Titus 2:3 Meaning and Explanation
“The aged women likewise, that they be in behaviour as becometh holiness, not false accusers, not given to much wine, teachers of good things;”
King James Version (KJV)
Read this verse in context with translation switching:
Read Full Chapter →Older women carry a quiet calling: to live holy lives and pass on what is good.
The Context of Titus 2:3
Paul is telling Titus how to guide each group in the church on Crete, having just addressed the older men (verse 2). He turns now to the older women and entrusts them with a teaching role that flows out of their character.
What Does Titus 2:3 Mean?
Paul gives the older women a portrait drawn in plain strokes. Their whole manner of life is to suit holiness, like a temple servant whose bearing fits the sacred place. He names two pitfalls to avoid, slander that tears others down and the slavery of too much wine, and then names the high calling that follows: they are to be 'teachers of good things.' Years lived faithfully become a kind of curriculum, and the next verses send them to teach the younger women in turn.
This is a gentle dignity Paul presses into older hands. The good they have learned through long obedience is not meant to be buried; it is meant to be handed on. And the goodness itself has a source, for it is the grace of God appearing in Jesus (verses 11 and 14) that shapes such lives. To anyone who fears their best years are behind them, this verse offers a calling that only deepens with time.
Titus 2:3 in the Original Language
hieroprepes (ἱεροπρεπής), 'as becometh holiness' -- carrying oneself in a way fitting for sacred things, reverent and dignified.
How to Apply Titus 2:3 Today
This verse honours the long, faithful life by giving it something to do: to live in a way that fits holiness and to teach the good we have learned to those coming behind us. None of our years with God are wasted; they become a gift to pass on. We can offer what grace has taught us.
Frequently Asked Questions About Titus 2:3
What does Titus 2:3 mean?
Older women carry a quiet calling: to live holy lives and pass on what is good.
What is the context of Titus 2:3?
Paul is telling Titus how to guide each group in the church on Crete, having just addressed the older men (verse 2). He turns now to the older women and entrusts them with a teaching role that flows out of their character.
How can I apply Titus 2:3 today?
This verse honours the long, faithful life by giving it something to do: to live in a way that fits holiness and to teach the good we have learned to those coming behind us. None of our years with God are wasted; they become a gift to pass on. We can offer what grace has taught us.