Titus 2:5
King James Version (1769)
Other translations
| Verse | KJV | BSB | ASV |
|---|---|---|---|
| 5 | To be discreet, chaste, keepers at home, good, obedient to their own husbands, that the word of God be not blasphemed. | to be self-controlled, pure, managers of their households, kind, and submissive to their own husbands, so that the word of God will not be discredited. | to be sober-minded, chaste, workers at home, kind, being in subjection to their own husbands, that the word of God be not blasphemed: |
In context
AI-assisted, sourcedPaul finishes the list for young women: to be discreet, chaste, working at home, good, and subject to their own husbands. He gives the reason too: so that the word of God is not spoken against. Titus 2:4Titus 2:5
Commonly taken out of context
How it’s often usedQuoted to claim that a husband may demand anything of his wife, or that she must obey him even against God.
In contextThe verse is about a wife's subjection to "their own husbands" for the sake of God's word, so that it is "not blasphemed." Paul elsewhere sets the bounds: "as it is fit in the Lord" (Colossians 3:18). Subjection serves the honour of God's word and cannot be a reason to disobey it. Titus 2:5Colossians 3:181 Peter 3:1
SpeakingPaul, who calls himself "a servant of God, and an apostle of Jesus Christ." Titus overview
ToTitus, Paul's "own son after the common faith," whom Paul had left in Crete to set the churches in order. Titus overview
Also involvedThe young women in the churches, their husbands, and outsiders who would judge God's word by their lives. Titus 2:4Titus 2:5
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 overview
The eventsTitus was to teach this in Crete. The verse gives no date. Titus overview
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 reason is stated: "that the word of God be not blasphemed." Paul gives similar reasons for Titus's own example and for servants' conduct (2:8, 2:10). Titus 2:5Titus 2:8Titus 2:10
In the whole of ScripturePaul tells wives elsewhere to "submit yourselves unto your own husbands, as it is fit in the Lord" (Colossians 3:18). Peter says the same, so that unbelieving husbands "may without the word be won" (1 Peter 3:1). The virtuous woman of Proverbs is praised for "her own works" (Proverbs 31:31). Colossians 3:181 Peter 3:1Proverbs 31:31
For readersThe Christian home is a witness. A wife's goodness and faithfulness can commend God's word to people who would otherwise speak against it. Titus 2:51 Peter 3:1
- chasteἁγνός
The word means pure, free from defilement. Strong's G0053
- keepers at homeοἰκουργός
The word means working at home. The lexicon lists this verse as its only New Testament use. Strong's G9994
- obedientὑποτάσσω
The word means to place or rank under, to be subject. Here it is to their "own" husbands, as in Colossians 3:18. Strong's G5293Colossians 3:18
- blasphemedβλασφημέω
The word means to speak against, to blaspheme. Paul does not want God's word slandered because of believers' conduct. Strong's G0987
Takeaway
Young women are to be self-controlled, pure, diligent at home, kind, and subject to their own husbands, so that God's word is honoured, not slandered. Titus 2:5Colossians 3:181 Peter 3:1
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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| self-controlled, | σώφρονας, | sōphronas | G4998 | self-controlledσώφρων (sōphrōn) σώφρων, -ον [in LXX: 4Ma.9:1-32 * ;] (a) of sound mind, sane, sensible; (b) self-controlled, sober-minded: 1Ti.3:2, Tit.1:8 2:2, 5 (Arist.).† (AS) |
| pure | ἁγνάς, | hagnas | G0053 | pureἁγνός (hagnos) ἁγνός, -ή, -όν (ἅγος, see: ἅγιος), [in LXX chiefly for טָהוֹר (Pss, and Pr. only), also 2Ma.13:8, 4Ma.18:7, al. ;] 1. free from ceremonial defilement, in a condition prepared for worship (for exx. of pagan usage, V. MM, VGT, see word). 2. holy, sacred, venerable (II Mac, l.with). 3. As in OT (cl.), pure, chaste, undefiled, guiltless; (a) of persons: 2Co.7:11 11:12, 1Ti.5:22, Tit.2:5, 1Jn.3:3; (b) of things: Php.4:8, Jas.3:17, 1Pe.3:2. … |
| busy at home | οἰκουργοὺς | oikourgous | G9994 | home-workingοἰκουργός (oikourgos) οἰκουργός, -όν (οἶκος + root of ἔργον), working at home: Tit.2:5 (Rec. οἰκουρός, which see).† (AS) |
| kind, | ἀγαθάς, | agathas | G0018 | goodἀγαθός (agathos) ἀγαθός, -ή, -όν, [in LXX chiefly for טוֹב ;] in general, good, in physical and in moral sense, used of persons, things, acts, conditions, etc., applied to that which is regarded as "perfect in its kind, so as to produce pleasure and satisfaction, . . . that which, in itself good, is also at once for the good and the advantage of him who comes in contact with it" (Cremer, 3): γῆ, Luk.8:8; δένδρον, Mat.7:18; καρδία, Luk.8:15; δόσις, Jas.1:17; μέρις, Luk.10:42; ἔργον (frequently in Pl.), Php.1:6; ἐλπίς, 2Th.2:16; θησαυρός, Mat.12:35; μνεία, 1Th.3:6 (cf. 2Ma.7:20); as subst., τὸ ἀ, that which is … |
| being subject | ὑποτασσομένας | hupotassomenas | G5293 | to subjectὑποτάσσω (hupotassō) ὑπο-τάσσω [in LXX for דָבַר hi., דָּמַם, שׂוּם, שִׁית, etc. ;] 1. as a military term, to place or rank under (Polyb.). 2. to subject, put in subjection: 1Co.15:27, Php.3:21, Heb.2:5, 8; pass., Rom.8:20, 1Co.15:27-28, 1Pe.3:22, Eph.1:22. Mid., to subject oneself, obey: absol., Rom.13:5, 1Co.14:34; with dative of person(s), Luk.2:51 10:17, 20, Rom.8:7 10:3 13:1, 1Co.14:32 15:28 (ὑποταγήσεται; cf. M, Pr., 163), 1Co.16:16, Eph.5:21-22 (T, WH, txt., R, om.), Eph.5:24, Col.3:18, Tit.2:5, 9 3:1, Heb.12:9, 1Pe.2:18 3:1 3:5 5:5; imperat., Jas.4:7, 1Pe.2:13 5:5.† (AS) |
| to [their] own | ἰδίοις | idiois | G2398 | one's own/privateἴδιος (idios) ἴδιος, -α, -ον (in Attic usually -ος, -ον), [in LXX chiefly for of person(s) suff., also for לָהֶם, etc.; (τὰ ἴ.) בֵּיתוֹ ;] 1. one's own; (a) of that which is private and personal (in cl. opposite to κοινός, δημόσιος; cf. infr. 3); … |
| husbands, | ἀνδράσιν, | andrasin | G0435H | manἀνήρ (anēr) ἀνήρ, ἀνδρός, ὁ, [in LXX chiefly for אִישׁ, frequently אֱנוֹשׁ, also אָדָם, etc. ;] a man, Lat. vir. 1. As opposite to a woman, Act.8:12, 1Ti.2:12; as a husband, Mat.1:16, Jhn.4:16, Rom.7:2, Tit.1:6. 2. As opposite to a boy or infant, 1Co.13:11, Eph.4:13, Jas.3:2. 3. In appos. with a noun or adj., as ἀ. ἁμαρτωλός, Luk.5:8; ἀ. προφήτης, 24:19; frequently in terms of address, as ἀ. ἀδελφοί, Act.1:16; and esp. with gentilic names, as ἀ. Ἰουδαῖος, Act.22:3; ἀ. Ἐφέσιοι, 19:35. 4. In general, a man, a male person: = τις, Luk.8:41, Act.6:11. … |
| 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); … |
| not | μὴ | mē | G3361 | notμή (mē) μή, subjective negative particle, used where the negation depends on a condition or hypothesis, expressed or understood, as distinct from οὐ, which denies absolutely. μή is used where one thinks a thing is not, as distinct from an absolute negation. As a general rule, οὐ negatives the indic, μή the other moods, incl, ptcp. [In LXX for אֵין ,אַיִן ,אַל ] I. As a neg. adv., not; 1. with ref. to thought or opinion: Jhn.3:18, Tit.1:11, 2Pe.1:9. 2. In delib. questions, with subjc. (M, Pr., 185): Mrk.12:14, Rom.3:8. … |
| word | λόγος | logos | 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. … |
| of God | θεοῦ | theou | G2316 | Godθεός (theos) θεός, -οῦ, ὁ, ἡ (Act.19:37 only; see M, Pr., 60, 244), late voc., θεέ (Mat.27:46; cf. Deu.3:24, al.), [in LXX chiefly for אֱלֹהִים, also for אֵל and other cognate forms, יהוה, etc. ;] a god or deity, God. 1. In polytheistic sense, a god or deity: Act.28:6, 1Co.8:4, 2Th.2:4, al.; pl., Ac. 14:11 19:26, Gal.4:8, al. 2. Of the one true God; … |
| may be denigrated. | βλασφημῆται.¶ | blasphēmētai | G0987 | to blasphemeβλασφημέω (blasphēmeō) βλασφημέω, -ῶ (βλάσφημος), [in LXX: 4Ki.19:4 (יכח hi.) ib. 6, 22 (גּדף pi.), Isa.52:5 (נאץ hith.), Dan LXX 3:29 (96) (אמר שׁלח), Tob.1:18, Da TH Bel 9, 2Ma.2 * ;] 1. to speak lightly or profanely of sacred things (in cl., opp. of εὐφημέω), esp. to speak impiously of God, to blaspheme, speak blasphemously: absol., Mat.9:3 26:65, Mrk.2:7, Jhn.10:36, Act.26:11, 1Ti.1:20, 2Pe.2:12; τ. θεόν, Act.19:37, Rev.16:11, 21; τὸ ὄνομα τ. θεοῦ, Rev.13:6 16:9; δόξας, Ju 3, 2Pe.2:10; εἰς τὸ πνεῦμα τὸ πνεῦμα τὸ ἅγιον, Mrk.3:29, Luk.12:10. … |
Words and meanings from STEPBible data (Tyndale House, Cambridge, CC BY 4.0). The capitalized syllable is the stressed one.