1 B ut do thou speak the things that become sound teaching;

You must teach what is right and true.

2 t hat the elder men be sober, grave, discreet, sound in faith, in love, in patience;

Older men are to be quiet and to be careful how they act. They are to be the boss over their own desires. Their faith and love are to stay strong and they are not to give up.

3 t hat the elder women in like manner be in deportment as becoming those who have to say to sacred things, not slanderers, not enslaved to much wine, teachers of what is right;

Teach older women to be quiet and to be careful how they act also. They are not to go around speaking bad things about others or things that are not true. They are not to be chained by strong drink. They should teach what is good.

4 t hat they may admonish the young women to be attached to husbands, to be attached to children,

Older women are to teach the young women to love their husbands and children.

5 d iscreet, chaste, diligent in home work, good, subject to their own husbands, that the word of God may not be evil spoken of.

They are to teach them to think before they act, to be pure, to be workers at home, to be kind, and to obey their own husbands. In this way, the Word of God is honored.

6 T he younger men in like manner exhort to be discreet:

Also teach young men to be wise.

7 i n all things affording thyself as a pattern of good works; in teaching uncorruptedness, gravity,

In all things show them how to live by your life and by right teaching.

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

You should be wise in what you say. Then the one who is against you will be ashamed and will not be able to say anything bad about you.

9 b ondmen to be subject to their own masters, to make themselves acceptable in everything; not gainsaying;

Those who are servants owned by someone must obey their owners and please them in everything. They must not argue.

10 n ot robbing, but shewing all good fidelity, that they may adorn the teaching which of our Saviour God in all things.

They must not steal from their owners but prove they can be trusted in every way. In this way, their lives will honor the teaching of God Who saves us.

11 F or the grace of God which carries with it salvation for all men has appeared,

God’s free gift of being saved is being given to everyone.

12 t eaching us that, having denied impiety and worldly lusts, we should live soberly, and justly, and piously in the present course of things,

We are taught to have nothing to do with that which is against God. We are to have nothing to do with the desires of this world. We are to be wise and to be right with God. We are to live God-like lives in this world.

13 a waiting the blessed hope and appearing of the glory of our great God and Saviour Jesus Christ;

We are to be looking for the great hope and the coming of our great God and the One Who saves, Christ Jesus.

14 w ho gave himself for us, that he might redeem us from all lawlessness, and purify to himself a peculiar people, zealous for good works.

He gave Himself for us. He did this by buying us with His blood and making us free from all sin. He gave Himself so His people could be clean and want to do good.

15 T hese things speak, and exhort, and rebuke with all authority. Let no one despise thee.

Teach all these things and give words of help. Show them if they are wrong. You have the right and the power to do this. Do not let anyone think little of you.