Titus 3:1-12

1 Admonish them to be subjects to princes [Admonish them to be subject to princes], and to powers; to obey to that that is said, and to be ready to all good work [to all good works];

2 to blaspheme no man, to be not full of chiding, but temperate [to be not litigious, or full of chiding, but temperate, or patient], showing all mildness to all men.

3 For we were sometime unwise, unbelieveful, erring, and serving to desires, and to diverse lusts [and diverse lusts], doing in malice and envy, worthy to be hated, hating each other [hateful, hating together].

4 But when the benignity and the manhood of our Saviour God appeared, [+Forsooth when the benignity and humanity, or manhood/or large mercy, of God our Saviour appeared,]

5 not of works of rightwiseness that we did, but by his mercy [but after his mercy] he made us safe, by [the] washing of again-begetting, and again-newing of the Holy Ghost,

6 whom he shedded [out] into us plenteously by Jesus Christ, our Saviour,

7 that we justified by his grace, be heirs by hope [be heirs after hope] of everlasting life.

8 A true word is [this], and of these things I will that thou confirm others, that they that believe in God, be busy to be above others in good works [care, or do busyness, to be before in good works]. These things be good, and profitable to men.

9 And eschew thou foolish questions, and genealogies, and strivings [and strives], and fightings of the law; for those be unprofitable and vain.

10 Eschew thou a man heretic, after one and the second correction; [Shun thou a man heretic, after one and the second correction, or reproving;]

11 witting that he that is such a manner man is subverted, and trespasseth, and is condemned by his own doom.

12 When I [shall] send to thee Artemas, or Tychicus, hie thou to come to me to Nicopolis [hie, or haste, thou to come to me to Nicopolis]; for I have purposed to dwell in winter there.

Titus 3:1-12 Meaning and Commentary

INTRODUCTION TO TITUS 3

In this chapter the apostle exhorts Titus to press various duties incumbent on Christians, with arguments engaging to them; gives him some directions about dealing with heretics, and some instructions about private matters, and particular persons, and closes it with salutations. And first, he charges him to put his hearers in mind of their duty, to be subject to civil magistrates, and readily perform whatever is right and proper for them to do; and to abstain from blaspheming and brawling, and to exercise gentleness and meekness to all men, Tit 3:1,2. The arguments inducing thereunto are taken partly from their former state and condition, while unregenerate: when they were as ignorant and as wicked as other men, they are exhorted to behave well to; and partly from the consideration of the salvation they were now partakers of, Tit 3:3,4 which leads on the apostle to give an account of its causes and means: the moving cause of it is the love and mercy of God; the way and means in which it is brought about, are not works of righteousness done by men, but the regenerating and renewing grace of the Spirit, which is plentifully bestowed through Jesus Christ the Saviour, and justification by the free grace of God, by virtue of which men become heirs unto, and have an hope of eternal life, Tit 3:4-7 which several blessings of grace should be constantly insisted on in the ministry of the word, in order to engage believers carefully to perform good works; and because such doctrines are good in themselves, and profitable to men; whereas questions, genealogies, contentions, and strivings about the law, are foolish, vain, and unprofitable, and to be avoided, Tit 3:8,9, wherefore an heretical man should be rejected from all Christian conversation and communion, after he has been admonished at least twice, seeing he is off of the foundation, has sinned, and is self-condemned, Tit 3:10,11. Next the apostle desires Titus to meet him at Nicopolis, where his design was to pass the winter, upon sending two ministering brethren to Crete, who are mentioned by name, Tit 3:12 and that he would accommodate two others, who are also named, with everything convenient for their journey, Tit 3:13 and charges him to exhort the brethren under his care to learn to be diligent and industrious in the performance of good works, which have their necessary uses, and prevent unfruitfulness, Tit 3:13,14. And the epistle is concluded with salutations, and the apostle's usual benediction, Tit 3:15.