Titus 3

Titus · Chapter 3

Titus 3:10

1Put them in mind to be subject to principalities and powers, to obey magistrates, to be ready to every good work,2To speak evil of no man, to be no brawlers, but gentle, shewing all meekness unto all men.3For we ourselves also were sometimes foolish, disobedient, deceived, serving divers lusts and pleasures, living in malice and envy, hateful, and hating one another.4But after that the kindness and love of God our Saviour toward man appeared,5Not by works of righteousness which we have done, but according to his mercy he saved us, by the washing of regeneration, and renewing of the Holy Ghost;6Which he shed on us abundantly through Jesus Christ our Saviour;7That being justified by his grace, we should be made heirs according to the hope of eternal life.8This is a faithful saying, and these things I will that thou affirm constantly, that they which have believed in God might be careful to maintain good works. These things are good and profitable unto men.9But avoid foolish questions, and genealogies, and contentions, and strivings about the law; for they are unprofitable and vain.10A man that is an heretick after the first and second admonition reject;11Knowing that he that is such is subverted, and sinneth, being condemned of himself.12When I shall send Artemas unto thee, or Tychicus, be diligent to come unto me to Nicopolis: for I have determined there to winter.13Bring Zenas the lawyer and Apollos on their journey diligently, that nothing be wanting unto them.14And let ours also learn to maintain good works for necessary uses, that they be not unfruitful.15All that are with me salute thee. Greet them that love us in the faith. Grace be with you all. Amen.

King James Version (1769)

Other translations

VerseKJVBSBASV
10A man that is an heretick after the first and second admonition reject;Reject a divisive man after a first and second admonition,A factious man after a first and second admonition refuse;

In context

AI-assisted, sourced

A "heretick" here is a divisive, factious person. Titus is to warn such a person once, then a second time, and after that to refuse him. The goal is to stop division from spreading through the church. Titus 3:9Titus 3:10Strong's G0141

Commonly taken out of context

How it’s often usedQuoted to treat anyone who disagrees on any point of doctrine as a heretic to be punished.

In contextThe Greek word means a factious person who causes division (lexicon), and the verse follows a warning about quarrels (3:9). Paul's remedy is two warnings, then to "reject" him, a word that means to refuse or avoid. Romans 16:17 says the same: "mark them which cause divisions ... and avoid them." Strong's G0141Titus 3:9Strong's G3868Romans 16:17

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 involvedA person in the church who causes division, and the church that must deal with him. Titus 3:10Strong's G0141

Right after telling Titus to avoid empty disputes (3:9), Paul says what to do with someone who keeps stirring them up. Titus 3:9Titus 3:10

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 protects the young Cretan churches from people who "subvert whole houses". He gives a patient process: two warnings before any break. Titus 3:10Titus overview

In the whole of Scripture"Mark them which cause divisions and offences contrary to the doctrine which ye have learned; and avoid them" (Romans 16:17). Jesus taught a step-by-step process that ends, if the person "neglect to hear the church," with treating him "as an heathen man and a publican" (Matthew 18:17). Paul says to "note that man, and have no company with him, that he may be ashamed" (2 Thessalonians 3:14). Romans 16:17Matthew 18:172 Thessalonians 3:14

For readersChurches should warn divisive people patiently and clearly. If they refuse correction, the church should stop giving them a hearing. Titus 3:10Romans 16:17

  • heretickαἱρετικός
    Greek · ahiretikos · G0141

    The word means causing division, factious. The lexicon lists this verse as its only New Testament use. Strong's G0141

  • admonitionνουθεσία
    Greek · nouthesia · G3559

    The word means admonition, a warning. It also appears in Ephesians 6:4 and 1 Corinthians 10:11. Strong's G3559

  • rejectπαραιτέομαι
    Greek · paraiteomai · G3868

    The word means to refuse, decline, avoid. The lexicon lists the same sense in 1 Timothy 4:7 and 2 Timothy 2:23. Strong's G3868

Takeaway

Warn a divisive person twice. If he will not listen, have nothing more to do with him. Titus 3:10Romans 16:17Matthew 18:17

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
A factiousαἱρετικὸνhairetikonG0141
schismatic

αἱρετικός (ahiretikos) αἱρετικός, -ή, όν (αἱρέομαι), 1. capable of choosing (Plat.). 2. causing division, heretical, factious (Cremer, 614): as subst., Tit.3:10. † (AS)

manἄνθρωπονanthrōponG0444
a human

ἄνθρωπος (anthrōpos) ἄνθρωπος, -ου, ὁ, [in LXX chiefly for אִישׁ ,אָדָם, also for אֱנוֹשׁ, etc. ;] man: 1. generically, a human being, male or female (Lat. homo): Jhn.16:21; with art., Mat.4:4 12:35, Mrk.2:27, Jhn.2:25, Rom.7:1, al; disting. from God, Mat.19:6, Jhn.10:33, Col.3:23, al.; from animals, etc., Mat.4:19, Luk.5:10, Rev.9:4, al.; implying human frailty and imperfection, 1Co.3:4; σοφία ἀνθρώπων, 1Co.2:5; ἀνθρώπων ἐπιθυμίαι, 1Pe.4:2; κατὰ ἄνθρωπον περιπατεῖν, 1Co.3:3; κατὰ ἄ. λέγειν (λαλεῖν), Rom.3:5, 1Co.9:8; κατὰ ἄ- λέγειν, Gal.3:15 (cf. 1Co.15:32, Gal.1:11); by meton., of man's nature or condition, ὁ …

afterμετὰmetaG3326
with/after

μετά (meta) μετά (before vowel μετ᾽; on the neglect of elision in certain cases, V. WH, App., 146 b), prep. with genitive, accusative (in poet, also with dative), [in LXX for אַחַד ,עִם ,אֵת, etc.]. I. C. genitive, 1. among, amid: Mrk.1:13, Luk.22:37 (LXX, ἐν) 24:5, Jhn.18:5, al.; διωγμῶν, Mrk.10:30. …

oneμίανmianG1520
one

εἷς (ehis) εἷς ιά, ἕν, genitive ἑνός, μιᾶς, ἑνός, cardinal numeral, one; 1. one, as opposite to many: Mat.25:15, Rom.5:12, 1Co.10:8, al.; as subst., Rom.5:15, Eph.2:14; id. with genitive partit., Mat.5:19, al.; before ἐκ (ἐξ), Mrk.14:18, Jhn.6:8, al.; metaphorically, of union and concord, Jhn.10:30 17:11, Rom.12:4-5, Php.1:27; ἀπὸ μιᾶς (B1., § 44, 1), Luk.14:18; with neg., εἷς. . . οὐ (μή), more emphatic than οὐδείς, no one, none (cl.), Mat.5:18 10:29, Luk.11:46 12:6. 2. Emphatically, to the exclusion of others; …

andκαὶkaiG2532
and

καί (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. …

a secondδευτέρανdeuteranG1208
secondly

δεύτερος (deuteros) δεῦτερος, -α, -ον, second in order, with or without idea of time: Mat.22:26, 39, al.; θάνατος, Rev.2:11 20:14 21:8; χάρις, 2Co.1:15. In neut. as adv., secondly, a second time; opposite to πρῶτον: Jhn.3:4 21:16, 1Co.12:28, Rev.19:3; τὸ δ., 2Co.13:2, Ju 5; ἐν τ. δ., at the second time: Act.7:13; in later usage (as 1Ma.9:1), ἐκ δ., Mrk.14:72, Jhn.9:24, Act.11:9, Heb.9:28. (AS)

admonitionνουθεσίανnouthesianG3559
admonition

νουθεσία (nouthesia) νουθεσία, -ας ἡ (νουθετέω), = cl. νουθέτησις [in LXX: Wis.6:6 * ;] admonition: 1Co.10:11, Eph.6:4, Tit.3:10 (Aristoph., Diod., al.).† (AS)

do rejectπαραιτοῦparaitouG3868
to refuse/excuse

παραιτέομαι (paraiteomai) παρ-αιτέομαι, -οῦμαι [in LXX for בָּקַשׁ pi., etc. ;] 1. to beg of or from another: Mrk.15:6 (Rec. ὅνπερ ᾐτοῦντο, see Field, Notes, 43). 2. to deprecate; (a) prop., with neg., to entreat that not (Thuc., al.): Heb.12:19; (b) to refuse, decline, avoid: o. accusative, 1Ti.4:7 5:11, 2Ti.2:23, Tit.3:10, Heb.12:25 (EV; but see Field, Notes, 234). 3. to beg off, ask to be excused, excuse (Polyb., al.) : Luk.14:18-19 (Heb.12:25, Field, l.with).† (AS)

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