Section 2:1-15
Paul told Titus what he should teach about Christian behavior

In this section, Paul explained the behavior that Titus should encourage in various groups of believers. He did not want anyone to say bad things about the word of God based on the behavior of Christians. He also encouraged Titus to let his own behavior be a good example for others. The reason to act in these ways is because the grace of God has appeared to us all, teaching us how to act while we wait for Jesus’ return.

Paragraph 2:1-5

2:1

But as for you, speak the things that are consistent with sound doctrine: The Greek word that the Berean Standard Bible translates as But here indicates contrast. In 1:10-16 Paul had written about the behavior of the false teachers. Here Paul began to instruct Titus on how he should teach. He should teach differently from the false teachers.

Here are some other ways to translate this verse:

You, however, must teach what is appropriate to sound doctrine. (New International Version (2011 Revision))
-or-
For your part, what you say must be in keeping with sound doctrine. (Revised English Bible)
-or-
But you must teach what agrees with sound doctrine. (Good News Bible)

But as for you: The Greek pronoun that the Berean Standard Bible translates as you is singular and refers to Titus. In Greek the presence of a separate pronoun like this usually expressed emphasis. Consider how you might translate this to show emphasis. Since this is the start of a new chapter and section it might be helpful to include Titus’ name.

Here are some other ways to translate this phrase:

But you (New Century Version)

or

As for you, Titus (New Living Translation (2004 Revision))

speak: In Greek this is a command in the present tense. It indicates that Titus should continue to speak or communicate in a certain way. Because this verb is followed by instructions for how other people should behave, several English versions translate it as “teach.”

Here are some other ways to translate this phrase:

teach (New International Version (2011 Revision))

or

tell (God’s Word)
-or-
communicate (NET Bible)

the things: The Greek word that the Berean Standard Bible translates as the things is an indefinite word that here refers in general to teachings about the behaviors Paul wanted Titus to encourage.

Here are some other ways to translate it:

the teachings

or

those matters

that are consistent with: The Greek word that the Berean Standard Bible translates as are consistent with means “agrees with” or “are in accord with.” Titus’ teachings should not be just his own ideas but should be consistent with true doctrine, the doctrine that Paul had taught him.

Here are some other ways to translate this word:

agrees with (Good News Bible)

or

is in accord with (New International Version (2011 Revision))

sound doctrine: The Greek word that the Berean Standard Bible translates as sound means “healthy, wholesome.” Here it is used figuratively to describe a body of teaching that is true or correct. This kind of teaching is spiritually health-giving. It helps believers to be strong in their faith and to behave in a way that is consistent with their faith.

The same Greek phrase translated here as sound doctrine occurs also in 1:9 where the Berean Standard Bible translated it as “sound teaching.” Try to translate it the same way in both places.

doctrine: The Greek word that the Berean Standard Bible translates as doctrine is more literally “teaching/instruction.” Here it refers to the true teaching about Jesus.

© 2000 by SIL International®

Made available under the terms of a Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 License (CC BY-SA) creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0

All Scripture quotations in this publication, unless otherwise indicated, are from The Holy Bible, Berean Standard Bible. BSB is produced in cooperation with Bible Hub, Discovery Bible, OpenBible.com, and the Berean Bible Translation Committee.

2:2a

Older men are to be temperate, dignified, self-controlled: There is no verb in Greek at the beginning of this verse, but many English versions supply a verb. For example:

Teach
-or-
Instruct (Good News Bible)

Here are some other ways to translate this verse part:

Older men are to be temperate, dignified, sensible (New American Standard Bible)
-or-
The older men should be sober, dignified, and temperate (Revised English Bible)
-or-
Instruct the older men to be sober, sensible, and self-controlled (Good News Bible)

Older men: The Greek word refers in general to male believers who were older than 40 or 50. It is similar to, but not the same as, the word used for elders of the church.

temperate: The Greek word that the Berean Standard Bible translates as temperate means “restrained” or “moderate.” It usually refers to not drinking too much alcohol but can also have the wider meaning of being restrained and moderate in conduct and behavior. See how you translated the same word at 1 Timothy 3.2c.

Here are some other ways to translate this word:

sober (Good News Bible)

or

sober-minded (English Standard Version)
-or-
calm

dignified: The Greek word that the Berean Standard Bible translates as dignified describes someone who is respected by others and deserves to be so respected. This kind of respect was associated with the behavior of a serious and mature person.

Here are some other ways to translate this word:

worthy of respect (New International Version (2011 Revision))
-or-
respectable

self-controlled: The Greek word that the Berean Standard Bible translates as self-controlled describes someone who is thoughtful and deliberate in his actions rather than impulsive. See how you translated it in 1:8c and translate it the same way in both places. For example:

They must control themselves. (New International Reader’s Version)
-or-
able to control themselves

2:2b

and sound in faith, love, and perseverance: The Greek word that the Berean Standard Bible translates as sound is literally “healthy,” that is, health-giving or wholesome. Here it describes a man as being solid and firm in the way he trusts God, loves others, and endures hardship. It is the same word used in 2:1 to describe correct doctrine. If possible, translate it the same in both places.

The three phrases in faith, love, and perseverance list three areas in which the older men should be solid and firm. The word in connects the areas of behavior (faith, love, and perseverance) to the word sound . Consider how best to indicate this in your language. For example:

sound in faith, sound in love, sound in endurance
-or-
strong in faith, in love, and in patience (New Century Version)
-or-
Their faith, love, and patience must never fail. (Contemporary English Version)
-or-
They must have sound faith and be filled with love and patience. (New Living Translation (2004 Revision))

in faith: The Greek word that the Berean Standard Bible translates as faith here refers to trust in God, trust that comes from Christian belief. The older men should trust in God completely for everything they need.

Here are some other ways to translate this phrase:

in the way they trust God
-or-
in their trust in God

love: The Greek word that the Berean Standard Bible translates as love here refers to the affection and warm regard that one person shows to another person. The older men should be healthy in the way they show love to others. They should be selfless in service to other people.

Here is another way to translate this phrase:

in the way they love other people

and perseverance: The Greek word that the Berean Standard Bible translates as perseverance refers to the ability to not give up in the face of difficulty. Paul wanted the older men to endure or bear hardship. They should be patient and not quit when they met difficulties.

Here are some other ways to translate this phrase:

and in the way they bear up during difficult times
-or-
and in patience

General Comment on 2:2a-b

These verse parts include four items in a list (“temperate, worthy of respect, self-controlled, sound”). The Berean Standard Bible follows English style by separating the first three items with a comma and supplying the word “and” between the last two. Each of the items describes a type of behavior that the older men should follow. The verb “to be” is therefore implied for each of them. Follow your language style for constructing such a list.

The Berean Standard Bible has translated 2:2a-b as one clause. In some languages it may be more natural to translate this verse as two or more clauses or sentences, with more than one imperative verb. For example:

^2aTell older men to be sober. Tell them to be men of good character, to use good judgment, ^2band to be well-grounded in faith, love, and endurance. (God’s Word)
-or-

^2aTeach the older men to exercise self-control, to be worthy of respect, and to live wisely. ^2bThey must have sound faith and be filled with love and patience. (New Living Translation (2004 Revision))

© 2000 by SIL International®

Made available under the terms of a Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 License (CC BY-SA) creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0

All Scripture quotations in this publication, unless otherwise indicated, are from The Holy Bible, Berean Standard Bible. BSB is produced in cooperation with Bible Hub, Discovery Bible, OpenBible.com, and the Berean Bible Translation Committee.

2:3a

Older women, likewise, are to be reverent in their behavior: The Berean Standard Bible has supplied the verb are and the verb to be. Here are some other ways to translate this:

instruct the older women to behave as women should who live a holy life (Good News Bible)
-or-
Tell older women to live their lives in a way that shows they are dedicated to God. (God’s Word)

Older women: The Greek word that the Berean Standard Bible translates as Older women is used only here in the New Testament. The context suggests that it refers to women who were of a similar age to the men mentioned in 2:2, women in their forties or fifties or older.

likewise: This word indicates that Paul’s next comments are similar to what he has just said. The older women should act in similar ways to the older men. Another way to translate this is:

In the same way

reverent: The Greek word that the Berean Standard Bible translates as reverent refers to behavior appropriate for a holy person, that is, someone who is dedicated to God.

Here are some other ways to translate the phrase:

exhibit behavior fitting for those who are holy (NET Bible)
-or-
to live their lives in a way that shows they are dedicated to God (God’s Word)
-or-
to show their dedication to God

or

to behave as holy women should

in their behavior: The phrase refers generally to the way that they live, particularly the way they speak and look. The older women should act in ways that other people could see that they were dedicated to God.

Here are some other ways to translate this phrase:

in the way they live (New International Version (2011 Revision))

or

in all that they do

2:3b

not slanderers: The Greek word that the Berean Standard Bible translates as slanderers refers to people who accuse others of bad behavior. Here it refers to gossips, people who tell bad stories about others.

Here are some other ways to translate this phrase:

not speaking against others (New Century Version)

or

not to be gossips (God’s Word)

This behavior, and the one that follows, is something the older women should not do. In some languages it might be natural to start a new sentence here. For example:

They should not be slanderers
-or-
Tell them not to be gossips (God’s Word)

or addicted to much wine: The Greek word that the Berean Standard Bible translates as addicted is more literally “enslaved.” It refers to a person who is completely controlled by something or someone else. It is the second behavior the older women should not follow.

Here are some other ways to translate this phrase:

or enslaved to too much wine (New Century Version)
-or-
not slaves to excessive drinking (NET Bible)

or

and not controlled by alcohol

much wine: The Greek word that the Berean Standard Bible translates as wine refers to a fermented alcoholic drink. It was a very common everyday drink in cultures of that time and place. Usually water was added to make it less intoxicating. The word much refers to drinking an excess of wine. Paul was not saying that the older women should not drink any wine at all.

Here are some other ways to translate this phrase:

too much wine (New Century Version)

or

excessive drinking (NET Bible)

2:3c

but teachers of good: In Greek this is a single word meaning “good teacher.” The Berean Standard Bible has supplied the word but to indicate a contrast with what the women should not do. However, most English versions connect this word to the positive instructions which follow in 2:4-5. If you connect it to what follows, it may not be necessary to supply a conjunction indicating contrast.

Here are some other ways to translate this verse part:

They must be teachers of right behavior (New Jerusalem Bible)

or

They must teach what is proper (Contemporary English Version)

© 2000 by SIL International®

Made available under the terms of a Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 License (CC BY-SA) creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0

All Scripture quotations in this publication, unless otherwise indicated, are from The Holy Bible, Berean Standard Bible. BSB is produced in cooperation with Bible Hub, Discovery Bible, OpenBible.com, and the Berean Bible Translation Committee.