The qualification of being “an apt teacher” in 1 Tim 3.2 is expanded here into a description of the teaching ministry that the elder is expected to perform. This teaching role is in three parts: faithfulness to the true message, competence in teaching it to others, and ability to refute those who oppose it.

Hold firm denotes adherence and faithfulness to something; so Phillips “takes his stand,” New Revised Standard Version “have a firm grasp,” Contemporary English Version “stick to.” Sure word is literally “faithful word” (or trustworthy, so Good News Translation “which can be trusted,” New International Version “trustworthy message”). Word here perhaps refers to the gospel message, especially as it was taught in the church and became the basis for a body of teaching that was considered as true doctrine by the Christian community. Other ways of saying hold firm are “hold on steadfastly to,” “hold on without moving,” “always follow,” or even “don’t ever abandon (or, give up).” Other translation models for hold firm to the sure word are “he must faithfully follow the sure message” or “… the message in which he can place his trust.”

Taught is the same word that is translated “teaching”; see 2 Tim 4.2. The expression as taught means in agreement with what was established as true teaching (so Phillips “the true faith,” Jerusalem Bible “unchanging message of the tradition,” New English Bible “true doctrine,” Good News Translation “which agrees with the doctrine”). Another way of saying this is “the sure message that agrees with what people taught them (or, they were taught).”

After being sure of what to believe and knowing what to teach, the elder then performs a twofold task, one positive and the other negative. Positively he is expected to be able to give instruction in sound doctrine. The verb translated give instruction is the same word translated “preaching” in 1 Tim 4.13, for which see discussion there. Here it can mean “to encourage” others through sound doctrine, “to admonish,” to build up Christians by means of the proclamation of the true message.

For sound doctrine see 1 Tim 1.10.

For confute see 1 Tim 5.20, where the same word is translated “rebuke”; but in this context it probably means “to correct.”

The word contradict is literally “speak against” something or someone; in the present context the subject of their opposition is sound doctrine.

An alternative translation model for this verse is:

• He must faithfully follow (or, hold to) the message in which he can place his trust, and which agrees with the doctrine that people taught him. He will help others through his good teaching and correct those who oppose the Christian doctrine.

Quoted with permission from Arichea, Daniel C. and Hatton, Howard A. A Handbook on Paul’s Letter to Titus. (UBS Handbook Series). New York: UBS, 1995. For this and other handbooks for translators see here .