Titus 3:8-15

Summary of the Letter

3:8 This saying ¹  is trustworthy, and I want you to insist on such truths, ²  so that those who have placed their faith in God may be intent on engaging in good works. These things are good and beneficial for all people. 3:9 But avoid foolish controversies, genealogies, ³  quarrels, and fights about the law, ⁴  because they are useless and empty. 3:10 Reject a divisive person after one or two warnings. 3:11 You know ⁵  that such a person is twisted by sin ⁶  and is conscious of it himself. ⁷ 

Final Instructions and Greeting

3:12 When I send Artemas or Tychicus to you, do your best to come to me at Nicopolis, for I have decided to spend the winter there. 3:13 Make every effort to help ⁸  Zenas the lawyer ⁹  and Apollos on their way; make sure they have what they need. ¹⁰  3:14 Here is another way that our people ¹¹  can learn ¹²  to engage in good works to meet pressing needs and so not be unfruitful. 3:15 Everyone with me greets you. Greet those who love us in the faith. ¹³  Grace be with you all. ¹⁴ 

[3:8]  ¹ sn This saying (Grk “the saying”) refers to the preceding citation (Titus 3:4-7). See 1 Tim 1:15; 3:1; 4:9; 2 Tim 2:11 for other occurrences of this phrase.

[3:8]  ² tn Grk “concerning these things.”

[3:9]  ³ tn Cf. 1 Tim 1:4.

[3:9]  ⁴ sn Fights about the law were characteristic of the false teachers in Ephesus as well as in Crete (cf. 1 Tim 1:3-7; Titus 1:10, 14).

[3:11]  ⁵ tn Grk “knowing” (as a continuation of the previous clause).

[3:11]  ⁶ tn Grk “is perverted and is sinning.”

[3:11]  ⁷ tn Grk “is sinning, being self-condemned.”

[3:13]  ⁸ tn Grk “Eagerly help.”

[3:13]  ⁹ tn Although it is possible the term νομικός (nomikos) indicates an expert in Jewish religious law here, according to L&N 33.338 and 56.37 it is more probable that Zenas was a specialist in civil law.

[3:13]  ¹⁰ tn Grk “that nothing may be lacking for them.”

[3:14]  ¹¹ tn Grk “that those who are ours” (referring to the Christians).

[3:14]  ¹² tn Grk “and also let our people learn.”

[3:15]  ¹³ tn Or “faithfully.”

[3:15]  ¹⁴ tc Most witnesses (א² D¹ F G H Ψ 0278 Ï lat sy bo) conclude this letter with ἀμήν (amhn, “amen”). Such a conclusion is routinely added by scribes to NT books because a few of these books originally had such an ending (cf. Rom 16:27; Gal 6:18; Jude 25). A majority of Greek witnesses have the concluding ἀμήν in every NT book except Acts, James, and 3 John (and even in these books, ἀμήν is found in some witnesses). It is thus a predictable variant. Further, early and excellent witnesses (א* A C D* 048 33 81 1739 1881 sa) lack the particle, rendering the omission the preferred reading.