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Wednesday, July 30th, 2025
the Week of Proper 12 / Ordinary 17
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Read the Bible

New Living Translation

Titus 3:4

But— When God our Savior revealed his kindness and love,

Bible Study Resources

Concordances:

- Nave's Topical Bible - God;   God Continued...;   Salvation;   Testimony;   Trinity;   Works;   Thompson Chain Reference - Good;   Work, Religious;   Work-Workers, Religious;   Works;   Works, Good;   The Topic Concordance - Goodness;   Grace;   Inheritance;   Justification;   Kindness;   Love;   Profit;   Salvation;   Torrey's Topical Textbook - Love of God, the;   Loving-Kindness of God, the;   Trinity, the;  

Dictionaries:

- Bridgeway Bible Dictionary - Forgiveness;   God;   Grace;   Holy spirit;   Kindness;   Mercy;   Regeneration;   Salvation;   Trinity;   Virgin;   Baker Evangelical Dictionary of Biblical Theology - Appear, Appearance;   Good, Goodness;   Scripture, Unity and Diversity of;   Fausset Bible Dictionary - Titus, the Epistle to;   Holman Bible Dictionary - Hymn;   Kindness;   Savior;   Trinity;   Works;   Hastings' Dictionary of the Bible - Christianity;   Kindness;   Love, Lover, Lovely, Beloved;   Hastings' Dictionary of the New Testament - Atonement (2);   Gifts;   God;   Kindness;   Kindness (2);   Love;   Mediation Mediator;   Mercy;   Paul;   Philanthropy;   Salvation Save Saviour;   Saviour (2);   Sin (2);   Timothy and Titus Epistles to;   People's Dictionary of the Bible - Trinity;   Watson's Biblical & Theological Dictionary - Justification;   Paul;  

Encyclopedias:

- International Standard Bible Encyclopedia - Acceptance;   Assurance;   Justification;   Kindness;   Pastoral Epistles, the;   Saviour;  

Devotionals:

- Daily Light on the Daily Path - Devotion for December 25;   Every Day Light - Devotion for November 9;  

Parallel Translations

Christian Standard Bible®
But when the kindness of God our Savior and his love for mankind appeared,
King James Version (1611)
But after that the kindnesse and loue of God our Sauiour toward man appeared,
King James Version
But after that the kindness and love of God our Saviour toward man appeared,
English Standard Version
But when the goodness and loving kindness of God our Savior appeared,
New American Standard Bible
But when the kindness of God our Savior and His love for mankind appeared,
New Century Version
But when the kindness and love of God our Savior was shown,
New American Standard Bible (1995)
But when the kindness of God our Savior and His love for mankind appeared,
Legacy Standard Bible
But when the kindness and affection of God our Savior appeared,
Berean Standard Bible
But when the kindness of God our Savior and His love for mankind appeared,
Contemporary English Version
God our Savior showed us how good and kind he is.
Complete Jewish Bible
But when the kindness and love for mankind of God our Deliverer was revealed,
Darby Translation
But when the kindness and love to man of our Saviour God appeared,
Easy-to-Read Version
But then the kindness and love of God our Savior was made known.
Geneva Bible (1587)
But when that bountifulnesse & that loue of God our Sauiour toward man appeared,
George Lamsa Translation
But after the goodness and kindness of God our Saviour was manifested,
Good News Translation
But when the kindness and love of God our Savior was revealed,
Lexham English Bible
But when the kindness and love for mankind of God our Savior appeared,
Literal Translation
But when the kindness and love of God our Savior toward man appeared,
Amplified Bible
But when the goodness and kindness of God our Savior and His love for mankind appeared [in human form as the Man, Jesus Christ],
American Standard Version
But when the kindness of God our Saviour, and his love toward man, appeared,
Bible in Basic English
But when the mercy of God our Saviour, and his love to man was seen,
Hebrew Names Version
But when the kindness of God, our Savior, and his love toward man, appeared,
International Standard Version
However,1 Timothy 2:3; Titus 2:11;">[xr] In grace our Savior God appeared, His love for mankind to make clear.
Etheridge Translation
But when appeared the goodness and mercy of Aloha our Saviour,
Murdock Translation
But when the kindness and compassion of God our Life-giver was revealed,
Bishop's Bible (1568)
But after that the kyndenesse and loue of our sauiour God to manwarde appeared,
English Revised Version
But when the kindness of God our Saviour, and his love toward man, appeared,
World English Bible
But when the kindness of God, our Savior, and his love toward man, appeared,
Wesley's New Testament (1755)
But when the kindness and philanthropy of God our Saviour appeared,
Weymouth's New Testament
But when the goodness of God our Saviour, and His love to man, dawned upon us, not in consequence of things which we,
Wycliffe Bible (1395)
But whanne the benygnyte and the manhed of oure sauyour God aperide,
Update Bible Version
But when the kindness of God our Savior, and his love toward man, appeared,
Webster's Bible Translation
But when the kindness and love of God our Savior towards man appeared,
New English Translation
But "when the kindness of God our Savior and his love for mankind appeared,
New King James Version
But when the kindness and the love of God our Savior toward man appeared,
New Life Bible
But God, the One Who saves, showed how kind He was and how He loved us
New Revised Standard
But when the goodness and loving kindness of God our Savior appeared,
J.B. Rotherham Emphasized Bible
But, when, the graciousness and affection for man of our Saviour God, shone forth,
Douay-Rheims Bible
But when the goodness and kindness of God our Saviour appeared:
Revised Standard Version
but when the goodness and loving kindness of God our Savior appeared,
Tyndale New Testament (1525)
But after that the kyndnes and love of oure saveoure God to mawarde appered
Young's Literal Translation
and when the kindness and the love to men of God our Saviour did appear
Miles Coverdale Bible (1535)
But after that ye kyndnesse and loue of God oure Sauioure to man warde appeared,
Mace New Testament (1729)
but when the kindness and love of God our saviour display'd itself to mankind,
Simplified Cowboy Version
But everything changed for us when Jesus came.

Contextual Overview

1 Remind the believers to submit to the government and its officers. They should be obedient, always ready to do what is good. 2 They must not slander anyone and must avoid quarreling. Instead, they should be gentle and show true humility to everyone. 3 Once we, too, were foolish and disobedient. We were misled and became slaves to many lusts and pleasures. Our lives were full of evil and envy, and we hated each other. 4 But— When God our Savior revealed his kindness and love, 5 he saved us, not because of the righteous things we had done, but because of his mercy. He washed away our sins, giving us a new birth and new life through the Holy Spirit. 6 He generously poured out the Spirit upon us through Jesus Christ our Savior. 7 Because of his grace he made us right in his sight and gave us confidence that we will inherit eternal life. 8 This is a trustworthy saying, and I want you to insist on these teachings so that all who trust in God will devote themselves to doing good. These teachings are good and beneficial for everyone.

Bible Verse Review
  from Treasury of Scripure Knowledge

the kindness: Titus 2:11, Romans 5:20, Romans 5:21, Ephesians 2:4-10

love: or, pity

God: Titus 1:3, Titus 2:10, 1 Timothy 1:1, 1 Timothy 2:3, 1 Timothy 4:10

appeared: Titus 2:11, 2 Timothy 1:10, Hebrews 9:26

Reciprocal: Numbers 14:19 - according 2 Samuel 9:3 - the kindness of God 2 Samuel 22:3 - my saviour 2 Kings 14:27 - he saved Psalms 24:5 - God Psalms 88:1 - Lord Psalms 106:21 - God Psalms 116:5 - Gracious Psalms 119:146 - and I shall keep Isaiah 33:22 - he will Isaiah 43:3 - the Holy One Isaiah 43:11 - General Isaiah 63:7 - according to his Hosea 1:7 - will save Hosea 14:4 - I will love Zechariah 9:17 - how great is his goodness Matthew 5:16 - that Matthew 7:11 - good Luke 1:47 - God Luke 2:11 - unto Luke 2:14 - good Luke 15:17 - when John 3:5 - born John 3:16 - God John 5:23 - all men Acts 2:17 - I will Acts 2:47 - the Lord Acts 5:31 - a Saviour Acts 15:11 - that Acts 18:27 - believed Acts 20:24 - the gospel Romans 2:4 - riches Romans 8:30 - he called Romans 8:39 - love Romans 12:1 - by the 1 Corinthians 12:13 - by 1 Corinthians 16:12 - our Ephesians 2:7 - in his Philippians 1:6 - begun Philippians 2:13 - to will Colossians 3:12 - beloved 1 Thessalonians 1:4 - your election 2 Thessalonians 1:11 - the good 2 Thessalonians 2:16 - which 2 Timothy 1:9 - hath Titus 2:13 - our Titus 3:5 - according 1 Peter 1:3 - which

Cross-References

Genesis 3:13
Then the Lord God asked the woman, "What have you done?" "The serpent deceived me," she replied. "That's why I ate it."
Deuteronomy 29:19
"Those who hear the warnings of this curse should not congratulate themselves, thinking, ‘I am safe, even though I am following the desires of my own stubborn heart.' This would lead to utter ruin!
2 Kings 1:4
Now, therefore, this is what the Lord says: You will never leave the bed you are lying on; you will surely die.'" So Elijah went to deliver the message.
2 Kings 1:6
They replied, "A man came up to us and told us to go back to the king and give him this message. ‘This is what the Lord says: Is there no God in Israel? Why are you sending men to Baal-zebub, the god of Ekron, to ask whether you will recover? Therefore, because you have done this, you will never leave the bed you are lying on; you will surely die.'"
2 Kings 1:16
And Elijah said to the king, "This is what the Lord says: Why did you send messengers to Baal-zebub, the god of Ekron, to ask whether you will recover? Is there no God in Israel to answer your question? Therefore, because you have done this, you will never leave the bed you are lying on; you will surely die."
2 Kings 8:10
And Elisha replied, "Go and tell him, ‘You will surely recover.' But actually the Lord has shown me that he will surely die!"
Psalms 10:11
The wicked think, "God isn't watching us! He has closed his eyes and won't even see what we do!"
2 Corinthians 2:11
so that Satan will not outsmart us. For we are familiar with his evil schemes.
2 Corinthians 11:3
But I fear that somehow your pure and undivided devotion to Christ will be corrupted, just as Eve was deceived by the cunning ways of the serpent.
1 Timothy 2:14
And it was not Adam who was deceived by Satan. The woman was deceived, and sin was the result.

Gill's Notes on the Bible

But after that,.... After all this series and course of wickedness; notwithstanding all this foolishness, disobedience, deception, bondage to sin, envy, malice, and malignity; or "when" all this was, as the word may be rendered, amidst all this iniquity; when these persons were in the full career of sin, and so had done no preparatory works, or had any previous qualifications and dispositions for the grace of God:

the kindness and love of God our Saviour toward man appeared; unto them; and the Ethiopic version adds, "unto us". The apostle takes the advantage of the above character of himself, and others in their former state, to set off and magnify the grace of God in their conversion; so contraries, as black and white, illustrate each other. By "God our Saviour" is not meant the Lord Jesus Christ, though he is commonly designed by our Saviour, and is several times called God our Saviour in this epistle; see Titus 1:3 and who is truly God, and the only Saviour of lost sinners; and whose kindness and love towards them has appeared in many instances; as in his suretiship undertakings for them, in his assumption of their nature, and in his suffering and dying in their room and stead: and yet it appears from Titus 3:6 that God our Saviour here, is distinguished from Jesus Christ our Saviour there; and therefore here must be understood of God the Father; who contrived the scheme of salvation, appointed Christ to be his salvation, and made a covenant with him, in which it secured, and sent him in time to obtain it, and through his blood, righteousness, and sacrifice, saves all his people: it is his kindness and love to men that is here spoken of; and which designs not his general and providential goodness and kindness, which extends to the whole human nature, and to all the individuals of it; but his special love and grace shown in his kindness in Christ Jesus; that good will to men the angels sung of at Christ's incarnation; or that free favour and love of God towards elect men, which is sovereign and special, from everlasting to everlasting, unchangeable and unspeakable, which is better than life; the excellency of which cannot be expressed, and which has shown itself in various instances: it is said to have "appeared"; because it was hid from all eternity in the heart of God, in the thoughts of his heart, in his purposes, counsel, and covenant, and has been made manifest in time; particularly, it has broke forth and showed itself in the mission of Christ into this world, and in redemption and salvation by him; wherein God has manifested and commended his love, and shown forth the exceeding riches of his grace; and also in the effectual calling, which being a time of life, is a time of love, and is owing to the great love of God, and is a fruit and evidence of his everlasting and unchangeable love; and it is this instance and appearance of it, which is here meant, since it follows the account of the state and condition of the saints by nature; and is what was made to them when in this state, by which means they were brought out of it.

Barnes' Notes on the Bible

But after that - Greek, when - ὅτε hote The meaning is, that “when the love of God was manifested in the plan of salvation, he saved us from this state God appeared” after we had sinned in this way, but that when his mercy was thus displayed we were converted from our sins, and made pure in his sight.

The kindness - χρηστότης chrēstotēs - “the goodness, or the benignity.” The word is rendered “goodness” and “good” in Romans 2:4; Romans 3:12; Romans 11:22, thrice; “kindness,” 2 Corinthians 6:6; Ephesians 2:7; Colossians 3:12; Titus 3:4; and “gentleness,” Galatians 5:22. The act of redeeming us was one of great kindness, or goodness.

And love of God - Margin, “pity.” The Greek word is φιλανθρωπία philanthrōpia - “philanthropy - the love of man.” The plan of salvation was founded on love to man, and was the highest expression of that love; the notes at John 3:16. The Greek of this verse is, “When the kindness and love of God our Saviour to man was manifested, he saved us” Titus 3:5, to wit, from those sins of which we had before been guilty.

Clarke's Notes on the Bible

Verse 4. But after that the kindness and love of God — By χρηστοτης we may understand the essential goodness of the Divine nature; that which is the spring whence all kindness, mercy, and beneficence proceed.

Love toward man - φιλανθρωπια. Philanthropy. It is to be regretted that this attribute of the Divine nature, as it stands in relation to man, should have been entirely lost by a paraphrastical translation. Philanthropy is a character which God gives here to himself; while human nature exists, this must be a character of the Divine nature. God loves man; he delighted in the idea when formed in his own infinite mind, he formed man according to that idea, and rejoiced in the work of his hands; when man fell, the same love induced him to devise his redemption, and God the Saviour flows from God the Philanthropist. Where love is it will be active, and will show itself. So the philanthropy of God appeared, επεφανη, it shone out, in the incarnation of Jesus Christ, and in his giving his life for the life of the world.


 
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