Titus 2:1-15 - Sound Instruction And Consistent Behavior

¹ But you should speak those things which agree with sound teaching: ² Older men should be sober-minded [See note at I Tim. 3:2], dignified [i.e., respectable], sensible, sound in the faith [or, "in their faith"], in their love and in their perseverance. ³ Older women, likewise, should be reverent in their behavior, not slanderers, not addicted to much wine, teachers of what is good. ⁴ Then they can train the young women to love their husbands, to love their children, ⁵ to be sensible, [morally] pure, [good] homemakers, kind [and] in subjection to their own husbands, so that God's message will not be spoken against.

⁶ In the same way, you should exhort the younger men to be sensible. ⁷ In everything [you do], you should show that you are a [proper] example of doing good deeds. In your teaching show integrity, dignity, ⁸ and sound speech that cannot be condemned, so that the person who opposes [us] will have to be ashamed for not having anything bad to say about us.

⁹ Slaves should be in subjection to their own masters in everything. They should try hard to please them, without talking back ¹⁰ or keeping [part of their master's] property for themselves, but proving to be completely trustworthy, so that they will make the teaching of God our Savior attractive in every way.

¹¹ For God's unearned favor has appeared, bringing salvation to all people [i.e., in the coming of Christ]. ¹² It instructs us to give up ungodly living and worldly desires and to live sensible, righteous and godly lives in this present age, ¹³ while looking forward to the blessed hope [i.e., the hope that produces blessings] and the coming splendor of our great God and Savior Jesus Christ. ¹⁴ He gave Himself up for us, to buy us back from [enslavement to] all [kinds of] wickedness and to purify for Himself a group of people who belong to Him and who are eager to do good deeds.

¹⁵ You should teach these things and exhort and rebuke people with full authority. Do not let anyone look down on you. [See note on I Tim. 4:12].