The Meaning of Titus 2:8 Explained

Titus 2:8

KJV: Sound speech, that cannot be condemned; that he that is of the contrary part may be ashamed, having no evil thing to say of you.

YLT: discourse sound, irreprehensible, that he who is of the contrary part may be ashamed, having nothing evil to say concerning you.

Darby: a sound word, not to be condemned; that he who is opposed may be ashamed, having no evil thing to say about us:

ASV: sound speech, that cannot be condemned; that he that is of the contrary part may be ashamed, having no evil thing to say of us.

KJV Reverse Interlinear

Sound  speech,  that cannot be condemned;  that  he that is of  the contrary part  may be ashamed,  having  no  evil  thing  to say  of  you. 

What does Titus 2:8 Mean?

Context Summary

Titus 2:1-8 - A Pattern For Old And Young
The supreme test of all Christian teaching and Christian work depends on whether they produce healthy characters, which are not contaminated by the noisome and germ-laden atmosphere around. Our teaching must be healthy and also health-creating. There must be plenty of ozone in it.
The Apostle's strophes are few but fine. In the briefest sentences he seizes the salient features of Christian character. The aged man-strong, calm, patient, full of faith and love. The aged woman-holy, reverent, beloved, honored, and obeyed by the younger women of the same household or church. So also with the young men and women. What a life is sketched here against which the tongue of slander is dumb!
But, after all, these results cannot be realized apart from the personal holiness of their minister and leader. He must furnish a pattern of good works. His attitude to things which are questionable and doubtful must be decided not by his own predilections or fancies, but by the consideration of the effect which his action is likely to have on the keen eyes that are carefully watching him. [source]

Chapter Summary: Titus 2

1  Directions given unto Titus both for his doctrine and life
10  Of the duty of servants, and in general of all Christians

Greek Commentary for Titus 2:8

Sound [υγιη]
(υγιη — hugiē Attic usually υγια — hugiā in accusative singular), elsewhere in Pastorals participle υγιανων — hugianōn (Titus 2:1). [source]
That cannot be condemned [ακαταγνωστον]
Only N.T. example (verbal, α — a privative and καταγνωστος — katagnōstos) and in 4 Maccabees 4:47. Deissmann (Bible Studies, p. 200) quotes it from an inscription and the adverb from a papyrus. He that is of the contrary part (ο εχ εναντιας — ho ex enantias). “The one on the opposite side” (your opponent). Cf. Titus 2:9; 1 Timothy 5:14. May be ashamed Final clause with ινα — hina and second aorist passive subjunctive of εντρεπω — entrepō to turn, in middle and passive to turn one on himself and so be ashamed (to blush) as in 2 Thessalonians 3:14; 1 Corinthians 4:14. This sense in the papyri. Evil (παυλον — phaulon). Old word, easy (easy morals), worthless; bad, as in 2 Corinthians 5:10. [source]
He that is of the contrary part [ο εχ εναντιας]
“The one on the opposite side” (your opponent). Cf. Titus 2:9; 1 Timothy 5:14. [source]
May be ashamed [ινα εντραπηι]
Final clause with ινα — hina and second aorist passive subjunctive of εντρεπω — entrepō to turn, in middle and passive to turn one on himself and so be ashamed (to blush) as in 2 Thessalonians 3:14; 1 Corinthians 4:14. This sense in the papyri. Evil (παυλον — phaulon). Old word, easy (easy morals), worthless; bad, as in 2 Corinthians 5:10. [source]
Evil [παυλον]
Old word, easy (easy morals), worthless; bad, as in 2 Corinthians 5:10. [source]
Sound speech [λόγον ὑγιῆ]
Ὑγιής sound, only here in Pastorals. The usual form is the participle, as ὑγιαινόντων λόγων , 2 Timothy 1:13; ὑγιαίνουσι λόγοις , 1 Timothy 6:3. [source]
That cannot be condemned [ἀκατάγνωστον]
N.T.ooClass. See Mark href="/desk/?q=mr+15:39&sr=1">Mark 15:39. The heathen opposer is meant. Comp. blasphemed, Titus 2:5, and 1 Timothy 6:1. Ἑναντίος contraryin Paul only 1 Thessalonians 2:15. [source]
May be ashamed [ἐντραπῇ]
Only here in Pastorals. In Paul, 1 Corinthians 4:14, note; 2 Thessalonians 3:14, note, and see on Matthew 21:37. [source]
Evil thing [φαῦλον]
Only here in Pastorals. In Paul, Romans 9:11; 2 Corinthians 5:10. See on John 3:20. [source]

Reverse Greek Commentary Search for Titus 2:8

1 Corinthians 4:14 To shame [ἐντρέπων]
Lit., as shaming. See on Matthew 21:37. The verb means to turn about, hence to turn one upon himself; put him to shame. Compare 2 Thessalonians 3:14; Titus 2:8. Also, in the middle voice, in the sense of reverence; to turn one's self toward another. See Mark 12:6; Luke 18:2. The kindred noun ἐντροπή occurs twice: 1 Corinthians 6:5; 1 Corinthians 15:34. Compare Sophocles: “Think you he will have any regard ( ἐντροπὴν ) for the blind man” (“Oedipus at Colonos,” 299). [source]
1 Timothy 5:14 To the adversary [τῷ ἀντικειμένῳ]
The one who is set over against. Not Satan, but the human enemy of Christianity. Comp. Philemon 1:28, and ὁ ἐξ ἐναντίας hethat is of the contrary part, Titus 2:8. [source]
Titus 3:15 That love us [τους πιλουντας ημας]
Paul craved the love of his friends as opposed to Titus 2:8.sa120 [source]
James 3:16 Evil [φαῦλον]
An inadequate rendering, because it fails to bring out the particular phase of evil which is dominant in the word:worthlessness, good-for-nothingness. In classical Greek it has the meanings slight, trivial, paltry, which run into bad. In the New Testament it appears in this latest stage, and is set over against good. See John 3:20; John 5:29; Titus 2:8. Rev., vile, which, according to its etymology, Lat., vilis, follows the same process of development from cheap, or paltry, to bad. [source]

What do the individual words in Titus 2:8 mean?

speech sound beyond reproach so that he who is of the contrary may be ashamed nothing having to say concerning us evil
λόγον ὑγιῆ ἀκατάγνωστον ἵνα ἐξ ἐναντίας ἐντραπῇ μηδὲν ἔχων λέγειν περὶ ἡμῶν φαῦλον

λόγον  speech 
Parse: Noun, Accusative Masculine Singular
Root: λόγος  
Sense: of speech.
ὑγιῆ  sound 
Parse: Adjective, Accusative Masculine Singular
Root: ὑγιής  
Sense: sound.
ἀκατάγνωστον  beyond  reproach 
Parse: Adjective, Accusative Masculine Singular
Root: ἀκατάγνωστος  
Sense: that cannot be condemned, not to be censored.
ἵνα  so  that 
Parse: Conjunction
Root: ἵνα  
Sense: that, in order that, so that.
  he  who  is 
Parse: Article, Nominative Masculine Singular
Root:  
Sense: this, that, these, etc.
ἐξ  of  the 
Parse: Preposition
Root: ἐκ 
Sense: out of, from, by, away from.
ἐναντίας  contrary 
Parse: Adjective, Genitive Feminine Singular
Root: ἐναντίος  
Sense: over against, opposite.
ἐντραπῇ  may  be  ashamed 
Parse: Verb, Aorist Subjunctive Passive, 3rd Person Singular
Root: ἐντρέπω  
Sense: to shame one.
μηδὲν  nothing 
Parse: Adjective, Accusative Neuter Singular
Root: μηδείς 
Sense: nobody, no one, nothing.
λέγειν  to  say 
Parse: Verb, Present Infinitive Active
Root: λέγω 
Sense: to say, to speak.
περὶ  concerning 
Parse: Preposition
Root: περί 
Sense: about, concerning, on account of, because of, around, near.
ἡμῶν  us 
Parse: Personal / Possessive Pronoun, Genitive 1st Person Plural
Root: ἐγώ  
Sense: I, me, my.
φαῦλον  evil 
Parse: Adjective, Accusative Neuter Singular
Root: φαῦλος  
Sense: easy, slight, ordinary, mean, worthless, of no account.