1st Timothy 2:8 Therefore I want the men everywhere to pray, lifting up holy hands without anger or disputing. This verse concludes Paul’s God-inspired instructions on prayer which began in verse 1 and leads into the next section of chapter 2 concerning the women in the church at Ephesus.
Just as God desires all people to be saved (1st Timothy 2:4), God desires that “in every place the men should pray”. Men, as in males, are specified here using the Greek word andras. This is supported in our translations as every major translation, even the most liberal ones, use the term “men” in this verse. Apparently the false teachers in Ephesus were using some of the women to help push their narrative. It seems the false teachers, some of who were likely elders of the church, were allowing some of their women followers to lead prayers in the assemblies. And these prayers weren’t in line with what Paul, inspired by God, was commanding in verse 2 but were instead just another way for the false teachers to push their agenda. And as we will see next week it seems some of the women were being allowed to teach and have authority over the men of the congregation (2:13). So, beginning in verse 8 Paul is countering that trend and specifically telling men to pray. This does not imply, at all, that women are not to pray or lead prayers in certain situations. However if Christian men are involved in the prayer then one of those men should be leading it. And as the passage says, this should apply everywhere.