Titus 2

Titus · Chapter 2

Titus 2:9

1But speak thou the things which become sound doctrine:2That the aged men be sober, grave, temperate, sound in faith, in charity, in patience.3The aged women likewise, that they be in behaviour as becometh holiness, not false accusers, not given to much wine, teachers of good things;4That they may teach the young women to be sober, to love their husbands, to love their children,5To be discreet, chaste, keepers at home, good, obedient to their own husbands, that the word of God be not blasphemed.6Young men likewise exhort to be sober minded.7In all things shewing thyself a pattern of good works: in doctrine shewing uncorruptness, gravity, sincerity,8Sound speech, that cannot be condemned; that he that is of the contrary part may be ashamed, having no evil thing to say of you.9Exhort servants to be obedient unto their own masters, and to please them well in all things; not answering again;10Not purloining, but shewing all good fidelity; that they may adorn the doctrine of God our Saviour in all things.11For the grace of God that bringeth salvation hath appeared to all men,12Teaching us that, denying ungodliness and worldly lusts, we should live soberly, righteously, and godly, in this present world;13Looking for that blessed hope, and the glorious appearing of the great God and our Saviour Jesus Christ;14Who gave himself for us, that he might redeem us from all iniquity, and purify unto himself a peculiar people, zealous of good works.15These things speak, and exhort, and rebuke with all authority. Let no man despise thee.

King James Version (1769)

Other translations

VerseKJVBSBASV
9Exhort servants to be obedient unto their own masters, and to please them well in all things; not answering again;Slaves are to submit to their own masters in everything, to be well-pleasing, not argumentative,Exhort servants to be in subjection to their own masters, and to be well-pleasing to them in all things; not gainsaying;

In context

AI-assisted, sourced

Titus is to urge servants, that is, slaves, to be subject to their own masters and to please them in everything. They are not to talk back. Paul speaks to believers in that position as it was. Titus 2:9

Commonly taken out of context

How it’s often usedQuoted as proof that God approves of slavery, or as a rule that anyone must submit to any boss or master in everything without question.

In contextPaul speaks to believers already under slavery in the Roman world and tells them how to live so that they "adorn the doctrine of God our Saviour" (2:10). He does not argue that slavery is good. Elsewhere he says their service is "as unto Christ" (Ephesians 6:5), and that whatever good thing any man does, "the same shall he receive of the Lord, whether he be bond or free" (Ephesians 6:8). Titus 2:9Titus 2:10Ephesians 6:5Ephesians 6:8

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 involvedBelieving slaves in Crete and their masters. Titus 2:9Titus 2:10

Servants are the last group in Paul's list (2:2-10). Verse 10 continues the instruction and gives its purpose: that they "adorn the doctrine of God our Saviour." Titus 2:9Titus 2:10

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 wants even those with the least standing to show the gospel's worth by their conduct (2:10). Titus 2:9Titus 2:10

In the whole of ScripturePaul gives similar instruction elsewhere, adding that service is done "as unto Christ" (Ephesians 6:5) and that "there is no respect of persons" with God (Colossians 3:25). Whatever good anyone does, he will receive it of the Lord, "whether he be bond or free" (Ephesians 6:8). Ephesians 6:5Colossians 3:25Ephesians 6:8

For readersFaithful, respectful work is a witness, whatever a person's station. God sees and rewards work done as service to him. Titus 2:9Titus 2:10Ephesians 6:8

  • servantsδούλη
    Greek · doulē · G1401

    The word means a slave or bondservant, one in bondage to another. Strong's G1401

  • mastersδεσπότης
    Greek · despotēs · G1203

    The word means a master or lord. The lexicon notes it is used with servant as its counterpart. Strong's G1203

  • answering againἀντιλέγω
    Greek · antilegō · G0483

    The word means to contradict or speak against. Servants are not to talk back. Strong's G0483

Takeaway

Believing servants are to be subject, pleasing and respectful to their masters. Their faithful work honours God, who rewards bond and free alike. Titus 2:9Titus 2:10Ephesians 6:8

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

EnglishGreekSay itStrong'sMeaning
ServantsΔούλουςDoulousG1401
female slave

δούλη (doulē) δούλη, ἡ, see: δοῦλος. δοῦλος, -η, -ον, [in LXX, ὁ δ. nearly always for עֶבֶד; ὁ δ. chiefly for שִׁפְחָה ,אָמָה ;] 1. in bondage to, subject to: Rom.6:19. 2. As subst., ὁ, ἡ δ., a slave; (a) fem., ἡ δ., a female slave, bondmaid (Cremer, 702; DB, iii, 215): Luk.1:38, 48 Act.2:18" (LXX) ; …

to [their] ownἰδίοιςidioisG2398
one's own/private

ἴδιος (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); …

mastersδεσπόταιςdespotaisG1203
master

δεσπότης (despotēs) δεσπότης, -ου, ὁ [in LXX chiefly for אָדוֹן, אֲדֹנָי; in Jdth.9:17, δ. τ. οὐρανῶν κ. τ. γῆς]; a master, lord, correlative of δοῦλος, οἰκέτης: 1Ti.6:1, 2, 2Ti.2:21, Tit.2:9, 1Pe.2:18; as title of God, voc., δέσποτα (so usually in LXX), Luk.2:29, Act.4:24; ὁ δ. = voc. δέσποτα (cf. B1., § 33, 4), Rev.6:10; of Christ, 2Pe.2:1, Ju 4, R, txt. (but cf. mg.).† SYN.: κύριος (which see), implying limitation of authority and a more general relation than δ., which "denoted absolute ownership and uncontrolled power" (Thayer). (AS)

are to be subject,ὑποτάσσεσθαι,hupotassesthaiG5293
to subject

ὑποτάσσω (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)

inἐνenG1722
in/on/among

ἐν (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 …

everythingπᾶσινpasinG3956
all

πᾶς (pas) πᾶς, πᾶσα, πᾶν, genitive, παντός, πάσης, παντός, [in LXX chiefly for כֹּל ;] all, every. I. As adj., 1. with subst. anarth., all, every, of every kind: Mat.3:10 4:23, Mrk.9:49, Luk.4:37, Jhn.2:1o, Act.27:20, Rom.7:8, Rev.18:17, al. mult.; pl., all, Act.22:15, Rom.5:12, Heb.1:6, al.; of the highest degree, π. ἐξουσία (προθυμία, χαρά), Mat.28:18, Act.17:11, Phi 2:29, al.; also the whole (though in this sense more frequently with art.), Mat.2:3, Act.2:36, Rom.11:26. …

well-pleasingεὐαρέστουςeuarestousG2101
well-pleasing

εὐάρεστος (euarestos) εὐ-άρεστος, -ον [in LXX: Wis.4:10 9:10 * ;] well-pleasing, acceptable: Rom.12:2; with dative of person(s), Rom.12:1 14:16, 2Co.5:9, Eph.5:10, Php.4:18; id. before ἐν, Tit.2:9 (κυρίῳ), Col.3:20; ἐνώπιον, Heb.13:21 (for ex. in Inser., see Deiss., BS, 215).† (AS)

to be,εἶναι,einaiG1511
to exist

εἶναι (einai) 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. …

notμὴmēG3361
not

μή (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. …

gainsaying,ἀντιλέγοντας,antilegontasG0483
to dispute

ἀντιλέγω (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)

Words and meanings from STEPBible data (Tyndale House, Cambridge, CC BY 4.0). The capitalized syllable is the stressed one.