Titus 3:9
in Titus 3But avoid foolish controversies, genealogies, arguments, and quarrels about the law, because these things are pointless and worthless.
BSB
The same verse in ASV and KJV ▾
ASV
but shun foolish questionings, and genealogies, and strifes, and fightings about the law; for they are unprofitable and vain.
KJV
But avoid foolish questions, and genealogies, and contentions, and strivings about the law; for they are unprofitable and vain.
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This verse in Titus 3
Commentary
13 notes on this verseBlessed is that servant [Paul] who can say: "I have fed you with milk and not with meat; for until now you were not able to bear it." … Yet he—being so great a man and chosen by Christ for the care of his flock in order to strengthen the weak and to heal the sick—rejects immediately after a single admonition a heretic from the fold entrusted to him. This he does for fear that the taint of one erring sheep might infect the whole flock with a spreading sore. He further bids that foolish questions and contentions be avoided.
This site's exposition
But avoid foolish controversies
on Titus 3:9-11
Reject a divisive man after a first and second admonition uses hairetikos in its first sense, a man who chooses his own faction. The word became a doctrinal category only later.
The record, by era
The Church Fathers4 voices
but avoid foolish disputes, genealogies, contentions, and strivings about the law, for they are unprofitable and vain. but avoid foolish disputes, genealogies. Genealogies or concerning the Greeks, who were recounting the lineage of their gods. They say, 'such a one begot such a one'. Concerning …
Unhappy Aristotle! who invented for these men dialectics, the art of building up and pulling down; an art so evasive in its propositions, so far-fetched in its conjectures, so harsh, in its arguments, so productive of contentions-embarrassing even to itself, retracting everything, and really treating of nothing! Whence spring those "fables and endless genealogies," and "unprofitable questions," and "words which spread like a cancer? " From all these, when the apostle would restrain us, he expressly names philosophy as that which he would have us be on our guard against.
But avoid foolish questions, and genealogies, and contentions, and strivings about the law; for they are unprofitable and vain. For there are many questions and divers contentions, wherefore Solomon said: "Those who seek God in the right way, find peace" (Proverbs 8:35). Therefore, those who do not seek God in the right way cannot find peace. There are many examples of those who seek God in the wrong way. The Jews seek God wrongly, hoping to find Him without Christ. Heretics, making a noise with vain words, seek that which they cannot find. Philosophers and barbarians, having different opinions about God, seek God. But because they do not seek in the right way, their questions are foolish, thinking that God may be comprehended by human senses. Therefore, Paul calls us away from these questions. Moreover, to the wise, and those things which are supported by the authority of the Scriptures, it is urged and provoked more, being knowledgeable of the precepts of the Savior, in which he says: Seek and you shall find, knock and it shall be opened to you, ask and it shall be given to you. For everyone who seeks finds, and who asks receives, and who knocks, it shall be opened to him (Luke 11); provided our body is not subject to sins, and wisdom will enter us. Let our understanding be exercised, let our mind be nourished daily by divine reading: and our foolish questions will not be questions. But he who said: Avoid genealogies and contentions and quarrels, which come from the Law, properly rebukes the Jews, who boast in it and think they have knowledge of the Law, if they hold the names of each one: which because they are barbaric, and we do not know their etymology, they are often uttered incorrectly by us. […]
"But avoid foolish questions, and genealogies, and contentions, and strivings about the law, for they are unprofitable and vain." What do these "genealogies" mean? For in his Epistle to Timothy he mentions "fables and endless genealogies." (1 Tim. i. 4.) Perhaps both here and there glancing at the Jews, who, priding themselves on having Abraham for their forefather, neglected their own part. On this account he calls them both "foolish and unprofitable"; for it is the part of folly to confide in things unprofitable. "Contentions," he means, with heretics, in which he would not have us labor to no purpose, where nothing is to be gained, for they end in nothing. For when a man is perverted and predetermined not to change his mind, whatever may happen, why shouldest thou labor in vain, sowing upon a rock, when thou shouldest spend thy honorable toil upon thy own people, in discoursing with them upon almsgiving and every other virtue?
The Medieval Church1 voice
Above, the Apostle taught Titus what to propose when instructing his people. Now he shows what to avoid in his teaching: first, he shows this; second, he writes of familiar matters, at when I shall send. In regard to the first he does two things: …
6 more voices on this verse
The Medieval Church1 voice
He speaks of the foolish disputes into which the Jews draw believers. Of the genealogies which they compose for themselves, tracing their lineages from the patriarchs and boasting of them. "Avoid" means: shun. For one must never, leaving aside necessary matters, spend time on idle …
The Puritans and the Awakening2 voices
They are so far from instructing and building up in godliness, that they are hindrances of it rather: the Christian religion, and good works, which are to be maintained, will hereby be weakened and prejudiced, the peace of the church disturbed, and the progress of the gospel hindered.
But avoid foolish questions,....
The Nineteenth Century3 voices
A commentator
Albert Barnes1798–1870
Notes, Explanatory and Practical, on the Old and New Testaments (1832-1869)
But avoid foolish questions and genealogies - See the 1Ti 1:4 note; 2Ti 2:16, 2Ti 2:23 notes. And contentions, and strivings about the law - Such as the Jews started about various matters connected with the law - about meats and drinks, etc.; the notes at 1Ti 1:4; compare the notes at Act 18:15. For they are unprofitable and vain - - They disturb and embitter the feelings; they lead to the indulgence of a bad spirit; they are often difficult to be settled, and are of no practical importance if they could be determined.
A commentator
Jamieson, Fausset & Brown1802–1910
Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible (1871)
Same Greek, as in 2Ti 2:16; see on 2Ti 2:16. foolish--Greek, "insipid"; producing no moral fruit. "Vain talkers." genealogies--akin to the "fables" (see on 1Ti 1:4). Not so much direct heresy as yet is here referred to, as profitless discussions about genealogies of aeons, &c., which ultimately led to Gnosticism.
Avoid foolish questions, and genealogies - In these the Jews particularly delighted; they abounded in the most frivolous questions; and, as they had little piety themselves, they were solicitous to show that they had descended from godly ancestors. Of their frivolous questions, and the answers given to them by the wisest and most reputable of their rabbins, the following is a specimen: - Rabbi Hillel was asked: Why have the Babylonians round heads? To which he answered: This is a difficult question, but I will tell the reason: Their heads are round because they have but little wit. Q. Why are the eyes of the Tarmudians so soft? A. Because they inhabit a sandy country. Q. Why have the Africans broad feet? A. Because they inhabit a marshy country. See more in Schoettgen. But ridiculous and trifling as these are, they are little in comparison to those solemnly proposed and most gravely answered by those who are called the schoolmen. Here is a specimen, which I leave the reader to translate: - Utrum essent excrementa in Paradiso? Utrum sancti resurgent cum intestinis? Utrum, si deipara fuisset vir, potuisset esse naturalis parens Christi? These, with many thousands of others, of equal use to religion and common sense, may be found in their writings. See the Summa of Thomas Aquinas, passim. Might not the Spirit have these religious triflers in view, rather than the less ridiculous Jews? See the notes on 1Ti 1:4; 2Ti 2:23 (note). Contentions, and strivings about the law - Of legal contentions, and different and conflicting decisions about the meaning of particular rites and ceremonies, the Talmud is full.
The words behind it
16 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| μωρὰς | moras | Foolish | G3474 → | |
| δὲ | de | however | G1161 → | 2765 times |
| ζητήσεις | zeteseis | controversies | G2214 → | |
| καὶ | kai | and | G2532 → | 9120 times |
| γενεαλογίας | genealogias | genealogies | G1076 → | |
| καὶ | kai | and | G2532 → | 9120 times |
| ἔρεις | ereis | arguments | G2054 → | |
| καὶ | kai | and | G2532 → | 9120 times |
| μάχας | machas | quarrels | G3163 → | |
| νομικὰς | nomikas | about [the] Law | G3544 → | |
| περιΐστασο· | periistaso | do yourself avoid; | G4026 → | |
| εἰσὶν | eisin | they are | G1510 → | 2333 times |
| γὰρ | gar | for | G1063 → | 1039 times |
| ἀνωφελεῖς | anopheleis | unprofitable | G512 → | |
| καὶ | kai | and | G2532 → | 9120 times |
| μάταιοι. | mataioi | worthless. | G3152 → |
μωρὰςFoolish
morasG3474 →
δὲhowever
deG1161 →2765 times
ζητήσειςcontroversies
zeteseisG2214 →
καὶand
kaiG2532 →9120 times
γενεαλογίαςgenealogies
genealogiasG1076 →
καὶand
kaiG2532 →9120 times
ἔρειςarguments
ereisG2054 →
καὶand
kaiG2532 →9120 times
μάχαςquarrels
machasG3163 →
νομικὰςabout [the] Law
nomikasG3544 →
περιΐστασο·do yourself avoid;
periistasoG4026 →
εἰσὶνthey are
eisinG1510 →2333 times
γὰρfor
garG1063 →1039 times
ἀνωφελεῖςunprofitable
anopheleisG512 →
καὶand
kaiG2532 →9120 times
μάταιοι.worthless.
mataioiG3152 →
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
1 Timothy 4:7But reject irreverent, silly myths. Instead, train yourself for godliness.
it leads to
- 2 Timothy 2:16
But avoid irreverent, empty chatter, which will only lead to more ungodliness,
Reached by 2 separate paths from here.
- 1 Timothy 1:4
or devote themselves to myths and endless genealogies, which promote speculation rather than the stewardship of God’s work, which is by faith.
Reached by 2 separate paths from here.
- Titus 2:12
It instructs us to renounce ungodliness and worldly passions, and to live sensible, upright, and godly lives in the present age,
- 2 Peter 1:5–8
For this very reason, make every effort to add to your faith virtue; and to virtue, knowledge;
- 2 Timothy 2:16
Through
2 Timothy 2:23But reject foolish and ignorant speculation, for you know that it breeds quarreling.
it leads to
- 2 Timothy 2:14
Remind the believers of these things, charging them before God to avoid quarreling over words, which succeeds only in leading the listeners to ruin.
Reached by 2 separate paths from here.
- 2 Timothy 2:14
Through
2 Timothy 2:16But avoid irreverent, empty chatter, which will only lead to more ungodliness,
it leads to
- 1 Timothy 6:20
O Timothy, guard what has been entrusted to you. Avoid irreverent, empty chatter and the opposing arguments of so-called “knowledge,”
- 1 Timothy 6:20
Through
2 Timothy 2:14Remind the believers of these things, charging them before God to avoid quarreling over words, which succeeds only in leading the listeners to ruin.
it leads to
- 2 Timothy 2:23
But reject foolish and ignorant speculation, for you know that it breeds quarreling.
- Titus 3:9–11
But avoid foolish controversies, genealogies, arguments, and quarrels about the law, because these things are pointless and worthless.
- 2 Timothy 2:23
Where this verse is studied
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On this verse
About Titus
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); Ambrose of Milan, OF THE CHRISTIAN FAITH 5, Prologue 3-4; 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 (1746-1748); Matthew Henry, Commentary on the Whole Bible; Oecumenius, COMMENTARY ON TITUS; Tertullian, The Prescription Against Heretics; Theophylact of Ohrid, Commentary on Titus and Thomas Aquinas, Commentary on Titus.