The Meaning of Titus 1:14 Explained

Titus 1:14

KJV: Not giving heed to Jewish fables, and commandments of men, that turn from the truth.

YLT: not giving heed to Jewish fables and commands of men, turning themselves away from the truth;

Darby: not turning their minds to Jewish fables and commandments of men turning away from the truth.

ASV: not giving heed to Jewish fables, and commandments of men who turn away from the truth.

KJV Reverse Interlinear

Not  giving heed  to Jewish  fables,  and  commandments  of men,  that turn from  the truth. 

What does Titus 1:14 Mean?

Context Summary

Titus 1:10-16 - Reprove Those Whose Works Deny God
The Judaizing teachers, who insisted that men must become Jews before they could be Christians, were always on Paul's heels, visiting his churches and diverting his converts from the simplicity of the faith. Their motive in many cases was very largely self-aggrandizement. Such men were to be resisted to the uttermost and sharply rebuked. Where the work of grace is really commenced in the heart, a sharp rebuke will often turn the soul back to God. The gardener must not hesitate to use a pruning-knife, if the well-being of the tree is at stake.
Note the marvelous power we possess of viewing things in the light or gloom cast upon them from our own temperament. We see life and the world in a glass colored from within. Oh, that we might possess that pure and untarnished nature that passes through the world like a beam of sunshine, irradiating all but contaminated by none! The true test of the knowledge of God is a holy life. These act and react. The better you know God, the more you will resemble Him; compare Psalms 111:1-10; Psalms 112:1-10. The more you are like God, the better you will know Him. [source]

Chapter Summary: Titus 1

1  Paul greets Titus, who was left to finish the work in Crete
6  How those chosen as ministers ought to be qualified
11  The mouths of evil teachers to be stopped;
12  and what manner of men they be

Greek Commentary for Titus 1:14

Who turn away from the truth [αποστρεπομενων]
Present middle (direct) participle of αποστρεπω — apostrephō “men turning themselves away from the truth” (accusative according to regular idiom). “The truth” (1 Timothy 4:3) is the gospel (Ephesians 4:21). [source]
Not giving heed [μὴ προσέχοντες]
Reprove sharply, that they may be sound in the faith, and may show their soundness by not giving heed, etc. See on 1 Timothy 1:4. [source]
To Jewish fables [Ἱουδαΐκοῖς μύθοις]
See on 1 Timothy 1:4. Note Jewish. The nature of these we do not know. [source]
Commandments of men [ἐντολαῖς ἀνθρώπων]
See on 1 Timothy 6:14. Comp. Colossians 2:22. Prescriptions concerning abstinence from meats, marriage, etc. The men are probably those of the circumcision, Titus 1:10. What they teach theoretically, by means of the myths, they bring to bear practically, by means of their precepts. [source]
That turn from the truth [ἀποστρεφομένων τὴν ἀλήθειαν]
Comp. 2 Timothy 4:4, where the truth and fables appear in contrast. [source]

Reverse Greek Commentary Search for Titus 1:14

1 Timothy 6:5 Destitute of the truth [ἀπεστερημένων τῆς ἀληθείας]
Rev. bereft of the truth. In N.T. commonly of defrauding, Mark 10:19; 1 Corinthians 6:7, 1 Corinthians 6:8; 1 Corinthians 7:5. The implication is that they once possessed the truth. They put it away from themselves (1 Timothy 1:19; Titus 1:14). Here it is represented as taken away from them. Comp. Romans 1:8. [source]
1 Timothy 6:18 Willing to communicate [κοινωνικούς]
N.T.oolxx. See on fellowship, Acts 2:42, and comp. κοινωνεῖν topartake, 1 Timothy 5:22, and κοινός common Titus 1:14. Stronger than the preceding word, as implying a personal share in the pleasure imparted by the gift. [source]
1 Timothy 4:7 N.T.oolxx. From γραῦς an old woman , and εἶδος form Fables [μύθους]
See on 1 Timothy 1:4, and comp. 2 Timothy 4:4; Titus 1:14; 2 Peter 1:16. [source]
1 Timothy 4:7 Old wives' [γραωδεις]
N.T.oolxx. From γραῦς anold woman, and εἶδος formFables ( μύθους )See on 1 Timothy 1:4, and comp. 2 Timothy 4:4; Titus 1:14; 2 Peter 1:16. [source]
1 Timothy 1:4 Fables [μύθοις]
Μῦθος , in its widest sense, means word, speech, conversation or its subject. Hence the talk of men, rumour, report, a saying, a story, true or false; later, a fiction as distinguished from λόγος ahistoric tale. In Attic prose, commonly a legend of prehistoric Greek times. Thus Plato, Repub. 330 D, οἱ λεγόμενοι μῦθοι περὶ τῶν ἐν Ἅΐδου whatare called myths concerning those in Hades. Only once in lxx, 2Peter href="/desk/?q=2pe+1:16&sr=1">2 Peter 1:16. As to its exact reference here, it is impossible to speak with certainty. Expositors are hopelessly disagreed, some referring it to Jewish, others to Gnostic fancies. It is explained as meaning traditional supplements to the law, allegorical interpretations, Jewish stories of miracles, Rabbinical fabrications, whether in history or doctrine, false doctrines generally, etc. It is to be observed that μῦθοι are called Jewish in Titus 1:14. In 1 Timothy 4:7, they are described as profane and characteristic of old wives. In 2 Timothy 4:4, the word is used absolutely, as here. [source]
1 Timothy 1:4 To give heed [προσεχειν]
With νουν — noun understood. Old and common idiom in N.T. especially in Luke and Acts (Acts 8:10.). Not in Paul‘s earlier Epistles. 1 Timothy 3:8; 1 Timothy 4:1, 1 Timothy 4:13; Titus 1:14. [source]
1 Timothy 1:4 To fables [μυτοις]
Dative case of old word for speech, narrative, story, fiction, falsehood. In N.T. only 2 Peter 1:16; 1 Timothy 1:4; 1 Timothy 4:7; Titus 1:14; 2 Timothy 4:4. Genealogies (γενεαλογιαις — genealogiais). Dative of old word, in lxx, in N.T. only here and Titus 3:9. Endless Old verbal compound (from α — a privative and περαινω — perainō to go through), in lxx, only here in N.T. Excellent examples there for old words used only in the Pastorals because of the subject matter, describing the Gnostic emphasis on aeons. Questionings (εκζητησεις — ekzētēseis). “Seekings out.” Late and rare compound from εκζητεω — ekzēteō (itself Koiné{[28928]}š word, Romans 3:11 from lxx and in papyri). Here only in N.T. Simplex ζητησις — zētēsis in Acts 15:2; 1 Timothy 6:4; Titus 3:9; 2 Timothy 2:23. A dispensation Pauline word (1 Corinthians 9:17; Colossians 1:25; Ephesians 1:9; Ephesians 3:9; 1 Timothy 1:4), Luke 16:2-4 only other N.T. examples. In faith (εν πιστει — en pistei). Pauline use of πιστις — pistis f0). [source]
2 Timothy 1:15 Are turned away from me [απεστραπησαν με]
Second aorist passive (still transitive here with με — me) of αποστρεπω — apostrephō for which verb see note on Titus 1:14. For the accusative with these passive deponents see Robertson, Grammar, p. 484. It is not known to what incident Paul refers, whether the refusal of the Christians in the Roman province of Asia to help Paul on his arrest (or in response to an appeal from Rome) or whether the Asian Christians in Rome deserted Paul in the first stage of the trial (2 Timothy 4:16). Two of these Asian deserters are mentioned by name, perhaps for reasons known to Timothy. Nothing else is known of Phygelus and Hermogenes except this shameful item. [source]
2 Timothy 3:16 Inspired of God [τεοπνευστος]
“God-breathed.” Late word (Plutarch) here only in N.T. Perhaps in contrast to the commandments of men in Titus 1:14. Profitable (ωπελιμος — ōphelimos). See note on 1 Timothy 4:8. See Romans 15:4. Four examples of προς — pros (facing, with a view to, for): διδασκαλιαν — didaskalian teaching; ελεγμον — elegmon reproof, in lxx and here only in N.T.; επανορτωσιν — epanorthōsin correction, old word, from επανορτοω — epanorthoō to set up straight in addition, here only in N.T., with which compare επιδιορτοω — epidiorthoō in Titus 1:5; παιδειαν — paideian instruction, with which compare Ephesians 6:4. [source]
Titus 1:15 All things are pure []
Comp. 1 Timothy 4:4, 1 Timothy 4:5; Acts 10:15; Mark 7:15, Mark 7:18, Mark 7:19; 1 Corinthians 10:26, 1 Corinthians 10:30; Romans 14:20. The aphorism is suggested by the commandments of men, Titus 1:14. [source]

What do the individual words in Titus 1:14 mean?

not giving heed to Jewish myths and [the] commandments of men turning away from the truth
μὴ προσέχοντες Ἰουδαϊκοῖς μύθοις καὶ ἐντολαῖς ἀνθρώπων ἀποστρεφομένων τὴν ἀλήθειαν

προσέχοντες  giving  heed 
Parse: Verb, Present Participle Active, Nominative Masculine Plural
Root: προσέχω  
Sense: to bring to, bring near.
Ἰουδαϊκοῖς  to  Jewish 
Parse: Adjective, Dative Masculine Plural
Root: Ἰουδαϊκός  
Sense: Jewish.
μύθοις  myths 
Parse: Noun, Dative Masculine Plural
Root: μῦθος  
Sense: a speech, word, saying.
ἐντολαῖς  [the]  commandments 
Parse: Noun, Dative Feminine Plural
Root: ἐντολή  
Sense: an order, command, charge, precept, injunction.
ἀνθρώπων  of  men 
Parse: Noun, Genitive Masculine Plural
Root: ἄνθρωπος  
Sense: a human being, whether male or female.
ἀποστρεφομένων  turning  away  from 
Parse: Verb, Present Participle Passive, Genitive Masculine Plural
Root: ἀποστρέφω  
Sense: to turn away.
ἀλήθειαν  truth 
Parse: Noun, Accusative Feminine Singular
Root: ἀλήθεια  
Sense: objectively.