Of the 13 letters attributed to Paul in the New Testament, only 7 were actually written by him. Scholars have known this for 200 years.

The letters he didn't write are the ones telling women to be silent, instructing enslaved people to obey their masters, and demanding submission to governing authorities.

Paul didn't write that. Someone using his name did. And the people who copied, transmitted, and preached those letters for centuries had a very specific interest in what you believed.

This week's essay breaks down the evidence — and what it means for anyone trying to follow the actual Jesus.