the Day of Pentecost, here: The Holy Spirit and Equality in the Book of Acts.

16. ACTS 9:36, 39-41

“In Joppa there was a disciple named Tabitha (which is translated Dorcas). She was always doing good works and acts of charity. […] And all the widows approached him, weeping and showing him the robes and clothes that Dorcas had made while she was with them. Peter sent them all out of the room. He knelt down, prayed, and turning toward the body said, ‘Tabitha, get up.’ She opened her eyes, saw Peter, and sat up. He gave her his hand and helped her stand up. He called the saints and widows and presented her alive.”

More about Tabitha’s ministry here: Tabitha: An Exemplary Disciple (Acts 9:36-42).

17. ACTS 12:12

“… [Peter] went to the house of Mary, the mother of John who was called Mark, where many had assembled and were praying.”

18. ACTS 16:14-15

“A God-fearing woman named Lydia, a dealer in purple cloth from the city of Thyatira, was listening. The Lord opened her heart to respond to what Paul was saying. After she and her household were baptized, she urged us, ‘If you consider me a believer in the Lord, come and stay at my house.’ And she persuaded us. […] After leaving the jail, [Paul and Silas] came to Lydia’s house, where they saw and encouraged the brothers and sisters, and departed.” (CSB)

More on Lydia and her role in the church at Philippi, here: Lydia of Thyatira: The founding member of the Philippian Church.

19. ACTS 18:26

“[Apollos] began to speak boldly in the synagogue, but when Priscilla and Aquila heard him, they took him aside and explained to him the way of God more accurately.”

More about Acts 18:26 here: Did Priscilla Teach Apollos? And here: At Home with Priscilla and Aquila.

20. ACTS 21:8-9

“The next day we left and came to Caesarea, where we entered the house of Philip the evangelist, who was one of the Seven, and stayed with him. This man had four virgin daughters who prophesied.” (CSB)

More about these women here: Philip’s Prophesying Daughters.
More articles about women in the Book of Acts are here.

Verses in the NT Letters on Women’s Leadership

In the New Testament letters we see more women mentioned who were involved in various kinds of ministries. At least eighteen women are mentioned in Paul’s letters, sixteen are identified by name. Furthermore, Paul used his favourite ministry descriptions for his male and female ministry colleagues: coworker, diakonos, apostolos, etc. In the later letters, we see the beginning of church offices with evidence of women deacons (1 Tim 3:11 NIV) and enrolled widows (1 Tim 5:9-10).

21. ROMANS 16:1-2

“I commend to you our sister Phoebe, a minister (diakonos) of the church at Cenchreae, that you may welcome her in the Lord in a way worthy of the saints, and assist her in whatever she may need from you, for she has been a patron of many and of myself as well.”

I have more on Phoebe here: Was Phoebe a Deacon of the Church at Cenchrea?

22. ROMANS 16:3-5a

“Give my greetings to Prisca and Aquila, my coworkers in Christ Jesus, who risked their own necks for my life. Not only do I thank them, but so do all the Gentile churches. Greet also the church that meets in their home.”

I have more on Prisca (Priscilla) here: Paul’s Female Coworkers.

23. ROMANS 16:6

“Greet Mary, who has worked very hard for you.”

I have more on Mary of Rome, and the other Marys in the Bible, here: All the Marys and Miriams in the Bible.

24. ROMANS 16:7

“Greet Andronicus and Junia, my fellow Jews and my fellow prisoners. They are noteworthy among the apostles [or, missionaries], and they were in Christ before me.”

I have lots more on Junia here.

25. ROMANS 16:12

“Greet Tryphaena and Tryphosa, who have worked hard in the Lord. Greet my dear friend Persis, who has worked very hard in the Lord.” (CSB)

More on the Romans 16 women here: A List of the 29 People in Romans 16:1-16.

26. PHILIPPIANS 4:2-3

“I urge Euodia and I urge Syntyche to agree in the Lord. Yes, I also ask you, true partner, to help these women who have contended for the gospel at my side, along with Clement and the rest of my coworkers whose names are in the book of life.” (CSB)

I have more on these women here: Euodia and Syntyche: Women Church Leaders at Philippi.

27. 27. COLOSSIANS 4:15

“Give my greetings to the brothers and sisters in Laodicea, and to Nympha and the church in her home.” (CSB)

More about Nympha and her house church (and the masculinising of her name) here: Nympha: A House Church Leader in the Lycus Valley.

28. 1 TIMOTHY 5:9-10

“Let a widow be put on the list if she is not less than sixty years old and has been married only once; she must be well attested for her good works, as one who has brought up children, shown hospitality, washed the saints’ feet, helped the afflicted, and devoted herself to doing good in every way” (NRSV; cf. 1 Tim. 5:16 NIV).

More about the church order of widows here: The Church at Smyrna and her Women (Part 2).

29. TITUS 2:3-5

“… the elder women are to be reverent in behaviour, not slanderers, not addicted to lots of wine. They are to train younger women to love their husbands and love their children, to be self-controlled and pure, to be busy at home [or, workers at home], to be kind [or, good], and to be submissive to their husbands, so that no one will malign the word of God.”

I look at the social context of these instructions here: “Busy at Home”: How does Titus 2:4-5 Apply Today?
Many of the same descriptions in Titus 2:4-5 are found on ancient epitaphs of virtuous non-Christian women. I quote from some of these epitaphs in the footnotes of the article.

30. 2 JOHN 1:1, 4-5

“The elder: To the elect lady and her children, whom I love in the truth—and not only I, but also all who know the truth […] I was very glad to find some of your children walking in truth, in keeping with a command we have received from the Father. So now I ask you, dear lady—not as if I were writing you a new command, but one we have had from the beginning—that we love one another.” (CSB)

I have a few articles on this lady here.

More Verses about More Women

Many more women in the Bible displayed initiative and courage and engaged in brave actions that benefitted others. Other women spoke prophetic and theological words that have been recorded in the Bible and help us understand God and his plans for this world and his people. I’ve written about some of these women in these articles.

Bible Women with Spiritual Authority
Every Female Prophet in the Bible
25+ Biblical Roles for Biblical Women
A List of the 29 People in Romans 16:1-16
1 Timothy 2:12, the Created Order, and Bible Women Who Led Men
Bible Women Who Weren’t “Keepers at Home” (Titus 2)
The (Im)propriety of Bible Women with Authority

Rather than focusing on the many Bible passages that speak about women leading, teaching, speaking, and being a positive influence, some Christians focus more on 1 Corinthians 14:34-35 and 1 Timothy 2:12. These verses addressed the disorderly conduct and bad behaviour of some women in the Corinthian and Ephesian churches. However, Paul never restricted orderly speech or edifying ministry from anyone. Paul’s overall theology of ministry was, You have a gift—use it to build up others. (See Rom. 12:6-8; 1 Cor. 12:7, 28; 14:26, 31; Eph. 4:11ff; Col. 3:16; cf. 1 Pet. 4:10-11).

My articles on 1 Corinthians 14:34-35 are here.
My articles on 1 Timothy 2:12 are here.
My articles on Paul’s theology of ministry are here.

Image Credit

Judith returns to Bethulia. Engraving by Julius Schnorr von Carolsfeld, published in Die Bibel in Bildern in 1860. (Source Wikimedia)

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