Titus 2:9 (DBY)

Passage

bondmen to be subject to their own masters, to make themselves acceptable in everything; not gainsaying;

Nearby Context

Titus 2:7 in all things affording thyself as a pattern of good works; in teaching uncorruptedness, gravity,

Titus 2:8 a sound word, not to be condemned; that he who is opposed may be ashamed, having no evil thing to say about us:

Titus 2:9 bondmen to be subject to their own masters, to make themselves acceptable in everything; not gainsaying;

Titus 2:10 not robbing [their masters], but shewing all good fidelity, that they may adorn the teaching which [is] of our Saviour God in all things.

Titus 2:11 For the grace of God which carries with it salvation for all men has appeared,

Study Lenses

The verse centers on "bondmen", "subject", "masters", "make", "themselves", "acceptable", "everything", and "gainsaying". It is saying that the verse draws attention to "bondmen" and "subject", so its meaning should be read from those terms before moving to application.

The nearby context moves from verse 8's "a sound word not to be condemned..." into verse 10's "not robbing their masters but shewing all...", so "bondmen" and "subject" belong inside that flow. In Titus context, the local focus is Christ, faith, and discipleship.

A plain takeaway is to answer the verse's own emphasis on "bondmen" and "subject" with trust shaped by these words, not by a vague optimism outside the passage.