| 1 Let your words strengthen sound doctrine. | |
| 2 Tell the older men to be sober, serious, wise, sound in faith, love and perseverance. | |
| 3 The older women in like manner must behave as befits holy women, not given to gossiping or drinking wine, | |
| 4 but as good counselors, able to teach younger wo-men to love their husbands and children, | |
| 5 to be judicious and chaste, to take care of their households, to be kind and submissive to their husbands, lest our faith be attacked. | |
| 6 Encourage the young men to be self-controlled. | |
| 7 Set them an example by your own way of doing. Let your teaching be earnest and sincere, | |
| 8 and your preaching beyond reproach. Then your opponents will feel ashamed and will have nothing to criticize. | |
| 9 Teach slaves to be subject to their masters, and to give satisfaction in every respect, instead of arguing. | |
| 10 They must not steal from them but be trustworthy. In this way they will draw everyone to admire the doctrine of God our Savior. | |
| 11 For the grace of God has appeared, bringing salvation to all, | |
| 12 teaching us to reject an irreligious way of life and worldly greed, and to live in this world as responsible persons, upright and serving God, | |
| 13 while we await our blessed hope—the glorious manifestation of our great God and Savior Christ Jesus. | |
| 14 He gave himself for us, to redeem us from every evil and to purify a people he wanted to be his own and dedicated to what is good. | |
| 15 Teach these things, encourage and reprove with all authority. Let no one despise you. | |
