1 Timothy 6:1-2

6:1 Those who are under the yoke as slaves ¹  must regard their own masters as deserving of full respect. This will prevent ²  the name of God and Christian teaching ³  from being discredited. ⁴  6:2 But those who have believing masters must not show them less respect ⁵  because they are brothers. Instead they are to serve all the more, because those who benefit from their service are believers and dearly loved. ⁶ 

Summary of Timothy’s Duties

Teach them and exhort them about these things. ⁷ 

Titus 2:9-10

2:9 Slaves ⁸  are to be subject to their own masters in everything, ⁹  to do what is wanted and not talk back, 2:10 not pilfering, but showing all good faith, ¹⁰  in order to bring credit to ¹¹  the teaching of God our Savior in everything.

Titus 2:1

Conduct Consistent with Sound Teaching

2:1 But as for you, communicate the behavior that goes with ¹²  sound teaching.

Titus 2:1

Conduct Consistent with Sound Teaching

2:1 But as for you, communicate the behavior that goes with ¹³  sound teaching.

[6:1]  ¹ tn Traditionally, “servants.” Though δοῦλος (doulos) is normally translated “servant,” the word does not bear the connotation of a free individual serving another. BDAG notes that “‘servant’ for ‘slave’ is largely confined to Biblical transl. and early American times…in normal usage at the present time the two words are carefully distinguished” (BDAG 260 s.v.). The most accurate translation is “bondservant” (sometimes found in the ASV for δοῦλος), in that it often indicates one who sells himself into slavery to another. But as this is archaic, few today understand its force.

[6:1]  ² tn Grk “that the name…may not be slandered” (a continuation of the preceding sentence).

[6:1]  ³ tn Grk “the teaching.”

[6:1]  ⁴ tn Or “slandered.”

[6:2]  ⁵ tn Or “think the less of them”; Grk “despise them,” “look down on them.”

[6:2]  ⁶ tn Or “those who devote themselves to service are faithful and dearly loved” (referring to slaves who serve them).

[6:2]  ⁷ tn Grk “these things teach and exhort.”

[2:9]  ⁸ tn See the note on the word “slave” in 1:1.

[2:9]  ⁹ tn Or “to be subject to their own masters, to do what is wanted in everything.”

[2:10]  ¹⁰ tn Or “showing that genuine faith is productive.” At issue between these two translations is the force of ἀγαθήν (agaqhn): Is it attributive (as the text has it) or predicate (as in this note)? A number of considerations point in the direction of a predicate ἀγαθήν (e.g., separation from the noun πίστιν (pistin) by the verb, the possibility that the construction is an object-complement, etc.), though is not usually seen as an option in either translations or commentaries. Cf. ExSyn 188-89, 312-13, for a discussion. Contextually, it makes an intriguing statement, for it suggests a synthetic or synonymous parallel: “‘Slaves should be wholly subject to their masters…demonstrating that all [genuine] faith is productive, with the result [ecbatic ἵνα] that they will completely adorn the doctrine of God.’ The point of the text, then, if this understanding is correct, is an exhortation to slaves to demonstrate that their faith is sincere and results in holy behavior. If taken this way, the text seems to support the idea that saving faith does not fail, but even results in good works” (ExSyn 312-13). The translation of ἀγαθήν as an attributive adjective, however, also makes good sense.

[2:10]  ¹¹ tn Or “adorn,” “show the beauty of.”

[2:1]  ¹² tn Grk “say what is fitting for sound teaching” (introducing the behavior called for in this chapter.).

[2:1]  ¹³ tn Grk “say what is fitting for sound teaching” (introducing the behavior called for in this chapter.).