Introduction to the authenteo debate: the most contested word in the passage

Authenteo is a hapax legomenon — it appears only once in the entire New Testament. This makes it extremely difficult to determine its precise meaning from NT usage alone. The debate centers on whether authenteo means: (1) 'to have/exercise authority' (a neutral/positive term — complementarian reading), or (2) 'to domineer/usurp authority' (a negative/pejorative term — egalitarian reading). If the word is pejorative, Paul would be saying 'I don't permit a woman to domineer a man,' which everyone would agree with and would not restrict women from legitimate authority. Mike explains the methodology: since it's a hapax, scholars must examine extra-biblical uses, cognates, early translations, and church fathers to determine meaning.