Titus 3:13
in Titus 3Do your best to equip Zenas the lawyer and Apollos, so that they will have everything they need.
BSB
The same verse in ASV and KJV ▾
ASV
Set forward Zenas the lawyer and Apollos on their journey diligently, that nothing be wanting unto them.
KJV
Bring Zenas the lawyer and Apollos on their journey diligently, that nothing be wanting unto them.
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This verse in Titus 3
Commentary
12 notes on this verseSend Zenam, the learned in the law, and hasten to send Apollo, so that nothing may be lacking to them. This is the Apollo of whom mention is made in the epistle to the Corinthians: Every one of you saith: I indeed am of Paul; and I am of Apollo; and I am of Cephas (1 Cor. I, 12).
This site's exposition
When I shall send Artemas
on Titus 3:12-14
The letter closes on practical business: when Paul sends Artemas or Tychicus to relieve him, Titus is to come to Nicopolis, where Paul has determined to winter, the same seasonal urgency behind Paul's request for the cloke and books at 2 Timothy 4:13. Zenas the lawyer and Apollos, the eloquent Alexandrian of Acts 18 and 1 Corinthians, are to be brought on their way diligently, that nothing be wanting unto them, the church's ordinary work of hosting and provisioning its traveling teachers. And let ours also learn to maintain good works for necessary uses, that they be not unfruitful gives the letter's refrain its final beat, good works aimed now at real, practical need rather than left as an abstraction.
The record, by era
The Church Fathers3 voices
I have earnestly sent Zenas the lawyer and Apollos, so that nothing may be lacking for them. I have earnestly sent Zenas the lawyer. Experienced in the Jewish laws. Yet these had not yet been entrusted to the Church. But Apollos was a certain great …
Nevertheless, after the apostle had said in such instruction and advice: "Now such persons we charge and exhort in the Lord Jesus Christ that they work quietly and eat their own bread," he was mindful of such needs of the holy persons who, although they would obey his commands to work quietly and eat their own bread, would, for many reasons, lack some provision of such necessary commodities. Hence, with foresight he added immediately: "But you, brothers, do not grow tired of well-doing," so that those who had the means of furnishing sustenance to the servants of God would not grow careless in this respect. Furthermore, when in writing to Titus he said: "Help Zenas the lawyer and Apollos on their way, taking care that nothing be wanting to them." He continued thus, in order to show why nothing should be lacking in their regard: "And let the people also learn to excel in good works, in order to meet cases of necessity, that they may not be unfruitful."
Ver. 14. "Bring Zenas the lawyer and Apollos on their journey diligently, that nothing be wanting unto them." These were not of the number to whom Churches had been intrusted, but of the number of his companions. But Apollos was the more vehement, being "an eloquent man, and mighty in the Scriptures." (Acts xviii. 24.) But if Zenas was a lawyer, you say, he ought not to have been supported by others. But by a lawyer here is meant one versed in the laws of the Jews. And he seems to say, supply their wants abundantly, that nothing may be lacking to them.
The Medieval Church2 voices
Apollos, who is mentioned here and in Acts (Acts 19:1) was a bishop of the Corinthians, but on account of their waywardness he left them and went to Crete to Titus. Since the Corinthians repented, the Apostle is sending him back. He calls Zenas the …
He thus calls a man experienced in the Jewish laws: such was Zenas; and Apollos was eloquent and mighty in the Scriptures. Churches had not yet been entrusted to them, "that they might be lacking in nothing," that is: take care that they have in …
5 more voices on this verse
The Puritans and the Awakening2 voices
This was to be done, not as a piece of common civility only, but of Christian piety, out of respect both to them and the work they were sent about, which probably was to preach the gospel, or to be in some way serviceable to the churches. Zenas is styled the lawyer, whether in reference to the Roman or the Mosaic law, as having some time been his profession, is doubtful.
Bring Zenas the lawyer,....
The Nineteenth Century3 voices
A commentator
Albert Barnes1798–1870
Notes, Explanatory and Practical, on the Old and New Testaments (1832-1869)
Bring Zenas the lawyer - - This person is not elsewhere mentioned in the New Testament, and nothing more is known of him. He belonged doubtless to that class of persons so often mentioned in the New Testament as lawyers; that is, who were regarded as qualified to expound the Jewish laws; see the notes at Mat 22:35. It does not mean that he practiced law, in the modern sense of that phrase.
A commentator
Jamieson, Fausset & Brown1802–1910
Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible (1871)
Crete would be on his way either to Palestine or his native place, Alexandria. Paul and Apollos thus appear in beautiful harmony in that very city where their names had been formerly the watchword of unchristian party work. It was to avoid this party rivalry that Apollos formerly was unwilling to visit Corinth though Paul desired him.
Bring Zenas the lawyer - This person is only mentioned in this place; whether he was a Jewish, Roman, or Greek lawyer, we cannot tell. And Apollos - Of this person we have some valuable particulars in Act 18:24; 1Co 1:12; 1Co 3:5, 1Co 3:6; 1Co 4:6. Either St. Paul had left these at Crete when he visited that island, or he had heard that, in their evangelical itinerancy, they were about to pass through it. On their journey diligently - Afford them the means to defray their expenses. The Churches through which these evangelists passed, bore their expenses from one to the other. See 3Jn 1:6.
The words behind it
11 Greek wordsEvery Greek word of this verse in the order it stands, with what it means and the door to its own study. The last column counts the times a word stands in the whole Bible: the rarer the word, the more the places it appears belong together.
| Greek | Sound | Meaning | Word study | In the Bible |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Ζηνᾶν | zenan | Zenas | G2211 → | |
| τὸν | ton | the | G3588 → | 19766 times |
| νομικὸν | nomikon | lawyer | G3544 → | |
| καὶ | kai | and | G2532 → | 9120 times |
| Ἀπολλῶν | apollon | Apollos | G625 → | |
| σπουδαίως | spoudaios | earnestly | G4709 → | |
| πρόπεμψον, | propempson | do equip, | G4311 → | |
| ἵνα | ina | so that | G2443 → | 668 times |
| μηδὲν | meden | nothing | G3367 → | 90 times |
| αὐτοῖς | autois | to them | G846 → | 5565 times |
| λείπῃ. | leipe | may be lacking. | G3007 → |
ΖηνᾶνZenas
zenanG2211 →
τὸνthe
tonG3588 →19766 times
νομικὸνlawyer
nomikonG3544 →
καὶand
kaiG2532 →9120 times
ἈπολλῶνApollos
apollonG625 →
σπουδαίωςearnestly
spoudaiosG4709 →
πρόπεμψον,do equip,
propempsonG4311 →
ἵναso that
inaG2443 →668 times
μηδὲνnothing
medenG3367 →90 times
αὐτοῖςto them
autoisG846 →5565 times
λείπῃ.may be lacking.
leipeG3007 →
A shaded row is a word that stands 400 times or fewer in the Bible.
The walk
8 stopsEach card is a verse this one points to, and under it the verses that one points to in turn. Where several paths arrive at the same place, that place is listed first: the text keeps returning to it.
Through
Luke 7:30But the Pharisees and experts in the law rejected God’s purpose for themselves, because they had not been baptized by John.
it leads to
- Luke 13:34
O Jerusalem, Jerusalem, who kills the prophets and stones those sent to her, how often I have longed to gather your children together as a hen gathers her chicks under her wings, but you…
- Luke 13:34
Through
Acts 18:24Meanwhile a Jew named Apollos, a native of Alexandria, came to Ephesus. He was an eloquent man, well versed in the Scriptures.
it leads to
- 1 Corinthians 3:5–6
What then is Apollos? And what is Paul? They are servants through whom you believed, as the Lord has assigned to each his role.
- 1 Corinthians 4:6
Brothers, I have applied these things to myself and Apollos for your benefit, so that you may learn from us not to go beyond what is written. Then you will not take pride in…
- 1 Corinthians 16:12
Now about our brother Apollos: I strongly urged him to go to you with the brothers. He was not at all inclined to go now, but he will go when he has the opportunity.
- 1 Corinthians 1:12
What I mean is this: Individuals among you are saying, “I follow Paul,” “I follow Apollos,” “I follow Cephas,” or “I follow Christ.”
- 1 Corinthians 3:5–6
Through
Matthew 22:35One of them, an expert in the law, tested Him with a question:
it leads to
- Luke 7:30
But the Pharisees and experts in the law rejected God’s purpose for themselves, because they had not been baptized by John.
- Luke 10:25–37
One day an expert in the law stood up to test Him. “Teacher,” he asked, “what must I do to inherit eternal life?”
- Luke 7:30
Through
Acts 28:10The islanders honored us in many ways and supplied our needs when we were ready to sail.
it leads to
- 1 Thessalonians 2:6
Nor did we seek praise from you or from anyone else, although as apostles of Christ we had authority to demand it.
- 1 Thessalonians 2:6
Where this verse is studied
On this page
About Titus
Who and where
2 names in this verse with a page on the site.
- Person1st century ADApollosEloquent, Alexandrian-trained teacher mighty in the Scriptures (Acts 18:24-28), instructed more perfectly by Priscilla and Aquila;…
- Person1st century ADZenas"Zenas the lawyer" — sent forward diligently with Apollos, that nothing be wanting unto them (Titus 3:13); the NT's only named law…
This page draws on 12 works. Open the list of works
This page draws on Adam Clarke, Commentary on the Bible; Albert Barnes, Notes, Explanatory and Practical, on the Old and New Testaments (1832-1869); Augustine of Hippo, On the Work of Monks 15.16; Jamieson, Fausset & Brown, Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible; Jerome, Commentary on Titus; John Chrysostom, Homily on Titus 6; John Gill, Exposition of the New Testament; John Gill, Exposition of the New Testament (1746-1748); Matthew Henry, Commentary on the Whole Bible; Oecumenius, COMMENTARY ON TITUS; Theophylact of Ohrid, Commentary on Titus and Thomas Aquinas, Commentary on Titus.