Titus 1:9
King James Version (1769)
Other translations
| Verse | KJV | BSB | ASV |
|---|---|---|---|
| 9 | Holding fast the faithful word as he hath been taught, that he may be able by sound doctrine both to exhort and to convince the gainsayers. | He must hold firmly to the faithful word as it was taught, so that he can encourage others by sound teaching and refute those who contradict it. | holding to the faithful word which is according to the teaching, that he may be able both to exhort in the sound doctrine, and to convict the gainsayers. |
In context
AI-assisted, sourcedAn elder must hold firmly to the trustworthy word he was taught. That makes him able to do two things with sound teaching: encourage believers, and convict those who speak against it. Titus 1:9
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 elders to be appointed, the believers they would encourage, and "the gainsayers" who opposed sound teaching. Titus 1:5Titus 1:9Titus 1:10
This is the last of the elder's qualifications, and the one that ties to Titus's main problem. Right after it Paul describes the "unruly and vain talkers and deceivers" whose mouths "must be stopped" (1:10-11). Titus 1:9Titus 1:10Titus 1:11
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 eventsThese rules were for the elders Titus would appoint in Crete. The verse gives no date. Titus 1:5
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
HereFalse teachers were turning whole households from the truth (1:11, 1:14). Elders who hold fast the faithful word can answer them. Titus 1:9Titus 1:11Titus 1:14
In the whole of ScripturePaul gives the same charge elsewhere: "Hold fast the form of sound words, which thou hast heard of me" (2 Timothy 1:13), and "hold the traditions which ye have been taught" (2 Thessalonians 2:15). He warns against anyone who will not consent "to wholesome words" (1 Timothy 6:3). 2 Timothy 1:132 Thessalonians 2:151 Timothy 6:3
For readersA church leader must hold fast the faithful word he was taught before he can help others or answer error. Both encouraging and convincing gainsayers are part of his work. Titus 1:92 Timothy 1:13
- holding fastἀντέχω
The word means to cling to or hold firmly. The elder keeps a firm grip on the faithful word. Strong's G0472
- soundὑγιαίνω
The word means to be healthy, in good health, as in Luke 5:31. In Paul's letters to Timothy and Titus it describes healthy teaching. Strong's G5198
- exhortπαρακαλέω
The word means to call to one's side, and so to plead, encourage or comfort. Strong's G3870
- convinceἐλέγχω
The word means to convict, to show someone his fault. The lexicon lists this verse among its uses. Strong's G1651
- gainsayersἀντιλέγω
The word means to contradict or oppose. These are people who speak against sound teaching. Strong's G0483
Takeaway
An elder holds fast to the faithful word he was taught, so he can encourage the faithful with sound teaching and convict those who oppose it. Titus 1:92 Timothy 1:132 Thessalonians 2:15
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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| holding | ἀντεχόμενον | antechomenon | G0472 | to cling toἀντέχω (antechō) ἀντ-ὲχω (ἀντί, ἔχω), [in LXX for חָזַק hi., etc. ;] 1. trans., to hold against. 2. Intrans., to withstand. Mid. 1. in cl., to hold out against. 3. (cf. MM, VGT, see word), to hold firmly to, cleave to: with genitive (see Bl., § 36, 2), Mat.6:24, Luk.16:13, 1Th.5:14 (see M, Th., in l), Tit.1:9.† (AS) |
| according to | κατὰ | kata | G2596 | according toκατά (kata) κατά (bef. a vowel κατ᾽, καθ᾽; on the frequently neglect of elision, see Tdf., Pr., 95; WH, App., 146a), prep. with genitive, accusative, down, downwards. I. C. genitive (WM, §47, k; Bl., §42, 2). 1. C. genitive of thing(s), in local sense; (a) down, down from: Mat.8:32, Mrk.5:13, Luk.8:33, 1Co.11:4; (b) throughout (late usage; Bl, l.with): κ. ὅλης κ.τ.λ., Luk.4:14 23:5, Act.9:31 10:37; (with) in a peculiar adjectival phrase: ἡ κ. βάθους, deep or extreme poverty, 2Co.8:2. 2. C. genitive of person(s), usually in hostile sense; … |
| teaching | διδαχὴν | didachēn | G1322 | teachingδιδαχή (didachē) διδαχή, -ῆς, ἡ (διδάσκω), [in LXX: Psa.60:1-12 title. (לָמַד pi.); Sm.: Deu.33:8 * ;] 1. objectively, teaching, doctrine, that which is taught: Mrk.1:27, Jhn.7:16, Act.17:19, Rom.6:7 16:17, 2Jn.10, Rev.2:24; with genitive poss., Mat.7:28 16:12 22:33, Mrk.1:22 11:18, Luk.4:32, Jhn.18:19, Act.5:28, Rev.2:14-15; ἡ δ., of Christ, Jhn.7:17, Act.13:12, 2Jn.9; of. τὴν δ., Tit.1:9; with genitive obj., βαπτισμῶν δ., Heb.6:2; pl., Heb.13:9. … |
| of [the] faithful | πιστοῦ | pistou | G4103 | faithfulπιστός (pistos) πιστός, -ή, -όν (πείθω), [in LXX chiefly for אָמַן ;] I. Pass., to be trusted or believed; 1. of persons, trusty, faithful : Mat.24:45 25:21, 23 Luk.12:42, Act.16:15, 1Co.4:2 4:17 7:25, Eph.1:1 6:21, Col.1:2, 7 4:7, 9, 1Ti.1:12, 2Ti.2:2, Heb.2:17 3:2, 5, 1Pe.5:12, Rev.2:13 19:11; of God, 1Co.1:9 10:13, 2Co.1:18, 1Th.5:24, 2Th.3:3, Heb.10:23 11:11, 2Ti.2:13, 1Jn.1:9, 1Pe.4:19; before ἐν, Luk.16:10-12 19:17, 1Ti.3:11; ἐπί, with accusative, Mat.25:23; ἄχρι θανάτου, Rev.2:10; ὁ μάρτυς ὁ π., Rev.1:5; id. καὶ ἀληθινός, Rev.3:14. … |
| word, | λόγου, | logou | G3056 | wordλόγος (logos) λόγος, -ου, ὁ (λέγω) [in LXX chiefly for דָּבָר, also for מִלָּה ,אֵמֶר, etc. ;] I. Of that by which the inward thought is expressed, Lat. oratio, sermo, vox, verbum. 1. a word, not in the grammatical sense of a mere name (ἔπος, ὄνομα, ῥῆμα), but a word as embodying a conception or idea: Mat.8:8, Luk.7:7, 1Co.14:9, 19 Heb.12:19, al. … |
| 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); … |
| able | δυνατὸς | dunatos | G1415 | ableδυνατός (dunatos) δυνατός, -ή, -όν (δύναμαι), [in LXX for גִּבּוֹר, חַיִל, etc. ;] 1. strong, mighty, powerful: absol., Luk.1:49, 1 Col.1:26; οἱ δ., the chief men, Act.25:5 ; of spiritual strength, Rom.15:1, 2Co.12:10 13:9; before ἐν, Luk.24:19, Act.7:22 18:24; πρός, 2Co.10:4. 2. C. inf., able to do; Luk.14:31, Act.11:17, Rom.4:21 11:23, 2Ti.1:12, Tit.1:9, Heb.11:19, Jas.3:2. 3. Neut., δυνατόν, possible: Mat.19:26, Mrk.9:23 10:27 14:36, Luk.18:27, Act.2:24 20:16; εἰ δ. (ἐστι), Mat.24:24 26:30, Mrk.13:22 14:35, Rom.12:18, Gal.4:15; τὸ δ. (= ἡ δύναμις) αὐτοῦ, Rom.9:22.† (AS) |
| he may be | ᾖ | ē | 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. … |
| both | καὶ | kai | G2532 | andκαί (kai) καί, conj., and I. Copulative. 1. Connecting single words; (a) in general: Mat.2:18, 16:1, Mrk.2:15, Luk.8:15, Heb.1:1, al. mult.; repeated before each of the terms in a series, Mat.23:23, Luk.14:21, Rom.7:12, 9:4, al. (b) connecting numerals (WM, §37, 4): Jhn.2:20, Act.13:20; (with) joining terms which are not mutually exclusive, as the part with the whole: Mat.8:33, 26:59, Mrk.16:17, Act.5:29, al. 2. Connecting clauses and sentences: Mat.3:12, Act.5:21, al. mult.; esp. … |
| to encourage | παρακαλεῖν | parakalein | G3870 | to plead/comfortπαρακαλέω (parakaleō) παρακαλέω, -ῶ, [in LXX chiefly for נחם ni., pi. ;] 1. to call to one, call for, summon: Act.28:20 (R, mg.; R, txt., entreat); hence (of the gods: Dem., Xen., al.), to invoke, call on, beseech, entreat: τ. πατέρα μου, Mat.26:53; τ. κύριον, 2Co.12:8; in late writers (Polyb., Diod., al.; rarely in LXX; in π., see Deiss., LAE, 176.14), also of men: absol., Phm 9; with accusative, Mat.8:5, Mrk.1:40, Act.16:9, al.; with inf., Mrk.5:17, Luk.8:41, Act.8:31, al.; before ἵνα (see M, Pr., 205, 208), Mt 14"36, Mrk.5:18, Luk.8:31, al. … |
| with | 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 … |
| teaching | διδασκαλίᾳ | didaskalia | G1319 | teachingδιδασκαλία (didaskalia) διδασκαλία, -ας, ἡ (διδάσκω), [in LXX: Pro.2:17 (אַלּוּף), Isa.29:13 (לָמַד), Sir.24:33 39:8 * ;] teaching, instruction, in both active and objective senses, most frequently the latter: Rom.12:7 15:4, Eph.4:14, 1Ti.4:6, 13, 16 5:17 6:1, 3, 2Ti.3:10 3:16, Tit.2:7, 10; ὑγιαινοῦσα δ., 1Ti.1:10, 2Ti.4:3, Tit.1:9 2:1; pl., δ. τ. ἀνθρώπων, Col.2:22; δ. δαιμονίων, 1Ti.4:1, δ. διδάσκειν, Mat.15:9, Mrk.7:7" (LXX) (Cremer, 182).† SYN.: διδαχή (AS) |
| sound | ὑγιαινούσῃ | hugiainousē | 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) |
| and | καὶ | kai | G2532 | andκαί (kai) καί, conj., and I. Copulative. 1. Connecting single words; (a) in general: Mat.2:18, 16:1, Mrk.2:15, Luk.8:15, Heb.1:1, al. mult.; repeated before each of the terms in a series, Mat.23:23, Luk.14:21, Rom.7:12, 9:4, al. (b) connecting numerals (WM, §37, 4): Jhn.2:20, Act.13:20; (with) joining terms which are not mutually exclusive, as the part with the whole: Mat.8:33, 26:59, Mrk.16:17, Act.5:29, al. 2. Connecting clauses and sentences: Mat.3:12, Act.5:21, al. mult.; esp. … |
| contradicting [it] | ἀντιλέγοντας | antilegontas | G0483 | to disputeἀντιλέγω (antilegō) ἀντι-λέγω [in LXX: Hos.4:4 (רִיב hi.), Isa.50:5 (סוּג ni.) Isa.22:22 65:2, Sir.4:25, 3Ma.2:28, 4Ma.4:7 4Mac 8:2 * ;] cοntradict, oppose, resist (see Field, Notes, 106; MM, VGT, see word); absol.: Act.28:19, Rom.10:21, Tit.1:9 2:9; with dative, Jhn.19:12, Act.13:45; with accusative and inf., Luk.20:27 T; pass., Luk.2:34, Act.28:22.† (AS) |
| to convict. | ἐλέγχειν.¶ | elegchein | 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).† … |
Words and meanings from STEPBible data (Tyndale House, Cambridge, CC BY 4.0). The capitalized syllable is the stressed one.