Titus 2:1-10

Conduct Consistent with Sound Teaching

2:1 But as for you, communicate the behavior that goes with ¹  sound teaching. 2:2 Older men are to be temperate, dignified, self-controlled, ²  sound in faith, in love, and in endurance. ³  2:3 Older women likewise are to exhibit behavior fitting for those who are holy, not slandering, not slaves to excessive drinking, but teaching what is good. 2:4 In this way ⁴  they will train ⁵  the younger women to love their husbands, to love their children, 2:5 to be self-controlled, ⁶  pure, fulfilling their duties at home, ⁷  kind, being subject to their own husbands, so that the message ⁸  of God may not be discredited. ⁹  2:6 Encourage younger men likewise to be self-controlled, ¹⁰  2:7 showing yourself to be an example of good works in every way. In your teaching show integrity, dignity, 2:8 and a sound message that cannot be criticized, so that any opponent will be at a loss, ¹¹  because he has nothing evil to say about us. 2:9 Slaves ¹²  are to be subject to their own masters in everything, ¹³  to do what is wanted and not talk back, 2:10 not pilfering, but showing all good faith, ¹⁴  in order to bring credit to ¹⁵  the teaching of God our Savior in everything.

[2:1]  ¹ tn Grk “say what is fitting for sound teaching” (introducing the behavior called for in this chapter.).

[2:2]  ² tn Or “sensible.”

[2:2]  ³ sn Temperate…in endurance. See the same cluster of virtues in 1 Thess 1:3 and 1 Cor 13:13.

[2:4]  ⁴ tn Grk “that they may train” (continuing the sentence of 2:3).

[2:4]  ⁵ tn This verb, σωφρονίζω (swfronizw), denotes teaching in the sense of bringing people to their senses, showing what sound thinking is.

[2:5]  ⁶ tn Or “sensible.”

[2:5]  ⁷ tn Grk “domestic,” “keeping house.”

[2:5]  ⁸ tn Or “word.”

[2:5]  ⁹ tn Or “slandered.”

[2:6]  ¹⁰ tn Or “sensible.”

[2:8]  ¹¹ tn Or “put to shame.”

[2:9]  ¹² tn See the note on the word “slave” in 1:1.

[2:9]  ¹³ tn Or “to be subject to their own masters, to do what is wanted in everything.”

[2:10]  ¹⁴ tn Or “showing that genuine faith is productive.” At issue between these two translations is the force of ἀγαθήν (agaqhn): Is it attributive (as the text has it) or predicate (as in this note)? A number of considerations point in the direction of a predicate ἀγαθήν (e.g., separation from the noun πίστιν (pistin) by the verb, the possibility that the construction is an object-complement, etc.), though is not usually seen as an option in either translations or commentaries. Cf. ExSyn 188-89, 312-13, for a discussion. Contextually, it makes an intriguing statement, for it suggests a synthetic or synonymous parallel: “‘Slaves should be wholly subject to their masters…demonstrating that all [genuine] faith is productive, with the result [ecbatic ἵνα] that they will completely adorn the doctrine of God.’ The point of the text, then, if this understanding is correct, is an exhortation to slaves to demonstrate that their faith is sincere and results in holy behavior. If taken this way, the text seems to support the idea that saving faith does not fail, but even results in good works” (ExSyn 312-13). The translation of ἀγαθήν as an attributive adjective, however, also makes good sense.

[2:10]  ¹⁵ tn Or “adorn,” “show the beauty of.”