1For your part, what you say must be in keeping with sound doctrine.
2The older men should be sober, dignified, and temperate, sound in faith, love, and fortitude.
3The older women, similarly, should be reverent in their demeanour, not scandalmongers or slaves to excessive drinking; they must set a high standard,
4and so teach the younger women to be loving wives and mothers,
5to be temperate, chaste, busy at home, and kind, respecting the authority of their husbands. Then the gospel will not be brought into disrepute.
6Urge the younger men, similarly, to be temperate
7in all things, and set them an example of good conduct yourself. In your teaching you must show integrity and seriousness,
8and offer sound instruction to which none can take exception. Any opponent will be at a loss when he finds nothing to say to our discredit.
9Slaves are to respect their masters' authority in everything and to give them satisfaction; they are not to answer back,
10nor to pilfer, but are to show themselves absolutely trustworthy. In all this they will add lustre to the doctrine of God our Saviour.
11For the grace of God has dawned upon the world with healing for all mankind;
12and by it we are disciplined to renounce godless ways and worldly desires, and to live a life of temperance, honesty, and godliness in the present age,
13looking forward to the happy fulfilment of our hope when the splendour of our great God and Saviour Christ Jesus will appear.
14He it is who sacrificed himself for us, to set us free from all wickedness and to make us his own people, pure and eager to do good.
15These are your themes; urge them and argue them with an authority which no one can disregard.
