Titus 2:3-13

3 Guide older women into lives of reverence so they end up as neither gossips nor drunks, but models of goodness.
4 By looking at them, the younger women will know how to love their husbands and children,
5 be virtuous and pure, keep a good house, be good wives. We don't want anyone looking down on God's Message because of their behavior.
6 Also, guide the young men to live disciplined lives.
7 But mostly, show them all this by doing it yourself, incorruptible in your teaching,
8 your words solid and sane. Then anyone who is dead set against us, when he finds nothing weird or misguided, might eventually come around.
9 Guide slaves into being loyal workers, a bonus to their masters - no back talk,
10 no petty thievery. Then their good character will shine through their actions, adding luster to the teaching of our Savior God.
11 God's readiness to give and forgive is now public. Salvation's available for everyone!
12 We're being shown how to turn our backs on a godless, indulgent life, and how to take on a God-filled, God-honoring life. This new life is starting right now,
13 and is whetting our appetites for the glorious day when our great God and Savior, Jesus Christ, appears.

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Titus 2:3-13 Meaning and Commentary

INTRODUCTION TO TITUS 2

In this chapter the apostle exhorts Timothy to the discharge of his office with respect to all sorts of persons, of every age, sex; and condition, he was concerned with, giving reasons for it, taken from the nature of the Gospel of Christ: he exhorts him in general to insist in his public ministry on those things, which were agreeable to sound doctrine, Tit 2:1 and particularly what became aged men and aged women, and young men and young women, Tit 2:2-6 in all which, both with respect to doctrine and practice, he desires him to be a pattern to them, that so even his very adversaries may be ashamed, having nothing evil to say of him, Tit 2:7,8. And next he charges him to exhort servants, to obey their masters, and seek to please them, and not contradict them, and to be faithful to them; that so the doctrine of God their Saviour, professed by them, might be adorned in all things, Tit 2:9,10. And the reasons why the apostle would have duty urged on persons of every age, sex, and state, are taken from the nature of the Gospel being a doctrine of grace and salvation, which was preached to all sorts of persons, Tit 2:11, and from the efficacy of it, in teaching men to deny sin, and live a holy life and conversation, Tit 2:12 and from an expectation of eternal glory and happiness at the appearance of Christ, which the Gospel encourages to, Tit 2:13; and from the end of Christ's giving himself for his people, and redeeming them from sin, the sum and substance of the Gospel, which was, that they might be purified, and be zealous of good works, Tit 2:14 and these exhortations were to be delivered by Titus with authority, and in such a manner, that he might not be despised, Tit 2:15.

Published by permission. Originally published by NavPress in English as THE MESSAGE: The Bible in Contemporary Language copyright 2002 by Eugene Peterson. All rights reserved.