3 for we were once -- also we -- thoughtless, disobedient, led astray, serving desires and pleasures manifold, in malice and envy living, odious -- hating one another;
in which also ye -- ye did walk once, when ye lived in them;
And you -- once being alienated, and enemies in the mind, in the evil works, yet now did he reconcile,
Also you -- being dead in the trespasses and the sins, in which once ye did walk according to the age of this world, according to the ruler of the authority of the air, of the spirit that is now working in the sons of disobedience, among whom also we all did walk once in the desires of our flesh, doing the wishes of the flesh and of the thoughts, and were by nature children of wrath -- as also the others,
for men shall be lovers of themselves, lovers of money, boasters, proud, evil-speakers, to parents disobedient, unthankful, unkind, without natural affection, implacable, false accusers, incontinent, fierce, not lovers of those who are good,
What, then? are we better? not at all! for we did before charge both Jews and Greeks with being all under sin, according as it hath been written -- `There is none righteous, not even one; There is none who is understanding, there is none who is seeking after God. All did go out of the way, together they became unprofitable, there is none doing good, there is not even one. A sepulchre opened `is' their throat; with their tongues they used deceit; poison of asps `is' under their lips. Whose mouth is full of cursing and bitterness. Swift `are' their feet to shed blood. Ruin and misery `are' in their ways. And a way of peace they did not know. There is no fear of God before their eyes.' And we have known that as many things as the law saith, to those in the law it doth speak, that every mouth may be stopped, and all the world may come under judgment to God; wherefore by works of law shall no flesh be declared righteous before Him, for through law is a knowledge of sin.
having been filled with all unrighteousness, whoredom, wickedness, covetousness, malice; full of envy, murder, strife, deceit, evil dispositions; whisperers, evil-speakers, God-haters, insulting, proud, boasters, inventors of evil things, disobedient to parents, unintelligent, faithless, without natural affection, implacable, unmerciful;
`Till when, ye simple, do ye love simplicity? And have scorners their scorning desired? And do fools hate knowledge? Turn back at my reproof, lo, I pour forth to you my spirit, I make known my words with you.
for if any one doth think `himself' to be something -- being nothing -- himself he doth deceive;
and it leadeth astray those dwelling on the land, because of the signs that were given it to do before the beast, saying to those dwelling upon the land to make an image to the beast that hath the stroke of the sword and did live,
and the great dragon was cast forth -- the old serpent, who is called `Devil,' and `the Adversary,' who is leading astray the whole world -- he was cast forth to the earth, and his messengers were cast forth with him.
Christ, then, having suffered for us in the flesh, ye also with the same mind arm yourselves, because he who did suffer in the flesh hath done with sin, no more in the desires of men, but in the will of God, to live the rest of the time in the flesh; for sufficient to us `is' the past time of life the will of the nations to have wrought, having walked in lasciviousnesses, desires, excesses of wines, revelings, drinking-bouts, and unlawful idolatries,
as obedient children, not fashioning yourselves to the former desires in your ignorance,
If any one doth think to be religious among you, not bridling his tongue, but deceiving his heart, of this one vain `is' the religion;
for I fear lest, having come, not such as I wish I may find you, and I -- I may be found by you such as ye do not wish, lest there be strifes, envyings, wraths, revelries, evil-speakings, whisperings, puffings up, insurrections,
have ye not known that the unrighteous the reign of God shall not inherit? be not led astray; neither whoremongers, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor effeminate, nor sodomites, nor thieves, nor covetous, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor extortioners, the reign of God shall inherit. And certain of you were these! but ye were washed, but ye were sanctified, but ye were declared righteous, in the name of the Lord Jesus, and in the Spirit of our God.
and thanks to God, that ye were servants of the sin, and -- were obedient from the heart to the form of teaching to which ye were delivered up;
`Whereupon, king Agrippa, I was not disobedient to the heavenly vision, but to those in Damascus first, and to those in Jerusalem, to all the region also of Judea, and to the nations, I was preaching to reform, and to turn back unto God, doing works worthy of reformation;
And Saul, yet breathing of threatening and slaughter to the disciples of the Lord, having gone to the chief priest, did ask from him letters to Damascus, unto the synagogues, that if he may find any being of the way, both men and women, he may bring them bound to Jerusalem. And in the going, he came nigh to Damascus, and suddenly there shone round about him a light from the heaven, and having fallen upon the earth, he heard a voice saying to him, `Saul, Saul, why me dost thou persecute?' And he said, `Who art thou, Lord?' and the Lord said, `I am Jesus whom thou dost persecute; hard for thee at the pricks to kick;' trembling also, and astonished, he said, `Lord, what dost thou wish me to do?' and the Lord `said' unto him, `Arise, and enter into the city, and it shall be told thee what it behoveth thee to do.'
Jesus answered them, `Verily, verily, I say to you -- Every one who is committing sin, is a servant of the sin,
And he said, `See -- ye may not be led astray, for many shall come in my name, saying -- I am `he', and the time hath come nigh; go not on then after them;
The pride of thy heart hath lifted thee up, O dweller in clifts of a rock, (A high place `is' his habitation, He is saying in his heart, `Who doth bring me down `to' earth?')
Feeding on ashes, the heart is deceived, It hath turned him aside, And he delivereth not his soul, nor saith: `Is there not a lie in my right hand?'
Worthy.Bible » Commentaries » Matthew Henry Commentary » Commentary on Titus 3
Commentary on Titus 3 Matthew Henry Commentary
Chapter 3
Of duties which concern Christians more in common, and the reasons of them (v. 1-8). What Titus in teaching should avoid, and how he should deal with a heretic, with some other directions (v. 9-14), and salutations in the close (v. 15).
Tts 3:1-8
Here is the fourth thing in the matter of the epistle. The apostle had directed Titus in reference to the particular and special duties of several sorts of persons; now he bids him exhort to what concerned them more in common, namely, to quietness and submission to rulers, and readiness to do good, and to equitable and gentle behaviour towards all men-things comely and ornamental of religion; he must therefore put them in mind of such things. Ministers are people's remembrancers of their duty. As they are remembrancers for the people to God in prayers (Isa. 62:6), so are they from God to them in preaching: I will not be negligent to put you always in remembrance, 2 Pt. 1:12. Forgetfulness of duty is a common frailty; there is need therefore of reminding and quickening them thereto. Here are the duties themselves, and the reasons of them.
Tts 3:9-15
Here is the fifth and last thing in the matter of the epistle: what Titus should avoid in teaching; how he should deal with a heretic; with some other directions. Observe,