How he is to instruct both old and young. The duty of servants. The Christian’s rule of life.

¹ But you are to speak the things that befit sound doctrine.

² Old men should be sober, chaste, prudent, sound in faith, in love, in patience.

³ Old women, similarly, should be in holy attire, not false accusers, not given to much wine, teaching well,

⁴ so that they may teach prudence to the young women, so that they may love their husbands, love their children,

⁵ be sensible, chaste, restrained, have concern for the household, be kind, be subordinate to their husbands: so that the Word of God may be not blasphemed.¹

1. 2:5It is clear from the Latin that all of these behaviors, not merely being subordinate to husbands, is so that the Word of God is not blasphemed.(Conte)

⁶ Exhort young men similarly, so that they may show self-restraint.

⁷ In all things, present yourself as an example of good works: in doctrine, with integrity, with seriousness,

⁸ with sound words, irreproachably, so that he who is an opponent may dread that he has nothing evil to say about us.

⁹ Exhort servants to be submissive to their masters, in all things pleasing, not contradicting,¹

1. 2:9This servant versus master relationship is analogous to the employee versus employer relationship today.(Conte)

¹⁰ not cheating, but in all things showing good fidelity, so that they may adorn the doctrine of God our Savior in all things.

¹¹ For the grace of God our Savior has appeared to all men,

¹² instructing us to reject impiety and worldly desires, so that we may live soberly and justly and piously in this age,

¹³ looking forward to the blessed hope and the advent of the glory of the great God and of our Savior Jesus Christ.

¹⁴ He gave himself for our sake, so that he might redeem us from all iniquity, and might cleanse for himself an acceptable people, pursuers of good works.

¹⁵ Speak and exhort and argue these things with all authority. Let no one despise you.