2

健全的教導

1至於你,你所講的總要合乎那健全的教導。 2勸老年人要有節制、端正、克己,在信心、愛心、耐心上都要健全。 3又要勸年長的婦女在操守上恭正,不說讒言,不作酒的奴隸,用善道教導人, 4好指教年輕的婦女愛丈夫,愛兒女, 5克己,貞潔,理家,善良,順服自己的丈夫,免得上帝的道被毀謗。
6同樣,要勸年輕人凡事克己。 7你要顯出自己是好行為的榜樣,在教導上要正直、莊重, 8言語健全,無可指責,使那反對的人,因說不出我們有甚麼不好而自覺羞愧。
9要勸僕人順服自己的主人,凡事討他的喜悅,不可頂撞他, 10不可私竊財物;要凡事顯出完美的忠誠,好事事都能榮耀我們救主上帝的教導。
11因為,上帝救眾人的恩典已經顯明出來, 12訓練我們除去不敬虔的心和世俗的情慾,在今世過克己、正直、敬虔的生活, 13等候福樂的盼望,並等候至大的上帝和我們的救主耶穌基督的榮耀顯現。 14他為我們的緣故捨己,為了要贖我們脫離一切罪惡,又潔淨我們作他自己的子民,熱心為善。 15這些事你要講明,要充分運用你的職權勸勉人,責備人。不要讓任何人輕看你。

2

Qualities of a Sound Church

1But as for you, speak the things which are proper for sound doctrine: 2that the older men be sober, reverent, temperate, sound in faith, in love, in patience; 3the older women likewise, that they be reverent in behavior, not slanderers, not given to much wine, teachers of good things— 4that they admonish the young women to love their husbands, to love their children, 5to be discreet, chaste, homemakers, good, obedient to their own husbands, that the word of God may not be blasphemed.
6Likewise, exhort the young men to be sober-minded, 7in all things showing yourself to bea pattern of good works; in doctrine showing integrity, reverence, incorruptibility, 8sound speech that cannot be condemned, that one who is an opponent may be ashamed, having nothing evil to say of you.
9Exhortbondservants to be obedient to their own masters, to be well pleasing in all things, not answering back, 10not pilfering, but showing all good fidelity, that they may adorn the doctrine of God our Savior in all things.

Trained by Saving Grace

11For the grace of God that brings salvation has appeared to all men, 12teaching us that, denying ungodliness and worldly lusts, we should live soberly, righteously, and godly in the present age, 13looking for the blessed hope and glorious appearing of our great God and Savior Jesus Christ, 14who gave Himself for us, that He might redeem us from every lawless deed and purify for Himself His own special people, zealous for good works.
15Speak these things, exhort, and rebuke with all authority. Let no one despise you.