Here is the proof one of the Women was an minister
But theres something strange about the history of the translation of this word. In most Bible translations,
diakonos is translated as "deacon" only in 1 Timothy 3 (vs.
8, 10, 12) and
Philippians 1:1. All other occurrences of this word are translated either "servant" or "minister." The verb form of the word,
diakoneo, is translated most often as "to serve" or "to minister." The same goes for the word
diakonia translated as "service" or "ministry."
I have found that every time the words
diakonos,
diakoneo or
diakonia are used in connection to a male person in the writings of Paul, the major English translations have either translated them as "minister" or "servant."
- In 1 Corinthians 3:5, Paul and Apollos are "ministers" (King James Version, New King James Version) or "servants" (English Standard Version, New Living Translation, New Revised Standard Version, New American Standard Bible, New International Version). In Ephesians 3:7, Paul is a "minister" (KJV, NKJV, NASB, ESV) or a "servant" (NRSV, NIV, NLT). In Colossians 1:23 and 1:25, Paul serves also a "minister" (KJV, NKJV, NASB, ESV) or a "servant" (NRSV, NIV, NLT).
- In Ephesians 6:21, Tychicus is a "minister" (KJV, NKJV, NRSV, NASB, ESV) or a "servant" (NIV). In Colossians 4:7, he is referred to as a "minister" (KJV, NKJV, NRSV, NIV, ESV) or a "servant" (NASB).
- In Colossians 1:7, Epaphras is a "minister" (KJV, NKJV, NIV, NRSV, ESV) or a "servant" (NASB, NLT).
- In Colossians 4:17, Archippus is active in "ministry" (diakonia) (KJV, NKJV, NASB, ESV).
- In Philemon 13, Onesimus is doing "ministry" (diakoneo) (KJV, NKJV, NASB) or "service" (NRSV, ESV) for Paul.
Most of these English translations tend to be consistent. The KJV and NKJV always translate the word
diakonos as "minister," the NASB and ESV do the same most of the time, and the NIV translates the word as "servant" most of the time. However, the NRSV is not consistent and fluctuates between the two words, while the NLT varies between "servant" or "helper."
Gender Bias In English Translations
But what is most intriguing is that when it comes to the
only reference where the word
diakonos is used in connection with a female person in Pauls writings, the word is
never translated "minister" in our current English translations.
Phoebe (Rom 16:1) is a "servant" (KJV, NKJV, NIV, NASB, ESV) or a "deacon" (NRSV, NLT). But in none of the translations is she described as a "minister!"
The KJV, NKJV, NASB and ESV consistently translate
diakonos as "minister" when the word is used in connection to a male person, but not so when it comes to Phoebe. I think this shows a strange bias against women in ministry.