Titus 2:11-3:15

New English Translation

Footnotes

1. Titus 2:11 tn Grk “all men”; but ἀνθρώποις (anthrōpois) is generic here, referring to both men and women.
2. Titus 2:12 tn Grk “training us” (as a continuation of the previous clause). Because of the length and complexity of the Greek sentence, a new sentence was started at the beginning of v. 12 by translating the participle παιδεύουσα (paideuousa) as a finite verb and supplying the pronoun “it” as subject.
3. Titus 2:12 tn Grk “ungodliness.”
4. Titus 2:13 tn Grk “the blessed hope and glorious appearing.”
5. Titus 2:13 tn The terms “God and Savior” both refer to the same person, Jesus Christ. This is one of the clearest statements in the NT concerning the deity of Christ. The construction in Greek is known as the Granville Sharp rule, named after the English philanthropist-linguist who first clearly articulated the rule in 1798. Sharp pointed out that in the construction article-noun-καί-noun (where καί [kai] = “and”), when two nouns are singular, personal, and common (i.e., not proper names), they always had the same referent. Illustrations such as “the friend and brother,” “the God and Father,” etc. abound in the NT to prove Sharp’s point. The only issue is whether terms such as “God” and “Savior” could be considered common nouns as opposed to proper names. Sharp and others who followed (such as T. F. Middleton in his masterful The Doctrine of the Greek Article) demonstrated that a proper name in Greek was one that could not be pluralized. Since both “God” (θεός, theos) and “savior” (σωτήρ, sōtēr) were occasionally found in the plural, they did not constitute proper names, and hence, do fit Sharp’s rule. Although there have been 200 years of attempts to dislodge Sharp’s rule, all attempts have been futile. Sharp’s rule stands vindicated after all the dust has settled. For more information on Sharp’s rule see ExSyn 270-78, esp. 276. See also 2 Pet 1:1 and Jude 4.
6. Titus 2:14 tn Grk “who” (as a continuation of the previous clause).
7. Titus 2:14 tn Or “a people who are his very own.”
8. Titus 2:14 tn Grk “for good works.”
9. Titus 2:15 tn Or “reproof,” “censure.” The Greek word ἐλέγχω (elenchō) implies exposing someone’s sin in order to bring correction.
10. Titus 2:15 tn Grk “speak these things and exhort and rebuke with all authority.”
11. Titus 2:15 tn Or “let anyone despise you”; or “let anyone disregard you.”
12. Titus 3:1 tc Most later witnesses (D¹ 0278 1241 1505 M lat sy) have καί (kai, “and”) after ἀρχαῖς (archais, “rulers”), though the earliest and best witnesses (א A C D* F G Ψ 33 104 1739 1881) lack the conjunction. Although the καί is most likely not authentic, it has been added in translation due to the requirements of English style. For more discussion, see TCGNT 586.
13. Titus 3:2 tn Or “discredit,” “damage the reputation of.”
14. Titus 3:4 tn Verses 4-7 are set as poetry in NA²⁸. These verses probably constitute the referent of the expression “this saying” in v. 8.
15. Titus 3:6 tn Or “on us richly.”
16. Titus 3:7 tn This is the conclusion of a single, skillfully composed sentence in Greek encompassing Titus 3:4-7. Showing the goal of God’s merciful salvation, v. 7 begins literally, “in order that, being justified…we might become heirs…”
17. Titus 3:7 tn Grk “heirs according to the hope of eternal life.”
18. Titus 3:8 sn This saying (Grk “the saying”) refers to the preceding citation (Titus 3:4-7). See 1 Tim 1:15; 3:1; 4:9; 2 Tim 2:11 for other occurrences of this phrase.
19. Titus 3:8 tn Grk “concerning these things.”
20. Titus 3:9 tn Cf. 1 Tim 1:4.
21. Titus 3:9 sn Fights about the law were characteristic of the false teachers in Ephesus as well as in Crete (cf. 1 Tim 1:3-7; Titus 1:10, 14).
22. Titus 3:11 tn Grk “knowing” (as a continuation of the previous clause).
23. Titus 3:11 tn Grk “is perverted and is sinning.”
24. Titus 3:11 tn Grk “is sinning, being self-condemned.”
25. Titus 3:13 tn Grk “Eagerly help.”
26. Titus 3:13 tn Although it is possible the term νομικός (nomikos) indicates an expert in Jewish religious law here, according to L&N 33.338 and 56.37 it is more probable that Zenas was a specialist in civil law.
27. Titus 3:13 tn Grk “that nothing may be lacking for them.”
28. Titus 3:14 tn Grk “that those who are ours” (referring to the Christians).
29. Titus 3:14 tn Grk “and also let our people learn.”
30. Titus 3:15 tn Or “faithfully.”
31. Titus 3:15 tc Most witnesses (א² D¹ F G H Ψ 0278 1241 1505 M lat sy bo) conclude this letter with ἀμήν (amēn, “amen”). Such a conclusion is routinely added by scribes to NT books because a few of these books originally had such an ending (cf. Rom 16:27; Gal 6:18; Jude 25). A majority of Greek witnesses have the concluding ἀμήν in every NT book except Acts, James, and 3 John (and even in these books, ἀμήν is found in some witnesses). It is thus a predictable variant. Further, early and excellent witnesses (א* A C D* 048 33 81 1739 1881 sa) lack the particle, rendering the omission the preferred reading.