Titus 2:15
in Titus 2Speak these things as you encourage and rebuke with all authority. Let no one despise you.
BSB
The same verse in ASV and KJV ▾
ASV
These things speak and exhort and reprove with all authority. Let no man despise thee.
KJV
These things speak, and exhort, and rebuke with all authority. Let no man despise thee.
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This verse in Titus 2
Commentary
12 notes on this verseSpeak these things, and exhort, and rebuke with all authority. He has set out three things: speak, exhort, and rebuke. And indeed, in what he says, "speak," it seems to refer to teaching. But what he introduced, "exhort," that is, παρακάλει, means something else in Greek than in Latin: for παράκλησις sounds more like comfort than exhortation. This word was also spoken of earlier concerning young people: Likewise, comfort the young, be modest in everything. About this we have expressed it in its place as it is read in Latin, as if it was written to exhort.
This site's exposition
He gave Himself for us
on Titus 2:14-15
He gave Himself to purify for Himself a people for His own possession. The Greek periousios carries the segullah vocabulary of Exodus 19:5 over to the church. The purchased people are marked by appetite, zealous for good deeds.
This site's exposition
Let no one despise you
Chrysostom notes that Timothy was told to reprove, rebuke and exhort, while Titus must rebuke with all authority. He ties the difference to the more stubborn manners of the Cretans.
The record, by era
The Church Fathers2 voices
Ver. 15. "These things speak and exhort, and rebuke with all authority." "These things speak and exhort." Do you see how he charges Timothy? "Reprove, rebuke, exhort." But here, "Rebuke with all authority." For the manners of this people were more stubborn, wherefore he orders them to be rebuked more roughly, and with all authority. For there are some sins, which ought to be prevented by command. We may with persuasion advise men to despise riches, to be meek, and the like. But the adulterer, the fornicator, the defrauder, ought to be brought to a better course by command. And those who are addicted to augury and divination, and the like, should be corrected "with all authority." Observe how he would have him insist on these things with independence, and with entire freedom. "Let no man despise thee."
Speak these things and urged, and reproved with all authority. Let no one despise you. with all authority. That is, with harshness. For since the characters of these men were harsher, therefore they say that they are rebuked sharply. Let no one despise you, that …
The Medieval Church2 voices
First "speak and exhort," that is, teach with gentler speech; and then "rebuke," and not simply, but "with all authority," that is, insistently and authoritatively. Since they were rough, he brings forth severity against them. There are vices that do not need severity, but only …
Then, he urges him to preach grace. In regard to this he does two things: first, he exhorts him to preach; second, he describes the way he should preach. He says, therefore: speak what is to be believed, and exhort what is to be done: …
The Puritans and the Awakening1 voice
These things speak and exhort,.... Sound doctrine, the doctrine of grace, the doctrines of salvation and redemption by Christ, of peace, pardon, and cleansing by his blood; these speak out clearly, plainly, publicly, boldly, and faithfully: and the things which become sound doctrine; the duties of religion suitable to every age and sex, a denying of ungodliness and worldly lusts, a sober, righteous, and godly life and conversation, exhort unto; and encourage the saints to be zealous of good works, and comfort them with the expectation of the blessed hope, and glorious appearance of Christ.
4 more voices on this verse
The Puritans and the Awakening1 voice
1 But speak thou the things which become sound doctrine: 2 That the aged men be sober, grave, temperate, sound in faith, in charity, in patience. 3 The aged women likewise, that they be in behaviour as becometh holiness, not false accusers, not given to much wine, teachers of good things;
quarantine:scripture (2026-07-29) — verbatim-scripture
The Nineteenth Century3 voices
A commentator
Albert Barnes1798–1870
Notes, Explanatory and Practical, on the Old and New Testaments (1832-1869)
These things speak and exhort - Notes, 1Ti 6:2. And rebuke with all authority - 1Ti 5:1, note, 20, note; 2Ti 4:2 note. The word “authority” here means command - ἐπιταγὴ epitagē; 1Co 7:6, 1Co 7:25; 2Co 8:8; 1Ti 1:1; Tit 1:3. The sense here is, he was to do it decidedly, without ambiguity, without compromise, and without keeping anything back. He was to state these things not as being advice or counsel, but as the requirement of God.
A commentator
Jamieson, Fausset & Brown1802–1910
Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible (1871)
proposed
with all authority--Translate, "authoritativeness" (compare "sharply," Tit 1:13). Let no man despise thee--Speak with such vigor as to command respect (1Ti 4:12). Warn them with such authority that no one may think himself above (so the Greek literally) the need of admonition [TITTMANN, Greek Synonyms of the New Testament].
quarantine:debris (2026-07-29) — starts-lowercase
These things speak - That is, teach; for λαλει, speak, has the same meaning here as διδασκε, teach, which, as being synonymous, is actually the reading of the Codex Alexandrinus. And exhort - Παρακαλει· Repeat them again and again, and urge them on their attention and consciences. And rebuke - Ελεγχε· Demonstrate the importance, utility, and necessity of them; and show them that God requires their obedience. With all authority - Μετα πασης επιταγης· With all that authority with which thy office invests thee, and which thou hast received from God. Let no man despise thee - That is: Act so that no person shall have any cause to despise thee, either for thy work, or the manner and spirit is which thou dost perform it. 1. Few portions of the New Testament excel this chapter. It may well form the creed, system of ethics, and text book of every Christian preacher. Does any man inquire what is the duty of a Gospel minister! Send him to the second chapter of the Epistle to Titus for a complete answer. There he will find what he is to believe, what he is to practice, and what he is to preach. Even his congregation is parcelled out to him. The old and the young of both sexes, and those who are in their employment, are considered to be the objects of his ministry; and a plan of teaching, in reference to those different descriptions of society, is laid down before him. He finds here the doctrine which he is to preach to them, the duties which he is required to inculcate, the motives by which his exhortations are to be strengthened, and the end which both he and his people should have invariably in view. 2. […]
The words behind it
12 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Ταῦτα | tauta | These things | G3778 → | 1381 times |
| λάλει | lalei | do speak | G2980 → | |
| καὶ | kai | and | G2532 → | 9120 times |
| παρακάλει | parakalei | do exhort | G3870 → | 108 times |
| καὶ | kai | and | G2532 → | 9120 times |
| ἔλεγχε | elegche | do rebuke | G1651 → | 17 times |
| μετὰ | meta | with | G3326 → | 461 times |
| πάσης | pases | all | G3956 → | 1235 times |
| ἐπιταγῆς. | epitages | authority. | G2003 → | |
| μηδείς | medeis | No one | G3367 → | 90 times |
| σου | sou | you | G4771 → | 2973 times |
| περιφρονείτω.¶ | periphroneito | should despise. | G4065 → |
ΤαῦταThese things
tautaG3778 →1381 times
λάλειdo speak
laleiG2980 →
καὶand
kaiG2532 →9120 times
παρακάλειdo exhort
parakaleiG3870 →108 times
καὶand
kaiG2532 →9120 times
ἔλεγχεdo rebuke
elegcheG1651 →17 times
μετὰwith
metaG3326 →461 times
πάσηςall
pasesG3956 →1235 times
ἐπιταγῆς.authority.
epitagesG2003 →
μηδείςNo one
medeisG3367 →90 times
σουyou
souG4771 →2973 times
περιφρονείτω.¶should despise.
periphroneitoG4065 →
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
2 Timothy 4:2Preach the word; be prepared in season and out of season; reprove, rebuke, and encourage with every form of patient instruction.
it leads to
- 1 Thessalonians 5:14
And we urge you, brothers, to admonish the unruly, encourage the fainthearted, help the weak, and be patient with everyone.
- 1 Timothy 4:15–16
Be diligent in these matters and absorbed in them, so that your progress will be evident to all.
- Revelation 3:19
Those I love, I rebuke and discipline. Therefore be earnest and repent.
- 1 Timothy 4:13
Until I come, devote yourself to the public reading of Scripture, to exhortation, and to teaching.
- 2 Timothy 2:21
So if anyone cleanses himself of what is unfit, he will be a vessel for honor: sanctified, useful to the Master, and prepared for every good work.
- 1 Thessalonians 5:14
Through
1 Timothy 5:20But those who persist in sin should be rebuked in front of everyone, so that the others will stand in fear of sin.
it leads to
- 2 Timothy 4:2
Preach the word; be prepared in season and out of season; reprove, rebuke, and encourage with every form of patient instruction.
Reached by 2 separate paths from here.
- 1 Timothy 1:20
Among them are Hymenaeus and Alexander, whom I have handed over to Satan to be taught not to blaspheme.
- 2 Timothy 4:2
Through
Titus 1:13This testimony is true. Therefore rebuke them sternly, so that they will be sound in the faith
it leads to
- 1 Timothy 5:20
But those who persist in sin should be rebuked in front of everyone, so that the others will stand in fear of sin.
- 1 Timothy 5:20
Where this verse is studied
On this page
Studies12
On this verse
On this chapter
About Titus
This page draws on 11 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); Jamieson, Fausset & Brown, Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible; Jerome, Commentary on Titus; John Chrysostom, Homily on Titus 5; 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.