to speak evil of no one, not to be contentious, to be gentle, showing all humility toward all men.
Parallel Translations
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to speak evil of no one, not to be contentious, to be gentle, showing all humility toward all men.
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that they speake evyll of no man that they be no fyghters but softe shewynge all meknes vnto all men.
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That they speake euill of no man, that they be no fighters, but soft, shewing all meekenesse vnto all men.
Cross-references (28)
Passages linked to Titus 3:2 in the Treasury of Scripture Knowledge, ordered by reader-vote popularity; verse text shown in World English Bible.
- Ephesians 4:31 Let all bitterness, wrath, anger, outcry, and slander be put away from you, with all malice.
- 2 Timothy 2:24-25 The Lord’s servant must not quarrel, but be gentle toward all, able to teach, patient, in gentleness correcting those who oppose him: perhaps God may give them repentance leading to a full knowledge of the truth,
- Ephesians 4:2 with all lowliness and humility, with patience, bearing with one another in love,
- Colossians 3:12-13 Put on therefore, as God’s chosen ones, holy and beloved, a heart of compassion, kindness, lowliness, humility, and perseverance; bearing with one another, and forgiving each other, if any man has a complaint against any; even as Christ forgave you, so you also do.
- 1 Timothy 3:3 not a drinker, not violent, not greedy for money, but gentle, not quarrelsome, not covetous;
- 1 Peter 3:10 For, “He who would love life and see good days, let him keep his tongue from evil and his lips from speaking deceit.
- 1 Peter 3:8 Finally, all of you be like-minded, compassionate, loving as brothers, tenderhearted, courteous,
- Matthew 11:29 Take my yoke upon you, and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart; and you will find rest for your souls.
- Galatians 5:22 But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faith,
- 1 Peter 2:17-18 Honor all men. Love the brotherhood. Fear God. Honor the king. Servants, be in subjection to your masters with all respect: not only to the good and gentle, but also to the wicked.
- Galatians 6:10 So then, as we have opportunity, let’s do what is good toward all men, and especially toward those who are of the household of the faith.
- 1 Thessalonians 5:14-15 We exhort you, brothers: Admonish the disorderly; encourage the faint-hearted; support the weak; be patient toward all. See that no one returns evil for evil to anyone, but always follow after that which is good for one another and for all.
- James 3:17 But the wisdom that is from above is first pure, then peaceful, gentle, reasonable, full of mercy and good fruits, without partiality, and without hypocrisy.
- James 4:11 Don’t speak against one another, brothers. He who speaks against a brother and judges his brother, speaks against the law and judges the law. But if you judge the law, you are not a doer of the law, but a judge.
- 1 Peter 2:1 Putting away therefore all wickedness, all deceit, hypocrisies, envies, and all evil speaking,
- 2 Samuel 22:36 You have also given me the shield of your salvation. Your gentleness has made me great.
- James 1:19-20 So, then, my beloved brothers, let every man be swift to hear, slow to speak, and slow to anger; for the anger of man doesn’t produce the righteousness of God.
- Psalms 140:11 An evil speaker won’t be established in the earth. Evil will hunt the violent man to overthrow him.
- Galatians 6:1 Brothers, even if a man is caught in some fault, you who are spiritual must restore such a one in a spirit of gentleness; looking to yourself so that you also aren’t tempted.
- 1 Corinthians 9:19 For though I was free from all, I brought myself under bondage to all, that I might gain the more.
- Philippians 4:5 Let your gentleness be known to all men. The Lord is at hand.
- 1 Thessalonians 2:7 But we were gentle among you, like a nursing mother cherishes her own children.
- 1 Timothy 3:11 Their wives in the same way must be reverent, not slanderers, temperate, and faithful in all things.
- Proverbs 6:19 a false witness who utters lies, and he who sows discord among brothers.
- Proverbs 25:24 It is better to dwell in the corner of the housetop than to share a house with a contentious woman.
- Acts 23:5 Paul said, “I didn’t know, brothers, that he was high priest. For it is written, ‘You shall not speak evil of a ruler of your people.’ ”
- 2 Corinthians 10:1 Now I Paul, myself, entreat you by the humility and gentleness of Christ, I who in your presence am lowly among you, but being absent am bold toward you.
- 2 Corinthians 12:20 For I am afraid that by any means, when I come, I might find you not the way I want to, and that I might be found by you as you don’t desire, that by any means there would be strife, jealousy, outbursts of anger, factions, slander, whisperings, proud thoughts, or riots,
Cross-references from openbible.info (CC BY 4.0)
Explain this verse (14 sources)
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John Calvin 1540 · Public Domain 2 To speak evil of no one He now…
2 To speak evil of no one He now lays down the method of maintaining peace and friendship with all men. We know that there is nothing to which the disposition of every man is more prone than to despise others in comparison of himself. The consequence is, that many are proud of the gifts of God; and this is accompanied by contempt for their brethren, which is immediately followed by insult. He therefore forbids Christians to glory over others, or to reproach them, whatever may be their own superior excellence. Yet he does not wish them to flatter the vices of wicked men; he only condemns the propensity to slander.
Not given to fighting As if he had said, “Quarrels and contentions must be avoided.” The old translation has therefore rendered it better, Not quarrelsome; for there are other ways of fighting than the sword or the fist. And from what follows it is evident that this is the meaning; for he points out the remedies for the evil, when he enjoins them to be kind, and to shew all meekness towards all men; for “kindness” is contrasted with the utmost rigor of law, and “meekness” with bitterness. If, therefore, we are disposed to avoid every kind of contentions and fighting, let us learn, first, to moderate many things by gentleness, and next to bear with many things; for they who are excessively severe and ill-tempered carry with them a fire to kindle strife.
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He says, towards all men, in order to intimate that he should bear with even the lowest and meanest persons. Believers, holding wicked men in contempt, did not think them worthy of any forbearance. Such severity, which arises from nothing else than pride, Paul wished to correct.
John Calvin's Commentaries (1540-1563) — public domain. Text from the Calvin Translation Society English edition (1840s-50s) via the Christian Classics Ethereal Library (ccel.org). Calvin's coverage is partial (roughly two-thirds of the Bible); uncommented books and verses are honest gaps, never fabricated. The 19th-century editor's footnotes and remarks are omitted so the notes are faithfully Calvin's own voice.
John Trapp 1656 · Public Domain 2 To speak evil of no man, to be…
2 To speak evil of no man, to be no brawlers, but gentle, shewing all meekness unto all men.
Ver. 2. To speak evil of no man] Unless it be in an ordinance, for the reformation of the unruly; pleasing all in that which is good to edifying.
John Trapp, A Commentary or Exposition upon All the Books of the Old and New Testament (1647–1656) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.
Matthew Poole 1685 · Public Domain To speak evil of no man; Greek, to blaspheme…
To speak evil of no man; Greek, to blaspheme no man. Blasphemy is a speaking evil, whether it be applied to God or man, though use hath so obtained, that we only in common discourse speak of blaspheming God.
To be no brawlers; to be no fighters, (αμαχους) neither with hands nor tongues.
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But gentle; to be modest, fair, equitable men.
Showing all meekness unto all men; forbearing wrath and passion in their converse with all.
Matthew Poole's English Annotations on the Holy Bible (1683–1685) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword/MySword module.
William Burkitt 1703 · Public Domain Calumny and evil-speaking has been a reigning vice in…
Calumny and evil-speaking has been a reigning vice in all ages, and a greater guilt is contracted by it than men apprehend; every man ought to be as just to his neighbour’s reputation as his own:
if what we report of another we know to be false, it is downright lying;
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if what we report of others we believe to be false, it is slander;
if what evil we report of others be really true, and we know it to be so, yet it is defamation, and contrary to that charity and goodness which Christianity requires;
for to divulge the faults of others, though they be really guilty of them, without necessity, is certainly a sin, and included in this apostolic prohibition: to think and speak evil of others, is not only a bad thing, but a sign of a bad man; and in many cases it is as great charity to conceal an evil we hear of our neighbour, as it is to relieve him in his distress.
The next exhortation is, to be no brawlers; in the original, no fighters; that is, neither with tongue nor hand, but meek and gentle, putting up a double wrong, rather than revenge a single injury, using all meekness towards all men. Meekness pacifies wrath, and conquers animosity to a wonder, making him tame and gentle, who by opposition is furious and implacable: the hardest flint is sooner broken upon a pillow or cushion that gently yieldeth, than upon a bar of iron that furiously resisteth.
William Burkitt's Expository Notes on the New Testament (1700–1703) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.
John Gill 1763 · Public Domain To speak evil of no man,.... As not of…
To speak evil of no man,.... As not of one another, so not of the men of the world, to the prejudice of their names and characters, which are tender things, and ought to be gently touched; nor of magistrates, principalities, and powers, of persons in dignity and authority, which the false teachers were not afraid to speak evil of, and by their principles and practices taught others to do the same:
to be no brawlers; or "fighters", either by blows or words; not litigious and quarrelsome, wrangling and striving about things to no profit, and to the detriment and disturbance of civil government, churches, neighbourhood, and families; which is very unbecoming the followers of Jesus, who strove not, nor cried, nor was his voice heard in the streets. But gentle, showing all meekness to all men; yielding and giving way, rather choosing to suffer wrong than to brawl, contend, and litigate a point; taking the advice of Christ in Mat 5:39, carrying it in a meek and humble manner to men of all ranks and degrees, whether superior or inferior, rich or poor, bond or free, Jews or Gentiles, members of the church, or men of the world.
John Gill's Exposition of the Whole Bible (1746–1763) — public domain (CC PDM 1.0). Text via the HelloAO Bible API.
John Wesley 1765 · Public Domain To speak evil - Neither of them nor any…
To speak evil - Neither of them nor any man. Not to be quarrelsome - To assault none. To be gentle - When assaulted. Toward all men - Even those who are such as we were.
John Wesley, Explanatory Notes Upon the Whole Bible (1754–1765) — public domain. Text via the GEBible commentary corpus.
Adam Clarke 1810 · Public Domain Verse 2. To speak evil of no man] μηδενα…
Verse 2. To speak evil of no man] μηδενα βλασφημειν. To blaspheme no person, to reproach none, to speak nothing to any man's injury; but, on the contrary, bearing reproach and contumely with patience and meekness.
Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible (1810–1826) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword/MySword module.
Albert Barnes 1834 · Public Domain To speak evil of no man - Greek, “to…
To speak evil of no man - Greek, “to blaspheme (βλασφημεῖν blasphēmein, compare the notes at Mat 9:3) no one.” Doddridge renders it, “calumniate no one.” The idea is, that we are not to slander, revile, or defame anyone. We are not to say anything to anyone, or of anyone, which will do him injury. We are never to utter anything which we know to be false about him or to give such a coloring to his words or conduct as to do him wrong in any way. We should always so speak to him and of him in such a way that he will have no reason to complain that he is an injured man. It may be necessary, when we are called to state what we know of his character, to say things which are not at all in his favor, or things which he has said or done that were wrong; but,
(1)We should never do this for the purpose of doing him injury, or so as to find a pleasure in it; and,
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(2)Where it is necessary to make the statement, it should be so as to do him no injustice.
We should give no improper coloring. We should exaggerate no circumstances. We should never attempt to express ourselves about his motives, or charge on him bad motives - for we know not what his motives were. We should state every palliating circumstance of which we have knowledge, and do entire justice to it. We should not make the bad traits of his character prominent, and pass over all that is good. In a word, we should show that we would rather find him to be a good man than a bad man - even if the result should be that we had been mistaken in our opinions. It is better that we should have been mistaken, than that he should be a bad man.
To be no brawlers - See the notes at 1Ti 3:3. The same Greek word occurs in both places. It is not elsewhere found in the New Testament.
But gentle - The word here used is rendered “moderation” in Phi 4:5, “patient” in 1Ti 3:3, and elsewhere “gentle;” see the notes at 1Ti 3:3.
Showing all meekness unto all men - In the reception of injuries; see the Mat 5:5 note; Eph 4:2 note.
Albert Barnes' Notes on the Bible (1834–1885) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword/MySword module.
Robert Jamieson, A. R. Fausset & David Brown 1871 · Public Domain To speak evil of no man--especially, not of "dignities"…
To speak evil of no man--especially, not of "dignities" and magistrates.
no brawlers--"not quarrelsome," not attacking others.
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gentle--towards those who attack us. Yielding, considerate, not urging one's rights to the uttermost, but forbearing and kindly (see on Phi 4:5). Very different from the innate greediness and spirit of aggression towards others which characterized the Cretans.
showing--in acts.
all--all possible.
meekness--(See on Co2 10:1); the opposite of passionate severity.
unto all men--The duty of Christian conduct towards all men is the proper consequence of the universality of God's grace to all men, so often set forth in the pastoral Epistles.
Jamieson, Fausset & Brown — Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible (1871) — public domain (CC PDM 1.0). Text via the HelloAO Bible API.
Daniel D. Whedon 1874 · Public Domain 2. The apostle, it must be noted, is not…
2. The apostle, it must be noted, is not laying down rules for political equity, but of individual Christian demeanour. He is not deciding that it was wrong for orderly Cretan statesmen to organize an equitable revolution for the overthrow of Roman domination, and the establishment of a free, well-regulated self-government of the island. He is simply deciding that Christianity does not abolish civil government, and requiring the Christian man to obey a legitimate law and magistracy in the interests of peace and good morals. Note, Rom_13:1-7.
2. Speak evil—Literally, blaspheme; that is, revile or insult no one; prohibiting that style of obloquy usually exchanged in the rude Cretan neighbourhood.
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All men—In order to inspire the tone of a commencing Christian civilization in Crete.
Daniel D. Whedon (gen. ed.), Commentary on the Old and New Testaments (1874–1909) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.
The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges 1878 · Public Domain 2. to speak evil of no man] Cf. 1Ti_1:20;…
2. to speak evil of no man] Cf. 1Ti_1:20; 1Ti_6:1; Tit_2:5. In the first place used absolutely ‘to blaspheme,’ as Act_26:11, ‘I strove to make them blaspheme.’
to be no brawlers, but gentle] Better, as R.V., not to be contentious; the word only occurs in N. T., 1Ti_3:3, where it is joined, as here, with ‘gentle’ or ‘forbearing’; see note there.
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shewing all meekness] The compound form of the word has occurred 1Ti_6:11, coupled with ‘patience,’ see note. The distinction between ‘gentleness’ above and ‘meekness’ is given by Aquinas (quoted in N. T. Syn. p. 152), as twofold, (1) ‘gentleness,’ clementia, is ‘lenitas superioris ad inferiorem’; meekness, mansuetudo, is ‘cuiuslibet ad quemlibet’: (2) ‘gentleness’ is in outward acts, ‘est moderativa exterioris punitionis’; ‘meekness’ is in the inner spirit, ‘proprie diminuit passionem irae.’ But besides its separateness of force in combination with ‘gentleness,’ the ‘meekness’ here is especially fitted to lead on to the argument of the next verse from its own proper sense. ‘It is an inwrought grace of the soul; and the exercises of it are first and chiefly towards God, when we accept His dealings with us without disputing. He that is meek indeed will know himself a sinner amongst sinners; or if there was One who could not know Himself such, yet He too bore a sinner’s doom and endured therefore the contradiction of sinners, Mat_11:29, “I am meek and lowly of heart;” and this knowledge of his own sin will teach him to endure meekly the provocations with which they may provoke him, and not to withdraw himself from the burdens which their sin may impose upon him (Gal_6:1; 2Ti_2:25).’ N. T. Syn. p. 150.
The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges (gen. ed. J. J. S. Perowne; Cambridge University Press, 1878–1918) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.
Ellicott's Commentary for English Readers 1878 · Public Domain (2) To speak evil of no man.—These commands of…
(2) To speak evil of no man.—These commands of St. Paul to the Church of Crete breathe throughout the spirit of Christ, who “when He was reviled, reviled not again;” who said “Love your enemies, do good to them that hate you, and pray for them which despitefully use you and persecute you.” The Christian in the days of St. Paul, and for “many days” after St. Paul had borne that gallant witness of his outside the gates of Rome, would indeed often be called in sad earnestness to put in practice these charges of the Apostle. In days of persecution, in times of suspicion, when the Christian profession exposed men to hatred and to sore danger, when all men spoke evil of them, these words of St. Paul were remembered and acted upon, and not only in Crete.
To be no brawlers, but gentle, shewing all meekness unto all men.—Or better, not contentious, but, &c. These characteristics were not common virtues in Crete, then the resort and mart of so many different nationalities. Its singular situation in the Mediterranean, midway between Europe, Africa, and Asia, has been noticed, as have been the dispositions and vices of the inhabitants. Surely, St. Paul urges, the professed followers of the Crucified among the Cretans should aim at a nobler standard of life than was common among these rough and often selfish traders. These things charged here by St. Paul were new virtues to men. They are held up to admiration by no heathen moralists. The meekness signifies kindly forbearance. This Christian feeling, which looks lovingly on all sorts and conditions of men, on the stranger and the outcast, even on the vilest sinner, is especially enjoined here. It is the same sweet spirit of love which desires, in 1Ti_2:1, that prayer and supplication be made in the public Christian assembly for all men.
A Bible Commentary for English Readers, edited by Charles John Ellicott (1878–1897) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.
The Pulpit Commentary 1880 · Public Domain Not to be contentious for to be no brawlers,…
Not to be contentious for to be no brawlers, A.V; to be for but, A.V; toward for unto, A.V To speak evil of no man (mhdena blasfhmein). Probably especially pointed in the first place at a natural tendency of oppressed Christians to speak evil of their rulers, (2Pe_2:10 Jud_1:10) but extended into a general precept which might be especially needful for the rough and turbulent Cretans. Not to be contentious (amacouv einai); as 1Ti_3:3, note. To be gentle (epieikeiv); coupled, as here, with amacouv in 1Ti_3:3. Showing (endeiknumenouv); a word of frequent occurrence in St. Paul"s vocabulary. (Rom_2:15 Rom_9:17, 22 Eph_2:7, etc.; see Tit_2:10, note) Meekness (praothta); another Pauline. (1Co_4:21 2Co_10:1 Gal_5:23, 1Ti_6:11 2Ti_2:25) The precept is given its widest extension by the double addition of "all" and "to all men." The roughness, or want of courtesy, of others is no excuse for the want of meekness in those who are the disciples of him who was meek and lowly in. (Mat_11:29) All men, whatever their station, the highest or the lowest, are to receive meek and gentle treatment from the Christian.
The right deportment of Christians toward all men.
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It is described first negatively, then positively.
I THEY MUST NOT BE REVILERS. "To speak evil of no man.
1. What evils spring from the wrong use of the tongue! "It is an unruly. (Jam_3:8)
2. If the evil we speak of others is false, we are slanderers; if it is true, we sin against charity. It usually betokens a malignant spirit.
3. It is to forget the example of Christ- "who, when he was reviled, reviled not again;" and the precepts of Christ, who taught us "to love our enemies." Let Christians, therefore, guard their tongues, and let their words be few and well-ordered.
II THEY MUST NOT BE CONTENTIOUS. "No brawlers.
1. Such a disposition mars the influence of Christian people.
2. It is inconsistent with the spirit of him who did not strive, nor was his voice heard in the streets.
3. It leads to unseemly retaliations from the world, to the dishonor of Christ.
III THEY MUST BE FORBEARING. "But gentle." It suggests the idea of giving way, of taking wrong rather than of revenging the injuries we receive.
IV THEY MUST BE MEEK TO ALL MEN. "Showing all meekness to all men.
1. Meekness is a fruit of the Spirit. (Gal_5:22)
2. It is precious in Gods sight. (1Pe_3:4)
3. It is a characteristic of true wisdom. (Jam_3:17)
4. It is necessary to a Christian walk. (Eph_4:1, Eph_4:2)
5. It is specially needed in our conduct toward our fellow-men; (Jam_3:13) in our efforts to restore the erring (Gal_6:1) and to instruct opposers. T.C. (2Ti_2:24, 2Ti_2:25)
The Pulpit Commentary (1880–1919), ed. H.D.M. Spence-Jones & Joseph S. Exell — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.
B. W. Johnson 1891 · Public Domain 2. Gentle. Forbearing and patient.
2. Gentle. Forbearing and patient.
B. W. Johnson's The People's New Testament with Notes (1889–1891) — public domain. Electronic text from the Christian Classics Ethereal Library (CCEL) ThML edition.