Titus 2:4
in Titus 2In this way they can train the young women to love their husbands and children,
BSB
The same verse in ASV and KJV ▾
ASV
that they may train the young women to love their husbands, to love their children,
KJV
That they may teach the young women to be sober, to love their husbands, to love their children,
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This verse in Titus 2
Commentary
13 notes on this verseSimilarly, with holy habits, not inciting, not serving much wine; teaching well, that they may instruct young women towards chastity, that they may love their husbands, that they may love their children: modest, chaste, having diligence of the house, kind, submissive to their husbands, that the word of God may not be blasphemed. Although the apostle Peter has commanded that husbands should give honor to their wives as to a weaker vessel, nevertheless it is not to be judged that a wife, who has a weak vessel of the body, is at once weaker also in soul.
This site's exposition
Older women, likewise
on Titus 2:3-5
Older women are given an office, kalodidaskalous, teachers of good. They are to train the young women, so Titus reaches the young women through the older women.
This site's exposition
train the young women
Titus is to reach the young women through the older women. Wesley marks the difference from Timothy, who was to teach them himself. Chrysostom sees Paul binding the church together by setting the younger under the elder.
The record, by era
The Church Fathers2 voices
so that they may train the young women to love their husbands, to love their children, to be self-controlled, pure, homemakers, kind, submissive to their own husbands, so that the word of God may not be reviled. so that they may train the young women. …
Ver. 4. "That they may teach the young women to be sober." Observe how he binds the people together, how he subjects the younger women to the elder. For he is not speaking there of daughters, but merely in respect of age. Let each of the elder women, he means, teach any one that is younger to be sober. "To love their husbands." This is the chief point of all that is good in a household, "A man and his wife that agree together." (Ecclus. xxv. 1.) For where this exists, there will be nothing that is unpleasant. For where the head is in harmony with the body, and there is no disagreement between them, how shall not all the other members be at peace? For when the rulers are at peace, who is there to divide and break up concord? as on the other hand, where these are ill disposed to each other, there will be no good order in the house. This then is a point of the highest importance, and of more consequence than wealth, or rank, or power, or aught else. Nor has he said merely to be at peace, but "to love their husbands." For where love is, no discord will find admittance, far from it, other advantages too spring up. "To love their children." This is well added, since she who loves the root, will much more love the fruit. "To be discreet, chaste, keepers at home, good." All these spring from love. They become "good, and keepers at home," from affection to their husbands. "Obedient to their own husbands, that the word of God be not blasphemed." She who despises her husband, neglects also her house; but from love springs great soberness, and all contention is done away. And if he be a Heathen, he will soon be persuaded; and if he be a Christian, he will become a better man. Seest thou the condescension of Paul? He who in everything would withdraw us from worldly concerns, here bestows his consideration upon domestic affairs. […]
The Medieval Church2 voices
Then when he says, to love their husbands, he shows how the young are to be taught: first, the young women; second, the young men, at exhort young men. In regard to the first he does three things: first, he shows how young women should …
Not only their own daughters, but all who are young in age. Let each older woman "instruct" the younger, and above all in the most important domestic good — "to love their husbands." When this is present, everything else will follow: order in the home …
The Puritans and the Awakening1 voice
That they may teach the young women to be sober,.... Or to be chaste, modest, and temperate; or to be wise and prudent in their conduct to their husbands, and in the management of family affairs, who have had a large experience of these things before them.
5 more voices on this verse
The Puritans and the Awakening2 voices
That they instruct the young women - These Timothy was to instruct himself; Titus, by the elder women. To love their husbands, their children - With a tender, temperate, holy, wise affection.
Thus must there be soundness in charity or love. Aged persons are apt to be peevish, fretful, and passionate; and therefore need to be on their guard against such infirmities and temptations. Faith, love, and patience, are three main Christian graces, and soundness in these is much of gospel perfection.
The Nineteenth Century3 voices
That they may teach the young women to be sober - That it was natural for the young to imitate the old will be readily allowed; it was therefore necessary that the old should be an example of godly living to the young.
A commentator
Jamieson, Fausset & Brown1802–1910
Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible (1871)
proposed
to be sober--Greek, "self-restrained," "discreet"; the same Greek as in Tit 2:2, "temperate." (But see on Tit 2:2; compare Note, 2Ti 1:7). ALFORD therefore translates, "That they school (admonish in their duty) the young women to be lovers of their husbands," &c. (the foundation of all domestic happiness).
quarantine:debris (2026-07-29) — starts-lowercase
A commentator
Albert Barnes1798–1870
Notes, Explanatory and Practical, on the Old and New Testaments (1832-1869)
proposed
That they may teach the young women to be sober - Margin, “wise” - a word similar to that which in Tit 2:2 is rendered “temperate,” and in 1Ti 3:2, “sober.” The meaning is, that they should instruct them to have their desires and passions well regulated, or under proper control. To love their husbands - φιλάνδρους philandrous. This word occurs nowhere else in the New Testament. In Eph 5:25, Paul directs husbands to love their wives, and in Eph 5:33, the wife to reverence her husband, and here he says that it should be one of the first duties enjoined Son the wife that she should love her husband. All happiness in the marriage relation is based on mutual love. When that departs, happiness departs. No wealth or splendor in a dwelling - no gorgeousness of equipage or apparel - no magnificence of entertainment or sweetness of music - and no forms of courtesy and politeness, can be a compensation for the want of affection. Mutual love between a husband and wife will diffuse comfort through the obscurest cottage of poverty; the want of it cannot be supplied by all that can be furnished in the palaces of the great. To love their children - Nature prompts to this, and yet there are those so depraved that they have no maternal affection; Notes, Rom 1:31. Religion reproduces natural affection when sin has weakened or destroyed it, and it is the design of Christianity to recover and invigorate all the lost or weakened sensibilities of our nature.
The words behind it
7 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| ἵνα | ina | so that | G2443 → | 668 times |
| σωφρονίζωσιν | sophronizosin | they may train | G4994 → | |
| τὰς | tas | the | G3588 → | 19766 times |
| νέας | neas | young [women] | G3501 → | |
| φιλάνδρους | philandrous | lovers of [their] husbands | G5362 → | |
| εἶναι, | einai | to be, | G1511 → | 123 times |
| φιλοτέκνους, | philoteknous | loving [their] children, | G5388 → |
ἵναso that
inaG2443 →668 times
σωφρονίζωσινthey may train
sophronizosinG4994 →
τὰςthe
tasG3588 →19766 times
νέαςyoung [women]
neasG3501 →
φιλάνδρουςlovers of [their] husbands
philandrousG5362 →
εἶναι,to be,
einaiG1511 →123 times
φιλοτέκνους,loving [their] children,
philoteknousG5388 →
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 5:14So I advise the younger widows to marry, have children, and manage their households, denying the adversary occasion for slander.
it leads to
- Titus 2:5
to be self-controlled, pure, managers of their households, kind, and submissive to their own husbands, so that the word of God will not be discredited.
- 1 Timothy 6:1
All who are under the yoke of slavery should regard their masters as fully worthy of honor, so that God’s name and our teaching will not be discredited.
- Titus 2:8
and wholesome speech that is above reproach, so that anyone who opposes us will be ashamed, having nothing bad to say about us.
- Titus 2:5
Through
1 Timothy 5:2older women as mothers, and younger women as sisters, with absolute purity.
it leads to
- 1 Timothy 4:12
Let no one despise your youth, but set an example for the believers in speech, in conduct, in love, in faith, in purity.
- Matthew 12:50
For whoever does the will of My Father in heaven is My brother and sister and mother.”
- Philippians 4:8
Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable—if anything is excellent or praiseworthy—think on these things.
- 1 Timothy 4:12
Through
1 Timothy 5:11But refuse to enroll younger widows. For when their passions draw them away from Christ, they will want to marry,
it leads to
- 1 Timothy 5:14
So I advise the younger widows to marry, have children, and manage their households, denying the adversary occasion for slander.
- Hosea 13:6
When they had pasture, they became satisfied; when they were satisfied, their hearts became proud, and as a result they forgot Me.
- 1 Timothy 5:14
Where this verse is studied
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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 4; John Gill, Exposition of the New Testament (1746-1748); John Wesley, Explanatory Notes upon the New Testament; Matthew Henry, Commentary on the Whole Bible; Oecumenius, COMMENTARY ON TITUS; Theophylact of Ohrid, Commentary on Titus and Thomas Aquinas, Commentary on Titus.