Titus 3:3 kjv
For we ourselves also were sometimes foolish, disobedient, deceived, serving divers lusts and pleasures, living in malice and envy, hateful, and hating one another.
Titus 3:3 nkjv
For we ourselves were also once foolish, disobedient, deceived, serving various lusts and pleasures, living in malice and envy, hateful and hating one another.
Titus 3:3 niv
At one time we too were foolish, disobedient, deceived and enslaved by all kinds of passions and pleasures. We lived in malice and envy, being hated and hating one another.
Titus 3:3 esv
For we ourselves were once foolish, disobedient, led astray, slaves to various passions and pleasures, passing our days in malice and envy, hated by others and hating one another.
Titus 3:3 nlt
Once we, too, were foolish and disobedient. We were misled and became slaves to many lusts and pleasures. Our lives were full of evil and envy, and we hated each other.
Titus 3 3 Cross References
| Verse | Text | Reference |
|---|---|---|
| Rom 3:10-12 | "as it is written: 'None is righteous, no, not one; no one understands; no one seeks for God. All have turned aside...'" | Universal unrighteousness |
| Rom 5:6 | "For while we were still helpless, at the right time Christ died for the ungodly." | Humanity's powerlessness in sin |
| Eph 2:1-3 | "And you were dead in the trespasses and sins in which you once walked, following the course of this world... carried out the desires of the body and the mind, and were by nature children of wrath..." | Past spiritual death and sinful desires |
| Col 3:5-7 | "Put to death therefore what is earthly in you... For because of these things the wrath of God is coming..." | Putting off the old, sinful self |
| 1 Cor 6:9-11 | "Or do you not know that the unrighteous will not inherit the kingdom of God? ...And such were some of you." | Acknowledging a sinful past for believers |
| Gal 5:19-21 | "Now the works of the flesh are evident: sexual immorality, impurity, sensuality, idolatry, sorcery, enmity, strife, jealousy, fits of anger, rivalries, dissensions, divisions, envy..." | Listing common vices from the old nature |
| Jn 8:34 | "Jesus answered them, 'Truly, truly, I say to you, everyone who practices sin is a slave to sin.'" | Slavery to sin |
| 2 Pet 2:19 | "For whatever overcomes a person, to that he is enslaved." | Enslaved by corruption and vices |
| Jer 17:9 | "The heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately sick; who can understand it?" | Heart's deception and sickness |
| Ps 14:1 | "The fool says in his heart, 'There is no God.'" | Lack of understanding/foolishness |
| Isa 53:6 | "All we like sheep have gone astray; we have turned—every one—to his own way..." | Universal wandering from God |
| Rom 1:28-32 | "And since they did not see fit to acknowledge God, God gave them up to a debased mind to do what ought not to be done. They were filled with all manner of unrighteousness, evil, covetousness, malice... envious, murder..." | Comprehensive list of human unrighteousness |
| Phil 3:19 | "Their end is destruction, their god is their stomach, and they glory in their shame, with minds set on earthly things." | Mind focused on worldly pleasures |
| 1 Pet 4:3-4 | "For the time that is past suffices for doing what the Gentiles want to do—living in sensuality, passions, drunkenness, orgies, drinking parties, and lawless idolatry." | Past life of gentile believers |
| Titus 2:11-12 | "For the grace of God has appeared, bringing salvation for all people, training us to renounce ungodliness and worldly passions, and to live self-controlled, upright, and godly lives in the present age..." | Contrast: Grace's transforming power |
| Titus 3:4-7 | "But when the goodness and loving kindness of God our Savior appeared, he saved us, not because of works done by us in righteousness, but according to his own mercy, by the washing of regeneration and renewal of the Holy Spirit..." | Direct Contrast: God's salvific work |
| 1 Jn 2:16 | "For all that is in the world—the desires of the flesh and the desires of the eyes and the pride of life—is not from the Father but is from the world." | Explaining source of desires/passions |
| Jas 4:1-4 | "What causes quarrels and what causes fights among you? Is it not this, that your passions are at war within you? You desire and do not have, so you murder. You covet and cannot obtain, so you fight and quarrel..." | Internal source of strife, envy, malice |
| Prov 12:15 | "The way of a fool is right in his own eyes, but a wise man listens to advice." | Self-deception and foolishness |
| Prov 1:7 | "The fear of the Lord is the beginning of knowledge; fools despise wisdom and instruction." | Foolishness defined as rejecting God's wisdom |
| 2 Tim 3:1-5 | "But understand this, that in the last days there will be perilous times. For people will be lovers of self, lovers of money, proud, arrogant, abusive, disobedient to their parents, ungrateful, unholy, heartless, unappeasable, slanderous, without self-control, brutal, not loving good, treacherous, reckless, swollen with conceit, lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God..." | Characteristics of the unredeemed state |
| Eph 4:17-19 | "Now this I say and testify in the Lord, that you must no longer walk as the Gentiles do, in the futility of their minds. They are darkened in their understanding, alienated from the life of God because of the ignorance that is in them, due to their hardness of heart. They have become callous and have given themselves up to sensuality, greedy to practice every kind of impurity." | Describes the Gentile mind before Christ |
Titus 3 verses
Titus 3 3 Meaning
Titus 3:3 describes the universal depravity and lost state of humanity, including believers before their conversion. It details the various facets of a life lived apart from God's grace: a lack of spiritual understanding, active defiance, being led astray by deceptive influences, bondage to corrupted desires and pursuits, and a pervasive atmosphere of ill-will and mutual antagonism. This verse serves as the foundation for the profound change wrought by God's salvific act, highlighted in the subsequent verses. It is a humble reminder of what humanity, by its nature, truly is without divine intervention.
Titus 3 3 Context
Titus 3:3 is an essential part of Paul’s instructions to Titus regarding the conduct of believers within Cretan society. Chapters 1 and 2 focus on sound doctrine, leadership qualities, and how different groups within the church (older men, older women, younger men, younger women, slaves) should behave. Chapter 3 broadens this to how believers should interact with the secular authorities and the world. Verses 1-2 exhort believers to submit to rulers, be peaceable, gentle, and show courtesy to all. Verse 3 then provides the theological reason or motivation for this kind of transformed behavior. By vividly describing the sinful past from which believers have been rescued, Paul establishes the contrast that makes God's grace, described immediately in verses 4-7, so astounding and transformative. This profound experience of salvation should logically lead to a radically different life of peace, humility, and love, in sharp contrast to the universal human condition before Christ. The passage emphasizes that all people, Jews and Gentiles alike, were subject to this same depravity, thus promoting humility among believers and a compassionate view of those still outside the faith.
Titus 3 3 Word analysis
- For we ourselves: The Greek "γὰρ" (gar - "for") signals that this verse provides the reason for the exhortations in Titus 3:1-2. "We ourselves" (ἡμεῖς ποτε) emphasizes the personal and universal application to all believers, not just the ungodly world. This powerful collective "we" includes Paul himself, stressing that none are exempt from humanity's fallen state prior to redemption.
- once: The Greek "ποτε" (pote) signifies a definitive past time, a clear demarcation. It implies a change has occurred. Believers are no longer what they "once were." This word establishes the former state against the new identity in Christ.
- foolish: The Greek "ἀνόητοι" (anoētoi) means "without understanding," "senseless," or "stupid." It describes a spiritual deficiency, a mind that lacks comprehension of divine truth and purpose, often linked to willful disregard rather than intellectual inability. It implies living without genuine wisdom, which begins with the fear of the Lord.
- disobedient: The Greek "ἀπειθεῖς" (apeitheis) refers to being "unpersuaded," "rebellious," "obstinate," or "unbelieving." It denotes a willful resistance to God's authority and commands, a refusal to be swayed by truth, and an unwillingness to submit.
- led astray: The Greek "πλανώμενοι" (planōmenoi) is a present passive participle meaning "being made to wander," "being deceived," or "being led astray." The passive voice suggests an external influence – deception by sin, worldly philosophies, or Satan – causing individuals to deviate from the right path. It highlights humanity's susceptibility to spiritual error.
- slaves to various passions and pleasures: The Greek "δουλεύοντες" (douleuontes - "being enslaved") indicates a complete subjection, a state of being in bondage, not merely influenced. "Passions" (ἐπιθυμίαις - epithymiais) are strong cravings or desires, often for what is forbidden or worldly, and "various" (ποικίλαις - poikilais) signifies their diverse and numerous forms. "Pleasures" (ἡδοναῖς - hēdonais) refers to gratification, enjoyment, often sensual or self-centered. This phrase paints a picture of humanity completely under the tyrannical rule of corrupted desires, rather than governing them.
- passing our days: The Greek "διάγοντες" (diagontes) suggests how time was spent, implying a continuous mode of living, not just occasional lapses. This entire description defines their life's daily practice and atmosphere.
- in malice: The Greek "κακίᾳ" (kakia) refers to "wickedness," "moral badness," or "evil intent." It is a fundamental disposition of ill-will and moral depravity that permeates thought and action.
- and envy: The Greek "φθόνῳ" (phthonō) means "resentment," "grudging," or "malicious jealousy." It is displeasure and animosity provoked by another's good fortune or possessions, leading to ill will.
- hated by others and hating one another: The Greek "στυγητοί" (stygetoi) means "detestable," "odious," or "deserving of hatred." It implies both that their state made them objects of repulsion and that their character was loathsome. "Μισοῦντες ἀλλήλους" (misountes allēlous - "hating each other") signifies an active, mutual antipathy. This phrase captures the destructive social outcome of unredeemed human nature – not just internal corruption, but externalized animosity and fractured relationships. It reflects a society governed by strife and hostility rather than love.
Titus 3 3 Bonus section
- The seven participles in this verse (foolish, disobedient, led astray, slaves, passing, hated, hating) powerfully paint a vivid and continuous picture of the old way of life.
- This verse underpins the theological necessity of God's sovereign intervention and new birth (regeneration). Humanity could not rescue itself from such a comprehensive state of moral and spiritual ruin.
- The progression of the description moves from internal intellectual and spiritual state (foolish, disobedient) to bondage by internal desires (slaves to passions), then to outward expression (malice, envy), and finally to the destructive impact on social relationships (hated, hating one another), illustrating the total corruption.
- This shared past unites all believers, breaking down any self-righteousness or judgmental attitude towards the unbelieving world. It is a shared testament to the liberating power of the Gospel.
Titus 3 3 Commentary
Titus 3:3 functions as a stark and humbling preface to the declaration of God's magnificent salvation in verses 4-7. Paul reminds believers, and thereby us, of the truly wretched state from which they were delivered. This comprehensive list of vices is not merely descriptive of the depraved culture around them, such as the infamous Cretans, but serves as a confession of universal human nature apart from divine grace. Every facet of the individual is covered: the mind (foolish), the will (disobedient), susceptibility (led astray), passions (slaves), moral character (malice, envy), and social relationships (hated, hating one another). By acknowledging this profound fallenness as a past reality for "ourselves," the glory of God’s redemptive love becomes infinitely more apparent. This deep understanding of past brokenness fosters profound gratitude for God’s mercy, cultivates humility in believers, and generates empathy and patience for those still walking in the darkness of this described state, ultimately motivating transformed behavior and witness as called for in verses 1-2. The ultimate implication is that humanity's hope lies not in self-improvement but solely in the unmerited grace of God.