and so train the young women to love their husbands and children, to be self-controlled, pure, working at home, kind, and submissive to their own husbands, that the word of God may not be reviled.
English Standard Version (ESV)
This verse doesn't just say "love your family"; it uses specific Greek words that paint a richer picture. The elders are to "school" or "train" younger women to be "husband-lovers" and "children-lovers." This implies an active, intentional cultivation of deep affection, not just a passive feeling, shaping their very senses to cherish their roles within the home.
and so train the young women to love their husbands and children, to be self-controlled, pure, working at home, kind, and submissive to their own husbands, that the word of God may not be reviled.
English Standard Version (ESV)
Paul is instructing Titus on how to build up the church in Crete with "sound doctrine," which is practical and God-honoring. This means Titus should teach different groups within the church—older men, older women, and younger women—specific godly behaviors that align with their roles and maturity. The focus shifts here to the elder women's role in discipling the younger women in wholesome, domestic virtues.
The verse calls for 'training' young women, but what does that really mean? It's more than just being 'sober' or well-behaved.
The Greek word translated as 'teach' or 'train' here (sophronizō) carries a powerful sense of bringing someone to their senses, moderating, or disciplining their mind and emotions. It's not just about outward actions but an inward reorientation.
This training aims specifically at cultivating a love for husbands and children (philandrous and philoteknous). These aren't common words in the New Testament, highlighting their importance. This isn't just natural affection; it's a disciplined, intentional love that requires mindful effort. It means actively choosing to cherish and prioritize these relationships, actively 'schooling' oneself in what it means to be a loving wife and mother.
Why does Paul emphasize these specific domestic loves so strongly in Titus? It's a direct antidote to the spiritual 'fads' of the time.
The context of Titus chapter 2 reveals that Paul is addressing a specific problem in Crete: a fascination with myths, empty talk, and unnecessary regulations instead of true, life-changing godliness. Many were seeking spiritual fulfillment in external rituals or speculative ideas, neglecting the core duties of life.
Paul's solution is radical in its simplicity: a return to foundational, Christ-honoring practice within the home. Loving one's husband and children isn't just a cultural expectation; it's a profound spiritual discipline that reflects God's own love and order. By focusing on these 'quiet, every-day duties,' women learn to 'do their Father's business' in a tangible, impactful way, proving that true faith is lived out, not just talked about. This intentional love is a powerful witness against shallow spirituality.
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Understand the original words
sōphronizō · Greek Verb
To instruct, encourage, or urge someone into a specific way of life, often implying the passing on of wisdom or habits from an experienced mentor to one who is learning.
hagnos · Greek Adjective
Morally clean, free from defilement, and sincere. It describes a heart and life set apart from worldly corruption, characterized by integrity and untainted devotion to God.
hypotassō · Greek Adjective/Participle
A voluntary and godly alignment under the authority of another as an act of obedience to God. In marriage, it represents a supportive, cooperative role that mirrors the Church’s relationship to Christ.
blasphēmeō · Greek Verb
To blaspheme, insult, or bring into disrepute. It refers to speaking in a way that insults the truth of the Gospel, usually through a life that contradicts the message one claims to believe.
The instructions in Titus about older women training younger women to love their husbands and children highlight a focus on strong, stable households as foundational to the Christian community, especially within the social context of Roman Crete.
c. 67 AD— this verse
Paul Writes Letter to Titus
Paul, likely while imprisoned or traveling, writes to his protégé Titus, who is ministering on the island of Crete.
Early 1st Century AD
Roman Influence in Crete
Crete had been a Roman province since 67 BC. Roman culture and governance impacted local customs and social structures, including household roles.
1st Century AD
Growth of Christianity in Crete
Christian communities were established in Crete, but faced challenges from internal false teachers and external societal pressures.
1st Century AD
Social Norms of the Greco-Roman World
Societal expectations for women varied, but generally emphasized domestic duties and family roles, though Hellenistic culture also saw more public engagement for some.
This passage describes the foundational command for marriage, highlighting the natural inclination of a man to leave his parents and cleave to his wife, setting a precedent for the devoted love between spouses that Titus 2:4 emphasizes.
Proverbs 31:10-31The description of the 'excellent wife' in Proverbs 31 provides a beautiful, detailed picture of a woman who embodies the virtues of loving her husband and children, managing her household, and demonstrating godliness, illustrating the ideal being taught in Titus.
Ephesians 5:22-33This passage instructs wives to submit to their husbands and husbands to love their wives, echoing the reciprocal love and marital devotion that Titus 2:4 aims to cultivate in younger women.
1 Timothy 5:14Paul instructs younger widows to marry, bear children, and manage their households, which directly supports the emphasis on familial love and domestic responsibility presented in Titus 2:4.
vincentTitus 2:4: "That they may teach the young women to be sober, to love their husbands, to love their children,"
They may teach (σωφρονίζωσι)Better, school or train. N.T.o. olxx. The verb means to make sane or sober-minded; to recall a person to his senses; hence, to moderate, chasten, discipline.To love their husbands, to love their children (φιλάνδρους εἶναι, φιλοτέκνους)Lit. to be husband-lovers, children-lovers. Both adjectives N.T.o. olxx. Φίλανδρος in Class. not in this sense, but lovi…
calvinTitus 2:1-5: "But speak thou the things which become sound doctrine:"
- But speak thou the things which become sound doctrine He points out the remedy for driving away fables, namely, that Titus should devote himself to edification. He gives the appellation of sound doctrine to that which may instruct men to godliness; for all trifles vanish away, when that which is solid is taught. When he enjoins him to speak those things which agree with "sound doctrine," it is as if he had said, that Titus…
This verse doesn't just say "love your family"; it uses specific Greek words that paint a richer picture. The elders are to "school" or "train" younger women to be "husband-lovers" and "children-lovers." This implies an active, intentional cultivation of deep affection, not just a passive feeling, shaping their very senses to cherish their roles within the home.
Paul is instructing Titus on how to build up the church in Crete with "sound doctrine," which is practical and God-honoring. This means Titus should teach different groups within the church—older men, older women, and younger women—specific godly behaviors that align with their roles and maturity. The focus shifts here to the elder women's role in discipling the younger women in wholesome, domestic virtues.
Paul is instructing Titus on how to build up the church in Crete with "sound doctrine," which is practical and God-honoring. This means Titus should teach different groups within the church—older men, older women, and younger women—specific godly behaviors that align with their roles and maturity. The focus shifts here to the elder women's role in discipling the younger women in wholesome, domestic virtues.
"and so train the young women to love their husbands and children, to be self-controlled, pure, working at home, kind, and submissive to their own husbands, that the word of God may not be reviled." — This verse doesn't just say "love your family"; it uses specific Greek words that paint a richer picture. The elders are to "school" or "train" younger women to be "husband-lovers" and "children-love…
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Last reviewed October 2026