Titus 1:13
King James Version (1769)
Other translations
| Verse | KJV | BSB | ASV |
|---|---|---|---|
| 13 | This witness is true. Wherefore rebuke them sharply, that they may be sound in the faith; | This testimony is true. Therefore rebuke them sternly, so that they will be sound in the faith | This testimony is true. For which cause reprove them sharply, that they may be sound in the faith, |
In context
AI-assisted, sourcedPaul agrees that the Cretan saying is true. So Titus must rebuke them sharply. The aim is that they may be sound in the faith. Titus 1:12Titus 1:13
SpeakingPaul, who calls himself "a servant of God, and an apostle of Jesus Christ." Titus 1:1Titus overview
ToTitus, Paul's "own son after the common faith," whom Paul had left in Crete to set the churches in order. Titus 1:4Titus 1:5Titus overview
Also involvedThe people being misled and those misleading them, whom Titus must rebuke. Titus 1:10Titus 1:13
Paul draws the conclusion from verses 10-12: sharp rebuke is needed. He gives the goal in the same breath, health in the faith. Titus 1:10Titus 1:12Titus 1:13
Titus was in Crete, a large Mediterranean island with churches "in every city." The letter does not say where Paul was, but he planned to winter at Nicopolis. Titus overviewTitus 1:5
The eventsTitus was to do this while in Crete. The verse gives no date. Titus 1:5Titus 1:13
WrittenTraditional: about AD 63-65, after Paul's release from his first Roman imprisonment. Scholarly: many hold that a follower wrote the letter in Paul's name about AD 80-100; others accept that Paul wrote it. Titus overview
HereThe problem was serious, so the correction must be firm. But correction serves healing, like the "sound doctrine" elders must hold (1:9). Titus 1:9Titus 1:13
In the whole of ScripturePaul tells Titus again to "rebuke with all authority" (2:15) and Timothy to "reprove, rebuke, exhort with all longsuffering" (2 Timothy 4:2). Proverbs says "Open rebuke is better than secret love" (Proverbs 27:5). Titus 2:152 Timothy 4:2Proverbs 27:5
For readersFirm correction can be an act of love when its aim is to restore. Those who rebuke should keep the goal of healthy faith in view. Titus 1:13Proverbs 27:5Psalms 141:5
- sharplyἀποτόμως
The word means abruptly, curtly, and so sharply or severely. Paul uses it of himself in 2 Corinthians 13:10, where he hopes not to use "sharpness." Strong's G06642 Corinthians 13:10
- rebukeἐλέγχω
Here the word means to reprove or rebuke. Paul uses the same word in 2:15: "rebuke with all authority." Strong's G1651Titus 2:15
- soundὑγιαίνω
The word means healthy, in good health. Healthy faith is the aim of the rebuke. Strong's G5198
Takeaway
Error must be rebuked sharply, but the goal is always that people may be sound in the faith. Titus 1:132 Timothy 4:2
Drafted by AI from the Scripture and data shown under “Show sources,” then checked automatically and by a second AI pass. Updated 2026-10-28.
Original Greek words
| English | Greek | Say it | Strong's | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| testimony | μαρτυρία | marturia | G3141 | testimonyμαρτυρία (marturia) μαρτυρία, -ας, ἡ (μαρτυρέω), [in LXX: Gen.31:47 R (גַּלְעֵד), Exo.20:16, Deu.5:20 (17), Pro.25:18, Psa.19:7 (עֵד, עֵדוּת), Pro.12:19, Sir.31:23-24, 4Ma.6:32 * ;] witness, testimony, evidence: Mrk.14:56, Luk.22:71, Jhn.5:34 19:35 21:24, 1Ti.3:7, Tit.1:13, 3Jn.12, Rev.11:7; with genitive subj., Mrk.14:59, Jhn.8:17 (LXX aliter), 1Jn.5:9; before κατά, with genitive of person(s), Mrk.14:55; esp. of witness concerning Christ and divine things, Jhn.1:7 3:11, 32-33 5:32, 36 Rev.6:9; with genitive subj., Jhn.1:19 5:31 8:13-14, Act.22:18, 1Jn.5:9-11, Rev.12:11; with genitive obj., Rev.1:2, 9 12:17 19:1 … |
| this | αὕτη | hautē | G3778 | this/he/she/itοὗτος (ohutos) οὗτος, αὕτη, τοῦτο, genitive, τούτου, ταύτης, τούτου, [in LXX chiefly for זֹאת ,זֶה ;] demonstr. pron. (related to ἐκεῖνος as hic to ille), this; 1. as subst., this one, he; (a) absol.: Mat.3:17, Mrk.9:7, Luk.7:44, 45, Jhn.1:15, Act.2:15, al.; expressing contempt (cl.), Mat.13:55, 56, Mrk.6:2, 3, Jhn.6:42, al.; εἰς τοῦτο, Mrk.1:38, Rom.14:9; μετὰ τοῦτο (ταῦτα; V. Westc. on Jhn.5:1), Jhn.2:12 11:7, al.; (b) epanaleptic (referring to what precedes): Mat.5:19, Mrk.3:35, Luk.9:48, Jhn.6:46, Rom.7:10, al.; … |
| is | ἐστὶν | estin | G1510 | you areεἶ (ei) εἰμί, with various uses and significations, like the English verb to be. I. As substantive verb. 1. Of persons and things, to be, exist: Act.17:28, Jhn.1:1, 8:58, 17:5, al; ὁ ὢν καὶ ὁ ἦν (for past ptcp.), Rev.1:4, 8, 4:8, 11:17, 16:5 (see Swete, Ap., 5; M, Pr., 228); τὰ (μὴ) ὄντα, Rom.4:17, 1Co.1:28. 2. Of times, events, etc., to be, happen, take place: Mat.24:3, Mrk.14:2, 15:42, Luk.21:23, Jhn.4:6, 23, 5:10, al. … |
| true; | ἀληθής· | alēthēs | G0227 | trueἀληθής (alēthēs) ἀληθής, -ές (λήθω = λανθάνω, hence primarily, unconcealed, manifest; hence, actual, real), [in LXX for אֶמֶת, etc. ;] (a) of things, true, conforming to reality: Jhn.4:18 5:31-32 6:55 (= ἀληθινός, which see) Jhn.8:13-14, 17 10:41 19:35 21:24, Act.12:9, Php.4:8, Tit.1:13, 1Pe.5:12, 2Pe.2:22, 1Jn.2:6, 3Jn.12; (b) of persons, truthful: Mat.22:16, Mrk.12:14, Jhn.3:33 7:18 8:26, Rom.3:4, 2Co.6:8.† … |
| for | δι᾽ | di᾽ | G1223 | through/because ofδιά (dia) διά (before a vowel δ᾽, exc. Rom.8:10, 2Co.5:7, and in (Proper name)s; Tdf., Pr., 94), prep. with genitive, accusative, as in cl.; 1. with genitive, through; (i) of Place, after verbs of motion or action: Mat.2:12 12:43, Mrk.2:23, Luk.4:30, Jhn.4:4, 2Co.11:33, al.; σώζεσθαι (διας-) δ. πυρός, ὕδατος, 1Co.3:15, 1Pe.3:20; βλέπειν δ. ἐσόπτρου, 1Co.13:12; metaphorically, of a state or condition: Rom.14:20, 2Co.2:4 5:7, 10; δ. γράμματος, ἀκροβυστίας (Lft., Notes, 263, 279), Rom.2:27 4:11; δι ̓ὑπομενῆς, Rom.8:25. (ii) Of Time; … |
| which | ἣν | hēn | G3739 | whichὅς (hos, hē) ὅς, ἥ, ὅ, the postpositive article (ἄρθρον ὑποτακτικόν). I. As demonstr. pron. = οὗτος, ὅδε, this, that, also for αὐτός, chiefly in nom.: ὅς δέ, but he (cf. ἦ δὲ ὅς, frequently in Plat.), Mrk.15:23, Jhn.5:11; ὃς μὲν . . . ὃς δέ, the one . . . the other, Mat.21:35, 22:5, 25:15, Luk.23:33, Act.27:14, Rom.14:5, 1Co.11:21, 2Co.2:18, Ju 22; neut., ὃ μὲν . . . ὃ δέ, the one . . . the other, some . . . some, Mat.13:8, 23, Rom.9:21; ὃς (ὃ) μὲν . . . (ἄλλος (ἄλλο)) . . . ἕτερος, Mrk.4:4, Luk.8:5, 1Co.12:8-10; οὓς μέν, absol., 1Co.12:28; ὃς μὲν . . . ὁ δέ, Rom.14:2. … |
| cause | αἰτίαν | aitian | G0156 | cause/chargeαἰτία (aitia) αἰτία, -ας, ἡ, [in LXX: Gen.4:13 (עָוֹן), Pro.28:17 (עָשַׁק), and frequently in Wi, II, III Mac ;] 1. cause, reason, occasion, case: Mat.19:3, Luk.8:47, Act.10:21 22:24 28:20, 2Ti.1:6,12, Tit.1:13, Heb.2:11 ; εἰ οὕτως ἐστιν ἡ αἰ. (cf. Lat. si ita res se habet, and see MM. VGT, see word), Mat.19:10. 2. In forensic sense, (a) accusation: Act.25:18,27; (b) cause for punishment, crime: Mat.27:37, Mrk.15:26, Jhn.18:38 19:4,6, Act.13:28 23:28 28:18. † SYN.: ἔλεγχος, a charge, whether moral or judicial, which has been proven, αἰ. is an accusation simply, false or true. (AS) |
| do rebuke | ἔλεγχε | elegche | G1651 | to rebukeἐλέγχω (elegchō) ἐλέγχω [in LXX chiefly for יָכַח hi. ;] 1. in Hom., to treat with contempt. 2. to convict: with accusative, Mat.18:15 (RV, show him his fault), Tit.1:9; before περί, Jhn.8:46 16:8, Ju 15; pass., Jas.2:9. 3. to reprove, rebuke: 1Ti.5:20, 2Ti.4:2, Tit.1:13 2:15, Rev.3:19; pass., before περί, Luk.3:19; ὑπό, Heb.12:5 (LXX). 4. to expose: Eph.5:11; pass., Jhn.3:20, 1Co.14:24 (RV reprove, mg. convict), Eph.5:13 (RV, as 1 Co, l.with, of. AR on Eph.5:11; MM, Exp., xii; cf. ἐξ-, δια-κατ-ελέγχομαι).† … |
| them | αὐτοὺς | autous | G0846 | it/s/heαὐτός (autos) αὐτός, -ή, -ό, determinative pron., in late Gk. much more frequently than in cl. (WM, 178f.; Jannaris, HGG, §1399). 1. Emphatic (so always in nom. exc. when preceded by the art., see infr., iii); (1) self (ipse), expressing opposition, distinction, exclusion, etc., αὐ. ἐκχυθήσεται, Luk.5:37; αὐ. ἐγινώσκεν, Jhn.2:25; αὐ.ὑμεῖς, Jhn.3:28; καὶ αὐ. ἐγώ, Rom.15:14; αὐ. Ἰησοῦς, Jhn.2:24; αὐ. καὶ οἱ μετ᾽ αὐτοῦ, Mrk.2:25; ὑμεῖς αὐ., Mrk.6:31; esp. (as freq in cl.) αὐ. ὁ, Mat.3:4, Mrk.6:17, Jhn.16:27, 1Th.3:11, al.; in late Gk., sometimes weakened, ἐν αὐτῇ τ. ὥρᾳ, in that hour, Luk.10:21 (M, Pr., 91; … |
| severely, | ἀποτόμως, | apotomōs | G0664 | severelyἀποτόμως (apotomōs) ἀποτόμως adv., [in LXX: Wis.5:22 * ;] abruptly, curtly, hence sharply, severely: 2Co.13:10, Tit.1:13 (MM, see word).† (AS) |
| so that | ἵνα | ina | G2443 | in order that/toἵνα (hina) ἵνα, I. adverb (poët., Hom., al.), 1. of place, where, whither. 2. of circumstance, when. II. Conjunction, 1. prop., final, denoting purpose or end (cl.), that, in order that, usually the first word in the clause, but sometimes (cl. also) preceded by an emphatic word (Act.19:4, Rom.11:31 (?), Gal.2:10, al.); (a) with optative (so in cl. after historic tenses): after a pres., Eph.1:17 (but WH, mg., subjc.; see Burton, §225, Rem., 2); … |
| they may be sound | ὑγιαίνωσιν | hugiainōsin | G5198 | be healthyὑγιαίνω (hugiainō) ὑγιαίνω (ὑγιής), [in LXX chiefly for שָׁלוֹם, and frequently in To ;] to be sound, healthy, in good health: Luk.5:31 7:10 15:27, 3Jo.2. In Past. Epp. (as also in cl.) metaphorically, ὑ. ἐν τ. πίστει, Tit.1:13 ; τ. πίστει, τ. ἀγάπῃ, τ. ὑπομονῇ, Tit.2:2; ἡ ὑγιαίνουσα διδασκαλία, 1Ti.1:10, 2Ti.4:3, Tit.1:9 2:1 ; λόγοι ὑγιαίνοντες, 1Ti.6:3, 2Ti.1:13.† (AS) |
| in | ἐν | en | G1722 | in/on/amongἐν (en) ἐν, prep, (the most frequently of all in NT), with dative (= Heb. בְּ, Lat. in, with abl.). I. Of place, with dative of thing(s), of person(s), in, within, on, at, by, among: ἐν τ. πόλει, Luk.7:37; τ. οφθαλμῷ, Mat.7:3; τ. κοιλίᾳ, Mat.12:40; τ. ὄρει, 2Pe.1:18; τ. θρόνῳ, Rev.3:21; τ. δεξιᾷ τ. θεοῦ, Rom.8:34; ἐν ἡμῖν Abbott-Smith has ὑμῖν., Luk.1:1; of books, ἐν τ. βιβλίῳ, Gal.3:10; τ. νόμῳ, Mat.12:5, al.; ἐν τοῖς τ. Πατρός, in my Father's house (RV; cf. M, Pr., 103), Luk.2:49; trop., of the region of thought or feeling, ἐν τ. καρδίᾳ (-αις), Mat.5:28, 2Co.4:6, al.; τ. συνειδήσεσιν, 2Co.5:11; af … |
| faith, | πίστει, | pistei | G4102G | faithπίστις (pistis) πίστις, -εως, ἡ (πείθω), [in LXX chiefly for אֱמוּנָה ;] 1. in active sense, faith, belief, trust, confidence, in NT always of religious faith in God or Christ or spiritual things: Mat.8:10, Luk.5:20, Act.14:9, Rom.1:8, 1Co.2:5, 2Co.1:24, 1Ti.1:5, al.; with genitive obj., Mrk.11:22, Act.3:16, Rom.3:22, Gal.2:16, Eph.3:12, Jas.2:1, al.; with prep., ἐν, Rom.3:25, Gal.3:26, Eph.1:15, Col.1:24, 1Ti.1:14 3:13, 2Ti.1:13 3:15, 2Pe.1:1; εἰς, Act.20:21 24:24 26:18, Col.2:5, 1Pe.1:21; πρός, 1Th.1:8, Phm 5; ἐπί, with accusative Heb.6:1; ἐν τῇ π. στήκειν (εἶναι, μένειν), 1Co.16:13, 1Co.13:5, 1Ti.2:15; ὑ … |
Words and meanings from STEPBible data (Tyndale House, Cambridge, CC BY 4.0). The capitalized syllable is the stressed one.