Titus 2:8
King James Version (1769)
Other translations
| Verse | KJV | BSB | ASV |
|---|---|---|---|
| 8 | Sound speech, that cannot be condemned; that he that is of the contrary part may be ashamed, having no evil thing to say of you. | and wholesome speech that is above reproach, so that anyone who opposes us will be ashamed, having nothing bad to say about us. | sound speech, that cannot be condemned; that he that is of the contrary part may be ashamed, having no evil thing to say of us. |
In context
AI-assisted, sourcedTitus's words must be sound, beyond just criticism. Then any opponent will be ashamed, with nothing bad to say about "you," the believers. Titus 2:7Titus 2:8
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 involvedOpponents watching the church, "he that is of the contrary part," and the believers they would criticise. Titus 2:8
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
HerePaul keeps outsiders in view through this chapter. Believers' lives should keep God's word from being "blasphemed" (2:5) and should "adorn the doctrine" (2:10). Titus 2:5Titus 2:8Titus 2:10
In the whole of ScripturePeter says the same: by good works believers may "put to silence the ignorance of foolish men" (1 Peter 2:15), and those who falsely accuse them may be ashamed (1 Peter 3:16). 1 Peter 2:151 Peter 3:161 Peter 2:12
For readersBelievers cannot stop people from criticising them, but they can give no true grounds for it. Sound words and honest lives answer critics best. Titus 2:81 Peter 2:15
- soundὑγιής
The word means sound, whole, healthy; the Gospels use it of people made whole. Strong's G5199
- that cannot be condemnedἀκατάγνωστος
The word means not open to just rebuke. The lexicon lists this verse as its only New Testament use. Strong's G0176
- may be ashamedἐντρέπω
The word means to turn about, and so to put to shame. Strong's G1788
Takeaway
Sound, blameless speech leaves opponents ashamed and with nothing evil to say. A believer's conduct can silence false accusation. Titus 2:81 Peter 2:151 Peter 3:16
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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| speech | λόγον | logon | 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. … |
| sound, | ὑγιῆ, | hugiē | G5199 | healthyὑγιής (hugiēs) ὑγιής, -ές, accusative, ὑγιῆ (Attic usually -ιᾶ), [in LXX for חַי, etc. ;] sound, whole, healthy: Mat.12:13 15:31, Jhn.5:[4], 6, 9, 11, 14, 15 7:23, Act.4:10; before ἀπό, Mrk.5:34; of words, opinions, etc. (as in cl.), metaphorically, λόγος, Tit.2:8.† (AS) |
| beyond reproach, | ἀκατάγνωστον, | akatagnōston | G0176 | beyond reproachἀκατάγνωστος (akatagnōstos) ἀ-κατά-γνωστος, -ον (καταγινώσκω), [in LXX: 2Ma.4:47 ;] not open to just rebuke, irreprehensible: Tit.2:8 (see Cremer, 676; and for other exx., MM, VGT, 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); … |
| of the | ἐξ | ex | G1537 | out fromἐκ (ek) ἐκ (ἐξ), prep. with genitive, from out of, from (see Addendum, p. 492). This entry is included here, but in the print version the entry is found on p. 492. ἐκ, before a vowel ἐξ, prep. with genitive, of motion outwards, separation from (opposite to εἰς; = Lat. e, ex), from out of, from among, from. I. Of Place, … |
| contrary | ἐναντίας | enantias | G1727 | hostileἐναντίος (enantios) ἐν-αντίος, -α, -ον (ἀντίος, set against), [in LXX: ἐξ ἐναντίας, for נֶגֶד, etc.; ἐναντίον, for פָּנִים etc. ;] over against, opposite, contrary: ἄνεμος, Mat.14:24, Mrk.6:48, Act.27:4; ἐξ ἐναντίας (ellipse obscure, see Bl., § 44,1; Mozley, Psa.42:1-11), with genitive, Mrk.15:39. Metaphorical, opposed, hostile: 1Th.2:15, Act.26:9 28:17; ὁ ἐξ ἐ., Tit.2:8. Neuter., -ίον, adv., as prep. with genitive, before, in the presence of: Luk.1:6 20:26 24:19 Act.7:10 (ἔναντι, T), Act.8:32 (LXX).† (AS) |
| may be ashamed | ἐντραπῇ | entrapēa | G1788 | to cause shameἐντρέπω (entrepō) ἐν-τρέπω [in LXX for כָּנַע ni., כָּלַם ni., etc. ;] to turn about; metaphorically, put to shame: with accusative, 1Co.4:14; pass., 2Th.3:14, Tit.2:8; mid., to reverence: with accusative of person(s) (cl. with genitive), Mat.21:37, Mrk.12:6, Luk.18:2, 4 20:13, Heb.12:9 (cf. MM, Exp., iii, xiii).† (AS) |
| nothing | μηδὲν | mēden | G3367 | nothingμηδείς (mēdeis) μηδείς, -δεμία, -δέν (and -θέν, Act.27:33, a Hellenistic form; see Bl., 6, 7; Thackeray, Gr., 58) related to οὐδείς as μή to οὐ, no, none, no one; neut., nothing: Mat.16:20, Mrk.5:43 6:8, Luk.3:14, Act.8:24, Rom.13:8, al.; with genitive, Act.4:17 24:23; neut. accusative, μηδέν, adverbially, in no respect, Act.10:20 11:12; as accusative obj. after verb, βλάπτειν, Luk.4:35; ὠφελεῖσθαι, Mrk.5:26; ὑστερεῖν, 2Co.11:5; μεριμνᾶν, Php.4:6; in double negation, strengthening the denial, μηκέτι μ., Mrk.11:14, Act.4:17; μὴ . . . μηδέν (μηδένα, μηδεμίαν), 2Co.13:7, 2Th.2:3, 1Pe.3:6 μηθείς, see. μηδείς … |
| having | ἔχων | echōn | G2192 | to have/beἔχω (echō) ἔχω, [in LXX for אָצֵל (ἐχόμενος), יֵשׁ,בַּעַל, etc., 59 words in all ;] (on the Aktionsart of the various tenses, see M, Pr., 110, 145, 150, 183), to have, as in cl., in various senses and constructions. I. Trans.; 1. 1. to have, hold, hold fast, etc.; (a) to hold, as, in the hand: Rev.5:8 14:6, al.; ἐν τ. χειρί, Rev.1:16 10:2, al.; (b) of arms and clothing, = φέρω, φορέω, to bear, wear: Mat.3:4 22:12, al.; so frequently present ptcp. (LS, see word, A, I, 6; Bl., 74, 2), Mrk.11:13, Jhn.18:10, Rev.9:17, al.; (with) of a woman, ἐν γαστρὶ ἔ, to be with child: Mrk.13:17, Rom.9:10; … |
| to say | λέγειν | legein | G3004G | to sayλέγω (legō) λέγω, [in LXX very freq., chiefly for אמר; λέγει for נְאֻם, Gen.22:16, al. ;] 1. in Hom., to pick out, gather, reckon, recount. 2. In Hdt. and Att., to say, speak, affirm, declare: absol., Act.13:15, 24:10; before orat. dir., Mat.9:34, Mrk.3:11, Jhn.1:29, al.; before ὅτι recit., Mrk.3:21, Luk.1:24, Jhn.6:14, al.; accusative and inf., Luk.11:18, Jhn.12:29, al.; after another verb of speaking, προσφωνεῖν κ. λέγειν, Mat.11:17, al.; ἀπεκρίθη (ἐλάλησεν) λέγων (καὶ λέγει; Dalman, Words, 24 ff.), Mat.25:9, Mrk.3:33, 7:28, Luk.24:6, 7, al.; of unspoken thought, λ. ἐν ἑαυτῷ, Mat.3:9, Luk.3:8, al.; of … |
| concerning | περὶ | peri | G4012 | aboutπερί (peri) περί, prep. with genitive, accusative (in cl. also with dative; cf. M, Pr., 105f.), with radical sense round about (as distinct from ἀμφί, on both sides). I. C. genitive, 1. of place, about (poët.). … |
| us | ἡμῶν | hēmōn | G3165 | meμέ (me) 1. apostrophe for με. 2. rarely for μοι, (Homer) (ML) |
| evil. | φαῦλον.¶ | phaulon | G5337 | evilφαῦλος (phaulos) φαῦλος, -η, -ον [in LXX: Pro.22:8 (עֶוֶל) Pro.29:9 (אֱוִיל), etc. ;] slight, worthless, of no account, both of persons and things in various shades of meaning (see LS, see word), in NT, as frequently in cl., always with distinct moral reference (see Ellic., Past. Epp., 203; Hort, Ja., 85; Tr., Syn., LXXxiv), worthless, bad: Jhn.3:20, Tit.2:8, Jas.3:16; opposite to ἀγαθός (which see), Jhn.5:29, Rom.9:11, 2Co.5:10.† SYN.: see: ἄθεσμος (AS) |
Words and meanings from STEPBible data (Tyndale House, Cambridge, CC BY 4.0). The capitalized syllable is the stressed one.