[1] The Textus
Receptus (Greek Text of Stephens
1550, as seen in the Berry Interlinear) uses the feminine name, Stephana. But Berry, when he renders it
in English, deceptively adds an “s”
to the end of the name in an attempt to mask the feminine proper noun (although, even
with the “s,” Stephana[s] is still feminine).
James Strong, also exhibits bias and aversion to the feminine name, Stephanas (Original Strong’s Exhaustive Concordance, using the Textus Receptus, Elzevir 1624[?])**, passing the word off as a proper masculine noun. Strong counters the feminine appearance of the name, by claiming the stand-alone root word is probably a derivative and contraction of the masculine name, Stephanoo (G4737). Among scholars, there is strong consensus on masking the feminine nature of the name, Stephana/Stephanas, by claiming it is, “perhaps,“ merely a nickname for the masculine Stephanoo or Stephanotos.
The complementarian editors of the online Blue Letter Bible, go along with the deception. They admit to the etymology of Stephana, as a stand-alone root word, yet include the claim that it is “probably” derived from the name, Stephanoo (G4737).
They mis-define the word as a, “proper masculine noun.”
Rather than admit that Stephana is a woman, commentators prefer to appear ignorant of the
fact that Stephana has always been a known female name. They falsely claim the
word is a mystery. Stephana has always been a common name for Greek women, and
in modern Greece, the name is still in use. It is the feminine form of Stephanos, just as in English, Stephanie
is the feminine of Stephan, Michael is the masculine of Michaela, Roberta is
the feminine of Robert, so on and so forth….
http://www.meaning-of-names.com/greek-names/stephana.asp
**Both Stephens’ and Elzevir’s texts are called, Textus Receptus, because, as Berry wrote, “In the main, they are one and
the same.”
[3] Paul pleads with the Church at Corinth to cooperate with the house of Stephana. Was that request necessary because Stephana was a woman? He reminds the Corinthians that she and her family are worthy of honor and cooperation.
1 Corinthians 16:16 is an example of the Greek word, hypotasso (G5293), being used in the
sense of mutual submission and cooperation among believers (with emphasis on
cooperating with those who were of the house of Stephana). To say the word, hypotasso,
is used here to mean a military-like chain of command, with Paul at the head
(similar to a Pope), would be an exaggeration. Also, the emphatic “yourselves,”
as in submit “yourselves,” is not found in the Greek. It is a translator
supplement which is often used in tandem with the word, hypotasso. The addition of the emphatic, “yourselves,” aids in
conveying a false understanding of a martial hierarchy that does not exist in
the New Testament.
[4] The hierarchical flavor of the passage
increases with translator addition of the words “with us” (works “with us” AV),
creating a non-existent military hierarchy consisting of the apostles down. All
translations do not add the words “with us,” in verse 16, but some do even
worse, such as the NASB mistranslating the Greek word, toioutos, as “men,” making that translation read, “be
in subjection to such men…” Some of those from the house of
Stephana (a woman) may have been men, but the scriptures do not specify that.
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