Titus 3:9 (DRB)

Passage

But avoid foolish questions and genealogies and contentions and strivings about the law. For they are unprofitable and vain.

Nearby Context

Titus 3:7 That, being justified by his grace, we may be heirs according to hope of life everlasting.

Titus 3:8 It is a faithful saying. And these things I will have thee affirm constantly, that they who believe in God may be careful to excel in good works. These things are good and profitable unto men.

Titus 3:9 But avoid foolish questions and genealogies and contentions and strivings about the law. For they are unprofitable and vain.

Titus 3:10 A man that is a heretic, after the first and second admonition, avoid:

Titus 3:11 Knowing that he that is such an one is subverted and sinneth, being condemned by his own judgment.

Study Lenses

The verse centers on "avoid", "foolish", "questions", "genealogies", "contentions", "strivings", "unprofitable", and "vain". It is saying that the verse draws attention to "avoid" and "foolish", so its meaning should be read from those terms before moving to application.

The nearby context moves from verse 8's "It is a faithful saying And these..." into verse 10's "A man that is a heretic after...", so "avoid" and "foolish" 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 "avoid" and "foolish" with trust shaped by these words, not by a vague optimism outside the passage.