You're right the Bible shows us that Paul told those in the churches he founded and managed through his epistles to them, (epistles=letters), that he did not permit women to have authority over men.
Note the first person narrative here as Paul used the singular nominative personal pronoun, "I".
1 Timothy 2:12 I do not permit a woman to teach or exercise authority over a man ...
While in Paul's other letters we find him saying this to the church at Philippi, the first European church founded by the Apostle.
The Epistle of Philippians chapter 4:1Therefore, my brothers, whom I love and long for, my joy and crown, stand firm thus in the Lord, my beloved.
Exhortation, Encouragement, and Prayer
2 I entreat Euodia and I entreat Syntyche to agree in the Lord. 3 Yes, I ask you also, true companion, help these women, who have labored[c] side by side with me in the gospel together with Clement and the rest of my fellow workers, whose names are in the book of life.
Footnote: [c]Or
strived (see
1:27)
The Epistle to the Romans chapter 16:1 has Paul mentioning Phoebe, who was a Diaconos, a Deacon, of the church of Cenchrea. She carried Paul's epistles from Greece to the Romans and by sea. Paul praised her work at the church.
And when Paul speaks at length about the spiritual gifts given to the church he does not discriminate and state those were given unto men alone. Nor does he say some gifts were for men and others for women only. Instead these were for all the church.
The Epistle to the Romans chapter 12:6 Having gifts that differ according to the grace given to us, let us use them: if prophecy, in proportion to our faith; 7 if service, in our serving; the one who teaches, in his teaching; 8 the one who exhorts, in his exhortation; the one who contributes, in generosity;
the one who leads,[f] with zeal; the one who does acts of mercy, with cheerfulness.
The Epistle of 1st Corinthians chapter 12
Spiritual Gifts
The Epistle of the Ephesians chapter 4
Unity in the Body of Christ
The Epistle of the Galatians chapter 3
28.There is neither Jew nor Greek, slave nor free,
male nor female, for you are all one in Christ Jesus.
Article:
Did Paul Really Say That About Women?
"....
How do we reconcile all of this with Paul's oft-quoted words about women being silent and not teaching men? The same way we deal with other passages that obviously were meant for specific times and cultures. Five times the New Testament says, “Greet one another with a holy kiss.” Do we follow that? Paul tells Timothy to “drink a little wine for the sake of your stomach.” Does that mean wine is the “biblical cure” for all stomach ailments?
Most of Paul's letters are written to address specific problems. That may account for that one verse about “women being silent.” The main thing to remember is that in I Cor. 11 (same letter!) Paul told women HOW they were to pray and prophesy in public meetings: with heads covered. He did not say they should NOT pray and prophesy!
The letter to Timothy was a personal letter dealing with problems that Timothy knew well, and so did Paul, but we do not! We know that Ephesus, where Timothy lived, was a den of iniquity. Paul mentions in the first chapter the endless myths and genealogies that consumed the people. False teaching abounded. Perhaps some of it was by women. Timothy knew that Priscilla and Aquila, who had now come to help him, had taught in Ephesus earlier and Timothy surely would not think of keeping her from teaching now!
Sound Bible interpretation requires us to interpret the “unclear” passages in the light of the clear ones. Paul showed by his life practices and his teaching that women were to use their God-given gifts for the benefit of the church of Christ. Paul was a devout follower of Jesus, whose dealings with women indicated that they could teach and lead in whatever way God led them.
The church has suffered through the centuries by discouraging and disqualifying half its members, many of whom have been called by the Spirit to serve. A healthy church needs every member and the gifts they bring.
Let us build the church--not in our own image, but in the image of him who died to save us. "