Titus 2:9

Easy-to-Read Version

And tell this to those who are slaves: They should be willing to serve their masters at all times; they should try to please them, not argue with them;

Parallel Translations

Christian Standard Bible®
Slaves are to submit to their masters in everything, and to be well-pleasing, not talking back

King James Version (1611)
Exhort seruants to be obedient vnto their own masters, and to please them well in all things, not answering againe:

King James Version
Exhort servants to be obedient unto their own masters, and to please them well in all things; not answering again;

English Standard Version
Bondservants are to be submissive to their own masters in everything; they are to be well-pleasing, not argumentative,

New American Standard Bible
Urge slaves to be subject to their own masters in everything, to be pleasing, not argumentative,

New Century Version
Slaves should yield to their own masters at all times, trying to please them and not arguing with them.

New American Standard Bible (1995)
Urge bondslaves to be subject to their own masters in everything, to be well-pleasing, not argumentative,

Legacy Standard Bible
Urge slaves to be subject to their own masters in everything, to be pleasing, not contradicting,

Berean Standard Bible
Slaves are to submit to their own masters in everything, to be well-pleasing, not argumentative,

Contemporary English Version
Tell slaves always to please their owners by obeying them in everything. Slaves must not talk back to their owners

Complete Jewish Bible
Tell slaves to submit to their masters in everything, to give satisfaction without talking back

Darby Translation
bondmen to be subject to their own masters, to make themselves acceptable in everything; not gainsaying;

Geneva Bible (1587)
Let seruants be subiect to their masters, & please them in al things, not answering again,

George Lamsa Translation
Exhort servants to be obedient to their own masters and to please them well in all things not contentious;

Good News Translation
Slaves are to submit themselves to their masters and please them in all things. They must not talk back to them

Lexham English Bible
Slaves must be subject to their own masters in everything, to be well-pleasing, not to talk back,

Literal Translation
Let slaves be subject to their own masters, well-pleasing in all things , not speaking against them ,

Amplified Bible
Urge bond-servants to be subject to their own masters in everything, to be pleasing and not talk back,

American Standard Version
Exhort servants to be in subjection to their own masters, and to be well-pleasing to them in all things; not gainsaying;

Bible in Basic English
Servants are to be under the authority of their masters, pleasing them in all things, without argument;

Hebrew Names Version
Exhort servants to be in subjection to their own masters, and to be well-pleasing in all things; not contradicting;

International Standard Version
Slaves are to submit themselves to their masters in everything, aiming to please them and not argue with themEphesians 5:24; 6:5; Colossians 3:22; 1 Timothy 6:1-2; 1 Peter 2:18;">[xr]

Etheridge Translation
Let servants to their masters be submissive in every thing, and please them, not contradicting,

Murdock Translation
Let servants obey their masters in every thing, and strive to please them, and not contradict, nor pilfer;

Bishop's Bible (1568)
[Exhort] seruauntes, to be obedient vnto their owne maisters, and to please them in all thynges, not aunsweryng agayne:

English Revised Version
Exhort servants to be in subjection to their own masters, and to be well-pleasing to them in all things; not gainsaying;

World English Bible
Exhort servants to be in subjection to their own masters, and to be well-pleasing in all things; not contradicting;

Wesley's New Testament (1755)
Exhort servants to be obedient to their own masters, to please them in all things,

Weymouth's New Testament
Exhort slaves to be always obedient to their owners, and to give them satisfaction in everything, not contradicting and not pilfering,

Wycliffe Bible (1395)
Moneste thou seruauntis to be suget to her lordis; in alle thingis plesinge, not ayenseiynge, not defraudynge,

Update Bible Version
[Exhort] slaves to be in subjection to their own masters, [and] to be well-pleasing [to them] in all things; not opposing;

Webster's Bible Translation
[Exhort] servants to be obedient to their own masters, [and] to please [them] well in all [things]; not answering again;

New English Translation
Slaves are to be subject to their own masters in everything, to do what is wanted and not talk back,

New King James Version
Exhort bondservants to be obedient to their own masters, to be well pleasing in all things, not answering back,

New Living Translation
Slaves must always obey their masters and do their best to please them. They must not talk back

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

New Revised Standard
Tell slaves to be submissive to their masters and to give satisfaction in every respect; they are not to talk back,

J.B. Rotherham Emphasized Bible
Servants, unto their own masters, to be submitting themselves in all things, to be, well-pleasing, not gainsaying,

Douay-Rheims Bible
Exhort servants to be obedient to their masters: in all things pleasing, not gainsaying:

Revised Standard Version
Bid slaves to be submissive to their masters and to give satisfaction in every respect; they are not to be refractory,

Tyndale New Testament (1525)
The servautes exhorte to be obediet vnto their awne masters and to please in all thynges not answerynge agayne

Young's Literal Translation
Servants -- to their own masters [are] to be subject, in all things to be well-pleasing, not gainsaying,

Miles Coverdale Bible (1535)
Exhorte the seruauntes, to be obedient vnto their masters, to please in all thinges, not answeringe agayne,

Mace New Testament (1729)
Exhort servants to be obedient to their masters, to be

THE MESSAGE
Guide slaves into being loyal workers, a bonus to their masters—no back talk, no petty thievery. Then their good character will shine through their actions, adding luster to the teaching of our Savior God.

Simplified Cowboy Version
Day hands must do what their boss tells them to do whether they like it or not. They shouldn't talk back or mumble under their breath when given something to do.

Contextual Overview

¹ You, however, must tell everyone how to live in a way that agrees with the true teaching. ² Teach the older men to have self-control, to be serious, and to be wise. They must be strong in faith, in love, and in patience. ³ Also, teach the older women to live the way those who serve the Lord should live. They should not go around saying bad things about others or be in the habit of drinking too much. They should teach what is good. ⁴ By doing this they will teach the younger women to love their husbands and children. ⁵ They will teach them to be wise and pure, to take care of their homes, to be kind, and to be willing to serve their husbands. Then no one will be able to criticize the teaching God gave us. ⁶ In the same way, tell the young men to be wise. ⁷ You should be an example for them in every way by the good things you do. When you teach, be honest and serious. ⁸ And your teaching should be clearly right so that you cannot be criticized. Then anyone who is against you will be ashamed. There will not be anything bad they can say about us. ⁹ And tell this to those who are slaves: They should be willing to serve their masters at all times; they should try to please them, not argue with them; ¹⁰ they should not steal from them; and they should show their masters that they can be trusted. Then, in everything they do, they will show that the teaching of God our Savior is good.

Bible Verse Review
  from Treasury of Scripure Knowledge

servants: Ephesians 6:5-8, Colossians 3:22-25, 1 Timothy 6:1, 1 Timothy 6:2, 1 Peter 2:18-25

to please: Ephesians 5:24

answering again: or, gainsaying

Reciprocal: Genesis 16:9 - submit Genesis 30:29 - General Genesis 31:6 - General Genesis 39:2 - house Malachi 1:6 - a servant Matthew 8:9 - Do Romans 9:20 - repliest Romans 12:11 - serving Romans 15:2 - General 1 Corinthians 12:22 - General 1 Corinthians 14:3 - exhortation Colossians 3:20 - in 1 Thessalonians 2:11 - General

Cross-References

Genesis 2:8
Then the Lord God planted a garden in the East, in a place named Eden. He put the man he made in that garden.

Genesis 2:9
Then the Lord God caused all the beautiful trees that were good for food to grow in the garden. In the middle of the garden, he put the tree of life and the tree that gives knowledge about good and evil.

Genesis 2:17
But you must not eat from the tree that gives knowledge about good and evil. If you eat fruit from that tree, on that day you will certainly die!"

Genesis 3:3
But there is one tree we must not eat from. God told us, ‘You must not eat fruit from the tree that is in the middle of the garden. You must not even touch that tree, or you will die.'"

Deuteronomy 6:25
If we carefully obey the whole law, exactly as the Lord our God told us to, he will say that we have done a very good thing.'

Proverbs 3:18
Wisdom is like a life-giving tree to those who hold on to her; she is a blessing to those who keep her close.

Proverbs 11:30
What good people produce is like a life-giving tree. Those who are wise give new life to others.

Isaiah 44:25
False prophets tell lies, but the Lord shows that their lies are false. He makes fools of those who do magic. He confuses even the wise. They think they know a lot, but he makes them look foolish.

Isaiah 47:10
You do bad things but still feel safe. You say to yourself, ‘No one sees the wrong I do.' You thought that your wisdom and knowledge would save you. You tell yourself, ‘I alone am important, and no one else matters.'

Ezekiel 31:16
I made the tree fall—and the nations shook with fear at the sound of the falling tree. I sent the tree down to the place of death to join the other people who had gone down into that deep hole. In the past, all the trees of Eden, the best of Lebanon, drank that water. The trees were comforted in the world below.

Gill's Notes on the Bible

[Exhort] servants to be obedient to their own masters,.... And not others, whether they be believers, or unbelievers, gentle or froward, all their lawful commands ought to be obeyed; :- and to please [them] well in all things; not only to obey and serve them, and do what they order, but to seek and endeavour to do it in such a way as may be grateful, acceptable, and well pleasing to them, whereby an interest in their affection, esteem, and commendation, may be gained: and this should be done always, and in all things, that are not contrary to a good conscience and to the Christian religion, and to the laws of God and nature. Or "that they may be well pleased in all things"; that is, be satisfied and contented with such things as they have, and in their state and condition as servants, and cheerfully abide in the calling wherein they are called:

not answering again; replying to their masters' orders, or complaints, either in a pert, or saucy, or grumbling manner; an evil very incident to servants, and which greatly provokes.

Barnes' Notes on the Bible

Exhort servants to be obedient to their own masters - See this explained in the notes at Ephesians 6:5, following, and 1 Timothy 6:1-4.

And to please them well in all things - That is, so far as they lawfully may, or in those things which are not contrary to the will of God; compare Ephesians 6:6. It should be an object with one who is a servant, to meet the approbation of his master, as long as this relation continues. This rule would not, however, go to the extent to require him to please his master in doing anything that is contrary to the law of God, or that is morally wrong.

Not answering again - Margin, “gainsaying.” Not contradicting, or not disobeying. They were to do what the master required, if it did not interfere with the rights of conscience, without attempting to argue the matter - without disputing with the master - and without advancing their own opinions. Where this relation exists, no one can doubt that this is a proper frame of mind for a servant. It may be observed, however, that all that is here said would be equally appropriate, whether the servitude was voluntary or involuntary. A man who becomes voluntarily a servant, binds himself to obey his master cheerfully and quietly, without gainsaying, and without attempting to reason the matter with him, or propounding his own opinions, even though they may be much wiser than those of his employer. He makes a contract to obey his master, not to reason with him, or to instruct him.

Clarke's Notes on the Bible

Verse 9. Exhort servants to be obedient — The apostle refers to those who were slaves, and the property of their masters; even these are exhorted to be obedient ιδιοις δεσποταις, to their own despots, though they had no right over them on the ground of natural justice.

Please them well in all things] They were to endeavour to do this in all things, though they could not hope to succeed in every thing.

Not answering again — μη αντιλεγοντας. Not contradicting or gainsaying. This is no part of a servant's duty; a servant is hired to do his master's work, and this his master has a right to appoint.