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Titus

About this book
Chapter 2

1 But as for you, communicate the behavior that goes with sound teaching. 2 Older men are to be temperate, dignified, self-controlled, sound in faith, in love, and in endurance. 3 Older women likewise are to exhibit behavior fitting for those who are holy, not slandering, not slaves to excessive drinking, but teaching what is good. 4 In this way they will train the younger women to love their husbands, to love their children, 5 to be self-controlled, pure, fulfilling their duties at home, kind, being subject to their own husbands, so that the message of God may not be discredited. 6 Encourage younger men likewise to be self-controlled, 7 showing yourself to be an example of good works in every way. In your teaching show integrity, dignity, 8 and a sound message that cannot be criticized, so that any opponent will be at a loss because he has nothing evil to say about us. 9 Slaves are to be subject to their own masters in everything, to do what is wanted and not talk back, 10 not pilfering, but showing all good faith, in order to bring credit to the teaching of God our Savior in everything. 11 For the grace of God has appeared, bringing salvation to all people.⁠ 12 It trains us to reject godless ways and worldly desires⁠ and to live self-controlled, upright, and godly lives⁠ in the present age, 13 as we wait for the happy fulfillment of our hope in the glorious appearing of our great God and Savior, Jesus Christ. 14 He gave himself for us to set us free from every kind of lawlessness⁠ and to purify for himself a people who are truly his,⁠ who are eager to do good. 15 So communicate these things with the sort of exhortation or rebuke that carries full authority. Don’t let anyone look down on you.

Texts in conversation

Compare Titus 2:12 and Gospel of Thomas 110

New Testament · Nag Hammadi

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Summary

In Titus, people must give up worldly desires while living rightly in this world. In the Gospel of Thomas, the rich must give up the world itself, extending this ethical idea into a total rejection of the physical world.

Passages

Titus 2:12

New Testament
11 For the grace of God has appeared, bringing salvation to all people. 12 It trains us to reject godless ways and worldly desires and to live self-controlled, upright, and godly lives in the present age, 13 as we wait for the happy fulfillment of our hope in the glorious appearing of our great God and Savior, Jesus Christ.
90–100 CE (scholarly estimate) Read in Titus

Gospel of Thomas 110

Nag Hammadi
109 Jesus said, “The kingdom is like a man who had a treasure hidden in his field and did not know it. And [when] he died he left it to his son. The son did not know; he took possession of the field and sold it. The buyer went plowing, discovered the treasure, and began to lend money at interest to whomever he wished.” 110 Jesus said, “Whoever has found the world and become rich should renounce the world.” 111 Jesus said, “The heavens and the earth will roll up in your presence, and the Living One from the Living One will not see death.” Does not Jesus say, “Whoever has found himself, of him the world is not worthy”?
135–200 CE (scholarly estimate) Read in the Gospel of Thomas

References

“... Let him renounce the world. The possession of spiritual riches means that the world, in the sense of the world’s system of values, with its esteem of wealth and honour, should be rejected by the true disciple. There is resemblance here to Mk 8.34–37 and parallels, in which the command to deny oneself is explained partly on the basis that gaining the world but losing one’s soul would be ridiculous; an even closer conjunction comes in Titus, with its injunction to ‘renounce impiety and worldly passions’ (Tit. 2.12). ...”
Simon Gathercole, The Gospel of Thomas: Introduction and Commentary (Leiden: Brill, 2014), 597.

References are not endorsements of their contents. Read each reference in full to understand its author's intentions in using these texts.

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Titus 2:12 and Gospel of Thomas 110

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