2:11 quietly. As 1 Cor. 11:5 indicates, Paul does not forbid all vocal participation by women in the worship service. Rather, Paul enjoins silence of a particular sort—a silence that respects the authoritative teaching and governing role assigned to the leaders of the church (v. 12).

all submissiveness. Submission does not necessarily indicate a lower status. Elsewhere Paul applies the concept to wives (Eph. 5:22; Col. 3:18; Titus 2:5; cf. 1 Cor. 14:34), husbands and wives (Eph. 5:21), children (3:4), slaves (Titus 2:9), prophets (1 Cor. 14:32), Christians (Rom. 13:1, 5; 1 Cor. 16:16; Titus 3:1), the church (Eph. 5:24), and even Christ Himself (1 Cor. 15:28).