Titus 2:2-12

2 ¹Older men are to be ²temperate, dignified, sensible, ³sound ⁴in faith, in love, in ^[a]perseverance.

3 Older women likewise are to be reverent in their behavior, ⁵not malicious gossips nor ⁶enslaved to much wine, teaching what is good,

4 so that they may ^[b]encourage the young women to love their husbands, to love their children,

5 to be sensible, pure, ⁷workers at home, kind, being ⁸subject to their own husbands, ⁹so that the word of God will not be dishonored.

6 Likewise urge ¹⁰the young men to be ^[c]sensible;

7 in all things show yourself to be ¹¹an example of good deeds, with purity in doctrine, dignified,

8 sound in speech which is beyond reproach, so ¹²that the opponent will be put to shame, having nothing bad to say about us.

9 Urge ¹³bondslaves to be subject to their own masters in everything, to be well-pleasing, not argumentative,

10 not pilfering, but showing all good faith so that they will adorn the doctrine of ¹⁴God our Savior in every respect.

11 For the grace of God has ¹⁵appeared, ¹⁶bringing salvation to all men,

12 instructing us to deny ungodliness and ¹⁷worldly desires and ¹⁸to live sensibly, righteously and godly ¹⁹in the present age,

Titus 2:2-12 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.

Cross References

• 1. Philemon 9
• 2. 1 Timothy 3:2
• 3. Titus 1:13
• 4. 1 Timothy 1:2, 14
• 5. 1 Timothy 3:11
• 6. 1 Timothy 3:8
• 7. 1 Timothy 5:14
• 8. Ephesians 5:22
• 9. 1 Timothy 6:1
• 10. 1 Timothy 5:1
• 11. 1 Timothy 4:12
• 12. 2 Thessalonians 3:14; 1 Peter 2:12
• 13. Ephesians 6:5; 1 Timothy 6:1
• 14. Titus 1:3
• 15. 2 Timothy 1:10; Titus 3:4
• 16. 1 Timothy 2:4
• 17. 1 Timothy 6:9; Titus 3:3
• 18. 2 Timothy 3:12
• 19. 1 Timothy 6:17

Footnotes

• [a]. Or "steadfastness"
• [b]. Or "train"
• [c]. Or "sensible in all things; show"
• [d]. Or "soundness;" lit "uncorruptness"
• [e]. Lit "contradicting"
• [f]. Or "to all men, bringing"
• [g]. Or "disciplining"